Sales Presentations That Win Business and How to Create Them

 Well-designed, professionally written sales presentations are a powerful addition to your marketing arsenal.

Is this you?

• You are already successful and want to increase revenue or open new markets for your business.

• Your talented, eager team would benefit from a tool that supports them in the sales process.

• You want to present your company as high level strategists, not a vendor.

A sales presentation is very different from an investor pitch deck, which has a super specific structure and mandatory content. Learn more about investor decks here

Sales Presentations are meant to be a backdrop for a conversation

Your slides are meant to tell a story in a sequence that moves prospects forward in the sales process. It is NOT a catalog of your services! You must give people rational as well as emotional reasons to help them make a decision.

Content, graphics and headlines must support your story, hold attention and spark curiosity.

This is not a 1-dimensional document for the purpose of showing off fancy design and a laundry list of services. Its purpose is to position you as the clear and only choice to buy from.

The 3 things people need to know before they will open their wallets:

1. How your product or service solves a problem(s) or need
2. What qualifies you to deliver on the promise of a solution?
3. Why should I do or buy something different?

1. The first point seems obvious. But it’s amazing how many people speak generically about their product or bombard the poor recipient with unimportant data at the beginning of their sales presentation.

Steve Jobs became infamous for his one-liner: “1,000 songs in your pocket.”

Who knew we needed ULTRA portability until he said it? But once he did, we absolutely had to have it because it filled a void the Walkman left and CD players couldn’t match. See the entire presentation here. People will only buy a product or service if it fills a need, alleviates pain or solves a problem. 

2. The second part is where you build trust.

What positions you differently in a sea of so many others who do what you do? Demonstrating who you are builds credibility and is a crucial part of your sales presentation. Even if you are a well-known brand name, that alone could lump you in with the masses.

To create trust, write and tell stories about

• What my history is the laboratory for, that because of those experiences, I am now ready and positioned to deal with high-level challenges?
• Your specific point of view on your business, how you are different, your purpose, etc
• How you pulled a rabbit out of the hat for a client
• What I will do after purchase to support my customer

3. The third is the biggest hurdle in any sales pitch.

Your worst enemy is the status quo, because most people do not like change. How can you position your sales presentation to address people’s discomfort and have them be willing to listen to a different concept? Here’s how…

Language

Using language that is uncommon in your industry keeps people’s attention and embeds you in their memory. If you speak and sound like everyone else, you can be lumped into a generic pool and forgotten.

Storytelling is a great way to demonstrate your thinking process, problem-solving ability, creativity and expertise, all without saying, “we give quality service”, or “we are the leading…”

Don’t just dump information on people

Most sales decks have way too much information, bullet points and statistics, and it causes their audience to tune out. Slides should be light in content, images should be metaphorical, humorous or non-industry (use uncommon ones) and provide a talking point. Dumping a truckload of information on people isn’t going to move them to buy. Value is.

The structure of a perfect sales presentation deck

Take people on a short journey. Use surprise, drama and of course, have a happy ending.

• Describe a problem, trend or change that is happening in your audience’s world.
• Show the significance and impact this will have on them
• Identify who will be the winners or losers because of this
• Talk about a need that makes them reach for the Xanax at night, the implications of not taking action—and make it as painful as possible
• Lead into your capabilities by introducing solutions to their need
• Tell a story about how you pulled a rabbit out of the hat for a customer and solved their problem
• Leave room for any objections or questions and be ready for any and all of them
• Discuss next steps in buying
• Follow up with something of value; A useful article, invitation to an industry event or a small gift, such as an educational or inspirational book

Notice the presentation doesn’t begin with your capabilities or story. It starts with a pressing, painful situation (emotion), identifies a need (alleviates pain) and shows them you get them (empathy). Only then will they listen to your solution.

A sales deck is a multi-purpose tool.

The heavy lifting happens in creating the initial presentation, but after that, this valuable asset can repurposed in a many ways.

Expand it or reduce it to suit.

Once you have the content, the number of slides can be expanded or contracted to suit the time and attention allotted by a prospect or when presenting to a large audience or 1-on-1 meeting. The deck, or parts of it, can be sent in follow-up correspondence, used in networking, marketing, on social media, as a video script and more.

Keeping the presenter on track

When speaking, salespeople often become informal, go off on tangents and they could actually skip crucial information in their enthusiasm.

Should this happen, their deck can bring their focus back on track.

Using your presentation as a training tool

Your presentation can be utilized in training your staff in selling your company, product or service. It sets consistent brand messaging, context, language, tone and value points for your brand. Even the person answering the phone will benefit form studying it.

Sales copy has a very specific purpose

Many writers write well but don’t understand the nuances of writing sales copy. There is a focused intention when writing for the purpose of bringing a buyer to a conclusion to buy. You want to take your audience on a journey designed to show value, create trust and get them to take action.

Addressing buyers objections

Before setting out on a sales call, savvy presenters practice making up objections to what they are selling. They think through answers to each one, and when it comes up, as it inevitably will, they are armed and ready.

We believe a well-constructed sales presentation deck is a super powerful door opener for more business. 

The return on this investment is often made back with just one or two clients. So why wait? Talk to us, take the leap and you will be amazed.

Explore our Presentation Design Services here