Tag: sales pitch

3 Benefits on Building Your Audience Before Your Product

product development

Rick Enrico

sales pitch

SlideGenius

May 25, 2016

Businesses often sell their ready-made products to a yet-to-be-defined customer base.

In a sales pitch, presenters try to convince investors that the income their product generates will make them more valuable in the future. However, this mindset involves plenty of risk.

In his post on The Green Book, Rajan Sambandam of research and analytics firm TRC, he identifies the methods and processes of the new product development framework, which is commonly used by most companies who adhere to traditional marketing. However, there’s a more effective method of getting yourself noticed in the market. This involves using one of your little-known resources: the audience.

1. Real Connections

Some companies believe that reaching out to the audience or customer is the end goal. But flip this model and you’ll have equally productive results, if not more.

Build up your audience by basing the creation of your product on their interests and needs. Best-selling author, Joe Pulizzi, relates the advantages of working with the audience to leverage your product in his LinkedIn article. Compared to the product development method, which banks on a perceived need, audience buildup focuses on an existing issue.

People want authenticity, and if you want to project sincerity, interaction is key. To achieve this, establish rapport with the customer even before your presentation. Addressing this real-life problem instead of a theoretical one is more appreciated because it gives clients something they can readily apply in their daily lives.

2. Cost Reduction

Having a preexisting target market saves you a lot of money.

According to marketing strategist and brand advocate Katherine Dollar, selling a product no one has ever heard of as a company that people don’t identify with requires double the effort on your part. You’ll be paying traditional and digital advertisements without the assurance of people’s interests. As Dollar proposes in her article, however, if you’ve got a market ready for you to cater your product to, you won’t need to market as much.

Knowing your key customers from the onset of your production process already gives you a specific pool to fit your marketing campaign to. This is because you already have an organic network that will continue to grow and spread on its own.

In her article on Forbes, CMO consultant and marketing professor Kimberly Whitler presents word-of-mouth marketing as one of the most effective and easiest marketing techniques. Tapping into this marketing method reduces the cost on availing the help of influencers in the industry to spread the word around.

3. Decreased Risk

Investors want to know how stable your product will be once it’s out in the market. When it comes to business, ensured mutual gain is necessary in getting investments.

Being uncertain about your product’s status because it’s yet to draw attention to potential buyers may make it harder to convince investors to finance you. Starting out with a significant following decreases the risk of losing investors by assuring them that you’re going to hit the ground running.

Having willing buyers out in the market eliminates the probability of failure and increases your product’s chances of success. You have people who are willing to buy your product and help your business grow, which also means a return of venture for your prospective investors.

Conclusion

Keeping a very specific target market in mind while making your product can act as a guide to building an effortless connection between your business and the customer. This saves you the trouble and the cost of promoting and advertising to get yourself noticed by the public eye. A natural network of followers will convince investors of your product’s success compared to haggling for their trust because of the high-risk an unknown product has.

Flip traditional concepts of product creation and establish your audience before your product for better sales.

References

Dollar, Katherine R. “6 Reasons to Build an Audience before Product Development.” Katherine R Dollar. September 10, 2014. www.katherinerdollar.com/reasons-to-build-an-audience-before-product-development
Pulizzi, Joe. “Build an Audience, Not a Product.” LinkedIn. November 2, 2015. www.linkedin.com/pulse/boss-build-audience-product-joe-pulizzi?trk=hp-feed-article-title-comment
Sambandam, Rajan. “New Product Development: Stages and Methods.” GreenBook, The Guide for Buyers of Marketing Research. www.greenbook.org/marketing-research/product-development-stages
Whitler, Kimberly. “Why Word Of Mouth Marketing Is The Most Important Social Media.” Forbes. July 17, 2014. www.forbes.com/sites/kimberlywhitler/2014/07/17/why-word-of-mouth-marketing-is-the-most-important-social-media

Featured Image: “Product Placement” by David Goehring on flickr.com

Match Made: Romancing the Audience for a Better Sales Pitch

audience engagement

conversational tone

marketing strategy

narrative building

Rick Enrico

romance

sales pitch

sales pitch tips

SlideGenius

Jan 15, 2016

Business presentations aren’t confined to stiff and stuffy deliveries. You can find inspiration outside the boardroom, especially if you’re up for a sales pitch.

To outdo the competition and close your sales, you need to be creative enough when selling your product. One way to do this is to call up your inner Cupid to establish personal engagement that results in investment and loyalty.

Just like a great romance, your relationship with the customer should be a lasting passion. Don’t settle for shallow enthusiasm. Get your audience to love you.

Courtship

All romances and sales pitches start with the courtship stage.

Look up your prospects and align your marketing strategy to your client’s wants and needs. Your competition could be bigger, more experienced, and more influential. In this case, don’t try to beat them at their own game.

Try to create your own playing field.

In the book Brand Romance, brand experts Yasushi Kusume and Neil Gridley discuss high design principles that ensure customer loyalty. According to these principles, a recognizable brand identity is one way to effectively bring your product to the audience.

Introduce yourself during your pitch and build a narrative around your journey. After that, you can present a value proposition to show solutions unique to your services.

Have your visuals reflect your brand’s distinct character, whether by incorporating your logo or by using your company colors into the deck.

Passion

Think of your presentation as a first date with the audience. Sometimes, their attentiveness dies halfway through your speech because your offer might not be too impressive. People have a limited attention span, so make the most out of your pitch.

A bit of humor lightens the mood and disperses any lingering tension. However, make sure that all these seemingly unrelated points still lead back to you.

You can only entertain your listeners with interesting anecdotes for so long.

Delivering a dragging and winding speech not only distracts prospects from your major ideas but also dampens their interest.

Commitment

Don’t let the connection with your listeners go cold. Letting them walk away without convincing them of your importance will ruin your chances at making a sale.

Cover as many blind spots as you can, and avoid making common presentation mistakes that alienate the audience. Do away with fillers, but don’t force yourself to be perfect either. Act natural and be confident.

People feel more at ease with someone who uses the conversational tone while establishing their authority on stage. Take notes from your previous sales pitches to see which tactics worked to attract people and which ones failed.

Keep the Flame Alive

Be intimate with the audience, and court their interests by building upon your identity. Having a distinguishable personality sets you apart from the competition. Keep their attention by delivering engaging stories that eventually point back to your main pitch.

Finally, commit to maintaining their interest by constantly improving your public speaking skills. As in any relationship, the connection you make during your sales pitch should ideally lead to a long-term commitment for your business.

Need help with your presentation? Consult with our SlideGenius experts today for a free quote!

Featured Image: “A Taste of Romance.” by Esther Spektor on flickr.com

Enhance Your Sales Presentation by Appealing to Emotions

emotion

emotional appeal

pitch

pitch with rick

ppt designer

sales pitch

sales pitch tips

sales presentation

secrets of professional presenters

slide genius

SlideGenius

trade secrets

Sep 15, 2015

Fulfilling your passion goes beyond projecting confidence during a sales presentation. Using emotional appeal is one of the trade secrets of professional presenters and businessmen. By creating a set of common values, emotions, and beliefs about your product, your clients will have an easier time identifying with your brand.

It also helps you connect to your audience faster and sell more effectively. This marketing trick, which business gurus Michael and George Belch have cited as transformational advertising, also improves your persuasiveness as a presenter.

How to Properly Associate Emotions

More than just describing and summarizing your product’s benefits, effective sales presenters add an associated set of emotions to your pitch. In his book, Cutting Edge Advertising, Jim Aitchison notes these as anchors that remain consistent with your audience’s existing standards or beliefs.

This technique relies on giving clients the impression that you believe in the same things they do. Your creative PowerPoint presentation ideas thereby establish your creativity, while making your pitch more memorable.

Combine a Rational and Emotional Appeal

You need to clarify how clients can benefit from your proposal. According to product management expert Roman Pichler, good products are often focused on the user rather than the product itself.

Make this more effective by sharing emotional benefits from using your product. This is similar to what mobile AT&T did with its “reach out and touch someone” campaign, which encouraged its subscribers to keep in touch with family and friends.

According to Aitchison, be familiar with your product and the situations in which your customers will use it. Knowing these lets you decide what kind of emotions you want to associate with your product and your brand. This forms the basis of what emotional benefits to pitch to your clients.

Make Your Brand Own the Emotion

Once you identify what emotion to bring out, it’s time to bring the passion out. Do you want your PowerPoint presentation to sell a warm experience where families can bond together, similar to how McDonald’s does its advertisements? Or, like brand communications specialist Carmine Gallo’s example, do you want to sell a comfortable third place between home and work like Starbucks?

These brands have defined their emotional benefits from ideas that stem directly from their products. More than selling fast food or custom-hand-crafted coffee, these brands emulate a specific personality that like-minded people can relate to. Find out what you want to be known for by getting to know the people who think like you do.

In a Nutshell: Bank on the Power of Belief

Combining rational and emotional benefits are more effective because they can both inform and rouse audiences. By driving home that you believe in the same things your audience does, you make them remember you better.

Once you find that emotion your brand or product can stand for, you can start playing to your passions for better PowerPoint presentation ideas that help you sell faster. Already have your big idea? All you need to do is to get the help of a professional PowerPoint specialist to bring them out.

References

Aitchison, Jim. Cutting Edge Advertising: How to Create the World’s Best Print for Brands in the 21st Century. 2nd ed. Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004.
Belch, George E., and Michael A. Belch. Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective. 6th ed. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2003.
Gallo, Carmine. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
“Product Owners, Focus on the User Benefits, Not the Product!” Roman Pichler. 2012. Accessed September 15, 2015.
“Using Common Values in PowerPoint Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. April 21, 2015. Accessed September 15, 2015.

An Inside Look at How Clients Invest in Your Sales Pitch

effective presentation

guides

ideas

powerpoint designs

powerpoint template

Powerpoint tips

presentation designer

presentation idea

presentation templates

presentation tips

sales pitch

sales presentations

SlideGenius

Sep 08, 2015

Effective presenters take time to know their client’s expectations. This lets them select the best tactic for delivering their sales pitch so they can solve both their client’s problems and their own. Presenters have this advantage because they know how clients connect with their sales pitch proposals, giving them better PowerPoint presentation ideas.

It’s the same process that advertising agencies consider when making customers connect with the brands they advertise. This connection between brands and customers happens on three levels, the most powerful of which according to a study conducted by advertising giant McCann-Erickson, is Emotional Bonding.

1. Product Benefits

Business gurus George and Michael Belch suggest that on this level, clients connect with your brand based on the benefits it can offer.

At this stage, clients have the least amount of loyalty. They are most likely to switch to the competition if they offer something you don’t have.

2. Brand Personality

The next stage is when your clients assign a personality to your brand. This personality is based on the principles and beliefs your brand will stand for.

Brand communications expert, Carmine Gallo, presents a few examples: it can be the cozy hangout Starbucks is known as, the tough off-roaders of Jeep, or even the classic refreshing drink that Coke is touted as. This is when clients start to associate traits or values they share with your brand.

3. Emotional Benefits

At this stage, consumers and clients alike develop emotional attachments to your brand. This is the highest level, where clients constantly seek you out after you’ve done business with them repeatedly.

At this stage, your previous clients will have no problem looking forward to your future pitches, much like how Apple users always looked forward to the late Steve Jobs showing off his new gadget. This level of trust leads to a positive psychological movement towards your company.

It’s arguably the hardest to achieve, but you get the benefit of clients paying their undivided attention to you whenever you present.

The Main Connection: Develop Trust

Connecting with your audience with a business PowerPoint presentation doesn’t happen overnight. After all, repeat customers are what keep companies alive.

Offer a product with the benefits your clients need, define a relatable personality for your brand, and deliver consistently to help you gain your client’s trust in your company. That’s when the long-term emotional connections happen.

To help you get the most out of this advantage, get in touch with SlideGenius.com today!

 

References

Belch, George E., and Michael A. Belch. Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective. 6th ed. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2003.
Gallo, Carmine. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
“Proprietary Research Technique Called Emotional Bonding.” ZABANGA Marketing. Accessed September 8, 2015.
“Using Common Values in PowerPoint Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. April 21, 2015. Accessed September 8, 2015.

3 Secrets to Making Numbers Interesting in Sales Presentations

presentation content

presenting data

Rick Enrico

sales pitch

Steve Jobs

May 13, 2015

It doesn’t matter how skilled a speaker is or how mathematically proficient listeners are. Numbers mean nothing unless you explain what they mean.

Pitches must back up claims, but you shouldn’t drone on with a string of unrelated numbers.

You can say that your company’s taken a 4% market share, or that your profit increased by 11% in the third quarter. You can boast that your bath soap can kill 99.9% of germs.

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The question your listeners will still ask is: what do the numbers mean to me?

According to brand communications expert Carmine Gallo, you can answer this by making your numbers specific, relevant, and contextual.

Specify who the numbers are for

When Steve Jobs presented the iPhone market share during Q3 2008, he used a pie chart to point out that while RIM commanded 39% of the overall US market share, the iPhone achieved a noteworthy 19.5%. Apple’s iPhone nearly equaled the combined market shares of Palm, Nokia, and Motorola (a total of 20.3%), as well as other competitors’ 21.2% share.

He confidently concluded that the iPhone can do even better in the future. This impressive information convinced Jobs’ prospects to invest in him.

Similarly, in sales presentations, show your audience two things:

  1. That your product can compete with major market players
  2. That your product shows potential for future investment

Make the data relevant

Make your facts and topics relevant to your audience.

For people to invest in your pitch, show them exactly what they’ll get out of it. The same goes for numbers you present in a sales presentation.

As one of Gallo’s examples, when SanDisk announced a new 12GB micro SD card for cell phones in 2008, they focused on the fact that it could store at least 6 hours’ worth of movies and enough songs to listen to while travelling to the moon and back. The brand simplified the specs and made it sound useful to its target market. Instead of throwing hard numbers at the audience, they made easy-to-understand comparisons to highlight the new memory card’s capabilities.

Put the numbers in context

Facts and statistics don’t exist in a vacuum. They indicate how a business performs in the present and in the future.

Going back to the iPhone example, Jobs used the most recent market share data that he could find. His crowd consisted of investors looking to see how well the then-current iPhone performed.

This is why Jobs used that pie chart. For the first 90 days of its shipping, the iPhone had 4 million worth of units sold, an average of 20,000 per day. It was a close second to RIM’s 39% market share (Gallo, 2010). That growth rate in the first 90 days established the high demand for the device. Jobs related his numbers to a specific event (the first 90 days of shipment), which put the achieved market share into a relatable context.

Relate your data in a palatable format. Choose the right way to visualize your information so that your audience can understand it too.

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Since numbers are hard to explain, help your audience understand them.

Apply these three secrets and use graphs to make the data more comprehensive to the average viewer. Know which types of graphs to use depending on the information you’ll be working with. Specify who you’ll be presenting these numbers to, why it’s relevant to them, and how the data makes sense in your client’s context. These are the keys to converting well-made pitches into additional sales.

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References:

Gallo, C. (2010). The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience. New York. McGraw-Hill
Steve Jobs introduces original MacBook Air & Time Capsule – Macworld SF (2008). EverySteveJobsVideo. Accessed May 13, 2015.
“The Question to Answer for Effective Business Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. May 25, 2015.

What’s Wrong With Your Sales Presentations?

presentation mistakes

presentation tips

sales pitch

sales presentations

Mar 03, 2015

Sales presentations are a crucial step to your reaching out and communicating with prospect clients. During such an opportunity, you get to make them understand the importance of what your brand can do for them.

Because of this, it’s important that you make the most of the time you’ve been given. Delivering a successful sales pitch leads you one step closer to sealing the deal with a new client.

But what if your sales presentations aren’t helping you reach that outcome? Let us lend you a hand by taking note of some mistakes that could cost you incredible opportunities:

Mistake #1: Lack of preparation

Most people try to prepare for sales presentations as quickly as possible, thinking they can simply “wing” most of their pitch.

Sure, you might have taken the time to prepare your PowerPoint deck and all the points you want to cover, but this isn’t enough to get you across the finish line. If you really want to succeed and impress your prospects, plan and prepare every aspect of your presentation.

Take the time to do some research and prepare your materials long before your scheduled meeting.

Plan how you’ll go about your presentation to make sure you don’t go over the time you were given. Be meticulous about every step, or you might end up with a half-baked pitch.

Mistake #2: The hard sell

Your ultimate goal is to seal the deal with your prospects. However, your sales presentations shouldn’t sound like a desperate bid to get hired.

While hard selling has its own benefits, Gigaom contributor, Celine Roque, explains that its straightforwardness may not always work for everyone.

Explore other avenues of pitching your product or service. Let your brand should speak for itself. Work hard to present all the significant features that are relevant to your audience by appealing to their experiences.

During your preparation, try to learn as much as you can about your prospects: What particular challenge would they want to solve with the help of your product or service?

After that, identify a few attributes that would be important to them based on what you found out through your research.

Mistake #3: Poor delivery

You can have the most inspired presentation ever, but it won’t be any good if you can’t deliver properly.

As compelling as your points might be, you need to make sure you sell them as best you can.

Don’t waste a good opportunity by mumbling to yourself and avoiding eye contact. Face the crowd with confidence.

If you’re feeling a bit nervous about it, we have plenty of tips that might help you shake off your anxiety. Rather than run away from your fears, face them and use them to your advantage.

Your audience doesn’t know your presentation the way you do, so don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

You’ll be surprised how much you can do when you put on a brave face.

Mistake #4: Ignoring the audience

It’s hard to trust and engage with a presenter who talks without much regard to his audience.

If you don’t take the time to pause and ask questions, your prospects might feel like you’re talking at them, rather than to them. This defeats the point of engaging them.

Instead of this bad habit, make them feel like you’re in a productive conversation.

Remember that you have to leave your prospects with a favorable impression of your brand and organization.

A disengaged presenter won’t do that. Make eye contact and be pleasant throughout your presentation. Observe their reactions and ask for their comments if it looks like someone might want to share comments.

Mistake #5: Bad PowerPoint designs

Finally, keep in mind that PowerPoint design plays an important role in the success of sales presentations.

As we’ve mentioned time and again, majority of people are visual learners. Seeing your pitch play out in front of them as engaging visuals can really add impact to the message you want to share.

Step out of the mold and customize your design. You can also browse through our portfolio for inspiration and contact our expert presentation designers for some extra help.

 

References

“Design Ideas: How to Improve PowerPoint Templates.” SlideGenius, Inc. December 9, 2014. Accessed March 3, 2015.
“How to Shake Off Your Pre-Presentation Jitters.” SlideGenius, Inc. November 6, 2014.Accessed March 3, 2015.
Roque, Celine. “Hard Selling vs. Soft Selling: Which Approach Do You Use With Clients?” Gigaom. February 25, 2009. Accessed March 3, 2015.
“The Visual (spatial) Learning Style.” Learning Styles. Accessed March 3, 2015.

 

Featured Image: David Goehring via Flickr

Sales Presentation Tips: How to Leave Your Clients Inspired

presentation tips

Presentations

sales pitch

sales presentation

Jan 26, 2015

A sales presentation is the proverbial last mile. The opportunity to come face-to-face with a prospect is your last bet to make sure the sales process goes in your favor. Because of this, the stakes are high and there’s a lot of pressure to perform. It’s not enough that you’ve made sure to present your product or service in the best light. You also need a good story to share.

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Salespeople tend to focus on the particulars of what they’re offering. While it’s important to introduce the details of your product or service, it’s also important to answer a crucial question. As TED speaker Simon Sinek puts it, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

Following this line of thinking, here are a few ways to make sure your story stands out and leaves prospects inspired:

Follow a compelling structure

Do without the blatant matter-of-fact way tone sales presentations typically have. This traditional technique doesn’t particularly inspire prospects to engage with you.

If you want to add an edge to your own sales pitch, follow the dramatic arc of ancient Greek plays. Scientific research has proven that narratives following this specific structure can trigger powerful emotional responses. This is exactly what you need if you’re looking to create a stronger connection between you and your audience.

Identify the challenges your prospect is facing

The conflict is perhaps the most important part of a story. In a movie, this is the point where all the tension and suspense start to build up. While you’re not looking to scare people off their seats, it’s important to create a similar feeling in your presentation.

Build a rapport by identifying the challenges that your prospects want to solve. Let them see that you’re aware of their current situation and you understand where they’re coming from. Describe to them a scenario that addresses the challenges they face to make your pitch more relatable.

Detail a solution particular to their issues

Obviously, it isn’t enough that you identify the problems your prospects want to solve. Challenges need to be solved. If you really want to leave them inspired, balance your story out by offering your own solution.

This is the part where you can bring out the details of your product or service. Delve into the features that are particularly helpful for the challenges you just presented. Make sure these solutions are specific to give your sales presentation a more personalized feeling.

Urge audience to action with a definitive statement

When you finish covering all the important points, don’t forget to end your sales presentation with a bang. Urge the audience one last time by providing them a Call to Action statement that’s simple and straight to the point.

Summarize the purpose of your pitch in one bold statement that will get prospects to commit. This final, definitive statement is your last chance to make sure the audience doesn’t forget your story and message, so make it memorable and convincing.

Make sure the visuals highlight your brand

All these tips could fall flat if you don’t have visuals that help highlight and elevate your story. Part of that story is making sure your brand is well-represented.

By creating a PowerPoint deck that mirrors your brand, you can make sure that your sales presentation is more distinguishable and unique. Best of all, it also helps remind your audience that you’re the best choice from a range of competitors.

The best way to go about this is by incorporating your logo in the colors you use. Take a look at these sample slides for more inspiration.

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A sales presentation doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. Following the right techniques, it can be an easy sprint to the finish line. Follow these tips to make sure you leave prospect clients inspired and ready to get on board.

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Reference

“End Your Presentation with a Call to Action Slide.” SlideGenius, Inc. July 14, 2014. Accessed January 26, 2015.
How great leaders inspire action. Simon Sinek. TED, 2009.
“The Science of Effective Storytelling in Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. September 28, 2014. Accessed January 26, 2015.

Featured Image: PicJumbo.com

9 Simple Rules for an Effective Sales Presentation

sales pitch

sales presentation tips

sales presentations

Oct 08, 2014

There’s a lot at stake when delivering a sales presentation. After cold calls and endless follow-ups, you now have the opportunity to meet with prospects and have a worthwhile discussion with them. You get to showcase the service or product you’re offering and all the benefits attached to it.

In order to succeed, you can’t just throw a PowerPoint deck together and deliver a haphazard presentation. Instead, you need to be mindful of the correct techniques, making use of your creativity to leave a lasting impression.

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Here are 9 simple rules to make sure your pitch goes according to plan:

1.) Keep it short and simple

It’s easy to lose interest in a presentation that seems to go on forever. Even with an extremely engaging topic, most audiences have a hard time focusing their attention for more than a couple of minutes.

The first step to improving your sales presentation is by cutting down the content. Focus only on the points that are crucial to the message you’re delivering.

2.) Hook the audience with a story

There’s nothing more compelling than a good story. Instead of presenting your pitch in a traditional, matter-of-fact way, you can spin it into a narrative. Following the dramatic arc of ancient Greek plays, or use the AIDA method as a guide.

With a specific and structured narrative, you can easily determine which points are crucial to your message, and which ones feel excessive or unnecessary. This technique can also lead to a stronger connection between you and your audience.

3.) Create tension by identifying challenges

All the best stories are able to build tension for conflict and suspense. The same thing should be true for your sales presentation. Briefly show your prospects just how crucial your product or service is. Let them know that you’re aware of the problems they encounter. Describe a scenario that enumerates the challenges they face. Aside from making your pitch more compelling, this will let your prospects see how much you understand their current situation.

4.) Release tension by detailing your solution

Of course, you’ll need to do more than talk about the problems. Too much suspense can also kill engagement, so balance your story out by bringing attention to positive details as well. Delve into the features of your product or service, and focus on the opportunities it can give your prospects. Show them how your solution is the best way to overcome their challenges.

5.) Showcase your accomplishments, expertise, and experience

Another thing you can’t miss is to showcase the value of your brand and company. Build audience trust by enumerating your key accomplishments and relevant industry experience. Let your prospects understand the culture and logic behind your product or service, but don’t spend too much time blowing your own horn. Majority of your sales presentation should be spent on connecting with your prospect and showcasing the benefits of your offer.

6.) Emphasize your message with slides that incorporate your brand

Your brand encapsulates your entire company identity. By creating a PowerPoint deck that mirrors your brand, you can help your presentation become more unique and distinguishable. The easiest way to go about this is by using a color palette that’s similar to your logo. You can also incorporate the overall theme of your product into your design. These examples can serve as inspiration.

7.) Prepare for the difficult questions

You can never tell how the audience will react to your presentation. Your prospect might ask you questions that are difficult to answer. They could also bring up points you weren’t made aware of in your previous conversations. For situations like this, it’s always better to be prepared. Get ready to improvise. It will also help if you list down and answer all the possible questions that your audience might ask. Consult your colleagues and other members of your team to expand your list.

8.) Close with a specific Call-to-Action

The Call-to-Action (CTA) is perhaps the most crucial part of your sales presentation. It summarizes the purpose of your pitch in a bold statement that urges your prospects to take positive action. In other words, the CTA puts the ball on their side of the court. To be effective, a CTA needs to be direct, precise, and straight to the point.

9.) Don’t forget to follow up

Your work doesn’t stop even after your sales presentation ends with positive feedback. You can’t assume that your prospects will immediately act on your presentation. The people in your audience, especially the key decision makers, often have busy schedules. To make sure the impact of your sales presentation doesn’t dwindle, send an email to your prospects and reiterate your points.

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READ MORE: What Makes a Sales Pitch, As Told by Mad Men’s Don Draper

Featured Image: Ted Eytan via Flickr

Enhance Your Sales Presentations with the AIDA Method

aida method

sales pitch

sales presentations

Aug 19, 2014

Did your last sales presentation end with blank stares from the audience? If your answer is a loud and desperate ‘yes’, it’s time to consider a new strategy. Luckily, there’s a classic marketing trick that will help sustain audience engagement throughout your presentation. It’s called the AIDA method.

The AIDA method was first developed in 1898. It proves its longevity as it continues to provide an effective framework for marketing efforts. Utilize it for your next sales presentation.

What is AIDA?

AIDA is an acronym that stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. Basically, it serves as a framework for any type of content that aims to persuade, engage, and convert readers or viewers. For presentations, you start by grabbing the attention of your audience then move to building their interest.

When that’s done, you strive to make an emotional connection. This will eventually lead to positive response.

How exactly does AIDA work? Let’s break down each component of the method to see how it can improve your sales pitch:

A – Attention

Set up your presentation by introducing the problem your product or service can solve. Be creative with your approach. You can do it by describing a hypothetical scenario your audience can relate with. You can also start with shocking statistics. If you’re feeling brave, try integrating humor through a short anecdote. Another thing you can do is to ask your audience a thought-provoking question.

I – Interest

With your audience hooked, it’s time to dig a little bit deeper. Talk about the special features of your product or service. Provide them with information that’s backed by proof. If your product allows it, give your audience a short demonstration. This is your chance to impress your audience with case studies and facts gathered through research. The key is to build a strong case.

D – Desire

This step of the AIDA method is closely related to the previous one. After you sustain interest with hard facts, you have to generate a strong emotional connection. You want your audience to realize that you have the best solution to their problems. Continue explaining the features of your product or service, but frame the discussion in a way that’s a bit more personalized for your audience. Explain the advantages of your offer, and how that could benefit them. You can also show them a video of testimonials from relatable clients and customers.

A – Action

If you were able to sustain interest and create an emotional connection, the last step of the AIDA method will be easy to accomplish. After you’ve convinced your audience that your product/service is something they need, persuade them to take action. Take inspiration from advertisers who use a sense of urgency in their commercials. For your presentation, give the audience a call to action that’s straight to the point.

 

Reference

“What Is AIDA?” About.com Money. Accessed August 19, 2014.

 

Featured Image: Flazingo Photos via Flickr

What Makes a Sales Pitch, As Told by Mad Men’s Don Draper

mad men

pop culture

presentation tips

sales pitch

Aug 06, 2014

In the world of advertising, few characters are as iconic as Don Draper from Mad Men. Draper’s ability to craft captivating sales pitches that seamlessly combine emotion, storytelling, and persuasion is what sets him apart as one of the greatest fictional ad men of all time. Though Draper’s world was set in the 1960s, the principles behind his powerful sales pitches are timeless and applicable to today’s business world.

Here’s what makes a great sales pitch, as told by Don Draper:

1. Start with a Strong Hook

In the advertising world, first impressions matter. Draper always starts his pitches with a strong, attention-grabbing hook that captures the client’s attention right from the start. Whether it’s a thought-provoking question or a bold statement, the hook sets the stage for the rest of the pitch.

Why It Works:

  • Captures Attention: A compelling opening grabs the audience’s focus and piques their interest, setting a strong foundation for the rest of the pitch.
  • Builds Curiosity: A well-crafted hook leaves the audience wanting more, creating curiosity about the solution or product being offered.

Don Draper Example: When pitching Kodak’s “Carousel,” Draper opens by stating, “Technology is a glittering lure, but there’s the rare occasion when the public can be engaged on a level beyond flash—if they have a sentimental bond with the product.”

2. Appeal to Emotions

Draper’s pitches are legendary for their emotional appeal. He doesn’t just sell products—he sells emotions, memories, and desires. A good sales pitch doesn’t just focus on the features of a product; it tells a story that resonates with the audience on a deeper, emotional level.

Why It Works:

  • Creates Connection: People are more likely to buy a product when they feel an emotional connection to it. By focusing on how the product makes the audience feel, you create a bond that goes beyond logic.
  • Makes the Message Memorable: Emotional appeals stick with the audience, making the message more likely to be remembered long after the pitch is over.

Don Draper Example: In his pitch for the Kodak Carousel, Draper appeals to nostalgia and sentimentality by focusing on the emotional power of photographs. “It’s not called the wheel, it’s called the carousel. It lets us travel the way a child travels—around and around, and back home again.”

3. Tell a Story

Storytelling is at the heart of every great sales pitch. Don Draper knows that facts and figures alone aren’t enough to convince someone to buy—people need to be taken on a journey. Draper masterfully weaves stories into his pitches, often relating personal experiences or human truths that align with the product’s value.

Why It Works:

  • Engages the Audience: Stories captivate audiences and hold their attention longer than data or sales jargon.
  • Makes the Product Relatable: A well-told story shows how the product fits into the audience’s life, solving a problem or enhancing their experience.

Don Draper Example: Draper’s storytelling skills are on full display in his Kodak pitch, where he doesn’t just describe the technical aspects of the slide projector. Instead, he tells a story of family memories and the joy of reliving those moments through photographs.

4. Focus on the Benefits, Not Just the Features

While many salespeople focus heavily on the features of a product, Draper takes a different approach. He always highlights the benefits—what the product does for the consumer. It’s not just about what the product is, but how it makes life better for the customer.

Why It Works:

  • Shows Value: Focusing on benefits helps the audience understand how the product will solve their problems or improve their lives.
  • Makes It Personal: Rather than simply listing features, benefits make the pitch more personal by addressing the needs and desires of the audience.

Don Draper Example: When pitching a new ad campaign for cigarettes, Draper doesn’t focus on the health risks or science. Instead, he hones in on the simple pleasure of smoking, saying, “It’s toasted,” turning a mundane feature into an emotional benefit.

5. Be Confident and Command the Room

Don Draper always exudes confidence during his pitches. His calm, collected demeanor and commanding presence instill trust and authority. Great sales pitches require not only a well-crafted message but also the confidence to deliver it with conviction.

Why It Works:

  • Builds Trust: When the presenter is confident, the audience is more likely to trust the message and believe in the product.
  • Engages the Audience: A confident speaker draws people in and holds their attention more effectively than someone who appears unsure or nervous.

Don Draper Example: Draper’s cool, calm delivery during his pitch to Kodak shows how confidence can carry a presentation. His quiet but assured tone makes every word feel important and worth listening to.

6. Leave a Lasting Impression

Draper’s pitches don’t just end—they leave a lasting impression. He often finishes with a strong, memorable line that encapsulates the core message of the pitch, leaving the audience with something to think about long after the meeting is over.

Why It Works:

  • Makes It Memorable: A strong conclusion reinforces the message and ensures that the pitch sticks with the audience.
  • Encourages Action: By leaving a lasting impression, you encourage the audience to take the next step, whether it’s making a purchase or scheduling a follow-up meeting.

Don Draper Example: Draper’s iconic close to the Kodak Carousel pitch, “This device isn’t a spaceship—it’s a time machine,” perfectly sums up the emotional power of the product, leaving the client in awe.

Final Thoughts

Don Draper’s approach to sales pitches in Mad Men highlights the timeless power of storytelling, emotion, and confidence. A great sales pitch doesn’t just sell a product; it sells an experience, a feeling, and a solution to the audience’s problems. By focusing on these key elements, you can craft a sales pitch that leaves a lasting impact, just like Don Draper.