One-on-one sales presentations – the best the worst
The one-on-one sales presentation can be the best and worst type of sales presentation for different reasons. It can be the best for people who can communicate effectively one-on-one. You can be responsive, pay attention, and see whether the person is getting your messages. You can ask the prospect questions and have true engagement with them. The bad thing is that it is less efficient than speaking to all the company’s decision-makers simultaneously or talking to many people. It does not mean you should turn down one-on-one presentations, but this will be helpful for formal presentations.
One-on-one sales presentations – pitch for formal presentations
When making better sales presentations for large groups, do not start with PowerPoint slides containing many bullet points. The most excellent source of material for your formal group presentation in front of the entire board of directors or a large audience comes from what is going on in your one-on-one presentations. Examples that worked in a one-on-one presentation where the prospect said yes, I could relate to what you said can work in your so-called formal sales presentation. Stories you give in a one-on-one presentation will be the same you give in your formal presentation. If there was a particular slide, you found complex in your one-on-one presentation, and people found it difficult to understand, do not use that slide in your formal sales presentations.
Build questions in formal presentations
If there is a particular point at which most people ask you questions consistently, you need to build that question in your sales presentation. Don’t wait for the audience to ask that question because people are afraid to interrupt you when there are 50 other people in the room and will only ask you that question when they are sitting alone with you. It seems like a conversation, so they ask anything coming to their mind, unlike a small or large audience.
Mine the effective points of the one-on-one sales presentation
One-on-one presentations are the best pitch for most of us because if you learn the proper lessons from them and apply them, you can make an excellent formal sales presentation. You can add references to your conversations in one-on-one presentations in the formal presentations making it a source of better interaction with the listeners. In this way, you can make it more attractive than a typical presentation where the presenter is saying here is our product, and this is its features, facts, and numbers. If you are doing well in your one-on-one presentations, mine the things you did well in it and put them in your final presentation. The problem with many people is that they throw away all the good things they did in their one-on-one sales presentation, start making slides filled with data and leave out all the good stuff; i.e., stories and examples. They say, “We don’t have time to talk about all that as there is a lot of data to share.”
Two common blunders to avoid in sales presentations
One of the top problems in most sales presentations or the cause of failure of 99.99% of the failed presentations is that it is a massive data dump. It is full of features, facts, and numbers. It is overwhelming for the prospect. Too much of the information is not memorable in a sales presentation.
The second significant problem is an awful PowerPoint slide full of text or numbers. This too much data could put everybody to sleep. Avoid these two problems, and you will be ahead of others with a good sales presentation. If you do not do great in any other aspect, only avoiding these two blunders will make your sales presentation a success.
Bonus tips
Record the video you think is perfect for your colleagues or boss in your company or anyone you respect. Ask them what they remember and like in the presentation and what suggestions they have on how you could improve your presentation. The praise will fill you with confidence, and the feedback will give you valuable tips to refine your presentation. You do not have to do these things in your sales presentation. However, doing them will take you higher in your performance.
Try to video record every sales presentation you give in your life. You can ask your colleague to do it for you. Watch the recording, analyze what worked in your sales presentation, and use it for other presentations.
No gain without practicing
If you practiced and recorded your sales presentation to the point you think it’s perfect, you have done the job. If you only read the article and sit back passively, not practicing it will give you a fruitful thought, but you will not become a good sales presenter in this way. It’s not something you can simply read and think about; rather, it is something you must practice. Great sales presenters learn from every sales presentation they give. They are always looking for new reactions and ways of doing things in a better way. Sometimes a specific question that somebody asks gives you ideas or thoughts to create compelling messages. Great speakers constantly learn, refine and make their presentations better.
Conclusion
The one-on-one sales presentation is the best source to collect ideas and messages that work efficiently to achieve your objectives. Put them in your formal presentation. Things that worked in the one-on-one presentation will also work in the formal presentations. Add the questions in your formal presentations that people consistently ask in the one-on-one sales presentations. Avoid giving out too much data in your presentation and PowerPoint slides; otherwise, the sales presentation can be an utter failure. Do not make it a data dump that puts people to sleep. Practice and record your sales presentation if you want to perform the best in your job. Share the final recording with trustworthy colleges to refine it.