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Sales presentation

Last updated: 11 November, 2023

What is a sales presentation?

What makes a good sales presentation, how to make a sales presentation, checkout our sales pipeline templates freebies.

Did you know people process visuals nearly 60,000 times faster than text? Our eyes are a predominant perceptual system for information coming from the outside world to the brain. Nearly 90% of the data we receive comes from observing, and images are stored in our memory for a very long time. 

It’s no coincidence that any advertisement, be it a video or a banner, includes both a verbal message and a visual aid. Marketers and sales reps exploit this quality of human memory to boost communication and close more deals. 

In particular — by creating effective sales presentations .

A sales presentation is a short presentation of your solution to prospects or existing customers that aims to persuade them to make a purchase.

The answer is simple. A winning sales presentation:

• Helps convince the client of the brilliance of your solution.
• Doesn’t simply describe a product or service but draws attention to the features that can solve the customer’s problems.
• Is not overloaded with facts and statistics.
• Doesn’t make your potential clients want to doze off (a boring sales presentation is a sales killer).
• Persuades the prospect that no one else on the market can satisfy their needs as well as your company can.

But what exactly should it include to get your prospects’ attention, establish good relationships with them, and accelerate the sales process?

We wish there were a recipe for a sales presentation, but there’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation about its ingredients: wording, style, format, or length. 

Still, there are some tips to help your presentation end in a sale: 

1. It’s all about the balanced layout

If you use PowerPoint or other presentation software, it’s better not to put multiple graphs, images, text, and statistics onto one slide. Your audience needs time to focus and concentrate. It hurts when you try processing the slide below, doesn’t it? 

Find the right balance between statistics and visual components. Charts, tables, and bulleted points are great, but if your presentation consists of grouped facts only, it won’t win the heart of your listener.

3 elements are just enough. If there’s more, break the slide into multiple slides instead!

Besides, as a speaker, make sure you don’t seem offhand or uninformed. Clients, especially in the B2B market , appreciate precision and professionalism. For them, the presentation packed with Google images just won’t do.

All the material presented should be of high quality and serve a point.

2. Make it short and sweet

Like any meeting, a sales presentation follows a clear agenda. Nothing will distract a client from the deal more than a prolonged conference that makes them want to escape the room. 

Here’s what works best for us: arranging 20 minutes for the speech plus 10-15 minutes for the Q&A section. This way, a sales presentation won’t take more than 30-35 minutes . It can be even shorter than that. After all, there’s a reason TED talks are 18-minute long.

If you think this time isn’t enough, schedule follow-ups, subsequent sales pitches , or agree to continue via email or phone. 

3. Work on the slide deck

Avoid adding meaningless slides; use an interactive presentation maker instead, to keep your audience engaged.

There are three conventional ones: a title, table of contents, and a “Thank you” slide. Apart from these, it’s up to you how many to include in the sales presentation. Typically, it takes from 1.5 to 3 per single key point. If we consider a 30-minute duration, that’ll sum up into 10-20 slides .

4. Start a sales presentation with a self-introduction and small talk

This is an act of courtesy to introduce oneself and briefly tell who you are. In particular, when you meet new people. Unfortunately, due to the stress, some speakers forget about it.

No less important is to catch the audience’s attention from the very beginning. A story from one’s life, a joke, a surprising fact — whichever magnet you choose, make sure it corresponds to the time and place. By the way, if you want to get inspired, check out these best TED talks ever .

5. End your speech by wrapping up and outlining further steps

Although a sales presentation may not result in a closed deal or a revenue boost (it can but on rare occasions), this is a business process. So, apart from having a good pastime with clients, a sales rep has to mildly yet distinctly drop a hint about how it’s better to proceed with the deal.

Define the purpose

Your speaking style will depend on what you’re trying to accomplish. Remember outstanding demonstrations of Apple’s new launches held by Steve Jobs? Each of these is an example of a winning sales presentation. 

The speaker aimed to persuade buyers that the product was so one of a kind, that it was a matter of life-and-death to purchase it. A speech was corresponding: the majority of time was devoted to demonstrating new UI / UX features, and less attention was paid to the technical side.

To succeed with the presentation, ask yourself what exactly you need to convey:

• Explain unique selling points
• Focus on money benefits
• Position your brand to competitors
• Create urgency around the deal, etc.

Adjust your sales presentation based on the audience

Does your audience consist of decision-makers , stakeholders, ordinary employees, or all three at once? What industry do your clients operate in? How old are these people? Is the audience multilingual? Any details are important because they will determine:

• The language and wording you choose
• Jokes you can or can’t tell
• Images you should and shouldn’t use, etc.

Consider means available

Your presentation may be doomed to fail if you don’t consider technical issues. Imagine, you expected to display a growth graph on the big white screen but were provided with a TV screen instead. Your audience won’t be able to see anything, and half of the speech will be lost.

Prepare key points & season them with data

It’s important to have a good understanding of what you are about to present. Let the numbers speak for themselves: prepare a few metrics or statistics and mention these during storytelling. However, don’t turn a presentation into a report — 2 or 3 graphs, tables, or diagrams will be more than enough.

If you plan to share the presentation among participants, you can include links to resources. This way, people interested in more details can retrieve the data.

Design the sales presentation structure

Use a “10-20-30” formula: 

• No more than 10 slides
• 20 minutes to speak
• No font smaller than 30 pt.

A good idea is to google some pre-designed sales presentation templates. This will save time on formatting plus give you useful ideas about the overall structure. Below are websites that might be helpful:

• Freecreatives

If you are in doubt, break your speech down into minute detail and align it with the sales presentation. Also, prepare cheat sheets — the latest price list, full specifications, etc. This way, you will be able to fend off any questions from the public.

Wrapping up

A good sales presentation fits the audience. Put yourself in the client’s shoes and wonder, what would YOU want to listen about? What facts might comfort you, and what questions might arise? With the customer in mind and with thorough preparation, your presentation will be a sure hit.

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What Is a Sales Presentation? Definition, Tips, and Follow-Up Tasks

Sales presentations let you communicate with customers in a highly memorable and persuasive way. But exactly what is a sales presentation? 

A sales presentation involves more than just a simple pitch; it’s a more complex method of explaining your product or service to a customer and demonstrating its value. 

In this article, we will explain how presentations fit into the sales process, discuss ways to make them more effective, and cover crucial follow-up tasks.

Key Takeaways

• A sales presentation is a pitch or demonstration given by a salesperson to potential customers to persuade them to buy a product or service.
• Sales presentations demonstrate the value your product offers the customer through in-depth information, data, customer reviews, visual aids, videos, statistics, demonstrations, and more.
• Key sales presentation tips include researching customer needs, tailoring the presentation to each customer, and pitching a compelling story.
• After a presentation, you should thank the attendees, follow up with additional information that addresses any objections or questions, schedule a follow-up phone call or meeting, and keep in touch to help solidify the sale.

What Does a Sales Presentation Mean?

How do sales presentations fit into the sales process, sales presentations vs. sales pitch, start by researching, craft a strong introduction, tailor your presentation to the customer journey, highlight key points backed by data, bring your product or a visual aid, use a template, what to do immediately after a sales presentation.

A sales presentation is a pitch or demonstration given by a salesperson to potential customers in order to persuade them to buy a product or service. But a sales presentation is more than just a sales pitch. It takes your customer on an experience that aids them in understanding how you can meet their needs and requirements.

Presentations also offer the opportunity to explore and build customer relationships by providing tangible success stories or positive customer reviews that can help boost your credibility. However, presenting this information to customers effectively and captivatingly is crucial for your success.

Sales presentations are typically used when introducing products or services to prospective clients to facilitate better business deals. This could involve giving further background about your company’s offerings and showcasing awards your company’s work or product range has received. A well-crafted sales presentation will let your potential buyers know why they need what you’re offering.

Sales presentations are part of the larger sales process that typically happens toward the end of the sales cycle . The sales process begins with a sales rep researching a potential customer’s needs and preferences, preparing your product or service to meet their needs, and building a relationship with your customer over time.

In the early stages of the sales process, you might communicate with your customer over email or through website visits. Later on, you might have meetings or other more direct communications.

As you near the end of the sales cycle, the time for delivering a sales presentation approaches. This is when your customer has already established that you have something of value to offer, and they’re ready to learn more.

Your presentation should provide a detailed overview of how your products can meet their current needs while enabling them to easily view features and benefits in one place.

It’s common for people to think that a sales pitch and a sales presentation are the same thing. However, while they may seem similar, these two approaches have significant differences.

Sales pitches are often standardized, are not tailored to the unique needs of a specific customer, and don’t require any research into the customer’s pain points. For example, a sales pitch is usually characterized by one-way communication. During a sales pitch, you are focused solely on selling your product or service to the customer without any exploration of their needs or interests.

A sales presentation, on the other hand, encourages a more interactive dialogue with customers. It allows them to ask questions and provides more in-depth information about why your product would benefit them specifically. It’s not as much about “selling” as about introducing products based on customer insights to establish value in their eyes.

How to Create an Effective Sales Presentation

When creating an effective sales presentation, there are several factors to consider. A successful sales presentation should be tailored specifically for each customer and allow them to experience meaningful engagement with your product.

It should build on your customer’s needs and interests to showcase how you can meet them without focusing too much on selling points. Additionally, research plays a key role in any sales process, and having data about industry trends or statistics that support your claims can add credibility to your proposal. Here are some tips on the best way to develop a winning sales presentation.

Researching before you start is essential for a good sales presentation. While the information in your presentation will vary depending on the client and situation, it’s important to include enough data and industry stats relevant to the customer’s needs. This data should be targeted towards the specific aspects of your product that can address your customer’s problem areas.

Also, digging further into case studies or positive reviews from existing customers is great for transforming a one-off sale into an ongoing business relationship. You should back up everything you say with credible sources during your sales pitch for a greater impact on viewers’ buying decision process. Newspaper articles, past client testimonials, or information from trusted online sources can all be good places to find data that backs up the claims in your presentation.

Starting a sales presentation with an introduction and some small talk is important for building rapport and trust. This also allows you to warm up the room while giving your customers a chance to get comfortable with you as well. Ensure the conversation’s tone matches your presentation’s purpose, too. Keep it upbeat yet professional, and aim to get out of any awkward silences quickly.

Develop your sales presentation with the customer journey in mind. This means considering your customer’s objectives and using them as a guideline for crafting your story. By paying attention to what your target audience needs, you not only increase the potential of closing a deal but also make customers feel understood.

But don’t take too long to get into specific details about your product. Oftentimes, getting directly to the point of how your product can solve their problem is much more effective and persuasive than offering generic explanations about what you do.

Remember the Power of Storytelling

Storytelling can be incredibly effective when it comes to sales presentations. Focus on telling stories that convey how your company or products have successfully helped other customers meet their needs. This can help your customer understand why they need what you’re offering.

Talking about your product’s challenges and solutions in simple yet compelling language is also important. Remember that a sales presentation isn’t just reciting facts and data points — illustrate the solutions you offer in a memorable way.

Focus Your Presentation on the Customer’s Problem

When creating a sales presentation, keeping the customer’s problem in your mind is important. You should provide solutions that address their pain points and benefit their specific situation.

A good sales presentation will spotlight the features of your product that provide quick and simple problem-solving for the customer. By doing this, you can position your offering as something your customer needs rather than something that’s merely nice to have.

Ways to Improve Your Sales Presentations

Besides doing the required research beforehand, there are some sales presentation techniques you can use to ensure everything runs smoothly and effectively. Here are a few ideas.

As mentioned before, having data that backs up the key points you make in your presentation is critical. These points should include quick summaries or facts about product insights, as well as any relevant customer feedback to give viewers a clear idea of how your offering can meet their needs.

Having your product there for customers to see during your sales presentation can be very persuasive. If it’s too difficult or impossible to bring your product to the presentation, you should still bring visual aids.

For example, you can provide a link with interesting animations of your product’s features, display quotes from previous customers, showcase awards you’ve won, or show videos of your previous work and how it benefitted the customer.

Create a sales presentation template that can be used across different customer sessions to speed up the process. Start by making a sales presentation outline that applies to all customers, and then tailor it to each customer as needed.

Having a consistent format and look to all your presentations will save time and reduce the effort needed to develop new slides so you can focus on crafting content specifically for each customer. An effective template will also ensure brand consistency and professionalism linked with your company’s name.

Assess Your Body Language

When delivering a presentation, body language is just as important as words. Having good posture shows confidence in your presentation and can help keep your customers engaged. Avoid crossing your arms or moving around too much, as this can cause viewers to be distracted. It’s a good idea to record yourself practicing your presentation in advance to see how you appear to others.

Ask for Input

Feedback is essential for sharpening your skills as a presenter and gaining confidence in your sales presentations. Asking your customers or sales team members for feedback on your sales deck and presentation is a great way to get honest and productive input. They may suggest changes that could bring greater clarity to your presentation or help you develop a more effective sales deck in the future.

Highlight Value Before Going Into Pricing

A professional sales presentation should focus heavily on value. Highlight how customers stand to benefit from your product, as this is crucial for getting them to purchase with confidence. You will be much more successful if you demonstrate how valuable your product is before you tell the customer how much it will cost them. 

If you’re selling something expensive, packaging additional services or features in one bundle at no extra cost can be useful for reassuring your customer that the price is worth it. This could include offers such as introducing discounts for first-time buyers or offering free maintenance contracts over a set period.

Outline Next Steps

To give your customer a clear idea of where you want things to go, always remember to end your presentation with a quick overview. This can include summarizing your value proposition and the advantages that customers can gain from using your product. Clearly outline any details about follow-up steps to set client expectations up correctly.

Increase Audience Engagement

Tricks such as incorporating polls and games during your presentation can help people remember the key points you want to present. It’s another way for sales reps to make a memorable impression on viewers and engage them with your product even after the meeting has ended.

Also, remember that the most effective sales presentations use an impactful sales deck that allows you to paint a memorable story for the customer. Build opportunities for interaction into your presentation itself.

After a successful sales presentation, it is important for a salesperson to follow-up with their client. This follow-up should be swift and thorough to ensure that the customer remembers their experience and continues to do business with the salesperson. The follow-up can include sending an email or letter summarizing the conversation and outlining any next steps, such as setting up another meeting or contract signing. Be sure to address any specific questions or concerns the prospect expressed during the presentation as well.

Additionally, it is important for the salesperson to keep in touch with their customer after the initial sale. This can be done by sending periodic updates on new products or services, providing tips on how best to use purchased products, and offering other relevant insights that could help strengthen the customer relationship.

Finally, regular check-ins will help cement loyalty while helping to identify opportunities for future sales. When executed correctly, these follow-up tasks can contribute heavily to long-term success in sales.

Sales presentations are an important element of the sales journey and require thoughtful preparation. Now that we’ve answered the question of what is a sales presentation, you can use these tips to improve your interactions with customers. Through data-backed storytelling and consideration of the customer’s journey, you stand a great chance of successfully selling your product.

Always remember that these sales presentation techniques should help make the sale come alive for viewers so they can better envision value in what you have to offer. By following our sales presentation tips, you’ll be well on your way to delivering a successful sales presentation every time!

Jane Mitchell is a sales expert with over 17 years in the industry, extending her knowledge to diverse sectors and providing optimal business growth solutions. Her knack for crafting unique sales strategies is unmatched. Jane fuels her wanderlust by traveling the world, having reached the prestigious Million Miler status with Delta Airlines.

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Effective Sales Presentations: 11 Tips to Win Deals + Templates

What makes a sales presentation truly effective?

Is it that secret-sauce font, the comprehensive case studies, intricate graphs, or your shining personality? Or is it… something else?

It might seem like a simple question, but understanding the answer unlocks a world of opportunities for sales reps.

If your sales presentations are truly effective, they should accomplish these 4 things:

• Give prospects confidence in your brand
• Develop a deep relationship and mutual understanding of needs and priorities
• Convince potential customers of the value of your product
• Give clear direction for the next conversation

How many of your recent sales meetings have fallen short of these results?

A study by Forrester of more than 300 C-level buyers found that many reps are lacking key information for a successful sales meeting:

Put simply, most salespeople go into meetings:

• Unprepared for questions
• Without knowledge of the business or industry they’re selling to
• Without understanding the prospect’s situation and problems
• Without relevant social proof

Want to avoid falling into the trap of generic, ineffective sales presentations?

While preparing for and delivering a really good sales presentation isn’t an exact science, the following best practices will lead you to better results.

Let’s dive into the top methods sales professionals are using to nail their presentations and deliver killer sales pitches .

How to Prepare the Perfect Sales Pitch Presentation

Think you can get away with giving a great sales presentation on the fly? Think again. A PowerPoint presentation that was thrown together over lunch is not going to impress your decision-makers.

Preparation is a key aspect of every effective sales presentation.

Here are five ways you can prepare for success:

1. Set a Clear Agenda

Your sales presentation is built to guide the conversation and gives you a structure to work with throughout the meeting. But the prospect doesn’t know how your presentation is structured.

Does this situation sound familiar?

Prospect: “This is really interesting, but how does your product solve XYZ?”

You : “Actually, we’ll talk about that in a few slides. Anyway, as I was saying…”

These kinds of interruptions are common, and the popular response of “We’ll get to that” doesn’t normally go over very well with prospects.

Here’s how to avoid this: Set a clear agenda for the conversation, and share that with your prospects.

This could mean sharing an outline of the presentation topics you’ve prepared, or it can mean sharing the whole sales presentation with your prospect.

This way, your prospect can review the information before your meeting, see where you’ll cover certain topics, and save their questions for the right moment.

2. Adapt Your Script and Presentation

Above, we saw that 77 percent of reps enter meetings without a clear understanding of the issues that their prospect is facing, or areas where they can help.

There are two clear ways to fix this problem:

First, do your homework. The more you know about your potential client's business and current situation, the better. Also, try to understand their industry and target audience, read up on current news in the sector, and get a feel for the particular pain points this person is likely feeling the most.

Second, base your presentation and accompanying sales script on your ideal customer profile. If your sales team has multiple ideal customer profiles to sell to, discover which profile this prospect fits into and base your arguments, questions, and main points on the specific needs of this profile.

3. Pick Three Main Points for Each Prospect

No matter how many crazy statistics and fun features you throw at your prospect, they’re still only human. Shocking, we know.

In other words, they’ll probably forget at least half of what you say.

To create effective sales presentations that your prospects will remember, focus on three main bullet points that you want to highlight.

This isn’t a number we pulled from a hat. It’s based on an experiment performed by Kurt A. Carlson and Suzanne B. Shu. Their study found that, when your audience knows you’re trying to persuade them, the ideal number of positive claims to make is three. After four claims, your audience will start to become more and more skeptical of anything you say.

The title of their paper is a catchy phrase to help you remember this principle: Three Charms but Four Alarms .

So, go through your slides and pick three key points that you want your prospect to remember. Maybe these will be product features or maybe not, but once again, base these points on the real, felt needs of your prospect. You’ll see better results.

During the presentation, draw your audience's attention to these points as you introduce new ideas. Phrases like these draw attention at the right moments:

• Here’s the point…
• This is crucial…
• But this is what matters…
• But it gets even better...
• This next point is really important...
• This is what XYZ could mean for you, Jack…

And make sure these key points lead directly where you want them to—to your call to action. If they aren’t leading you to that, what’s the point?

For more, check out this video, where I talked in-depth about captivating and directing your prospect's attention during a sales conversation. Remember: whether you're delivering in-person or via video conferencing, maintaining eye contact and using body language to draw attention to main points works.

4. Use Visuals to Show, Not Tell

A sales deck can have several different functions. For example, if your sales deck is going to be read and discussed among stakeholders at your prospect’s company, it will need to include text that explains the visuals presented.

However, if you’re giving a sales presentation with that deck, it doesn’t need all that text.

To prepare a sales presentation for a product or service, make sure you include infographics and visuals that complement what you’re saying. You can use Canva or even a responsive whiteboard to do this.

Think of your slides as visual aids that give more meaning and context to your words.

These visuals can help to:

• Simplify complex processes
• Provide a clearer understanding of data/metrics
• Add credence to your words
• Keep your audience engaged
• Help your audience remember main points (this one is backed by science )

In short, for an effective sales presentation, keep your script and your slides separate. Use your words to add meaning to the visuals, and use your visuals to maximize the power of your words. With this approach, you will elevate your value proposition —and increase your close rate.

5. Show Them You Know Their Pain

Using a narrative in your presentation shows that you’re sympathetic to the problems your prospects are facing and that you know how to solve them.

So, what’s the narrative for your product?

Generally, the story you tell with your presentation will follow this pattern:

• There is a problem caused by a shift in the market, a change in the company’s circumstances, or the world situation
• That problem is solved, the business is saved, and your product is the hero

A compelling narrative that captures the feelings and frustrations of your prospect shows them that you understand them, you’re on the same page, and you’re here to help.

Maybe this is the story of how your product was born, to solve a problem internally at your own company. Maybe it’s the story of one of your successful customers. Or maybe it’s just a narrative that they can relate to and see themselves in.

In any case, using stories instead of just facts makes your presentation more memorable. According to one study, people only retain about 5-10 percent of the statistical information they hear. But they’ll remember 65-70 percent of the information they hear as stories.

Take advantage of this fact: Turn your data into a narrative.

Once you’ve prepared your sales deck and accompanying script, you’re ready to nail your next sales presentation.

Or are you?

Day-Of Sales Presentation Tips: Nail Your Next Sales Presentation

Ready for the big day? Here are six more tips you can use while actively presenting to your prospect, to give a truly effective sales presentation.

6. Open With Your Biggest Selling Point (Don’t Save it for the End)

Many sales reps like to save their product’s biggest selling point for the very end of their presentation, as if they’re coming to some grand crescendo.

But your prospect didn’t come to this meeting hoping to hear the Philharmonic Orchestra play Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. So, don’t play this pitch deck like another day at the theater.

Instead, open with your big selling points. Dazzle your prospects from the get-go, and you’ll have them hooked to the end.

To be counted among the Sales Success Stories and Stars of your organization… just go for it. Get the show on the road with a big opening. Leave them in (happy) tears.

7. Ask Open-Ended Questions

To understand your prospects and to keep them engaged with your presentation, questions are essential.

But wait, if you’re giving a sales presentation, aren’t you the one that’s supposed to be doing the talking? You answer the questions, right?

True. But, how do you know if your prospect is paying attention? How can you highlight the relevant points in your presentation if you don’t know what interests them?

To engage your prospect and draw them into your presentation, ask questions like:

• Can you walk me through how your team handles [problem]?
• Have you found any clever workarounds for when [issue] happens?
• What would your ideal solution to this problem look like?
• How would you expect a solution to this problem to affect your team?

It’s true; you’ve probably asked a lot of similar questions during the qualifying stage . But with these questions, you can lead the conversation and keep your prospect engaged with what you’re saying.

Open-ended questions will also help you with the next tip:

8. Build Context Around Your Biggest Value Points and Differentiators

The same questions we shared above can help add context to what you’re saying.

Don’t just tell the prospect: “ Our product helps you solve X problem. ”

Add meaning to that value point by asking questions:

• How often do you face X problem?
• How much time/money do you lose when this happens?
• How does X problem affect the morale/productivity of your team?

When you have the numbers clear, reiterate the problem: “ So, you lose $X every week because of this problem. That’s more than $Y per year that’s going down the drain until you solve this issue. ”

Then, bring in your value point: “With our product, you could save $Z every year by eliminating this problem for your team.”

The same method works for highlighting your key differentiators.

Instead of telling prospects that your product is the best because it’s the only one that does X, lead prospects to the features and benefits that set your product apart with open-ended questions.

This creates value and context around a problem that only your product can solve.

9. Make Social Proof Engaging: Mirror the Prospect’s Situation

This data blew our minds and will probably blow yours, too: According to studies from our friends at Gong , sellers who use social proof in their sales calls have a 22 percent lower close rate .

Have you noticed a similar pattern with social proof in your sales presentations?

We all know that social proof is a powerful tool in the hands of sales reps and marketers. No need to throw out all your social media customer quotes or company testimonials. But, it must be used correctly to work effectively.

Otherwise, you could actually hurt your chances of closing.

So, what’s the correct way to use social proof in your presentations?

Favor customers that are part of this prospect’s tribe .

For example, imagine you’re selling to an SMB, and you tell them that Facebook is your customer. They’ll be impressed, sure… but they’ll also start to wonder if your product is really a good fit for their small business.

Instead, when selling to SMBs, talk about your other SMB customers. Use examples of happy customers who are in the same field or industry. Or, find customer stories that mirror this prospect—with similar pain points.

With tribal social proof, you’ll gain the respect of prospects while demonstrating that you truly “get” them.

10. Never Talk Price Before Value

Chances are, you’re talking price somewhere in this sales presentation. At this stage in the sales pipeline , it’s normal that your prospect is ready to hear what your solution will cost.

But don’t open the conversation like this.

Sometimes, you get into a room (whether in-person or virtual) with your main point of contact and important stakeholders, and the first thing they want to know is: “How much will this cost us?”

One of the golden rules of sales is this: Never talk price before value .

If you fold to the pressure and start off by talking about the price of your solution, your audience will view your product as a commodity, not as a valuable solution to their problem.

When stakeholders push you for a number, don’t be afraid to push back. If they’re insistent, turn the question back around on them:

“Before we talk about price, let me ask you this: How much will it cost your company if you don’t get these issues solved by next quarter?”

By focusing on the real monetary value that your product provides, you’ll help position your product as a premium solution, not a wholesale band-aid.

11. Keep It Less Than 10 Minutes

Did you know that every presenter at Apple’s product launches speaks for just 10 minutes or less?

This is because science tells us that the brain gets bored easily—our attention spans just can’t expand beyond a certain point. However, you can reengage your audience by introducing a change every 10 minutes.

Apply this principle to your keynote sales presentations: If you’re presenting longer than 10 minutes, the prospect’s interest will steadily decline. Wrap it up.

Our friends at Gong found that there’s a sweet spot for winning sales presentations: 9.1 minutes. It’s like the ideal elevator pitch for sales presentations.

So, stick to this rule of thumb: Keep your presentations under 10 minutes.

Sales Presentation Templates: Use These Sales Pitch Decks to Win More Deals

Want to build a stellar sales pitch presentation? Steal these presentation templates and customize them to your business—including stunning visuals, striking text, and a presentation process that wins deals.

Get the Powerpoint or Keynote version of these templates, and start creating your own effective sales presentations!

Ready to Give the Best Sales Presentation Ever?

You’ve got all the pro tips you need to nail your next presentation.

In the end, you want to demonstrate that you understand your prospect’s needs and concerns. Show you “get” them by adding a compelling narrative and including customer stories that mirror their own situation.

An effective presentation must also be engaging, which is why it’s essential to highlight three main points and add context with open-ended questions.

With this info, you’re ready to deliver a winning sales presentation. ( Psst... don't forget to use our sales presentation templates to get started!)

But what happens next? There are still some unaccounted-for areas of the sales process. If you want to really crush the follow-up and close more deals, you need a CRM to help you do it.

Close CRM does all this—and so much more. Watch our demo or try Close free for 14 days.

More articles from The Close Blog

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Blog Marketing 15 Sales Presentation Examples to Drive Sales

15 Sales Presentation Examples to Drive Sales

Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Oct 31, 2023

A sales presentation is not merely a brief introduction to a product or service. It’s a meticulously constructed sales pitch tailored to showcase the unique features and key elements of what’s being offered and to resonate deeply with the prospective customers. 

But what stands out in the best sales presentation is their ability to weave an engaging story, integrating customer testimonials, success stories and sales performances to maintain the audience’s attention span and to persuade them to take action. 

The right tools, like those provided by Venngage presentation Maker and its sales presentation templates , can greatly aid in this endeavor. The aim is to have a presentation memorable enough that it lingers in the minds of potential clients long after the pitch. 

Its ultimate aim is not just to inform but to persuasively secure the audience’s commitment.

Click to jump ahead:

6 Sales presentation examples

What to include and how to create a sales presentation, sales presentation vs pitch deck.

• Final thoughts

A sales presentation can be the differentiating factor that turns a potential client into a loyal customer. The manner in which a brand or individual presents their value proposition, product, or service can significantly impact the buying decisions of their audience.

Hence, drawing inspiration from various sales presentation examples can be an instrumental step in crafting the perfect pitch.

Let’s explore a few examples of sales presentations that cater to different needs and can be highly effective when used in the right context.

Clean sales presentation examples

The concept of a “clean” sales presentation reflects more than just its visual aesthetic; it captures an ethos of straightforward, concise and effective communication. A clean presentation offers a professional and efficient way to present your sales pitch, making it especially favorable for brands or individuals looking to be perceived as trustworthy and reliable.

Every slide in such a presentation is meticulously designed to be aesthetically pleasing, balancing visuals and text in a manner that complements rather than competes.

Its visual appeal is undeniably a draw, but the real power of a clean sales presentation lies in its ability to be engaging enough to hold your audience’s attention. By minimizing distractions, the message you’re trying to convey becomes the focal point. This ensures that your audience remains engaged, absorbing the key points without being overwhelmed.

A clean design also lends itself well to integrating various elements such as graphs, charts and images, ensuring they’re presented in a clear and cohesive manner. In a business environment where attention spans are continually challenged, a clean presentation stands as an oasis of clarity, ensuring that your audience walks away with a clear understanding of what you offer and why it matters to them.

Minimalist sales presentation examples

Minimalism, as a design and communication philosophy, revolves around the principle of ‘less is more’. It’s a bold statement in restraint and purpose. In the context of sales presentations, a minimalist approach can be incredibly powerful.

It ensures that your content, stripped of any unnecessary embellishments, remains at the forefront. The primary objective is to let the core message shine, ensuring that every slide, every graphic and every word serves a precise purpose.

This design aesthetic brings with it a sense of sophistication and crispness that can be a potent tool in capturing your audience’s attention. There’s an inherent elegance in simplicity which can elevate your presentation, making it memorable.

But beyond just the visual appeal, the minimalist design is strategic. With fewer elements on a slide, the audience can focus more intently on the message, leading to better retention and engagement. It’s a brilliant way to ensure that your message doesn’t just reach your audience, but truly resonates with them.

Every slide is crafted to ensure that the audience’s focus never wavers from the central narrative, making it an excellent choice for brands or individuals seeking to create a profound impact with their pitches.

Simple sales presentation examples

A simple sales presentation provides a clear and unobstructed pathway to your main message, ensuring that the audience’s focus remains undivided. Perfect for highlighting key information, it ensures that your products or services are front and center, unobscured by excessive design elements or verbose content.

But the beauty of a simple design is in its flexibility. With platforms like Venngage , you have the freedom to customize it according to your brand voice and identity. Whether it’s adjusting text sizes, incorporating vibrant colors or selecting standout photos or icons from expansive free stock libraries, the power to enhance and personalize your presentation lies at your fingertips.

Creating your ideal design becomes a seamless process, ensuring that while the presentation remains simple, it is every bit as effective and captivating.

Professional sales presentation example

A professional sales presentation is meticulously crafted, reflecting the brand’s guidelines, voice and core values. It goes beyond just key features or product benefits; it encapsulates the brand’s ethos, presenting a cohesive narrative that resonates deeply with its target audience.

For sales professionals, it’s more than just a slide deck; it’s an embodiment of the brand’s identity, from the great cover image to the clear call to action at its conclusion.

These presentations are tailored to address potential pain points, include sales performances, and present solutions in a compelling and engaging story format. 

Integrating elements like customer success stories and key insights, ensuring that the presentation is not just good, but memorable.

Sales performance sales presentation example

A company’s sales performance presentation is vital to evaluate, refine and boost their sales process. It’s more than just numbers on a slide deck; it’s a comprehensive look into the effectiveness of sales campaigns, strategies and the sales team as a whole.

This type of sales presentation provides key insights into what’s working, what isn’t and where there’s potential for growth.

It’s an invaluable tool for sales professionals, often serving as a roadmap guiding future sales pitches and marketing campaigns.

An effective sales performance presentation might begin with a compelling cover slide, reflecting the brand’s identity, followed by a brief introduction to set the context. From there, it delves into specifics: from the sales metrics, customer feedback and more.

Ultimately, this presentation is a call to action for the sales team, ensuring they are equipped with the best tools, strategies and knowledge to convert prospective customers into paying ones, driving more deals and growing the business.

Testimonial-based sales presentation examples

Leveraging the voices of satisfied customers, a testimonial-based sales presentation seamlessly blends social proof with the brand’s value proposition. It’s a testament to the real-world impact of a product or service, often making it one of the most effective sales presentation examples. 

By centering on customer testimonials, it taps into the compelling stories of those who have experienced firsthand the benefits of what’s being offered.

As the presentation unfolds, the audience is introduced to various customer’s stories, each underscoring the product’s unique features or addressing potential pain points.

These success stories serve dual purposes: they not only captivate the audience’s attention but also preemptively handle sales objections by showcasing how other customers overcame similar challenges.

Sales professionals can further augment the presentation with key insights derived from these testimonials, tailoring their sales pitch to resonate deeply with their potential clients.

Creating a good sales presentation is like putting together a puzzle. Each piece needs to fit just right for the whole picture to make sense. 

So, what are these pieces and how do you put them together? 

Here, I’ll break down the must-have parts of a sales presentation and give you simple steps to build one. 

What to include in a sales presentation?

With so much information to convey and a limited time to engage your audience in your sales presentation, where do you start?

Here, we’re going to explore the essential components of a successful sales presentation, ensuring you craft a compelling narrative that resonates with your prospects.

• A captivating opening slide: First impressions matter. Start with a great cover image or slide that grabs your audience’s attention instantly. Your opening should set the tone, making prospects curious about what’s to come.
• Data-driven slides: Incorporate key points using charts, graphs, infographics and quotes. Instead of flooding your slides with redundant information, use them as a tool to visually represent data. Metrics from your sales dashboard or third-party sources can be particularly illuminating.
• Social proof through testimonials: Weave in testimonials and case studies from satisfied customers. These success stories, especially from those in the same industry as your prospects, act as powerful endorsements, bolstering the credibility of your claims.
• Competitive context: Being proactive is the hallmark of savvy sales professionals. Address how your product or service fares against competitors, presenting a comparative analysis. 
• Customized content: While using a foundational slide deck can be helpful, personalizing your presentation for each meeting can make all the difference. Whether it’s integrating the prospect’s brand colors, industry-specific data or referencing a past interaction, tailored content makes your audience feel acknowledged.
• Clear path to the future: End by offering a glimpse into the next steps. This can include a direct call to action or an overview of the onboarding process. Highlight the unique value your company brings post-sale, such as exceptional training or standout customer support.
• Keep it simple: Remember, simplicity is key. Avoid overcrowding your slides with excessive text. Visual data should take center stage, aiding in comprehension and retention. 

Related: 120+ Presentation Ideas, Topics & Example

How to create a sales presentation? 

Crafting a good sales presentation is an art that blends structure, content and design. 

A successful sales presentation not only tells but also sells, capturing the audience’s attention while conveying the main message effectively. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure that your sales deck becomes a winning sales presentation.

1. Find out your ideal audience

The first step to any effective sales pitch is understanding your audience. Are you presenting to prospective customers, potential clients or an internet marketing agency? Recognize their pain points, buying process and interests to craft a message that resonates. This understanding ensures that your presentation is memorable and speaks directly to their unique needs.

2. Pick a platform to Use

Depending on your target audience and the complexity of your sales literature, you might opt for Venngage presentation maker, PowerPoint templates, Google Slides or any tools that you are comfortable with. Choose a tool that complements your brand identity and aids in keeping your audience’s attention span engaged.

3. Write the ‘About Us’ section

Here’s where you build trust. Give a brief introduction about your organization, its values and achievements. Highlight key elements that set you apart, be it a compelling story of your brand’s inception, a lucrative deal you managed to seal, or an instance where an internet marketing agency hired you for their needs.

4. Present facts and data

Dive deep into sales performance metrics, client satisfaction scores and feedback. Use charts, graphs and infographics to visually represent these facts. Testimonials and customer success stories provide that added layer of social proof. By showcasing concrete examples, like a customer’s story or feedback, you give your audience solid reasons to trust your product or service.

5. Finish with a memorable conclusion & CTA

Now that you’ve laid out all the information, conclude with a bang. Reiterate the value proposition and key insights you want your audience to remember. Perhaps share a compelling marketing campaign or a unique feature of your offering.

End with a clear call to action, directing your prospects on what to do next, whether it’s downloading further assistance material, getting in touch for more deals or moving further down the sales funnel .

Related: 8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips]

Sales presentation and the pitch deck may seem similar at first glance but their goals, focuses, and best-use scenarios differ considerably. Here’s a succinct breakdown of the two:

Sales Presentation:

• What is it? An in-depth dialogue designed to persuade potential clients to make a purchase.
• Focuses on: Brand identity, social proof, detailed product features, addressing customer pain points, and guiding to the buying process.
• Best for: Detailed interactions, longer meetings and thorough discussions with potential customers.
• Example: A sales rep detailing a marketing campaign to a potential client.

Pitch Deck:

• What is it? Pitch deck is a presentation to help potential investors learn more about your business. The main goal isn’t to secure funding but to pique interest for a follow-up meeting.
• Focuses on: Brand voice, key features, growth potential and an intriguing idea that captures the investor’s interest.
• Best for: Initial investor meetings, quick pitches, showcasing company potential.
• Example: A startup introducing its unique value proposition and growth trajectory to prospective investors.

Shared traits: Both aim to create interest and engagement with the audience. The primary difference lies in the intent and the audience: one is for selling a product/service and the other is for igniting investor interest.

Related: How to Create an Effective Pitch Deck Design [+Examples]

Final thoughts 

Sales presentations are the heart and soul of many businesses. They are the bridge between a potential customer’s needs and the solution your product or service offers. The examples provided—from clean, minimalist to professional styles—offer a spectrum of how you can approach your next sales presentation.

Remember, it’s not just about the aesthetics or the data; it’s about the narrative, the story you tell, and the connection you establish. And while sales presentations and pitch decks have their distinct purposes, the objective remains consistent: to engage, persuade and drive action.

If you’re gearing up for your next sales presentation, don’t start from scratch. Utilize Venngage presentation Maker and explore our comprehensive collection of sales presentation templates .

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How to Craft and Deliver a Sales Presentation: A Step-by-Step Guide

Written by: Sean McAlindin

Sean McAlindin, a business and arts writer, has a decade-long experience in music and culture journalism and recently ventured into business writing.

Edited by: Sallie Middlebrook

Sallie, holding a Ph.D. from Walden University, is an experienced writing coach and editor with a background in marketing. She has served roles in corporate communications and taught at institutions like the University of Florida.

Updated on July 21, 2024

What is a Sales Presentation?

Why are sales presentations important, the steps to creating and delivering an effective sales presentation, where sales presentations go wrong.

In the competitive world of business, the significance of delivering an impactful sales presentation cannot be overstated. Not only is it a vital tool for showcasing your products, services, or ideas – a successful sales presentation connects with an audience and builds the bridge to a potential business relationship. 

Ultimately,  it’s about establishing credibility and likeability with your prospects. Whether you’re pitching to potential clients, investors, or colleagues, mastering the art of delivering a compelling sales presentation can lead to positive outcomes and lucrative sales opportunities.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you craft and deliver effective sales presentations. We will cover essential tips for preparation, including doing your research, understanding your audience, and setting clear objectives. You’ll learn how to create a solid presentation from the ground up with a strong narrative structure, engaging visuals, and a decisive call to action. 

We’ll also address how to handle questions and follow up after the presentation, as well as touch on some common pitfalls where sales presentations go wrong. By following these strategies, you can elevate your presentation skills, connect with your audience on a deeper level, and achieve greater success in your sales endeavors.

Key Takeaways

Sales presentations are the most direct way to sell your product or service to a new audience. Mastering these skills will improve your confidence as a sales professional, build lasting business relationships, and help you close more deals.

Crafting a quality sales presentation requires preparation, structure, insight, and adaptability. It’s important to have the right tools, knowledge, structure, and mindset to connect with your audience. Our trusted experts at Making That Sale will go over everything you need to know in this comprehensive, step-by-step guide.

A sales presentation is a communication tool used by individuals and businesses to showcase their products, services, or ideas to potential clients, investors, or stakeholders.

It is a strategic and well-crafted pitch designed to create a favorable impression of your product and services, and persuade your prospects to buy what you’re selling. Whether conducted in-person or virtually, a successful sales presentation builds a relationship with the audience, addresses their needs, and ultimately persuades them to consider your solution.

Most sales presentations include a script along with a slideshow that features graphics, video, and key statistics. However, a truly effective presentation goes far beyond features and benefits. The best ones tell a spellbinding story with engaging visuals that forges genuine interest and personal connections with the audience.  

Sure, you’re going to talk about the product or service you’re selling, but on a deeper level, you are trying to build trust and rapport between you and your prospects. A sales presentation is all about establishing the framework for a successful and fulfilling business relationship. A great pitch takes advantage of this opportunity to make a lasting impression and convince your customers to make the next step on their business journey with you by their side. 

Sales presentations are important in the world of business mainly because they often represent your first (and sometimes only) opportunity to grab your customers’ interest and establish the potential for a future sale. 

It’s an opportunity to showcase the unique benefits of products or services, while establishing trust and credibility with the audience. By addressing their specific needs and pain points, sales people  demonstrate expertise, relevance, and commitment to personalized service. 

By presenting information in a clear and engaging manner, you can use your sales presentation to encourage quicker responses and commitments from stakeholders. In competitive markets, an effective sales presentation sets businesses apart from competitors by giving them the chance to highlight their advantages and persuade prospects that their solutions are the best. 

Sales presentations are indispensable tools for businesses to communicate their mission, build relationships, and create actionable opportunities. By learning how to craft and deliver impactful presentations, salespeople can propel themselves toward sustainable success, career growth, and a world of endless business possibilities. 

Now, let’s go through the process of creating and delivering a sales presentation, step by step. In this section, we’ll cover preparation, written craft, visual design, live delivery, Q&A, and follow-up, ensuring you don’t miss the chance to engage your audience and deliver a compelling message.

1. Preparing the presentation

Before stepping into the spotlight, it’s crucial to lay the groundwork for an effective sales presentation. 

If you follow these foundational steps as you embark on your journey to becoming a skilled sales presenter, you’ll be well on your way to delivering a sales presentation that leaves a lasting impression and yields successful results. 

Understand your audience

An excellent sales presentation is no mere, one-sided pitch, but rather a personalized engagement with each unique audience. It involves understanding the specific challenges and requirements of who you’re selling to and tailoring your content accordingly. This level of customization establishes rapport, trust, and credibility, while laying the foundation for a positive and receptive atmosphere.

Before you begin crafting your sales presentation, learn about the prospect’s company size, mission, industry, internal processes, and vision for the future. Examine their pain points and associated consequences to customize your presentation directly to their needs. This will help you plan some small talk, tweak your sales pitch, and choose relevant social proof that sells directly to their experience and mindset. 

Identify the decision-makers and stakeholders who will be present during your presentation. Research their roles and responsibilities. If they’re from high-level management, focus on how you’ll help them achieve long-term goals. If they’re planning to use your solution day-to-day, focus on its efficiency, ease of use, and problem-solving.

Knowing your audience allows you to speak their language, making your pitch more relatable and convincing. Your preparation will demonstrate an attention to detail and leadership quality that naturally attracts people to you and persuades them to listen to what you have to say.

Know your product inside and out

The other side of the equation is knowing your product or service like the back of your hand. Before preparing your sales presentation, list all the positive attributes, statistics, and details that you want to get across, and choose the ones that are most important to your audience. You’re not here to overwhelm them with information, but you need to make sure you’re covering the basics and that you’re prepared to answer technical questions when they arise. 

Set clear objectives

Without clear objectives, a presentation can easily lose focus and go off the rails. Define what you aim to accomplish with your pitch – whether it’s to secure a deal, gain buy-in for a project, or establish a partnership. Setting clear goals enables you to structure your content effectively and ensure that every element of your presentation aligns with your intended outcomes.

Develop a compelling story structure

Great sales presentations are more than just a collection of slides; they tell a captivating story that resonates with the audience. By using proven storytelling techniques, presenters can draw their listeners in and create an emotional connection that makes the experience more memorable. 

We’re all wired for tales of triumph, struggle, and inspiration. While these narratives can take many forms, their most basic structure involves conflict and a resolution. In a sales presentation, this means focusing on how your solution can solve a specific problem or fills a key need for your client. Your goal is to demonstrate the value you can bring to their lives or businesses in a way that’s both compelling and relatable. 

Start by hooking your listeners with a strong opening that captures their attention and generates interest in your topic. Develop a logical flow of ideas, organizing your content in a way that is easy to follow and builds a persuasive case. Back up your claims with data, evidence, and real-world examples to reinforce the credibility of your offering and bolster your audience’s confidence in your presentation.

You can get more creative from there to bring your presentation to life, but that’s a great base to build from. For more information about how to leverage narrative techniques to make deals, read Making That Sale’s article, “How to Sell with Storytelling.”

2. Crafting the presentation

Creating a successful sales presentation is an art that goes beyond just delivering information. It’s about understanding your audience’s aspirations and crafting an entertaining narrative that resonates with their hearts, minds, souls. Each slide, every word, and every gesture presents an opportunity to make a lasting impression and leave your audience inspired.

In this section, we’ll guide you through choosing the right presentation tools, developing a story based on a common, effective structure, and creating appealing and impactful visuals and graphic design elements that tie everything together.  

Choose the right presentation tools

First things first, pick your preferred platform. PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote, Prezi, and Visme are all popular options. Choose a presentation tool that aligns with your style and allows you to unleash your creative genius with ease and confidence. 

When it comes to selecting the right sales presentation tools, there are several key factors to consider. First and foremost, ensure compatibility and accessibility with your workflow. Whatever program you use, make sure it seamlessly integrates across your devices and platforms for easy access and editing on the go. 

A user-friendly interface is equally important, as it empowers you to create visually captivating slides without a steep learning curve, saving valuable time and effort. If you collaborate with a team on presentations, prioritize tools with real-time collaboration features and version control to ensure that multiple team members can work together seamlessly.

Next, focus on the visual capabilities of the tool. Look for options that allow you to effortlessly incorporate images, graphics, charts, and multimedia elements. Visuals not only enhance engagement, but also help simplify complex information, making it easier for your audience to grasp and remember key points. 

Since many presentations are now happening online, choose tools that offer screen sharing, live broadcasting, and offline presenting capabilities. This flexibility enables you to adapt to different presentation scenarios and cater to various audience preferences. 

For more information on the pros and cons of popular sales presentation tools, read Making That Sale’s article, “The Best Sales Presentation Tools.”

Follow a simple presentation outline

Here is a bare-bones sales presentation outline you can use to start crafting your presentation. There’s plenty of room for interpretation and creativity, but this covers all the basics you need to include to get started. 

1. Open with small talk and introductions 

Thank your prospect for attending.  Introduce yourself and your business. Consider making a safe, agreeable joke or positive commentary about their company. Otherwise, open with an essential question or some type of appealing hook.  Make this section brief, yet personal, upbeat, and engaging. 

2. Set an agenda 

Remind the prospect of the purpose of the meeting and why it’s good they’re attending. Get their agreement to move on and talk about the problem and solution ahead.

3. Bring up your prospect’s main problem 

Summarize what you learned about during research and discovery about your client’s main pain point and elucidate the implications of leaving it unsolved. Present this information in a way that resonates with your audience by using empathetic language and descriptive storytelling. 

4. Talk about the benefits of your solution

Envision a better world in which the problem is gone, thanks to you. Reveal how your product or service can make this vision a reality by improving their business and brightening their outlook for the future.

5. Share social proof 

Include case studies, testimonials, and anecdotes from past customers who have benefited from your solution. Point to sales numbers, industry trends, or other data that supports your claims about your product.

6. End with a call to action 

Wrap up with a closing statement that invites your audience to begin this partnership, make a purchase, or take another decisive action. The whole build-up of your presentation is leading to this doorway. Make it easy and appealing for your audience to enter and take the next steps. 

3. Designing an engaging, effective slideshow

Now, let’s dive into the art of designing slideshows that seriously pop. Say goodbye to boring bullet points and clip art. In the age of media, we can and must do better. 

Start by selecting an appropriate color scheme and font that complements your brand and message. A dash of color can work wonders in capturing attention and making information more memorable.

Select engaging visuals that draw in your audience with photography, charts, and video clips. These graphics not only break the monotony of information, but also help illustrate your points and engage your audience. Engaging slides with relevant images and easy-to-process data can enhance understanding and retention of the information being presented. 

Create graphs that back your claims, illustrate trends, and supplement your stories. For example, if you say Facebook ad prices are trending upwards, show a line chart of this. If you’re talking about satisfied customers, show actual photos of the people whose lives you’ve touched. 

Be selective with your visuals as it’s essential to strike a balance and avoid overwhelming the audience with too much content. A visually appealing presentation should complement the presenter’s message and not overshadow it. So, choose wisely to ensure that every visual element serves a purpose in supporting your narrative.

Keep your slides clean and uncluttered to avoid overwhelming your audience. A cluttered slide can feel like trying to read another language. Stick to the essentials complemented with simple, compelling visuals, and your message will shine through as clear as day. When it comes to text, font size and readability matter, especially for those sitting in the back row. Make sure that everyone can effortlessly read your slides without squinting or calling for backup binoculars. Not everyone has 20/20 vision, you know!

Remember, designing an effective slideshow is an art form that requires thoughtful consideration of your audience’s preferences and needs. With the right blend of colors, fonts, and visuals, you’ll create a presentation that not only pops and engages, but also leaves a lasting impression on your listeners.

Pro tip : Send the slideshow to your audience ahead of time so that they can get an idea of what you’ll be talking about before the presentation.

4. Delivering the presentation

Now that you’ve got an expertly-scripted narrative and captivating visuals to go with it, it’s time to nail your delivery like a pro. Get ready to shine on that stage and win the hearts and minds of your audience with your down-to-earth, welcoming, confident approach to selling.

Rehearse the presentation

Remember the saying, “Practice makes perfect”? Well, it’s true when it comes to sales presentations. Rehearsing allows you to commit your pitch to memory, so it comes across as effortless and natural. 

It’s a good idea to practice alone to get comfortable with your material. Then, when you’re ready,  gather some colleagues, friends, or family as a test audience. Listen to their feedback and respond accordingly. 

Practice also gives you a chance to time your presentation, to see if it needs to be cut or expanded upon depending on your audience and venue. Remember to pace yourself, take time to answer questions, and leave room for unscripted interactions with your audience.

Develop confident body language

Confident body language can do wonders for your presentation skills. Start with eye contact – a simple, magic power that keeps your audience engaged and confident in you. Try to connect with all the people in the room, one calm, collected gaze at a time.

Whether you’re in person or on a Zoom call, don’t be afraid to let your hands do the talking. Use motions to emphasize your points and transitions. You don’t need to jump up and down – a small, well-placed gesture can go a long way. In terms of posture, put your shoulders back, smile, and feel free to move around naturally. 

Unless you really happen to offend someone, avoid apologizing if you make a mistake. This indicates nervousness or discomfort. Instead, take it in stride and move forward with confidence.

Speak with clarity and enthusiasm

Hold up, Shakespeare! Leave the jargon and technical terms at the door. Your audience isn’t here for a vocabulary lesson. You need to speak using clear, simple language that everyone can understand.

Since the tone of your voice matters a lot, consider using one that is upbeat and energized. Keep your narrative and visual content moving ahead. Don’t spend more than a minute or two on each slide. Frequently changing the visual stimuli helps to maintain the audience’s curiosity, especially in the age of 21st-century information overload where attention spans are shorter than ever. 

Above all, let your passion for what you’re selling shine through. Show enthusiasm for your subject matter and really believe in what you’re saying. If you’re not excited about what you’re selling, it’s unlikely your audience will become enthusiastic about it, or even interested at all. 

Connect with your audience

Do your best to maintain an approachable and friendly demeanor throughout the presentation. Smile genuinely, maintain eye contact, and use inclusive language. Encourage interaction with your audience by asking questions, seeking their input, and acknowledging their responses. 

While you’ll be tempted to push ahead with your scripted presentation, it’s a good idea to address questions as they come up, or promise to circle back around to them later. This approach creates a sense of involvement and fosters a two-way communication flow helping your audience feel valued, heard, and engaged in the conversation.

Be yourself

Every presentation is a chance to showcase not only your products or ideas, but also unique authenticity and passion. Embrace your one-of-a-kind voice, let your personality shine, and watch as your audience becomes invested in your vision.

Originality creates a human connection, making you more relatable and approachable to everyone. People buy from those they like and trust, so be true to yourself. You’ll be more likely to forge a meaningful bond with your audience and open them up to a sale. 

Don’t be afraid to go off script

While expert salespeople usually follow a script, they are also masters of improvisation. Every audience is different, and if you’re going to succeed consistently, you need to be able to think on your feet and respond to changing circumstances.

Going off script during a sales presentation can be a powerful tool to establish a genuine connection with your audience. While preparation is crucial, spontaneity adds an element of authenticity and adaptability that resonates with listeners. It allows you to address questions or concerns in real-time, demonstrating your expertise and building trust.

Let’s say your prospect asks an unexpected question or interrupts you in some other way. How are you going to react? The way we act in unfamiliar situations has a big impact on how people form opinions about us. They may just be testing you, or have a peculiar personality quirk. Either way, to keep their interest you’ll have to be agile and ready to shift gears to keep them engaged while continuing to steer the discussion toward your desired end goal. 

Close your presentation on a high note

As the curtains draw close on your spectacular sales presentation, it’s time to leave a lasting impression that lingers in the minds of your captivated audience. We suggest following these simple steps. 

1. Summarize

Summarize the key points and takeaways of your presentation, reinforcing your main message in a concise, yet impactful, manner. Consider using a creative analogy or metaphor that drives home the substance of your sales pitch in a memorable way. A well-crafted summary ensures that your audience departs with a clear understanding of your value proposition in a way they can repeat and explain to others. 

2. Call to action

Then comes the moment you’ve been building up to – the grand finale of your sales presentation! It’s time to close with a powerful call-to-action that sparks action in your audience. Whether it’s urging them to schedule a meeting, sign up for a trial, or commit to a purchase, make it crystal clear what you want them to do next. A compelling call-to-action fuels the momentum you’ve gained and propels your audience into the next step in the sales journey. 

3. Offer additional resources

Want to go the extra mile? Provide your audience with valuable resources that enhance their understanding and keep the momentum going. Share relevant materials, such as research papers, case studies, or links to informative websites. It’s a gesture that shows you’re invested in their success beyond the confines of the presentation.

4. Final thoughts

When it’s time for your closing master stroke, you may choose to go out with a thought-provoking question or inspiring quote. Be bold, creative, and authentic in your approach. While gimmicks aren’t necessary, you may choose to use a surprise element, such as a live demonstration, giveaway, or interactive game, to leave an indelible impression. 

5. Addressing questions and objections

As your sales presentation ends, the spotlight often shifts to a Q&A session. This is where you can showcase your expertise like a pro and add the final touches that make your sales presentation an absolute winner. Here are some ideas to prepare for this important but sometimes forgotten portion of the process. 

Anticipate potential questions and concerns

As you’re planning your presentation, step into your audience’s shoes and envision what might be on their minds. What questions would you have if you were in their position? 

Anticipating their concerns allows you to proactively prepare your answers, demonstrating that you truly understand their needs and are ready to provide reliable solutions. Get ready to handle those curveballs and you’ll win over your prospects with your knowledge and quick responsiveness. 

Prepare well-researched answers

When it comes to answering questions, there’s no room for winging it. Thoroughly research your topic, gather relevant data, and equip yourself with compelling evidence to back up your points. Armed with a wealth of knowledge, you’ll exude confidence and leave your audience with a sense of trust in your expertise. 

While you don’t want to bombard your audience with statistics in the initial pitch, the follow-up questions are a great place to nerd out and dig into the details. When they’ve asked a question, you can be relatively sure they are interested in gaining more in-depth knowledge about it. 

Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability

Sometimes, the Q&A session can throw unexpected surprises your way. Instead of silently freaking out and changing the topic, embrace the opportunity to demonstrate your adaptability, empathy, and sense of humor. 

If faced with a question you hadn’t anticipated, stay composed, and acknowledge the inquiry. If you don’t have an immediate answer, offer to follow up after the presentation. Doing this will offer your audience a small sign of your commitment to delivering accurate, up-to-date information.

6. Following up

As the final act of your sales presentation draws to a close, the journey doesn’t end there. Follow-up and feedback are the key ingredients to building long-lasting business relationships, closing deals, and refining your presentation prowess for your next audition. With this in mind, let’s dive into the steps to take after the spotlight fades and the audience gets on with their day. 

Send personalized follow-up messages

Keep the momentum going by reaching out to your audience with personalized follow-up messages. Thank them for their time, reiterate the main points discussed, and offer any additional information or resources promised during the presentation. A personalized touch shows your attentiveness and genuine interest in their needs, strengthening your connections and leaving a positive impression.

Offer them another opportunity to buy

Perhaps you and your prospect didn’t come to a final agreement at the end of the sales presentation. It’s likely they need some time to reflect on your offer and decide whether or not it’s right for their business. When you follow up, reiterate your product and pricing structure, so they know exactly what they need to do to move forward with your solution. You don’t need to be pushy, but keep the doorway open and make it as easy as possible for your potential client to walk through it. 

Request feedback

Open, honest feedback is the key to ongoing growth and improvement. Don’t be shy about asking your audience for their thoughts and opinions on your presentation. Constructive criticism and valuable insights can provide a fresh perspective, helping you refine your strengths and work on any areas that may need fine-tuning. 

Embrace feedback as a learning opportunity, and your future presentations will shine even brighter than before. Implement the suggestions that align with your goals and style, and don’t forget to celebrate the areas where you’ve received praise. With each iteration, you’ll become an even more compelling and confident presenter.

Before we conclude, let’s take a moment to talk about what people often do wrong while drafting their presentations. Here are the most common pitfalls that can completely derail even the most promising sales presentation. Steer clear of these and you’re well on your way to success. 

1. Lack of preparation

Insufficient preparation can negatively impact a presentation’s success. Without thorough research and planning, the presenter may struggle to effectively connect with their audience, convey the value proposition, or address potential questions that arise. There’s nothing worse than bombing a pitch because you didn’t do your homework. 

2. Poor understanding of the audience

Failing to understand the audience’s needs, preferences, and pain points can lead to a disconnected presentation that doesn’t resonate with the listeners. Take the time to research your prospects before every presentation or be doomed to forever remain a stranger. 

3. Too much ego 

Presentations are far too often egocentric and all about the company and the product. The problem with this is that the customer doesn’t really care about you, your product, or your service. Customers care about themselves and how you can make their lives better. Remember, to make them the center of your story or risk losing their attention and possibly causing them to hate you. 

4. Ineffective delivery

Poor public speaking skills and a lack of confidence can undermine the presenter’s credibility and diminish the impact of the message. These skills can be learned over time, but it’s important to cultivate genuine expertise and a good sense of self-esteem. Take care of yourself, your life, and your work, and this positive energy will come through to any audience that’s paying attention.

5. Text overload

No one wants to read a mass block of text. A presentation should be as succinct as possible or it will risk boring people. Each slide should address one idea or point. When you have too many ideas at once, people are more likely to become distracted and lose interest.

6. Too much jargon

In the world of sales, it’s all too easy to get caught up in statistics, technicalities, and meaningless jargon. Overloading the audience with too much information or complex data can confuse and disengage them, making it difficult for them to grasp the main points. It’s essential to keep your sales presentation simple, understandable, and engaging for each customer. The last thing you want to do is sound like an unrelatable salesperson who might as well be a robot. 

7. Lack of storytelling

Humans love to be told stories. There is something innately magical about them that draws us in and holds our attention. Presentations that are only a list of features and functions don’t command as much interest as those that weave a narrative of how your product can add value to a customer’s life. So get out your finest fountain pen and sketch out a story that’s sure to keep them on the edge of their seat.

8. Poor design

People like to look at things that attract them, and those things are usually well-designed. You may not be a gifted artist, but there are plenty of professionals you can find on freelancing platforms, such as Upwork, who will help make your presentation look professional, if you lack the skills to do it yourself.

You may also consider investing in an AI image generator like DALL-E , Midjourney , or Stable Diffusion to help you create the images you need. Nowadays, there are also a profusion of AI slideshow and video presentation generators including Vimeo, Animoto, Simplified, and Movavi. 

9. Missing call-to-action

Without a clear and persuasive call-to-action, the audience may not know the next steps to take. You can have the greatest build-up imaginable, but if you miss the punchline, it’s all for naught. To avoid missed opportunities, be absolutely clear about the coming steps at the end of your presentation in order to move the sale and business relationship forward from here. 

10. Overpromising and underdelivering

While it’s tempting to promise the moon, making unrealistic claims that cannot be fulfilled only leads to a loss of trust and credibility. Remember that honesty, authenticity, and empathy are the three keys to connecting with your customers. Be straightforward and grounded about what you can do for them and be ready to follow through on what you say. 

11. Technical issues

Technical glitches or disruptions during a virtual or multimedia presentation can disrupt the flow and distract from the message. While this is sometimes unavoidable, be sure to have a backup plan in case things go haywire. If you don’t think ahead, you could be caught out on on the sales presentation sea without a lifejacket or any chance of rescue. 

Armed with the insights from this guide, you’re now ready to craft and deliver sales presentations that captivate your audience, build strong business connections, and drive sales numbers. Embrace your own authentic voice, let your passion for selling shine, and watch as your audience becomes invested in your vision and ready to follow you to the promised land.

Remember, this isn’t just about delivering information; it’s about crafting a compelling narrative that resonates with each unique audience. So be sure to prepare, practice, and continually refine your presentation as you work through your leads. Be flexible, knowledgeable, helpful, and humble and you’re bound to see your results improve over time. 

You have the tools, the knowledge, and the spirit – now go out there and make your mark! Your journey as a skilled sales presenter has only just begun, and with each pitch, you have the chance to close more deals that will make a positive difference in the lives of your customers. 

Technical glitches and interruptions can happen, but being prepared is the key. Always have a backup plan, such as carrying a printed copy of your presentation or having digital copies on multiple devices. 

Stay composed if a technical issue arises and use humor to defuse any tension. Embrace interruptions as opportunities to engage with your audience and address their concerns. Your ability to handle these situations gracefully will showcase your adaptability and professionalism.

Recognizing and catering to diverse learning styles is essential to keep your audience engaged. Use a mix of visuals, verbal explanations, and interactive elements to accommodate different preferences. 

Incorporate hands-on activities, group discussions, or live demonstrations to enhance engagement. By appealing to various learning styles, you’ll create a more inclusive and interactive experience, ensuring everyone benefits from your presentation.

In the digital era, making your presentation collaborative is a valuable marketing opportunity. Incorporate visually appealing slides with shareable content, such as impactful quotes, statistics, or striking images. 

Encourage audience participation and offer incentives for social media shares, such as exclusive content or discounts. Utilize hashtags and create a catchy tagline to make your presentation easily discoverable on social platforms. By designing your presentation with shareability in mind, you can extend its reach and attract potential customers beyond the confines of the event.

Building rapport in virtual or remote presentations requires additional effort. Start by acknowledging the virtual setting and creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Use your webcam to establish eye contact and convey authenticity. Take a few moments to acknowledge and introduce various audience members to each other. 

Throughout the presentation, you may choose to encourage audience participation through live polls, chat features, or Q&A sessions. Find ways to personalize your content to address the unique challenges of remote work or digital interactions. By leveraging technology and adapting your approach, you can forge strong connections with your virtual audience that can rival or surpass in-person communication.

Encountering a difficult audience is a common challenge. Stay calm and empathetic, acknowledging their concerns without becoming defensive. Use data and evidence to back up your claims and demonstrate credibility. 

Address skepticism head-on by first acknowledging that you can understand where they are coming from, and next by highlighting the benefits of your solution and success stories of previous clients. Openly invite questions and listen actively to show that you value their input. By remaining composed and confident, you can win over even the most skeptical audience.

Data and statistics can be powerful tools, but too much information can overwhelm your audience. Use visuals like charts and graphs to present data in a clear and visually appealing way. Summarize key findings in short, boldface any bullets used, and focus on the most relevant and impactful statistics. 

Remember to provide explanations and interpretations to make the data more accessible and relatable to your audience. Learn how to use storytelling to put data into context and demonstrate its real-world significance to your audience.

The key to being persuasive without being pushy is authenticity and genuine care for your audience. Focus on educating and informing rather than on selling. Address their specific needs and concerns, and offer solutions tailored to their requirements. 

Be transparent about the benefits and limitations of your product or service, and always respect your prospects decision-making process. Building trust and credibility through honest communication will make your presentation persuasive without feeling overly sales-focused.

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• HR & Payroll

Sales Presentation: Ideas, Examples and Templates to Present Like a Pro

Typically, a sales presentation is understood as a simple pitch, a demo, or a list of facts and figures. A good sales presentation is one that incorporates all of these elements while also being more than the sum of its parts.

A sales presentation is that sensitive, impactful activity that, if it is done at the right time in your sales process , it will get your sales prospect ’s attention, make them eager about your product or services, and make their buying decision in favor of you.

As a sales professional, you will find yourself presenting live in countless scenarios ranging from introducing your product or services at a trade show to upselling your product or services to a client visiting your store. This article is for all you sales professionals out there. The topics it will cover are:

What is a Sales Presentation?

Sales presentation techniques, storytelling and sales presentation, what should you bring to your sales presentation, tips for nailing your sales presentation, sales presentation examples, sales presentation template to present like a pro, how can deskera help your business with sales, key takeaways.

• Related Articles‌‌

An effective sales presentation is one that tells a compelling story, highlights your value proposition, and aligns with your audience’s needs and desires. It ends with a strong call-to-action and leads your prospects to your differentiators rather than leading with them.

A sales presentation is not always the same thing as a sales pitch. This is because while a sales pitch is what your team of sales professionals does all day long on a one-to-one basis on the phone or in person, a sales presentation, in contrast, is a more complicated sales pitch where your sales team is trying to close a more lucrative deal through meetings and demos.

Preparing your sales presentation hence requires an investment of time and effort and needs to be well planned in order to convert your leads into customers, increase sales and therefore increase revenue . Considering the responsibilities, hopes, and pressure that a sales presentation carries, even a salesperson who is great at cold calling and sales pitches can become a victim of workplace stress .

A sales presentation is an art as well as a science. It is an art because it requires you to handle each situation and client creatively- adapting to the environment and molding it so that you can achieve your goals. It is also a science because it does come with some techniques and strategies, which, when incorporated, is sure to bring you higher success rates. The various sales presentation techniques that you can use are:

• Send the Presentation Desk to Your Buyer Before Your Call

The benefit of this would be that if your prospect finds the deck compelling, then they would want to get into all the nitty-gritty details about it even after knowing its main content. This will help you in showing them how the solution you are offering is the best for their problem, the extra benefits that they will be able to get from it, and solve any queries that they might have. This will save everyone’s time, and your customer would move down the sales pipeline faster.

However, if your buyer has not gone through the deck before your call, they will just ask you to start from the beginning. Furthermore, sending the presentation deck to your buyer will show them how valued they are by your business and hence increase customer retention and customer satisfaction.

• Invoking Self-Discovery

The best way to ensure sales and, therefore, gross profits is by making your buyers realize what the problem is and what the solution for the same can be. The solution is where your products or services will come in. The best way to do so is by telling a story to your buyer in which they are the main character. The storytelling will serve all the above-mentioned purposes and also give you a buyer who has a strong sense of customer loyalty that will only get stronger when you are able to ensure their “ voice of the customer .”

• Do Not Skip to Point B. Talk About Point A.

Here, point A is the problem, whereas point B is the solution. When you directly skip to the positive outcomes of a solution, you lose out on the benefits that you would have derived by talking about point A. This is because point A is the problem that your buyer will constantly face unless they bring some change to it.

By talking about their problems repeatedly, you would be using the key sales psychology of how consumers are more likely to prefer loss aversion activities than benefiting activities. Combined with loss aversion tendency would be the sense of urgency that would further secure their purchase with you. Only after they are with you on the urgency stage, talk about the positive outcomes from the solution you are offering. Only now would your solution be truly appreciated hence bringing you your positive cash flow .

• Do Not Lead with Differentiators, Lead to Them

The key to having your buyers appreciate your differentiators-i.e. the unique features of your products or services, is by leading them to it, rather than starting your sales presentation with them. In order to do so, you will have to start by explaining to your buyers the problem that they are facing, the opportunity that they have missed, and then surrounding it with a sense of urgency.

Only when your buyer is clear along these lines should you introduce them to your differentiators. This way, your differentiator will land exactly where it is supposed to, hence taking you one step closer to completing your sales cycle successfully.

• Reveal the Outcome First

Presentations have a tendency to follow logical sequencing. While this makes sense in the academic setting, in the world of sales and customers, where your customers would definitely be busy, you will lose them midway through your sales presentation.

Therefore, start your sales presentation with the final outcome that you are expecting or predicting. The conversation will grow naturally from there. Another sales presentation tactic underlying this is that the best product demos start with the topics that your buyer has highlighted on the discovery call .

Not only should your product demo mirror all the topics highlighted by your buyer, but it should also follow the same prioritized sequence as they want. This is called solution mapping- which will up your sales presentation game by a lot.

• Having a Conversational Presentation

One of the best ways to have increasing sales and therefore increased net sales is by making sure that your sales presentation is an engaging two-way conversation between two people. A two-way dialogue will make the sales pitch more natural, with equal listening happening on both sides- yours and the buyer’s. This real and connected conversation involves the right questions with the right answers, followed by a higher probability of sales taking place.

• Following the 9-Minute Rule

To close your deals , you should follow the 9-minute rule for your sales presentation. This rule tells of how the human brain stops registering information properly from the 9th minute, hence making it important to change the channels in your buyer’s brain by either changing who is talking in the presentation, or in the video, or in the demo. This will reset the time back to zero, giving you more time to carry forward the next part of your presentation.

• Using Relevant Social Proof

When talking with your potential clients, you should know the correct timing for giving social proof. Too soon, and you will lose your client. Additionally, you should also know which social proof would be relevant to give.

For example, if your example involves big brands like Google, it will leave your potential clients impressed but also make them feel that your product or services are not the right fit for them. To prevent this, your social proof should be from the buyer’s tribe. A buyer’s tribe is one with which they share pain points, challenges, and needs.

Even if you tell a different tribe’s story, the pain point should match with your prospect. By sharing these stories, you are making your prospects imagine themselves in the customer’s story and see a solution or a benefit for themselves.

One of the other ways you can give social proof is through social selling on your social media- helping to build a bridge between your company and its leads. After efficient lead management , these would become potential clients who need a sales presentation.

• Use Customer Stories, Not ROI Calculators

As a customer, one processes information in 2 ways- logically and emotionally. If, while doing your sales presentation, you introduce ROI , then you are awakening the logical, analytical brain of your customer. This will make them more likely to argue with your assumptions.

However, if you resort to telling a story in which the customers are able to imagine themselves (hence leading to self-discovery) and have a before and after scenario for the product or service used to make them realize the value offered by your product or service, then this emotional connection is more likely to get them to make a buying decision in your favor.

• Talking About Price After Establishing Value

It is crucial that as a salesperson, you know when to talk about pricing in your sales presentation. When setting the agenda for the call with your prospect, make sure you tell them when to expect a discussion on pricing. This discussion should be scheduled by you after you have shown them the value of your product or services, as only then would they agree to the pricing offered by you without you losing a deal. Also, by doing so, you would be better able to handle sales objections.

Using Your Competitor’s Strength in Your Favor

One of the most common sales presentation tactics involves using your competitor’s weakness and showing your product or service’s strength in exchange. This, however, leaves you vulnerable to attack and debate. The other smarter sales presentation technique involves learning and using your competitor’s strength to prove why their product or service is a poor fit for you.

For instance, when in 1985 the marketing of Burger King and McDonald's was head to head, Burger King used McDonald’s marketing attribution and strength- being a kids friendly place as its weakness by saying, at Burger King, it is the place for adults and real burgers, not just fun food. Burger King’s choice of brand awareness and brand positioning statement made it a winner in this marketing competition.

Talk About Your Competitors Early On

While doing your sales presentation, it is important that you talk about your competitors from the beginning rather than ignoring them completely, only to bring them up later in the conversation. This way, you would be able to influence your prospect’s opinions before they get solidified. Once they are influenced in your favor, they are more likely to stay the same, giving you higher net profits .

As humans, we have a deep relationship with stories. They move us, teach us, and in the context of sales, they persuade us. This is why storytelling is the secret to a successful sales presentation. If you want to win your customers, start with a story that is relevant to them and their problems, especially of an existing customer who faced the same problem as them.

Such a story would lead to your prospects remembering the key points from your sales presentation as well as about your product or services. Thus, this section of the article will help you in building your sales presentation around a story that will grab your prospect’s attention and encourage them to invest in the solution you are offering.

Start With a Problem and a Deadline

Instead of talking directly about the solution you are offering to your prospects, you should start by talking about the problem and the challenges your solution was designed to solve. Your sales presentation should revolve around the value you are offering to your prospect.

When using storytelling, your product or service can become the hero, whereas their pain point can become the villain. It should focus on the change (something that improves their business or life) rather than on the pain point. Additionally, create a sense of urgency around the story- such that if they do not take action now, they will miss an opportunity. Also, involve the consequences in the story that would arise if the prospect does not change.

Talking About the Solution

Once you have highlighted the problem or the challenges, it is time to talk about the product or services that you are offering. These should not be talked about in terms of their features, but rather in terms of how life would become easier and better for your prospect by using your product or service. It should also highlight how they would be able to reduce their account payable and increase their account receivables .

Only after that, start talking about your product or services features and benefits along these lines:

• Positioning your features against the old way of doing things
• Presenting those features as the superpowers that will solve your prospect’s problems and challenges
• Comparing those features with those of the competitor’s

And using a combination of some or all of the above sales presentation techniques.

A sales presentation is perceived to be a daunting task, and the only way to deal with such a task is by being prepared and organized. This is why this section of the article would be discussing all the necessities that you should bring to your sales presentation. They are:

PowerPoint Presentation

Sales presentation tends to include a sales deck to help deliver facts, figures, and statistics that will back your sales presentation and convince your prospects to accept the solution you are offering. To present your sales deck, you can use presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint presentation or google slides or Canva presentation, or any digital slides that you feel are a good match to your product or service. Some of the key elements of such a presentation should be:

• A great cover image or opening slide that grabs your audience’s attention.
• Data and key points are represented through charts, graphs, quotes. These can even include metrics like ACV and ARR or other such relevant KPIs .
• Testimonials and case studies from other customers. This shows the proactive customer service you offer, the voice of customers that you secure, how you consider the customer feedback , and how reliable your products, services, and business is.
• Personalize your presentation for each meeting- based on prospect’s brand color or with data specific to their market and industry or with an earlier exchange
• Last slide- which should have a call to action- directs your prospects on what they need to do now.

One of the main things you need to take care of here is not to overwhelm your slides with texts- they should rather have quick skimmable text, with supporting visuals as visuals register more in the human brain. This will also prevent information overload for your prospect.

The Product

The best way to sell a product is by your potential customers seeing them live in action. Product demonstrations hence have always been a vital part of every sales plan- wherever applicable. However, not every product would be perfectly portable. To give a demo for such products would become trickier. Here are some tips you can follow:

• In the case of a physical product, think of the perfect environment for the product’s demo that would show it at its best and do it.
• In the case of a digital product, have technology in hand to show what your product can do. For example, if it is a mobile app- make your prospects download and try it; if it is a website, show it through a projector.
• Lastly, in case your product is not portable- either because it is location-specific or because it is too big to carry around, you will have to use video for your product demo in the sales presentation.‌‌

Based on the nature of your solution and how you are doing your sales presentation, you might have to give handouts to your audience. Your handout can have a QR code from which to download the app or contact information, or sales literature. Your handouts should be simple and to the point and should be given at the end of the presentation so that while you are presenting, they are listening to you and not going through the information you gave them on the handouts.‌‌ You can use QR Code generators to create QR Codes that are dynamic and trackable.

If you are doing a sales presentation, it is quite likely that you are going as a team with two or more sales representatives. Some of the tips you can all follow for the preparation for your sales presentation are:

• Practice- To get the timing right, especially if your presentation has a lot of moving parts.
• Make sure everything is working- so as to avoid going to the meeting with a faulty presentation or a broken sample
• Decide everyone’s roles- so as to avoid on-the-spot confusion and chaos.‌‌

Some of the tips that you should incorporate during your sales presentation to nail it are:‌‌

Confident Body Language

Sales presentations often happen in person, which is why strong, relaxed, and confident body language is essential to make it seem like you know that you are going to close this deal. How you feel about your presentation is how your prospect is going to feel. Some of the things to take care of here are-

• Making and maintaining eye contact as this shows people how invested you are in what you are doing.
• Stand up straight with your shoulders pulled back. This will also have the added benefit of making you feel better than when your shoulders are hunched.
• Keep your chin up, looking straight and making eye contact rather than looking at the floor or randomly around the room.
• Have a good, firm handshake that will result in a good first impression.‌‌

Engaging Your Audience

Sales presentations are more likely to last for long, however the same is not true about your audience’s attention span. To keep them engaged throughout the duration of your sales presentation, you should consider the following:

• The two most important parts of any presentation are the beginning and the end, and hence this is where you should use your strongest material.
• Start your presentation with a brief introduction about yourself and then lead it with either a compelling story as discussed above or with a compelling demo.
• Your product features can make up the middle of your presentation as your prospects might have already researched them, and this part is less likely to be remembered well.
• Finish strong by mentioning how your product solved a problem.

Throughout your sales presentation, you can use humor if it comes naturally to you, matches your brand voice and your buyer personas . Humor will become a good way to connect with your prospects, make everyone relaxed in the room and make the presentation memorable. Lastly, because you are doing a sales presentation and not a sales pitch, it also gives you an opportunity to show off your product and make it memorable.‌‌

Like we discussed above, the sales presentation is an art and a science, and there are some companies who have done exceedingly well in their sales presentations. We will be talking about some of them in this section of the article.‌‌

The highlight of leadnomics’s sales presentation is that they were able to showcase their brand identity during it. To do so, their internet marketing agency hired a designer to create a sales deck that reflects leadnomic’s brand positioning statement through its sleek, techie designs. This meant that while the prospects got to learn about leadnomics and what it has to offer, they also came to know what it stands for as a brand. Such a sales presentation is sure to bring about positive brand awareness.

The Original Comfy

This product was made and pitched by Brian and Michael Speciale on Shark Tank in 2017. They did not have any numbers or inventory, just a big fleecy blanket/hoodie and a video of it being worn everywhere- from a beach to a couch. Their presentation got them an offer of $50,000 for 30% from Barbara Corcoran. When asked about it, she said they had a good product and utmost confidence in it. This highlights how important confidence is while doing your sales presentation.

Single Music

Single Music used icons and visuals throughout its sales deck to communicate its message. Additionally, the information that it added was worth the length of the sales deck that they had gone with- i.e., 28 slides. Through its sales deck, it showed how it allows the artists to monetize their Spotify account, showcased its diverse artist roster, its milestones, and even its key features.‌‌

In a sales deck that Richter made around 2019, it started with an introduction of the problem, followed by a value proposition and then by the solution. They provided an overview of what they have provided to their customers, who their clients are, and what results has their customer base seen. This particular sales deck hence covers all that a sales presentation should cover. Another of its highlights was also how it organized its graphics and logos in an organized and uncluttered manner.

After all that we discussed, it is time to nail your sales presentation with this guide- containing the slides you need to make and tips on how to make them. Click here to get your sales presentation guide and template to present like a pro.‌‌

Deskera is that cloud software that is equipped with meeting all your business needs. When it comes to sales, it is Deskera CRM and Deskera CRM+ that you want to rely upon especially. Deskera CRM helps in importing and managing all your contacts from one place, letting you integrate your emails with its dashboard. You can even automate email marketing, get reminders for sending invoices and set up your schedule.‌‌

Through its dashboard, it will also help you track your deals, monitor sales , and even different KPIs like marketing KPIs . One of the added benefits of Deskera CRM is that it has made the digitization of customer service easier. Additionally, because you can plan your entire team’s work on this software, it increases efficiency and helps in managing workplace stress.‌‌

When it comes to Deskera CRM+, it helps in lead management by allowing to build funnels to convert visitors to leads to paying customers. To do so, you can either select any of the high conversion funnel templates or create from scratch.

Funnels should be created for every marketing campaign like social media marketing , landing pages , performance marketing , and content marketing to test their effectiveness. The funnel dashboard will also help you in measuring the performance KPIs.‌‌

Additionally, you would also be able to automate daily tasks like drip email campaigns, where you would also be able to choose from email marketing templates, choose a target segment, and then track their performance across it.

Through Deskera CRM+, you would be able to segment your leads such that later they get personalized campaigns based on their segment. Such a personalized approach would also help in increasing customer retention, encourage returning customers , and even increase customer loyalty.‌‌

So, with deals being closed faster and more efficiently, your financial statement ’s health will improve as well- hence bringing forward a bright future for your business.‌‌

While it is safer to keep your sales presentation simple and predictable by keeping it about a sales deck and a speech, such a sales presentation would not be a showstopper.

For your sales presentation to make its impact and result in favorable buying decisions- your sales presentation needs to be unique and unforgettable. To ensure this,

• Have a confident body language
• Engage your audience

Use varied combinations of sales presentation techniques based on what suits your audience and business the best. The techniques you can choose from are:

• Using Your Competitor’s Strength in Your Favour
• Talk About Your Competitors Early On‌‌

When using these techniques, always remember to engage in storytelling. As humans, we have a deeper connection to and understanding of stories. When carried out nicely, this will keep your prospects engaged and make them do business with you. Also, make a point of taking questions and follow-ups after your sales presentation.‌‌

What helps in this entire process are the insights as provided by the Deskera CRM and Deskera CRM+ dashboard that helps you understand your prospects better.

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6 Essential Elements of a Successful Sales Pitch or Presentation [Infographic]

Updated: January 28, 2020

Published: April 09, 2019

Calling a sales presentation a "pitch" is a little misleading.

In baseball, good pitchers strike batters out. But in sales, a successful pitch is one that connects -- and gets hit out of the park.

As a pitch, however, good selling is something of an art form. People want to be told a story, to understand how your value proposition is going to mesh with their business and enhance it. How you accomplish that is up to you.

But along with the art of sales is a bit of science. The types of information most likely to convince a person to buy, or help them understand what you're talking about, can be broken down to zeroes and ones.

For example, did you know 40% of people respond better to information in visual form than when it's written? Or that the best presentations are two-thirds stories?

What is a sales pitch?

The sales presentation is where a huge part of this work gets done. Though you'll be speaking with your prospects about different concerns and questions on the phone, a sales presentation may be the best chance you have to put all your cards on the table and demonstrate exactly why your service is perfect for the prospect.

This infographic from PPTPOP breaks down the six essential elements of a successful sales presentation and includes examples from other companies' winning pitches .

From limiting the service offerings you recommend for a particular customer to ease their decision, to the types of proof you should include to demonstrate your product's worth, these helpful tips will help juice up any sales presentation.

Read on for tips on creating the perfect sales presentation, or skip to the infographic here .

Structure of a Sales Pitch

• A Stellar Cover Slide
• A Value Proposition
• A Powerful Story
• Enticing Solutions
• A Clear Call-to-Action

1. A Stellar Cover Slide

Your cover slide should reflect your company stance and industry. Your audience needs to "get it" instantly. Since 40% of people respond better to visual information than plain text, Google , Flickr , Unsplash , and Fubiz can be great sources for images that immediately boost your pitch.

2. A Value Proposition

What do you do? Summarize the value of your promise to deliver to prospects, and explain why they should buy from you. To help hone your value proposition, try using the "VP" formula:

[Company name]

helps [target audience]

with [services]

so you can [benefits].

Still not quite breaking through? Check out these examples of great value propositions:

• Geekdom - "We're a new kind of collaborative workspace where entrepreneurs, technologists, developers, makers, and creatives help each other build businesses and other cool things together."
• Airbnb - "Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world."

3. A Powerful Story

The most successful presentations are 65% stories. Present your story and your team to humanize your company and increase likeability.

Make sure you include the reason why your company and product came to be. Tell your audience what motivates your team to wake up and work every day. And offer tips that are personal and will make your audience smile, like, " John eats fast and makes things work. "

4. Enticing Solutions

First, focus on your client's problem. Here's how Airbnb did it:

Airbnb's first pitch extract: "Price is an important concern for customers booking travel online. Hotels leave you disconnected from the city and its culture. No easy way exists to book a room with a local or become a host."

• Problems - Price, convenience, access
• Aspirations - Have choice, unique experience, make money renting your place

Then, break down your value propositions into solutions tied to the benefits your clients want. Examples of benefits are, " Make more money and grow your business, " " Look good and impress, " and " Save time and money. "

How to list your solutions:

• Don't give too many choices
• Communicate results customers will get
• Make it easy and quick to understand
• Give examples that demonstrate your product's value.

The proofs you'll provide have to answer this question: " How do I believe you? " You should also:

• Add testimonials - They highlight what clients love about doing business with you. Use real client's pictures to enhance credibility impact.
• Share research data - Use expert quotes and findings that tie to the benefits of the product you're offering.
• Compare your products vs. competitors - Show your audience how you're better.
• Provide extra benefits - Offer a money-back guarantee, free trial, or free shipment to show and earn confidence.

6. A Clear Call-to-Action

A call to action is a simple command directing customers to take action (buy, start a free trial, sign up for our mailing list). To make your call-to-action even more enticing, include these sensory words to enhance your pitch .

Creating a Sales Presentation

• Build rapport with your audience.
• Lead with solutions.
• Include case studies.
• Ask for feedback.
• Be open to questions.

So, you're ready to create a sales presentation ? Here are some tips to keep in mind.

1. Build rapport with your audience.

If you want to give a successful presentation, you need to connect with your audience . Start out the presentation by addressing the audience and by appealing to them. This can be done by asking about their business (e.g., a new product launch or announcement).

2. Lead with solutions.

What's the biggest pain point your product or service will address? Start your presentation by providing the solution right off the bat. Not only will this capture your prospect's attention, but it will also keep them engaged and hungry to learn more about what you and your company have to offer.

3. Include case studies.

How can you support the solution you provided? Show the prospect how that solution can be applied. Case studies allow you to highlight specific aspects of your product or service that will positively impact the prospect's company. This helps you build credibility and further develop trust.

4. Ask for feedback.

It's important to connect with your audience and make sure they're engaged in your presentation. For example, you could ask, "Does this make sense?" or "Do you see how this would work for you/your team/your company?" Asking for feedback ensures that you're on the same page.

5. Be open to questions.

Let your audience know that they can ask questions at any time. Be aware of your audience and their reactions throughout the presentation. Sales strategist, Marc Wayshak , recommends, "Whenever a prospect interrupts you -- either with a verbal remark or subtle shift in their facial expression or posture -- stop immediately. Acknowledge the interruption, and welcome the opportunity to explore it with the prospect." You'll provide even more value to the prospect by addressing their questions and concerns during the presentation.

Your pitch is the fastest and easiest way to set yourself apart from your competitors. Make sure it pops with these tips -- and see the difference in your quota results.

Looking for more? Check out these sales pitch examples next.

Don't forget to share this post!

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How to Smash Your Next Sales Presentation [15 Tips and Tricks]

We all know that sales presentations are a love-it-or-hate-it part of B2B sales .

You might consider yourself a natural presenter, and love slaving over PowerPoint, thriving on every moment of the experience.

Others? Dread it like a trip to the dentist.

Luckily building and delivering an effective and truly great sales presentation is something that can be taught.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to smash your next sales presentation. From must-have slides to sales presentation tips and examples, you’ll find out all it takes to captivate your prospects and close deals.

Let’s start with the basics:

What is a sales presentation?

At its simplest, a sales presentation is a collection of slides that tells a story through visual elements and text.

Teamed with a salesperson’s narration (either in person or via video), its aim is to convey a product or service’s value proposition, and ultimately convert potential clients into paying customers.

A successful sales presentation will resonate with your prospect – linking in with their current needs and challenges, and positioning your company as the ideal solution. Here’s a great structure for one:

Knowing this formula will put you ahead of some of the competition, but how do you make sure you beat them all ?

What slides make up a good sales presentation?

1) The cover slide

Too many reps make the mistake of creating a generic cover slide for their sales deck. Our view? This is a big waste of valuable real estate.

Come on, this is where you make your first impression. You want to reel your prospect IN.

Whilst it might not be a clincher on its own, it can start to get across your main point: the value of your product.

Let’s go with an example.

You’ve immediately suggested some of the benefits and value your software offers before you’ve even reached the first “real” slide of your PowerPoint presentation.

So, now you have your prospect’s attention. Nice work – now it’s time to build on that.

2) The context slide

The context slide: where you set the stage with information on the trends and pressure points that are spurring change in your prospect’s market.

It’s all about setting your prospect up, hinting at the pain points you’ll touch on next. Build tension, and in turn, interest.

Your context slide might include the following snippets:

• Work is becoming increasingly remote and dispersed.
• Collaboration occurs across countries and continents.
• As the pace of work increases and competition rises, slowing down is not an option if you want to succeed.

3) The problem slides

Next, you’ll want to dedicate a few slides of your sales presentation to covering the problem, or a key pain point.

You’ll need more than one slide to do this because problems – especially big, business-critical ones – are complex and interconnected.

What’s more, prospects don’t always see the full range or depth of the problems they’re experiencing – it’s all too easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day, isn’t it?

According to the principle of loss aversion , people will work twice as hard to avoid loss as they will to gain a benefit. So, by painting a clear picture of the problems your prospect faces (and will continue to face in the future), you can motivate them to seek a solution.

Example time:

Let’s examine this through the lens of our fictional company, Projector.

Sure, your prospect knows they don’t currently have dedicated project management software. They might know it’s difficult for their teams and departments to keep tabs on work or communicate on progress, but have they considered anything like:

• How this impacts productivity
• How many hours their team loses every week, month, and year due to low productivity
• Connecting the dots between low productivity and less revenue
• How needless meetings and excessive communication apps can actually make things worse

You get the idea.

4. The “enviable future” slide

Cool, so you’ve hit them where it hurts (their pain points), the next step is to portray how it could be if the problem no longer existed.

From there, provide solutions to prove this is actually possible. Something like this…

Projector enables:

• Centralized communication to eliminate unnecessary video calls, email threads, and text messages
• A visual way to monitor progress and identify bottlenecks, so nothing slows you down
• A single source of truth for all of your resources and deliverables, so you never need to go searching for the latest version
• Customizable workflows to meet the needs of any project

The secret is to instill a true sense of longing for all of these benefits. This can help secure the ultimate buying decision.

5) The bridge slide

Next up in your sales pitch is the bridge slide. This slide provides the path to a problem-less world, and how your solution can get them there.

The bridge slide is a great opportunity to include the first touch of social proof, because people (and businesses) often copy how others behave – especially if they see proof of positive results.

In sales, it means demonstrating that someone relevant to your prospect (like a close competitor or a category leader they respect) has gotten real value from your solution. The implication is that:

• Your prospect could too
• If they don’t, they’ll be missing out on a real competitive advantage

This comes to life through a customer quote, stat, full case study, or all of the above on how a customer improved a business metric while using your solution.

See what we did there?

6) The solution slides

Like the problem slides, you’ll want to include more than one slide dedicated to describing the solution in your sales presentation.

The first of your solution slides should give a brief, clear explanation of what your product or service does.

This likely won’t be the first time your prospect is hearing about your offering, so there’s no need to cover every single detail. Try to boil down your product or service – as it relates to your prospect’s unique needs – into one to three clear sentences , and include a few visuals of your product in action where you can.

The next of the solution slides should focus on the value your offering will bring to the prospect. Make sure your value proposition ties directly back to the “enviable future” you previously outlined, so it’s clear your offering is the key.

Once again, social proof – like testimonials and customer stories with results from clients – can really lift these slides and grab your prospects attention.

“Projector helped my team cut back on 70% of emails and eliminated the need for weekly team sync meetings. Now everyone’s status and progress is clearly visible to the whole team on Projector’s platform.”

“With full visibility into our marketing campaign budgets, we can quickly reallocate spend and optimize our campaigns. This quarter alone, we’ve increased inbound leads by 200%!”

Those are some pretty compelling stats (even if it is a fictitious company).

7) The closing slide

You’ll want to end your deck on a short slide with a powerful statement that helps ignite a sense of urgency in your prospect.

Like we said before, visuals of your solution’s success will always make an impact; a nice little upward trending graph or a video testimonial of a loyal customer, perhaps.

If your final slide touches on both the emotional impact of resolving the pain point and the potential business gains, you’ve hit the mark. Not only will your prospect want to stop losing out on productivity, revenue, or whatever else they’re losing, they’ll want to reap the benefits of your great offering.

Powerful sales presentation templates to learn from

Explanations are good, and fictional decks are nice, but we all know learning by example is the best way to gain new skills.

You can find examples of sales presentation decks and PowerPoint templates scattered all over the web, but below we’ve sorted the wheat from the chaff just for you.

Get ready to borrow from the best:

• 21 incredible sales deck examples guaranteed to get buy-in
• 9 incredible sales presentation examples that succeed
• 10 best sales presentation to inspire your sales deck

6 sales presentation tips to help you crush your pitch

After you’ve crafted your narrative, built your slide deck, and got your design looking slick, it’s time to practice delivery.

The way you deliver your sales pitch is key to your prospect’s engagement, understanding, and their interest in continuing the process.

Here are six tips to help you communicate best.

1) Don’t talk for too long

There’s no specific winning length for a sales presentation, but data suggest that keeping under 10 minutes is smart.

According to a study from Gong (which analyzed 121,828 web-based sales meetings), successful presentations in intro meetings lasted on average 9.1 minutes . The unsuccessful presentation? 11.4 minutes .

This mirrors neuroscience research which found that human attention begins to wander when a listener hears a single voice for 10 minutes.

It’s actually why Apple doesn’t let its keynote presentations run for more than 10 minutes without introducing a change (like a switch to video, a demo, or just a new speaker).

2) Rely on data and insights

Now, we might be biased, but this one is really important. ☝️

If you want to drive a business decision, you need to prove there’s a problem, and what the impact of the solution would be – all using real numbers.

A sprinkle of competitor analysis , a measure of revenue forecasting ( if they close a deal with you), and a dash of ‘what could be’ goodness is the magic recipe.

If you’re able to confidently recall some persuasive, meaningful figures and drop them in where relevant, you could be in for the win.

3) Clearly illustrate the problems

The challenges you’re describing might be big, messy, and complex. But your sales presentation and pitch needs to be concise and digestible. Don’t overload slides with text.

Choose the most relevant information and illustrate it in a logical, clear way.

When crafting your problem slides and thinking about how to deliver the information, keep the following pointers in mind:

• Use numbers and data to back it up : As mentioned, data is key. Connect each main problem to tangible losses, like revenue, human capital costs, customer churn, etc.
• Focus on the strongest (most painful) points: Your goal is to distill a web of problems into a few core examples.
• Paint a telling picture: Think charts, graphs, stats, and images.

4) Personalize it

Even the most pixel-perfect PowerPoint presentation won’t get you anywhere if it looks like you’re just going through the motions.

What we mean is: your sales presentation needs to feel like it’s been specially crafted with them in mind – even if you know the majority of it stays the same from week to week.

Dropping in meaningful insights about their business is a great way to do this. These could relate to their own performance in the marketplace, to their competitors’ performance, or to an opportunity you’ve spotted for them.

Ideally you’ll be telling them something about their business that they don’t already know, and guess what? Your product can help them to exploit, navigate, or overcome it.

A tool like Similarweb Sales Intelligence can generate attention-grabbing and compelling data like that. It helps to inform any sales conversation you have, thanks to traffic and engagement data on over 100 million companies worldwide.

The Sales Intelligence Insights Generator allows you and your sales team to automatically find “insight nuggets” to either include on slides or incorporate into your dialogue. This is the secret to a consultative selling approach, which we won’t shut up about (and for good reason).

With an effortless way to source the freshest data tailored to your specific audience, building and delivering a successful sales presentation can become your most powerful selling strategy yet.

5) Welcome interruptions

It’s easy to get fixated on landing your key points while presenting. So fixated, in fact, that you don’t give your prospect a chance to get a word in.

Encourage your prospect to speak up with questions or comments throughout the presentation. Make this clear at the start, and keep an eye out for any hints through body language that suggests a question or observation is brewing.

A sales presentation that feels more like a dialogue will be far more effective and memorable. Here’s why:

️ People like to talk: When you give your prospects a chance to get their two cents in, you’ll make them happy – and will help them to remember the conversation more fondly.

✍️ You can learn along the way : If your prospect says something super interesting and relevant, you can use that information to tailor and refine your presentation on the fly (and maybe use it in your next pitch).

⚡ It helps keep their mind engaged: As mentioned, when people take turns speaking, their brains automatically reset – and that makes it easier to have longer conversations, instead of listening to one long monologue.

What’s more, interruptions also help relieve you of some of the pressure of talking non-stop. Win-win.

6) Be confident

If you typically hate delivering a sales pitch, then you might be rolling your eyes at this tip. We know it can be hard to just ‘become confident’ if that’s not how you really feel.

But there are things you can do that really will boost your confidence, helping you deliver a better presentation:

• Prepare : Get to know your slide deck back to front, memorizing all the numbers and stats you need to highlight.
• Practice your script : But also anticipate where questions or comments might come up.
• Listen to successful presentations: Make the most of your company’s recording software or find successful pitches on YouTube, and try to analyze what made these meetings, pitches, or persuasive presentations succeed.
• Make sure you’re super-familiar with your product: If you don’t fully understand your product, you’ll have a hard time getting someone else to. Practice presenting to a colleague to identify the holes in your own understanding as you speak.

How do you do a sales presentation?

Two good tips are to keep it short and tell a story.

What should a sales presentation include?

Include an introduction and presentation of the problem or pain point, before getting to the solution (hint hint, your product).

by Josh Rod

Senior Solution Marketing Manager, Similarweb

Josh has a strong background in marketing for Israeli SaaS companies and believes in using humor and wit in his strategies.

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RESOURCES - SALES

How to get clients fast with the most engaging sales presentations.

Written by Lidia Vijga

• CEO at DeckLinks, Speaker, Podcast Host
• Published on August 16, 2022
• Updated on July 31, 2024

Table of Contents

Did you know that, according to Crunchbase , the best sales reps spend an average of 6 hours every week researching their prospects? In today’s competitive market, having an engaging sales presentation can make all the difference in closing deals. In this article, I’ll share tips and techniques to help you create the most captivating sales presentations that will not only grab your audience’s attention but also drive them towards a buying decision.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Cover slide: The cover slide is crucial for making a good first impression. It should be attention-grabbing, professionally designed, and include your company name, logo, your name, and a message that speaks directly to the buyer.
• Solution slide: Start with the solution slide to immediately address the prospect’s pain points and present your value proposition. This approach captures the audience’s attention and demonstrates how your product or service can help them.
• Success story or Social proof slide: Including success stories or testimonials from satisfied customers can help build trust and credibility with your audience. This slide showcases the real-world benefits of your product or service.
• “The bright future” slide: Paint a picture of the positive outcomes your product or service can bring to the prospect. This slide should inspire and motivate the audience to take action.
• “Why us / About the company” slide: Provide information about your company’s background, expertise, and unique selling points. This slide helps establish your credibility and differentiates you from competitors.
• “Meet the Team” slide: Introduce the key members of your team, highlighting their skills and expertise. This slide helps humanize your company and demonstrates the talent behind your product or service.
• “Pricing and implementation” slide: Clearly outline the pricing structure and implementation process for your product or service. This slide should provide the necessary information for prospects to make an informed buying decision.
• “Next steps” slide: End your presentation with a clear call to action, guiding prospects on what they should do next. This slide should encourage prospects to take the next step in the sales process.
• Engaging and visually appealing presentation: An effective sales presentation should be easy to follow, visually appealing, and tailored to the needs of the audience. It should cover all key points, be concise, and easy to follow.
• Leverage video sales tools: Video sales tools can help engage your target audience in a more personal and interactive way. However, be cautious not to overuse technology, as flashy

What is an effective sales presentation?

An effective sales presentation is easy to follow, visually appealing, and delivered with honesty and transparency. It should be tailored to the needs of the audience and provide them with information that is relevant to them. It should cover all the key points, be concise, and easy to follow.

A B2B sales process is a system that inside sales teams use to identify and qualify potential clients, build relationships, and close sales. The sales process typically has six stages: awareness or prospecting, education, vendor selection or proposal, negotiation, commitment, and post-sale impact stage. An effective sales team uses sales presentations and educational materials at each stage of the sales process to engage prospective clients.

A sales presentation is a critical part of the sales process – it’s a visual presentation that tells your story and showcases your products or services. Creating a strong sales deck is an essential part of any successful B2B sales process.

Sales professionals know that creating the most effective sales presentation or a sales deck is not easy. B2B buyers are constantly bombarded with sales pitches, video presentations, and sales decks. They are quick to tune out anything that feels like a canned or generic sales pitch.

Did you know that according to Forbes about 35 million presentations are given each day to over 500 million people?

The best sales reps are always looking to improve their sales process. They are always on the lookout for new technologies that can help them sell more effectively.

Video sales tools have become increasingly popular in recent years amongst high growth sales teams. Video offers a way to engage a target audience in a more personal and interactive way. A well-crafted video sales deck or a video sales presentation can be highly effective in winning over new customers.

However, there is a danger in using too much technology in your presentation. The flashy graphics and animations can actually distract the client from your message. So if you are considering using some new technology in your next slide deck, think carefully about whether it will actually add to your message and engage the client or just create a visual distraction.

The main question you should be asking yourself: Does it help the prospects understand your offerings better?

To be effective, a B2B sales deck must be carefully tailored to the specific needs of the buyer. It should always be focused on solving the client’s pain points and display the value proposition.

4x Sales Content Engagement

Record and share Video PDF presentations and proposals and WOW your prospects and clients with the most personal customer experience. Access engagement analytics. Learn more.

Focus on creating a sales presentation that addresses the needs of the buyer.

A good sales presentation is one that is tailored to the needs of the audience and provides them with information that is relevant to them. It should be well-organized, visually appealing, clear, cover all the key points, be concise, and easy to follow.

The most effective sales presentation is also engaging and should clearly define the value proposition. The best sales presentations are those that leave the audience wanting more, so it is important to avoid over-selling or coming across as too pushy.

Ultimately, a good sales presentation is one that makes a strong case for the product or service being sold.

With so many sales presentation examples and sales presentation templates online which ones should you pick? Where should you start? No worry! We have put together a comprehensive guide with the best sales presentation techniques and insights that will help you create the most engaging B2B sales deck that will resonate with your target audience, and will make a good first impression.

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What is a B2B sales presentation or a sales deck?

A sales presentation or a sales deck is a presentation that contains slides with product and company information, product or service value proposition. It oftentimes includes success stories or testimonials, and pricing. Sales professionals use sales presentations to persuade clients to buy their products or services. They highlight the benefits of their products and service and demonstrate why they are superior to competing products or services.

Sales professionals use sales presentations to persuade clients to buy their products or services. They highlight the benefits of their products and service and demonstrate why they are superior to competing products or services.

Sales reps also use a sales deck to answer any questions potential customers may have about your offerings. You want your audience to understand your main points and be able to see why your product is the best solution for their needs. If you can do all of that, then you’ll be well on your way to creating the most effective sales presentation.

A sales presentation can be delivered in-person, via live video sales calls, or asynchronously by video narrating your presentation and sharing it with your prospect or client.

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The Most Common Sales Presentation Myths

The world of sales is loaded with more misguided opinions and sketchy “best practices” than a rent-is-too-damn-high mayoral candidate’s platform. From overly slick presentation templates to gimmicks, sales reps have been fed a buffet of suspect advice on how to crush sales presentations. Well, I’m here to expose some of the most common sales presentation myths that deserve to be tarred, feathered, and chased out of town on a rail.

• “Your slide deck has to be picture perfect.” Let’s get real, nobody cares if your sales deck looks slick as hell if the content is a snooze-fest. Sure, having visual elements that don’t make your prospective client’s eyes bleed is good. But at the end of the day, they want to know if your product or service can make their lives easier, not how pretty your PowerPoint templates are.
• “More slides = more $$$.” Adding endless slides to your deck is a one-way ticket to BoredTown. I’ve sat through enough torturous most presentations to know that too many slides is a surefire way to overwhelm prospects and put them in a coma. Stick to the key points, for crying out loud!
• “You need to demo every product feature.” Unless you’re selling a digital camera to photographers, most folks don’t need a 3-hour guided tour of every bell and whistle. The best sales reps know to focus on the important features that actually solve the pain points. Nobody wants to hear about the 112 different ways to customize the bulleted list formatting.
• “You have to start with an elevator pitch.” How about we ditch the cheesy elevator spiels and just have a normal conversation instead? The first impression should be about building trust and making a connection, not robotically reciting your rehearsed opener. Those make my soul die a little.
• “Body language doesn’t matter.” Oh, it matters alright. If you’re constantly fidgeting, avoiding eye contact, or look like you’d rather be getting a root canal, your prospects are going to sense it. The best sales reps have their body language on point – confident stance, friendly demeanor, all that jazz. It puts people at ease.
• “The big reveal slide is essential.” I’ve got a hot take for you – the whole “save the best for last” gimmick is majorly overrated. If you bury the main point until the very end, you risk losing people’s attention way before the big reveal. Mix up that flow and make your main points obvious from the jump.
• “Never admit flaws in your product or service.” This is a classic case of sales bro-advice gone wrong. You don’t have to pretend your product’s features are 100% perfect – prospects can smell that BS a mile away. The best sales reps are upfront about limitations while positioning them as relatively minor compared to the awesome benefits.
• “You should customize every sales presentation.” In a perfect world where I have 96 hours in a day, sure, ultra-customized decks would be great. In reality, having a few solid sales presentation template that you modularly adapt per situation is way more practical and time-efficient for us busy bees.
• “Making it funny and entertaining is a must.” I’ll admit that a few well-timed jokes can be an asset for a sales presentation. But positioning yourself as a would be stand up comic is a recipe for disaster. You’re there to convey the value proposition, not perform at the Laugh Factory.
• “You must deliver the full presentation start-to-finish.” Adhering rigidly to your entire pre-planned slide deck is a good way to put people into a vegetative state. The most successful sales calls are a dialogue – be ready to smartly skip around, get into specifics, revisit key slides, etc. based on the situation.
• “Never show pricing.” Old school brosefs seem to think playing coy about pricing is some master selling technique. These days, prospects expect and appreciate transparency on pricing right from the get-go. Dancing around it just breeds distrust and annoyance.

What slides should a sales presentations include?

• Cover slide.
• Solution slide.
• Success story slide or a Social proof slide.
• “The bright future” slide.
• “Why us / About the company” slide.
• “Meet the Team” slide.
• “Pricing and implementation” slide.
• “Next steps” slide.

B2B sales presentation slides to include #1: Cover slide.

Many sales reps underestimate the power of the cover slide. This slide is often the first chance you have to make a good first impression on your audience, so it’s important to get it right.

A successful sales presentation cover slide should be attention-grabbing and should set the tone for the rest of the sales presentation. It should provide just enough information to pique client’s interest and get them curious.

An effective cover slide should be professionally designed and include your company name, logo, your name, and a message that directly speaks to the buyer.

When you send an email or a video email to a prospect or a client, the cover slide of your pitch deck will also be displayed as a thumbnail.

You can use this to your advantage when designing your cover slide. A nicely designed cover slide will help to capture people’s attention and can greatly increase the chance that people will click to view your slide deck.

People are more likely to click to view a presentation with an eye-catching cover slide than one that is plainly designed.

By investing the time to create a well-designed cover slide, you can set the tone for a successful sales presentation and increase your chances of making a sale!

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B2B sales presentation slides to include #2: Solution slide.

What? You heard it! Start with the solution slide. Not the slide about your company or the pain points you are solving, not the product’s features, not the pictures of your cat or dog. Lead with the solution slide instead!

An effective B2B sales deck doesn’t need to be a mystery novel with a long build-up and a big reveal on the final slide.

The best way to engage your audience is to present your solution and the value proposition in a clear and concise way.

You have very limited time to capture your client’s attention.

Most presentations start talking about the problem the client may be facing. Your client already knows about the pain point they are facing! They want to know that you have a solution that can help them solve it.

B2B buyers are not easy to sell to. You are typically dealing with people who are very knowledgeable about their industry and skeptical of any outside solution. That is why it is important to start your sales presentation with the solution slide. This is the slide that outlines exactly how your product or service will solve the prospect’s pain points. It should be clear and concise.

This is the time when you have the highest chance to capture the attention of the viewer.

B2B sales presentation slides to include #3: "Success story" or a "Social proof" slide.

Even the best sales reps often face skepticism when presenting their products and services. After all, businesses are built on numbers. Sometimes it can be hard to quantify the benefits of a new product.

One way to overcome this skepticism is to use a success story slide supported by case studies of other customers. The social proof slide should tell a compelling story of how your company has helped a specific customer achieve their goals. By showcasing a real-world example and success stories of your solution in your sales deck, you’ll give your potential client the confidence that your offerings can deliver real results.

The success story slide’s purpose is to engage the prospect by sharing a relevant, relatable story that demonstrates the benefits of your offerings.

It should be a part of every sales deck. Successful sales presentations always contain a compelling story or a great example that help sales reps to overcome initial scepticism coming from a prospective client.

Tell a story that is specific and quantifiable.

They show how your company was able to solve a concrete pain point for a real customer. When crafting a success story slide, be sure to focus on the key takeaways that will resonate with your prospect.

In order to create the most effective sales presentation, it is important to choose a relevant and inspiring story. The story should be clear, concise, and easy to follow. When done well, a success story slide can be hugely persuasive, showing a potential client that you have a track record of delivering results. Not only that but it can also help you build trust and credibility with the prospect.

If you have case studies from other customers or just a great example helping similar company, you should attach them to your sales deck.

By following up with the social proof slide in your own sales presentation, you can ensure that your audience remains engaged and interested in what you have to offer. It is a simple sales presentation technique but it is the best way to get your prospect to start talking and pay close attention.

B2B sales presentation slides to include #4: "The bright future" slide.

Many inside sales teams overlook the importance of the bright future slide. This is the slide that showcases what the prospective client can expect if they sign on with your company.

Your goal is to paint a picture of a world in which the prospect’s pain point no longer exist. It’s an opportunity to paint a picture of success and to demonstrate how your product or service can help them achieve their goals. This requires a deep understanding of the prospect’s business and their challenges. Only then can you create a compelling vision of a future in which their pain point has been solved.

This future should be specific, believable, and attractive to the prospect. By painting this picture on the sales pitch, you can help the prospect see the potential for your product to transform their business. This can help the buyer see the value of your solution. A well-crafted “bright future slide” can help to secure the ultimate buying decision, and so it is essential to put careful thought and planning into it.

Including a bright future slide in your sales deck is essential for closing deals. So if you’re not already including the bright future slide in your own sales presentation, you’re missing out on a key opportunity to win over new business!

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B2B sales presentation slides to include #5: "Why us / About the company" slide.

This is the slide where you can share your company’s history, talk about its mission and values, and highlight its key strengths.

In addition, this slide should highlight your company’s accomplishments and successes. Doing so will help to establish trust with your audience and show them that you’re a reputable and reliable business.

Remember that B2B buyers are looking for a long-term partner. They need to know that they can trust your company to deliver on its promises. Finally, remember to keep your sales deck up-to-date so that it accurately reflects your current company status.

By including a slide about your company in your own sales presentation, you’ll be able to effectively communicate who you are and what you do – two key elements in closing any B2B deal!

B2B sales presentation slides to include #6: "Meet the Team" slide.

When you’re creating a sales deck to present to new clients, it’s important to include a slide that introduces your team. Why? Because when you’re selling to a company, you’re not just selling to an individual – you’re selling to a team. The team slide helps the buyer visualize your team as part of their own, and see how you would fit in and contribute to their success.

You can also use the slide to highlight your team’s expertise, accomplishments, and talents. Including a “Meet the Team” slide in your presentation will help create a more personal connection with your audience. It will help them see your company as more than just a faceless entity.

Depending on who is seeing your sales pitch, this slide can very formal or informal. Remember the goal is to trigger an emotion that can help you connect with the client on a human level. So check the recipient’s LinkedIn, see what they post and how they engage with others. You would be surprised 😉.

Including a team slide in your next sales presentation is a great way to build trust and credibility with your prospects. So next time you’re preparing your sales deck, make sure to include a team slide – it could be the difference between winning and losing the deal!

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B2B sales presentation slides to include #7: "Pricing and implementation" slide.

Provide the client with a clear explanation of what the implementation or onboarding process looks like. For example, if you’re selling cloud-based accounting software, make sure to explain how long it will take to set up the system and train employees. Providing this level of detail will show that you’re knowledgeable about your product and that you’re committed to providing a seamless transition for your customers.

If you are selling multiple product tiers or bundles, clearly explain the benefits of each option. The value proposition of each offering should be well defined in your sales deck. The most important factor to consider is the needs of the prospective client. For example, if they are looking for a comprehensive solution, then a top-tier option might be the best choice. However, if it is a small businesses and they expressed interest in specific product features, then a lower-tier option might be more appropriate.

Ultimately, the main point is to provide a recommendation that meets the needs of the prospective client while also providing clear justification for why that particular option is the best choice.

It is essential, to be honest, and transparent with your potential clients.

Trying to oversell your product or service on a sales pitch can often backfire, leading to mistrust and ultimately losing the sale. By being honest and transparent, a sales rep can establish trust with prospective clients and create a foundation for a successful business relationship.

B2B sales presentation slides to include #8: "Next steps" slide.

One important element of a B2B sales deck that the best sales reps always include is the next steps slide. This is the final slide that helps to reinforce the sales message and provides a clear call to action for the prospect.

B2B sales process often involves many many decision-makers with different needs and priorities. As a result, it’s important to ensure that each decision-maker has a clear understanding of the next steps. Otherwise, the sales cycle can quickly stall as decision-makers wait for clarity. This is why it’s essential to have a clearly defined next step in your sales presentations. By doing so, you can keep the momentum going and move closer to a successful sale.

This final slide should clearly outline what the prospect needs to do in order to move forward with the purchase. It should be concise and easy to understand. The call to action should be obvious, and there should be no ambiguity about what the next steps are.

Including a next steps slide in your sales deck can help to increase your close rate and boost your sales numbers.

So when you work on your next sales presentation try following these sales presentation tips you’ll be able to craft a more compelling story and engaging sales pitch that will accelerate your sales cycle!

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What are the biggest sales presentation mistakes to avoid at all costs?

After a long and meticulous sales process, you finally managed to get a chance to present your powerpoint presentation to the buyer. This can be done either on a live call or asynchronously. Don’t let all that work and efforts go to waste.

• Having too much text on your in your sales presentation.
• Using visuals in your sales deck that don’t support your messaging.
• Using too much technical jargon when delivering your sales presentation.
• Rushing through your sales presentation to share more information.
• Reading the slides.
• Excluding the prospect from your story.
• Heavily using parasite words on your sales presentation.
• Focusing on product’s features, not benefits and value proposition in your sales deck.
• Making your sales presentation too long.
• Not showing a clear next step.

Most common mistakes to avoid #1: Having too much text on your in your sales presentation.

“It doesn't matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don't read anymore.” WIRED Steve Jobs

No matter how complex your product or offerings is you have to simplify the messaging and substitute text with visuals whenever possible. If your sales presentation is too text-heavy and lacks data visualizations, it will be difficult for the audience to process important information and follow along.

The best sales decks strike a balance between text and visuals, using concise language and clear visuals to convey important information in an easy-to-understand format. More information is not always better. In fact, less is often more when it comes to a sales deck. When in doubt, leave it out. It is better to have a concise, well-organized sales deck than one that is crammed full of information. Find some sales presentation templates to get some inspiration.

So, next time you’re putting together a static sales deck or a video sales presentation, remember to keep your audience in mind and use text sparingly. A little goes a long way!

Most common mistakes to avoid #2: Using visuals in your sales deck that don't support your messaging.

A successful sales presentation requires more than just a well-organized deck and knowledgeable sales rep. It also needs to be visually engaging to capture and hold the attention of the audience.

Visual elements can be a powerful tool in creating a great slide deck.

Proper use of graphics can help to convey complex ideas in a way that is both clear and memorable.

In addition, graphics can add an element of excitement and dynamism to a presentation, making it more enjoyable for both the presenter and the audience.

When used effectively, graphics can be a powerful asset in creating a successful sales presentation. However, it is important to use graphics judiciously, as too many can confuse and overwhelm prospects.

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In a sales presentation, the use of visual elements that don’t support the messaging can be a major mistake.

The reason is that the decision-maker is looking for specific information to help them understand how your product addresses their pain points. If the graphics in your sales deck don’t reinforce this message, it can distract from your overall argument and confuse your audience.

It is also important to avoid falling into a rabbit hole of constantly changing the design of your sales presentation. Find good looking powerpoint templates or a pitch deck online and customize the content. Using a sales presentation template can help you save time and create an effective sales presentation in no time!

Using too many or too few visual elements in your sales deck can be detrimental.

The key is to use graphics judiciously, selecting only those that are truly helpful in conveying your main points.

If you are selling a B2B SaaS platform, show some screenshots to reinforce your messaging, the most important features, and the value proposition. If you are selling SEO services, show examples from Google Analytics and use data visualizations, charts, and graphs in your sales deck.

When used effectively, graphics can be a powerful tool in a slide presentation. But when used improperly, they can do more harm than good.

A successful sales presentation strikes a balance between text and visuals, using each to complement the other. By carefully planning the layout and design of their presentation, sales professionals can ensure that their graphics make a positive impact and contribute to a successful outcome.

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Most common mistakes to avoid #3: Using too much technical jargon when delivering your sales presentation.

When giving a B2B sales presentation live or sharing a video sales presentation, it is important to avoid using technical jargon. While you may be familiar with the terms and concepts, your audience may not be. Using jargon in your sales deck can alienate your listeners and make it difficult for them to follow along.

Instead, focus on speaking in plain language that all prospects understand.

Use specific examples and analogies to explain complex concepts. That doesn’t mean you have to dumb down your message, but it does mean avoiding technical jargon that only a small percentage of people will be familiar with. Of course, there are times when you can use technical jargon and be absolutely certain that people will understand it. Doing so will help ensure that your message is understood and appreciated by all.

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Most common mistakes to avoid #4: Rushing through your sales presentation to share more information.

According to a recent study by Zoom , on average, people remember about 10% of your presentation after 48 hours. So focus on the main points and repetition. According to the study, repeating the 10% message and reinforcing it visually lead to precision memory in 74% of the participants.

It is important to remember not to overwhelm prospects. Too much information can be confusing. Instead, focus on providing the essential and important information that the buyer needs to know in order to make an informed decision.

Don’t try to show everything you have to offer on your sales pitch.

Do your research and focus on things and the most important features that are relevant to the buyer. This way, you can tailor your sales deck to their needs and interests. What’s more, you’ll be able to anticipate any objections they might have and address them head-on. Researching your prospect can also give you some sales presentation ideas that can help you deliver a killer sales presentation and close the deal! So don’t skimp on preparation – it could mean the difference between success and failure.

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Most common mistakes to avoid #5: Reading the slides.

When giving a B2B sales presentation, it is important to remember that the slide deck should be used to support your messaging.

The audience wants to hear from you!

If you spend too much time reading from your slide deck, you will lose the audience’s attention. Instead, use the slides as a tool to reinforce the key points you’re making verbally. This will help keep your audience engaged and focused on what you’re saying.

Sales reps who rely solely on reading from their slide deck during presentations are missing out on a key opportunity to connect with their audience. Instead of simply regurgitating the information that’s already on the slides, the best sales reps use the sales deck as an opportunity to share their insights and expertise. They use facial expressions and body language to connect with the client on a human level. This not only makes the presentation more engaging but also helps to build rapport with the audience. In addition, by sharing their thoughts and observations, the best sales reps can add an element of urgency and excitement that often gets lost when presentations are purely factual.

When it comes time to close the deal, that extra level of connection can make all the difference. So next time you’re preparing for a live slide presentation or recording an asynchronous video sales presentation, resist the urge to simply read from the slide deck. Instead, use the slides as a tool to support your powerful storytelling.

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And last but not least, be aware of the body language you are projecting, as it can influence the outcome of a sale. According to the study by Albert Mehrabian, professor of psychology at University of California, body language accounts for 55% of communication. It is very important for a sales rep to learn how to use body language effectively. By using body language effectively, you can increase your chances of delivering the best sales presentation and making a successful sale!

Most common mistakes to avoid #6: Excluding the prospect from your story.

A sales presentation should be about the prospect, not the product or the product’s features. Prospects want to know how your products and services will benefit them, not just what it is and how it works.

When giving a sales presentation, it’s important to engage your audience and make them invested in the story you’re telling. One way to do this is to include the prospect in the story.

You can do this by using the pronoun “you” when you tell a story. For example, “Let’s say you’re trying to increase sales by 10% this quarter.” This simple change will make your prospects feel like they are part of the story and help them to see themselves using your products and services. This will help them to see themselves as the protagonist, understand how your products and services can benefit them, and connect with your message on a personal level. In addition, this approach will help you create a more conversational tone that will make your presentation more lively and engaging.

When you tell a story, consider what problem the buyer is trying to solve and how your product or service can help them to overcome it. Use specific and relatable examples to illustrate your point. Make sure to address any objections in your sales deck that the buyer might have. In addition, including the prospect in the story can help build rapport and trust. When prospects feel like they’re part of the story, they’re more likely to be interested in what you have to say and be receptive to your sales pitch.

So next time you’re preparing a sales presentation, remember to include your prospects in the story. It’s a small change that can make a big difference and help you close more deals!

Most common mistakes to avoid #7: Heavily using parasite words on your sales presentation.

When delivering a B2B sales presentation, it’s important to sound professional and confident. One way to do this is to avoid using filler words such as “um,” “like,” “basically,” “actually,” and “you know.” These words can make you sound uncertain and reduce the impact of your message. Similarly, words like “just” or “simply” can downplay the importance of what you’re trying to say.

Instead of using filler words, take a moment to pause and gather your thoughts. It’s best to avoid using any type of filler words in your presentation. Not only do they make you sound less confident, but they can also distract from your overall message.

In addition, filler words can also increase the amount of time it takes to deliver your presentation, which can bore your audience and cause them to tune out. Instead, focus on using language that is clear and concise.

By avoiding parasite words and speaking with confidence, you can ensure that your next sales presentation is more impactful and makes a lasting impression!

Most common mistakes to avoid #8: Focusing on product's features, not benefits and value proposition in your sales deck.

When you’re giving a sales presentation, it’s important to remember that your audience is primarily interested in understanding how your products and services can help them achieve their business goals. Your clients are not as concerned with the specific product’s features of your offering as they are with understanding how those features will benefit them.

It is important to focus on benefits and value proposition when doing a sales presentation because it is one of the main reasons why a potential client will move towards making the buying decision. They should be clear, concise, and easy to understand.

For example, if you’re selling a digital product like a CRM, your slide deck should not focus on the product features. Instead, start talking about how the system can help the buyer increase sales or improve customer retention. As a result, your sales deck should focus on highlighting the business results that your products and services can deliver. By doing so, you’ll be able to capture your audience’s attention and build a strong case for why they should do business with you.

If you can effectively communicate the benefits and the value proposition of your products and services in your slide deck, you will be more likely to close more deals!

Most common mistakes to avoid #9: Making your sales presentation too long.

The key to successful sales presentations is to keep your audience engaged. After all, it doesn’t matter how great your products and services are if no one is paying attention.

According to the developmental molecular biologist John Medina viewers will tune out after 10 minutes.

Most sales presentations are often long and dry, filled with statistics and jargon that lose the attention of the audience within minutes. This is a huge mistake. The key to a successful B2B sales deck is to keep it short, sweet, and to the point.

Remember, you’re selling to busy professionals who have better things to do than sit through a tedious presentation. In fact, research has shown that shorter presentations are more likely to be successful in terms of both conversion rates and client satisfaction. Shorter presentations are easier to digest and remember.

By keeping your sales deck short and focused, you’ll stand a much better chance of holding your audience’s attention and making the sale!

Most common mistakes to avoid #10: Not showing a clear next step.

At the end of your live sales presentation or an asynchronous video sales presentation, it is incredibly important to establish the next steps in order to move the deal forward. This next step could be something as small as scheduling a follow-up meeting or it could be starting the onboarding process.

Not having a next step defined is one of the surefire ways to kill any momentum that might have been gained during the sales presentation.

If you do not define the next steps, it gives the impression that you are not interested in continuing the conversation or that you do not have a clear understanding of what needs to happen next. This can damage your relationship with the prospect and make it less likely that they will do business with you.

The goal of a B2B sales presentation is to eventually land the sale, and without a defined next step, it will be very difficult to move closer to that goal. By contrast, if the next steps are clearly laid out in your sales deck, it gives both parties a sense of direction and purpose moving forward. To put it simply, not defining the next steps in your slide deck is bad for business!

How to deliver the best sales presentation?

• Establish value then talk price.
• The best reps proactively bring up competitors.
• Share a video narrated presentation before the discovery call.
• Don’t underestimate the power of insight.
• Personalize your pitch to position yourself as an advisor.
• Don’t memorize your sales pitch, but practice it.

B2B sales presentation tips #1: Establish value then talk price.

When giving a B2B sales presentation, your first step is to demonstrate the value of your product before you start talking about the price. This is because decision-makers want to know that your product will be worth the investment before they commit to anything. If you are selling to small businesses that are very price sensitive, establishing value is even more important. Many decision-makers also are looking for solutions that will improve their bottom line.

Too often, sales reps focus solely on the price and fail to establish the value of their products and services. As a result, the prospective client is left feeling like they don’t really need what you’re selling. To deliver successful sales presentations, you need to focus on the value of your products and services. Talk about how it will benefit the client and eliminate their pain point.

By showing them the value of your product first, you’ll be able to make a stronger case for why it’s worth investing in.

Once you’ve demonstrated the value, you can then talk about pricing and how it fits into the overall picture. By taking this approach, you will be able to demonstrate the value of your solution and position yourself as a partner rather than a vendor.

B2B sales presentation tips #2: The best reps proactively bring up competitors.

Most presentations don’t include the competition slide and it is a big mistake!

In today’s business world, your competition is just a Google search away and a common mistake that sales reps make is to avoid talking about their competition.

They may think that by doing so, they are giving their competitors “free publicity” or making themselves look bad by comparison. However, in many cases, the opposite is true. By mentioning your competition in your sales presentations, you can actually make yourself look more professional and credible. This is because you are showing that you are aware of the landscape of your industry and that you have done your research.

By acknowledging your competition in your sales pitch, you can show that you are confident in your products and services and that you are not afraid to bring up your competitors.

This is one of the most powerful sales presentation techniques that the best reps use, as it shows that they believe in their product and are willing to put it up against the best that the competition has to offer.

Additionally, by proactively bringing up your competitor’s products and offerings, you can address any objections that your prospect might have before they even have a chance to bring them up. By proactively bringing up your competition, you can take control of the conversation and help to close the sale.

Furthermore, by showing that you are aware of your competition and are actively working to improve upon their product features. It also demonstrates that you are dedicated to meeting the needs of your clients. This shows that you are a company that can be trusted and that you will work hard to ensure that the client is satisfied.

Finally, discussing your competition in your sales pitch can help you come across as a trusted adviser rather than just another sales rep looking for a naive buyer.

So don’t be afraid to mention your competitors in your sales deck. It can actually work in your favor.

B2B sales presentation tips #3: Share a video narrated presentation before the discovery call.

The discovery call is a crucial step in the sales process. It’s an opportunity to learn about the prospect’s needs and pain points, and to establish whether there’s a fit between the product and the client. One way to make the most of this opportunity is to share a general presentation before the call. This gives the prospect a chance to get a general understanding of your products and services.

Sharing a video sales narrated presentation or a sales deck is even more effective as it can greatly amplify the impact of your presentation. It will make it easier for the recipient to digest the important information. Not only that but it can help the buyer get used to your voice, see your body language, and it will also give them a better sense of who you are as a person. It will help you establish a human connection with your client before the discovery call. Ultimately, sharing a video sales presentation is a great way a sales rep to connect with their clients on a human level and showcase their expertise.

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Sharing an asynchronous video presentation before the discovery call will allow you to have a more natural conversation with the client.

Moreover, sharing a video sales presentation before the discovery call also allows for more efficient use of time on the call itself. As both parties will already have a good understanding of what’s being discussed. This will ensure that you spend more time engaging in a more natural conversation with your client.

If you are looking for a tool to quickly create video presentations, you should try DeckLinks . It allows inside sales teams to create video narrated sales presentations by simply video narrating an existing PDF slide deck or a powerpoint presentation. This asynchronous video presentation is then can be shared in a single trackable link.

A trackable sales presentation can help you sell better by allowing you to see how recipients interact with your content. This data can be used to improve the effectiveness of your slide deck, strategically prepare for an upcoming discovery call, identify the most engaged decision-maker, or get some sales presentation ideas. You will get access to very granular analytics, like open rate, time spent on each slide, clicks, downloads etc. This information can help you determine which topics, products or services are most interesting to your prospect or a client, and which parts of your presentation are most effective.

For example, if you see that recipients are not viewing your entire presentation or skipping slides, you can change the order or reduce the number of your slides. You can also make your slide deck more visual or adjust your messaging to make your content more engaging.

By using a trackable video sales presentation, you can gain valuable insights that will help you sell more effectively. And the best part part? There’s a free plan!

In short, sharing video presentations before a discovery call is a good way to make sure that everyone is on the same page from the start. Win win for both sides!

How to Create a Presentation Video to Accelerate the Sales Cycle

A comprehensive guide on how to make video presentations and use them at any stage of the B2B sales cycle to increase clients engagement.

B2B sales presentation tips #4: Don't underestimate the power of insight.

Gong Labs data show there is an 8% increase in close rates when the sales rep and the buyer curse on the sales calls, compared to nobody cursing at all 🤯.

When delivering your killer sales presentation, it’s important to start off with an insight that will grab your audience’s attention and set the tone for the rest of the presentation. This is one of the most popular sales presentation techniques employed by high-performing B2B sales professionals to pique their customers’ interest.

An insight is a piece of information that helps your audience see the pain point in a new light. It can be something as simple as an interesting statistic or a surprising fact. An insight could be something that challenges their assumptions, highlights a new trend in your industry or brings up an interesting case study.

Whatever you choose for your next sales presentation, make sure it’s something that will resonate with your audience and make them want to hear more. By sharing an insight that is relevant to your product or service, you can demonstrate your expertise and build trust with a prospective client.

Additionally, insight can help to clarify the benefits of your offering and make it more relatable to your audience. Once you have their attention, you can move on to the rest of your pitch deck.

So if you’re looking to give your next sales presentation a boost, be sure to include an insight or two. It could make all the difference in closing more deals.

B2B sales presentation tips #5: Personalize your pitch to position yourself as an advisor.

When creating a B2B sales presentation, it is important to remember that no two clients are exactly alike, so a cookie-cutter approach is bound to fall flat. You can try to find sales presentation examples or sales presentation templates online to get some inspiration but you still need take the time to get to know your prospect and tailor your sales pitch accordingly.

While there are certain elements that a good sales presentation should have, such as an engaging opener and a clear call to action, the best sales decks are tailored to the specific needs of the client. What pain points are they trying to solve? What objectives do they hope to achieve? For example, if you know that your prospect expressed interest in saving money, you can focus on how your product can help them to reduce costs. By addressing these questions in your sales deck, you’ll be able to create a more meaningful connection with your prospect – and increase your chances of making a sale.

A generic slide presentation that doesn’t take into account the specific needs of the client is often met with resistance or indifference. On the other hand, a sales deck that is tailored to the client’s industry, company size, and specific pain points is much more likely to be well-received. Not only that but sales deck personalization can help to build rapport and trust, which are essential for making a successful sale.

It can be tempting to take shortcuts when preparing a sales presentation, but if you want to close the deal, personalization is key. Your prospect will appreciate the effort you put into understanding their business and crafting a sales deck that resonates with them. Furthermore, by putting extra effort and time into understanding the client’s business and challenges, you can position yourself as a valuable resource and advisor.

Positioning yourself as an advisor rather than a salesperson can be extremely effective. Businesses are always looking for ways to improve their RevOps and bottom line, so they’re always open to new ideas that can help them achieve their goals. As an advisor, you can provide them with insights and recommendations that will help them make the best decisions for their business. This sales presentation technique requires more initial investment than simply pitching a product, but it can be much more effective in the long run.

By positioning yourself as an advisor, you build trust and credibility with potential clients. This will make it much easier to close deals and build strong long-term relationships with clients.

B2B sales presentation tips #6: Don't memorize your sales pitch, but practice it.

Pitching is an art form, one that takes practice to master. When you’re giving a sales presentation, it’s important to sound natural and confident, not like you’re reciting a script. If you memorize your sales pitch, you’ll sound robotic and unnatural, and you’re likely to forget key points or get tongue-tied if you get thrown off by a question. There’s a fine line between being prepared and sounding like you’re reading a script. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t practice your pitch beforehand.

There are a few simple sales presentation tips that can help you hone your pitching skills. The key is to memorize the structure of your sales deck, not individual words or phrases. Try to memorize the key points you want to hit. You want to sound natural, more spontaneous, and confident, but you also don’t want to get tripped up on the details. Practice your next sales presentation until you know it inside and out, and can deliver your pitch smoothly and confidently. The more practice you get, the more comfortable you’ll feel when it comes time to give your pitch. This way, you’ll be able to deliver it in a conversational and engaging way, and you’ll be able to improvise if necessary.

So don’t try to memorize your sales pitch – instead, practice it until you have complete confidence in your ability to deliver it flawlessly. And if you do happen to forget something, don’t panic – just take a deep breath and move on. Your audience will appreciate your candor and professionalism!

Key takeaways

As you prepare to create your sales deck, keep in mind that your goal is to deliver value to your audience.

• Your sales deck should be designed to educate and inform your audience, not simply sell them your product or service.
• A good sales presentation is well-researched and relevant to your audience’s needs.
• In addition, it should be focused on delivering a clear and concise message.
• Tell a story but don’t turn it into a novel with a big reveal on the final slide.
• Share successful customer stories and social proof.
• Be ready to provide any relevant case studies.
• When delivering a sales presentation use simple language and avoid jargon, make it easy for prospects understand your sales pitch.
• Make sure to practice your elevator pitch and body language ahead of time so that you can deliver it with confidence.
• Finally, don’t forget to have a clear next step at the end of your sales deck!

Follow our sales presentation tips and tricks, you can be sure that your next sales presentation is engaging and informative and that it leaves a positive impression on your audience.

Engaging Virtual Presentations: Tips to Wow Remote Audiences

Learn to overcome virtual presentation challenges with tips to boost confidence, engage viewers, and deliver smooth presentations online.

How to create the most engaging and impactful sales presentations?

Focus on showcasing the value proposition in a compelling story format focused on quantifiable customer benefits. Use data visualizations, relatable success stories, and relevant examples tailored to your audience’s specific needs and pain points. Make the presentation conversational with two-way dialogue.

How to develop sales presentations that drive results?

Thoroughly research your target audience and market. Establish credibility and build trust from the start. Highlight ROI, business outcomes and quantitative results. Acknowledge competitors proactively. Practice an authentic yet confident delivery. Always have a clear and actionable call to action.

What is an optimal length of a sales presentation?

Limit your core sales pitch to 10 minutes or less with 8-12 slides focused only on key points. Lead with the agenda and value proposition. Make the presentation scannable, conversational and interactive. End with a summary and call to action.

What types of visuals make the biggest impact on a sales presentation?

Effective visuals include charts demonstrating ROI, screenshots showing product capabilities, logos of current customers, data visualizations like graphs, relevant images reinforcing key points, short customer quotes and statistics.

How to craft impactful, memorable openings and closings for sales presentations?

Start strong by leading with an insightful statistic or compelling example tailored specifically to your audience. Wrap up by clearly stating next steps, contact info, and a specific call to action.

What common mistakes to avoid when delivering sales presentations to prospects?

Avoid rushing through your pitch, overloading slides with too much text, using complex industry jargon, focusing solely on product features rather than benefits, and sounding overly scripted or salesy.

How to make sales presentations interactive, conversational and engaging for prospects?

Pause frequently for questions and feedback. Invite audience participation. Leverage interactive product demos relevant to the prospect’s needs. Use thought-provoking prompts related to their business challenges.

How to practice and prepare before presenting a sales deck?

Memorize your sales pitch structure rather than a word-for-word script. Practice until your delivery is fluid, natural and authentic. Time yourself when practicing to perfect your pacing.

How important is the cover slide of a sales presentation?

Cover slide is often the first chance you have to make good first impression on the audience. Successful sales presentation cover slide should be attention-grabbing and should set the tone for the rest of the sales presentation. It should provide just enough information to pique client’s interest and get them curious.

What is the solution slide and why is it important?

Solution slide is the slide that outlines exactly how your product or service will solve the prospect’s pain points. It should be clear and concise. Most presentations start talking about the problem the client may be facing. Your client already knows about the pain point they are facing! This is the slide that outlines exactly how your product or service will solve the prospect’s pain points.

Lidia Vijga

About the author.

Lidia Vijga is a seasoned professional with 10 years of first-hand experience in B2B sales and B2B marketing. She has a proven track record of driving growth for companies across various industries. Throughout her career, Lidia has led numerous successful sales campaigns and implemented innovative marketing strategies that have significantly increased revenue and reduced customer acquisition cost for her clients. Lidia regularly shares her insights and experiences on LinkedIn, webinars, and public speaking engagements. Lidia believes in the power of personal qualities such as kindness, empathy, and the willingness to understand others. She is committed to empowering client-facing teams with tools that enhance their talent instead of automating it, and she firmly believes that teams that show their human side grow companies much faster.

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10-Steps to Your Ultimate Sales Presentation (with Examples)

One of the first things every new salesperson needs to learn, if they are to succeed, is how to develop and deliver a sales presentation. A lot of factors go into developing a sales presentation for a specific situation. However, by following a logical series of steps, it will greatly enhance the chance of making a sale.

A sales presentation is defined as “a talk giving information about a product or service that you are trying to sell, intended to persuade people to buy it.” Historically, sales presentations were delivered one-on-one with the salesperson, presenting directly to a buyer.

However, technology has expanded the traditional in-person sales presentation to include the potential for video conference presentations, telephone presentations, presentations delivered via email, and even long-form presentations delivered via internet web sales pages.

Regardless of the delivery method, a salesperson who follows a logical series of steps will have the greatest chance of making a sale.

The graphic below depicts an outline of the Ultimate 10-Step Sales Presentation:

Each step of the Ultimate Sales Presentation is important and contributes to the likelihood of making a sale. That said, not every step is needed in every selling situation. Sometimes the buyer is ready to buy after Step 4: Presentation. Sometimes the buyer will inject objections immediately as the salesperson begins, Step 3: Approach.

As I said, every salesperson/buyer interaction is different. The relational salesperson is acutely aware of this difference and will flex their presentation to meet the needs of the buyer.

10-Step Ultimate Sales Presentation

So now, let’s take a quick look at each of the 10-Steps of the Ultimate Sales Presentation.

1. Prospecting

Prospecting is the first step in the selling process. A prospect is a buyer who has the potential to buy your product or service. A lead is not the same thing as a prospect! A lead is simply someone for whom the salesperson has contact information. Once the lead has been qualified, they then become a prospect.

A lead becomes a qualified prospect when they exhibit these three characteristics:

• They must have the money to buy.
• They must have the authority to buy.
• They must have a desire to buy.

Prospecting is the lifeblood of many sales roles. Keeping a pipeline full of potential prospects is critical in industries like real estate, insurance, and vehicle sales. Even many retail businesses (like department stores) rely on prospecting to develop new customers.

2. Pre-approach/Planning

Planning is the second step in the selling process. Planning is done after we have identified a qualified prospect, and before we approach the customer.

A plan is a sales presentation strategy designed to achieve a specific end goal. A plan describes what you want to achieve and how you will do it.

The desire of a relational salesperson is to help people. The purpose of meeting with a buyer is to help that person in some way. The purpose of the plan you create is to help the person by selling the right product or service to meet their needs.

Planning is critical to the sales process because it accomplishes four things:

• Planning builds the confidence of the salesperson.
• Planning demonstrates the salesperson’s professionalism.
• Planning often builds goodwill between the salesperson and the buyer because the buyer sees the effort taken by the salesperson to meet their needs.
• Planning increases the probability of making the sale because the salesperson better understands the buyer’s needs.

3. Approach

The approach is the third step in the selling process. It is the period of time between when the salesperson first sees the buyer up until they start to discuss the product. The approach is the first step of the actual sales presentation.

The approach step of the sale presentation process consists of two distinct, yet equally important, parts. First is the rapport building, “small talk.” This is usually the first minute or two of the sales meeting where the salesperson might talk about something you know the buyer is interested in (sports, weather, family, children, etc.).

The second part of the approach step is the planned, formal lead-in to the actual discussion of the product.

The main thing every buyer wants to know is whether the product you’re about to discuss will meet their needs. As a salesperson, your approach to lead-in to the presentation with the buyer must accomplish three things:

• You must capture the buyer’s attention .
• You must stimulate their interest in your product or solution.
• You must then transition smoothly into the presentation.

The approach lead-in might take the form of a statement, a question, or a demonstration. Whichever method you choose (statement, question, or demonstration), you must capture the buyer’s attention, stimulate their interest in the product, and transition into the main body of the presentation.

Approach Example

An example of the statement/question approach is, “What a wonderful picture of your two children! How old are they?… That’s a wonderful age. Mrs. Buyer, the reason I wanted to meet with you today is I have an idea that I think will increase your sales and profit. Is that something you are interested in?”

As soon as you have the buyer’s attention and gained their interest, it’s time to transition directly to the main body of your presentation.

4. Presentation

The presentation is the fourth step in the selling process. The presentation is your persuasive verbal and visual explanation of your selling proposition. The presentation follows the approach.

The presentation takes the buyer through five distinct stages in the buying cycle that build upon one another:

• To provide knowledge in the form of features, advantages, and benefits so that the buyer can make an informed decision.
• This knowledge translates into positive beliefs about you and your product/service.
• The positive beliefs result in the buyer having a desire for the product.
• The desire for the product becomes an attitude that your product is the best product to fulfill the buyer’s need.
• When the buyer realizes you have the best product to meet their needs, they move into the conviction stage. They are now convinced yours is the product they need to buy.

Once the buyer has reached the conviction stage, it is time for a trial close.

5. Trial Close

A trial close is the fifth step in the selling process. The trial close is not asking the buyer to decide to buy. Rather, the trial close asks for the buyer’s opinion regarding what they have heard so far.

The trial close allows the salesperson to determine:

• Whether the buyer likes your product or service.
• Whether you have successfully answered any questions from the buyer.
• Whether any additional questions remain unanswered.
• Whether the buyer is ready for you to close the sale.

The trial close is an important yet often underutilized tool. A trial close can be used:

• After making a significant point in the presentation.
• After answering any questions or objections from the buyer.
• After the close of the main body of the presentation, and before you move to close the sale.

Trial Close Examples

Examples of a simple trial close include,

• “Does that answer your question?”
• “How does that sound to you?”
• “What do you think about what we’ve discussed so far?”

If the trial close results in a positive response from the buyer, jump to Step 9: Close. However, most trial closes will result in some questions or objections from the buyer. It’s time to determine and handle objections.

6. Determine Objections

Determining objections is the sixth step in the selling process. Assuming the trial close has resulted in questions or objections from the buyer, we now must begin the process of discovering those questions and handling those objections.

Some salespeople bristle and get defensive when asked questions or confronted with objections from a buyer. But this is the wrong way to think about objections! Salespeople should be grateful for questions and objections because they indicate the buyer’s interest. They also help the salesperson determine which stage of the buying cycle the buyer is in—attention, interest, desire, or conviction.

If the buyer has raised an objection, the salesperson needs to ensure their understanding of the objection. One easy way to do that is to restate the objection and ask for confirmation.

Determine Objection Example

For example, if the buyer has raised an objection about the expected life of a machine, the salesperson might say, “If I understand you correctly, your main concern with this machine is that it will provide you with trouble-free service for several years. Is that right?”

When the buyer confirms your understanding of the objection its time to move to the next step in the selling process and handle the objection!

7. Handle Objections

Meeting or handling objections is the seventh step in the selling process. Once you have determined you understand the buyer’s objection, you need to handle the objection. Usually, objections should be handled as soon as they are brought up. However, you may want to delay handling the objection if you are just about to talk about the question in your presentation.

There are four important points to consider when handling objections:

• Handle objections when they arise.
• Be positive when responding to objections.
• Listen carefully to the buyer as they state their objection.
• Confirm your understanding of the objection.

Some objections are false, and these can usually be ignored. However, if a buyer brings up an objection a second time, it is most likely a real issue, which needs to be addressed.

Real objections are almost always a request for more information. So, the best way to handle them is to answer the question with the specific relevant information the buyer needs.

Handle Objection Example

Going back to our machine question in the Determine Objection section above, the salesperson might continue, saying, “I certainly understand your concern. Our company has placed over 300 of these machines in companies like yours over the past ten years, and I’m proud to say they have a 99% run rate with no failures!

8. Trial Close

A follow-up trial close is the eighth step in the selling process. Whenever a question or objection is raised and handled, it’s time to try a trial close. As before, the point of the trial close is to ensure you have answered the buyer’s question to their satisfaction. If there is any doubt that the buyer is satisfied with your answer, you need to dig in to discover what other issues the buyer might have.

Trial Close Example

In our machine example, the salesperson might simply say, “Does our machine’s long life and 99% run rate answer your concern for our product’s reliability?”

When the salesperson feels that all the questions and objections have been addressed satisfactorily, it’s time to move on to the Close!

The close is the ninth step in the selling process. Closing is simply the process of helping the buyer make a decision that benefits them. The salesperson should attempt to close the sale when they feel the buyer is in the Conviction stage of the buying process.

Unfortunately, research shows a whopping 64% of salespeople fail to close. They fail to ask for the order! There are several reasons why this is the case, but generally, most of them revert to fear. The salesperson is afraid of failure, of being told “no.” Whereas, relational salespeople who are selling to solve problems and help people should never be afraid to ask for the order!

Good closers plan the close of their sale as carefully as they plan all the rest of their presentation. The close is not something you tack on to the end of the presentation, hoping that the buyer will say “yes.”

Close Example

There are many ways to close, but the simplest way is just to ask for the order and stop talking.

A salesperson might say, “Mr. Buyer, we’ve covered a lot of ground today, and I think you agree this machine will increase your production and improve your sales and profit. I have the order contract ready for your signature.” Then stop talking!

Another form of the close that I personally like is the assumptive option close. The salesperson might say, “Mr. Buyer, we’ve covered a lot of ground today, and I think you agree this machine will increase your production and improve your sales and profit. Would you like to have it delivered and installed next week, or would the following week be better for you?”

10. Follow-Up and Service

Finally, follow-up and service after the sale is the tenth step in the selling process. Sales are not about you. It’s about you taking care of your customers, and that happens after the buyer says “yes.”

What you do after the sale to provide follow-up and service to the customer is critical. It makes the difference between making a sale to a customer one time and making a sale to the same loyal customer many times year after year!

A salesperson who is diligent about providing follow-up and service after the sale will outperform the salesperson who does not perform that service. This maxim holds true simply because it is always easier to sell more to a current happy customer than find new customers. Happy, satisfied customers tell others and provide a flow of new business leads to the salesperson.

There are six steps the salesperson should take after the sale:

• Focus on improving account penetration. Get to know as many people in the account as you can. Look for needs or problems that you might be able to solve.
• Continue regular contact with the customer. Make sure every promise made in the presentation is kept.
• Handle any issues or customer complaints immediately. Things will go wrong, and the speed at which you handle even a minor issue demonstrates your commitment to the customer.
• Always keep your promises. Nothing destroys a developing relationship, like not keeping your promises. Stay true to your word. The customer placed their faith in you when they bought your product. You need to respect that faith by keeping your word.
• Become the customer’s business advisor. Do what you can to shift from the role of the salesperson to that of the trusted advisor by providing helpful industry insights, new information, or problem-solving solutions. Become a valued partner in the business!
• Show your appreciation. Showing your appreciation is a simple way to demonstrate you are thinking about the customer. Never underestimate how much a handwritten thank-you note, a congratulatory phone call, or a birthday card will mean to a buyer!

There you have it, a quick overview of the Ultimate 10-Step Sales Presentation Model!

The Ultimate 10-Step Sales Presentation Series

I hope what I shared with you here has helped you understand and appreciate the power of the Ultimate 10-Step Sales Presentation model. But I’ve just scratched this surface here! Over the next few months, I’ll be sharing more detail about each step of the model with more examples.

If you want to learn more about the Ultimate 10-Step Sales Presentation model, you can subscribe to the series here. That way you won’t miss any of this valuable information!

Join the Conversation

As always, questions and comments are welcome. What questions do you have about the Ultimate 10-Step Sales Presentation model? Are there any steps you think are more or less important than others?

I’d love your help. This blog is read primarily because of people like you who share it with friends. Would you be kind enough to share it by pressing the share button?

Category: Salespeople

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How to Leverage the Trial Close in Your Ultimate Sales Presentation

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9 Incredible Sales Presentation Examples That Succeed

In our analysis today, we’ll be reviewing the top sales presentation examples.

Why? Because customers want to understand how you’ll be able to add value to their businesses. As such, how you deliver your sales presentation in of the essence.

As tempting as it may be, you need to steer away from thinking of a sales presentation as a “pitch”. This is because, in baseball, the best of pitchers tend to strike batters out.

Since this is not something we want to do, we’ll look at creating convincing pitches that resonate and get hit right out of the park.

By the end of our review, you should have the tools you need to make that home run and meet all your goals.

What is a Sales Presentation?

Elements of a great sales presentation, 1. 21 questions, 2. clarify the priorities, 3. customer is always right, 4. moving pictures, why sales presentation is important for businesses/sales reps, 1. face-to-face, 2. engagement, 3. flexibility & versatility, 4. consistency, overview of the top sales presentation examples, 1. snapchat, 4. salesforce marketing cloud, 5. office 365, 7. immediately, 9. talent bin.

A sales presentation refers to a formal and pre-arranged meeting online or at a location where a salesperson gets to present detailed information about a product or product line.

A great sales presentation is one that endears a brand to prospects. For this to happen, you first need to ensure that it’s not purely focused on products. Rather, it should be tailored to connect with your audience.

The trick, therefore, lies in making your narrative compelling.

Living in the informational age has forced salespersons to change tack when handling customers. This is because more than ever, prospects have all the relevant data about what they want right at their fingertips.

As such, before you make your presentation, you need to first ensure that the information you have is relevant. You can then use that as a Launchpad to connect with prospects.

Importantly, you need to practice listening and avoid religiously sticking to a script before responding to objections.

Often times, salespeople tend to spend plenty of time preparing for what they want to say to customers. While this is perfectly okay, it’s also essential to dedicate enough time to draft the right questions to ask.

With an objective outline of questions, you may actually find yourself deeply engrossed in conversation with prospects.

If you find that prospects are not willing to fully confide in you, it’s good practice to tweak your setup with leading questions before tabling open-ended questions . The responses they share will be able to inform you on how to proceed with the interaction.

Before you begin your sales presentation, you need to first clarify what their priorities are. It’s also good practice to inform them that you’ll be making logical pauses during the presentation to query about what they think about certain points raised.

If you’re unsure about what kind of questions to ask, try to frame the questions from the prospect’s point of view.

Questions like, “How do you see that fitting into your existing process?” and “How does that compare to what you’re currently doing?” are great ways to frame your inquiries.

As always, the end-goal is to close sales. You can facilitate this happening by promoting engagement levels.

When handling prospects, it’s best to first talk more about them, and less about you. If you have prepared “about us” slides, then have them featured right at the very end of the presentation.

Ideally, you want to put more emphasis on your customers’ goals, expected outcomes, and then divulge how you’ll lead them towards success.

To further convince them to join your bandwagon, it’s important to showcase how others have benefitted from your initiative.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then video is the real deal.

By incorporating videos as part of your sales presentation, you’ll be able to break the monotony that usually exists in text-only slides. While making your presentation, try to also walk about the room and engage your audience.

If you follow through on these steps, you’ll realize you have plenty of talking points throughout.

As a suggestion, try to also make a video about how you can aid your prospect’s company. It also wouldn’t hurt if you interview a couple of team members and hear their take on a range of issues.

As a salesperson, you can use sales presentations to inform, educate, inspire and persuade prospects to buy your products.

A well-crafted and detailed presentation can actually help a business reinforce its reputation and act as a showcase of the level of professionalism.

Before we list out a host of sales presentation examples, it’s best to first note that they are a great way to meet up with customers and prospects in person.

Through face-to-face interactions, you can build trust and reinforce existing relationships . When done right, you may realize an influx in the number of purchases after such meet-ups.

Sales presentations are great when it comes to audience engagement. This is because images have the power of captivating audiences while bullet points can help them follow the logic of the entire presentation.

By injecting theatre during the presentation, you can leave a lasting impact on individuals. This is quite in contrast than if you decided to just talk to them. This heightened sense of engagement is great since your message is properly relayed to your audience.

Sales presentations are fantastic because you can swiftly change up the content and make modifications on the fly. They are vastly better than printed mediums like brochures where you have to stick to the agenda and making tweaks is usually an expensive undertaking.

Presentations are also a versatile communication tool. You can employ them in one-to-one meetings or in large meetings that require you to make use of a projector. Alternatively, you can choose to expand your reach by making them available for online viewing and downloading.

Sales presentations offer you a structured way to communicate about different products, services, and companies.

If you’re working in an organization, you’ll realize that people in various departments are capable of communicating information in a consistent fashion.

Having revealed this, it’s worth pointing out that you need to make good use of bullet points/prompts to ensure that you always remain objective and stress on the key points.

Snapchat , the impermanent photo messaging app, is a big hit among millennials.

Having been conceived as part of a Stanford class project in 2011 under the initial name of Picaboo, it’s has quickly risen through the ranks. Today, it’s one of the most dominant social media platforms out there because it encourages self-expression in the here and now.

• From this sales presentation example, you can clearly see what Snapchat was trying to do. While a large portion of it is filled with fine print and explanations, they’ve divided it into major talking points that readers simply can’t miss. This strategy is great since it ensures even readers who simply want to skim through the content are able to catch all the highlights.
• Impressively, they also created content that resonates with prospects of varying levels of knowledge. This is a fantastic strategy since it increases the probability of closing a deal.

The self-proclaimed “front page of the internet” has been shaping trends for a good minute now. Eager to impress, the sales honchos at Reddit decided to go the sales presentation route and won hearts while at it.

• Reddit’s opening image of a cat riding a unicorn has great visual appeal and helps leave a lasting impact with audiences
• This is one of the best sales presentation examples because Reddit strives to remain objective and stick to its brand identity
• Reddit also makes great use of memes and pop-culture images to get their message across. This is a great strategy since Redditors love this kind of content. In addition, it helps the brand stand out from the rest because of the “X” factor in their presentation.
• The round data figures shared by Reddit are also striking since they help their audience to digest the information and get to thinking how a product/service can help them grow

This social media management tool gives you the freedom to manage multiple social media profiles in a single dashboard.

• Their sales deck is fast-paced and begins with them sharing how they have left an impact on the social media scene. This is a brilliant strategy since it helps audiences get a breakdown of the services offered without much ado
• In other slides, Buffer goes at length to share their milestones and how they’re planning to grow their reach in the years to come. This is one of the finest sales presentation examples because it’s systematic and they manage to bring the message home with every slide

Salesforce is renowned as being the driving force behind one of the world’s top CRM solutions, Sales Cloud. Through their ventures, they’ve been able to transform how enterprises (including fortune 500 companies), connect with clients.

• Salesforce crafted one of the best sales presentation examples because they were able to simplify the sale and help prospects further down the sales journey
• They also broke down the complex processes involved in simpler formats using visual diagrams and flowcharts
• By incorporating images and text overlay slides, Salesforce made a point of ensuring that you have a better understanding of what their services were all about

Microsoft’s subscription-based productivity suite is great for collaboration in the workplace. We’ve listed them out as one of the best sales presentation examples because they came up with a comprehensive layout that really spoke to the masses.

• The color scheme employed was in line with their productivity apps. By doing so, the designers sought to maintain synergy with the move acting as a clear show of consistency all around.
• The images used on every screen is a pointer to the fact that they have a dedicated team that aims to foster collaboration at the workplace. Commendably, the text sections also have a bright, vivid block of color to ensure clarity. This is a fantastic strategy since colors allow audiences to dart their eyes across the screen and focus on what really important

This end-to-end product management software comes in handy in supporting the product journey. If you’re a product manager, you’re surely going to love having it as a go-to tool since you have the power to convert great ideas into great products.

• The minimalist concept behind this approach makes it one of the most exemplary sales presentation examples
• The content layout is also super-duper. As you read through the informal tone, you get an impression that you’re actually conversing with a friend over coffee than actually sitting through a meeting getting pitched on why you should adopt a product
• The short sentences are also super engaging and the text in parenthesis gives you the impression that you’re actually getting the scoop on a trade secret

This fantastic platform was built with the sole intent of making the workplace a happy place to operate in. With Immediately, you get the opportunity to focus on the tasks that really interest you.

• By making use of stock photos and callout bubbles, Immediately perfectly illustrates various audiences’ pain points and helps create a sense of relatability
• There’s great personalization involved throughout the slides which helps the brand connect with various audiences. As a salesperson, you can borrow a leaf from this approach and embrace it to drive home the essence of your product.

Zuora is an enterprise software company does a great job of providing bespoke subscription-based services.

Through its ventures, the company has been able to produce one of the standout sales presentation examples. Here’s why we think they are definitely winning:

• Their presentation largely constitutes images and minimal text with thought-provoking facts
• The backgrounds are laden with images. This is a masterstroke since it helps personalize and distinguish the brand from the competition.
• The wordplay is excellent and the imagery used gives you a contemporary feel about things. This is perfectly in line with their brand message of how important it is to adapt to the times. If you think that they can help you position yourself in the market, then, you need not look further!

This online applicant sourcing and tracking software enables organizations to discover top talent by gathering implicit data from a large pool.

• Great graphical layout and use of white space to represent numbers. The colors incorporated are quite brilliant and go a long way in telling the narrative.
• The bulleted points have greatly help compartmentalize detailed content. You can implement this same approach if you’re looking to ensure that your audience follows the message.
• Compelling imagery is used to convey their brand message and compel prospects to take up their services

So there you have it. We’ve highlighted nine of the top sales presentation examples to get your creative juices flowing.

Hopefully, you’ll be able to convert more prospects into paying customers !

Do you think there are some sales presentation examples we’ve missed?

Which ones do you fancy?

Let us know in the comments section below!

Jack is known for leading the charge in sales innovation. He has a proven track record of working with top organizations to help them integrate social into their traditional sales process.

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Sales Presentation

This article covers meaning, importance & steps of Sales Presentation from marketing perspective.

What is Sales Presentation?

Sales presentation is the concerned talk which attempts to persuade a stakeholder or a customer to initiate and close a sale of the service or product through a showcase of capabilities, features, price etc. Sales presentation is usually designed to be either an introduction of a service or product to some particular audience who generally knows nothing about it, or a descriptive expansion of a service or product which that particular audience has expressed interest in it, already.

Advance planning can make all the difference for a sales presentation. The sales presentation should be in line with the needs of the clients and for that, it is very important to know who the audience is before making the sales presentation.

Importance of Sales Presentation

Sales presentations are mostly the first step in the selling process or the sales cycle, hence become extremely important. A successful sales presentation is followed by a proposal, quote or an order stage which leads to revenue and profit for a business.

Not all sales presentations are meant to make an immediate sale. The objective might be to create interest in the involved parties. Establishing the overall message that one wants the presentation to get across is very crucial. The structure and time consumed for presentation is also very important.

It is always advisable to make the sales presentation flexible in case a particular point doesn’t work out or one runs out of time. The sales presentations are meant to be interactive and not one way delivery. For people with lower attention span, it is important for the sales presentation to be effective to grab and retain their interest. For that, the sales presentation need to be catchy in the beginning only.

• Sales Quota
• Sales Management
• Sales Potential
• Sales Orientation
• Sales Control

10 Steps to make a good Sales Presentation

1. Keep the sales presentation to the point.

2. Start well with the agenda

3. Good Sales Presentation clearly defines the problem statement or the customer's ask

4. Give the solution and recommendations after defining the problem statement

5. A well made sales presentation is not open ended but talks about the plan with timelines and value

6. Provide key contacts for future

7. Make sure that business, technology and management teams in your target audience understand the offering

8. Provide past references and similar work which was done in form of case studies

9. Showcase your capabilities in the sales presentation

10. Make sure you have understood the storyline well and practice well before the presentation

Hence, this concludes the definition of Sales Presentation along with its overview.

This article has been researched & authored by the Business Concepts Team which comprises of MBA students, management professionals, and industry experts. It has been reviewed & published by the MBA Skool Team . The content on MBA Skool has been created for educational & academic purpose only.

Browse the definition and meaning of more similar terms. The Management Dictionary covers over 1800 business concepts from 5 categories.

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10+ Sales PowerPoint Presentation Examples To Get Inspired!

One of the biggest challenges B2B sales and marketing teams face is creating sales presentations that impress potential customers and lead to conversions.

So, what does an excellent sales presentation look like? Today, we'll explore some of the best examples to help you craft your own outstanding presentation. And that’s not all, we’ve interviewed our head of sales, Robert Juul Glaesel , to provide you with the BEST insights to unlock success. So…let's dive in!

We’ll be covering the following topics

What is a sales presentation?

Sales presentation vs. sales deck vs. pitch deck.

• Sales Presentation PPT Examples - and why they were successful

Sales Powerpoint Presentation Templates

Sales presentation video examples, get ready to create the best sales presentation: tips from our sales expert, unlock success: expert support for your sales presentation design.

Let’s start from the top! - Or, as always, you can skip to your preferred section.

A sales presentation is a crucial part of the sales process. It refers to a meeting where a sales team showcases their product or service , persuading potential customers to purchase.

This meeting typically takes place after initial contact with the prospects , either through marketing efforts, cold calls, or expressions of interest from potential customers themselves.

In this meeting, the sales team usually provides a comprehensive overview of the product or service. They address key points such as:

• What is the product or service?
• How is it used?
• What distinctive features does it have?
• What problem does it solve?
• Why is this their best option?

→ Free Download: 10+ Sales PowerPoint presentation template [Access Now]

The sales presentation and sales deck are pretty similar. On one hand, a sales presentation is designed to persuade potential customers about the value of your product or service. It typically includes detailed information about your product, its features, benefits, pricing, case studies, testimonials, and more.

On the other hand, a sales deck is essentially a condensed version of a sales presentation . It is usually concise and only includes key highlights.

In contrast, a pitch deck is a presentation created for investors to secure funding. It generally contains information about the company's vision, the problem it aims to solve, market opportunities, business model, and financial projections.

Sales Presentation PPT Examples: and why they were successful

Below are several sales presentation examples you can use as inspiration to create your own. Let’s look at each of them and see exactly why they were successful.

Spendesk is a powerful spend management platform designed to help users save time and money by offering a clear view of their company expenses. Their sales presentation is the definition of a successful sales presentation: it is incredibly clear and straightforward . It clearly defines the problem it solves and introduces you to the solution, highlighting how it stands out from the competition.

As you’ll see, this presentation is not overloaded with text - it's simple and easily shows you how the product works. And most importantly, it’s branded! Which is key for brand positioning and visual consistency .

To check it out, click here .

Reddit Advertisement Sales Presentation

Reddit's sales presentation is definitely one of a kind. By incorporating memes and other pop-culture images throughout their deck, they engage the audience and stay true to their brand identity . This approach not only resonates with the Reddit community but also sets them apart from mundane sales pitches.

The presentation not only provides valuable data and showcases the effectiveness of its product but also does so effortlessly, proving that a presentation does not have to be overly serious to be effective.

Click here to explore Reddit's engaging sales presentation.

Zuora, a SaaS platform for subscription billing, takes a compelling approach in its sales presentation. It starts by highlighting the industry's changing landscape , effectively showing the importance of adapting to these changes.

But Zuora doesn't stop there. Throughout their presentation, they also showcase what their platform can do for the audience and provide social proof to back it up . This includes quotes from CEOs and other business executives who have successfully used their platform to improve their subscription billing process.

See for yourself and check out one of the best sales deck examples here .

Drift, a web-based live-chat tool for sales and marketing, takes a unique approach to its sales presentation. They begin by highlighting a common problem that many businesses face : how traditional communication methods, such as email, calls, and forms, are insufficient.

The presentation then goes on to showcase how Drift can provide a solution to this problem. They demonstrate how their live chat tool offers a more personalized approach to communication that can lead to impactful results.

Check out Drift's impressive sales presentation here .

Salesforce, an integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, provides a valuable lesson about creating sales presentations that convert . They start by explaining how the industry has undeniable changes and how we need to adapt to keep our businesses successful.

But they don't stop there. They continue showing us what things can look like, in other words, "the promised land," and how their product can change everything about how companies do things. And obviously, they finish with the greatest success stories from CEOs and clothes executives.

Click here to get inspired by the Salesforce presentation.

→ Free Download: 10+ Sales PowerPoint presentation PDF [FREE]

Snapchat Advertising

Snapchat Advertising's sales presentation stands out not only for its visually appealing design but also for its unique features. The presentation begins by emphasizing the vast reach of its platform and key age demographics, providing valuable insights for those looking to make the most of their marketing campaign .

In addition, Snapchat Advertising effectively compares itself to the competition, showcasing its unique features and advantages. And, of course, the presentation is visually branded with the company's iconic ghost character , making it instantly recognizable.

Check out their captivating sales presentation here .

Klima’s sales presentation is a special one. This climate change app’s presentation makes sure we know they are a company that focuses on “what truly matters.” It presents itself as a business with real, global impact.

And that’s not all. One standout feature of Klima's sales presentation is its visually appealing design. The slides effectively showcase the app's interface and demonstrate its key features. This visual representation really helps prospects consider getting an employee benefit with purpose .

Click here to get inspired by one of the greatest b2b sales deck examples.

Are you ready to create the best Sales PowerPoint presentation? We’ve got great news for you! Discover our sales presentation templates that you can download for exactly $0 .

Any of these templates could be a GREAT starting point for your next sales presentation . And what’s best…they are completely free for you to download at our Templates platform ! You’ll find not only these ones but also hundreds of other PowerPoint templates, for ANY industry, completely at your disposal.

Sales presentations can take various forms, including videos. Video presentations can effectively engage and captivate the audience by combining visual content, audio narration, and sometimes animations or graphics. Here are a few examples of sales presentations that are delivered in video format:

Medallia's video presentation showcases the effectiveness of using video to clearly represent their platform. The video highlights the platform's features, demonstrating how it can be a powerful tool for businesses.

By utilizing video, Medallia effectively shows viewers what the platform looks like and what they can expect to access and analyze in terms of data. The detailed exploration of each feature gives potential clients a comprehensive understanding of the platform's capabilities and how it can benefit their business.

Click here to check it out.

Moodcaster, a digital casting platform, starts with the main problem: how time-consuming castings can be and how tedious auditions are . It then shows you how they can be a great solution and how the platform works.

This video presentation truly shows what the client can expect when using the platform , by showing the process step-by-step. And if they are not convinced yet, it ends up listing all the fantastic features it has one by one, leaving the best impression.

Click here to view Moodcaster’s incredible video sales presentation.

Viable, the pioneering experience analysis platform, doesn't just identify the problem you're facing; it swiftly transitions to showcasing how they can provide the solution . They offer a real-time demonstration of how their platform works, providing concrete insights into how it can improve your business.

Finally, they conclude by highlighting all the advantages, features, and versatile applications that can benefit your specific needs.

Click here to take a look at Viable’s video sales presentation.

We know that creating the best sales presentation is key for your business. So, in order to provide valuable insights, we consulted Robert Juul Glaesel , head of sales at 24 Slides, who understands the importance of a good presentation for your business.

Let’s take a look at some insights from our head of sales:

Insight #1: Take elements out instead of adding elements in

Remember that quality is always more important than quantity . So, keep in mind not to overload your presentation with excessive text, because your audience’s attention will go directly there, instead of your speech. In Robert’s words:

“If you incorporate too many elements, it results in clutter, obscuring the main message and making it more challenging for the presenter to effectively convey their message.”

Insight #2: Don’t rely on your slides

We know this might sound counterintuitive, given that all this article is about creating your presentation, but remember that the presentation and the story are yours . As Robert says:

“Make sure that your presentation supports your story, it shouldn't tell your story. You, as the presenter, are the storyteller. Therefore, presentations should emphasize key points.”

Bonus insight #3: Brand your sales presentation !

This is one of your most crucial presentations; it should reflect who you are . There should be consistency between what they see on your website, social media, etc., and what they will see in this presentation. So, it is extremely important that you show that you care about your image and pay close attention to detail.

Creating a sales presentation is an incredibly important task, so it's best to leave it to the experts. Here at 24Slides , we can assist you in creating an amazing sales presentation that perfectly aligns with your brand. All you need to do is share the content you want to include and your brand guidelines. In less than 48 hours, you'll have your presentation ready for sales!

Want to learn more? Check out these articles!

• The Best Sales Presentation Services for Winning Sales Decks
• How to Create the Perfect B2B Sales Presentation
• Learn How to Start an Effective Sales Presentation
• Top 20 Free Templates for Corporate and Business Presentations
• +20 Self Introduction PowerPoint Templates: Download for free!

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What is a Sales Presentation?

A sales presentation is an event at which a company representative meets with clients to demonstrate the company's products and services, with the goal of making a sale. Sales presentations are an important part of the marketing process, as they allow company representatives to meet directly with their customers, creating a personalized and individual sales approach. There are a number of different styles and formats for sales presentations, depending on the industry and the product being sold.

In some cases, a sales presentation takes place at the customer's business, as when a pharmaceutical representative visits a doctor's office to discuss a new line of medications. Sales presentations can also be held in hotels and conference centers, in which case they are usually designed for a crowd, rather than a single client. Clients can also travel to a company for a sales presentation, a method which is sometimes used when products are bulky. Airline representatives, for example, may travel to an aerospace company to inspect a new aircraft. Online sales presentations are also popular in some industries.

During a sales presentation, the company representative provides information about what the company is selling. He or she creates a pitch which is tailored to the customer and designed to draw the customer in, promoting the company's reputation and product and showing customers how the company's product will suit their needs. The representative also answers questions during the sales presentation, often using questions as marketing opportunities.

Classically, sales presentations include giveaways. Gifts are used by companies to make sure that they stay in their minds of their clients, as every time the client sees or uses the gift, he or she will think of the company. Product giveaways can include things like pens, mugs, and free samples, along with more elaborate giveaways, like weekends at resorts, free trips on aircraft, and so forth. In the case of a sales presentation which is designed to land a major contract or deal, the company may be quite lavish.

Visual aids are also used during a sales presentation, including physical models, product samples, and slideshows such as Powerpoint presentations. Commonly, people are invited to take product literature and information with them so that they can read up about the product after the sales presentation. They are also invited to take order forms and contact information for sales representatives so that they can place orders. A skilled sales representative can land a sale at a sales presentation, closing the deal before he or she even leaves the building.

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a SmartCapitalMind researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

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Why Marketing Presentations Are Essential To Business Growth [With Examples]

Table of contents.

In many different industries and job sectors, presentations are part of the job . The ability to create an effective and clear presentation or marketing deck that gets your point across and engages your audience takes time, energy, practice and experience. In this article we explore the importance of presentations in marketing your brand and how that ultimately leads to business growth.

So, What is a Marketing Presentation?

A marketing presentation is a summary of your business and marketing strategies. In the marketing industry, presentations are that much more important. Often, you or someone on your team will be pitching ideas to clients and execs in the form of a presentation.

Creating an engaging and effective marketing presentation is important to sealing the deal or updating senior employees on your work.

A marketing presentation often includes key pieces of information such as:

• The product/brand/organization
• The marketing campaign title
• The campaign objectives
• Target audience/target market
• A marketing strategy with a unique selling point
• Key takeaways and next steps
• A timeline for rolling out the campaign

Each of these items will help you to effectively communicate your ideas and plan to the client in an engaging and logical way.

5 Reasons Why Presentations Are Important in Marketing

Effective marketing presentations can have a huge impact on your career as a marketing professional. They will help grow your business and build your agency’s reputation among other clients. Here are 5 reasons why presentations are important in marketing and why you should work on creating awesome marketing presentations.

1. Your Presentation is Your Brand’s Value

Marketing presentations are essentially sales pitches. You are trying to convince a company or client to work with you or buy your product. If your presentation is sloppy, unclear, and boring, clients or customers will likely view your brand in the same way .

Having Good Presentation Skills Drive Trust in Your Brand

Being able to create a strong and engaging presentation shows potential clients that you believe in what you are selling and are willing to invest in it. That in turn makes your brand that much more attractive. Presenting with conviction is key, confidently presenting your product/services is an art and can make a huge difference when making the right impression.

If your presentation is full of low quality images, incorrect data, boring slides, and the presenter doesn’t engage the audience, you likely will not gain too many new clients. When presenting your slides, include high quality images, real life examples, and accurate data.

Get PowerPoint Presentation Help

If creating Powerpoint or Google Slides presentations is not in your skill set, don’t stress! There are tons of free presentation templates that can act as a first step in your creation process. At Presentation Geeks, we work with clients to create engaging and effective presentation templates. Hiring someone to help with creating your slides can make a huge difference and mean more time for you to put the information together.

Today, the business environment, vision, and outlook is changing faster than ever before. This was especially true for BP who wanted to share their investment in renewable energy. With a focus on imagery and minimalistic design, we were able to create a presentation that supported their vision.

British Petroleum Presentation Sample

Your presentation template can either start with something very simple or can be a bit more complex. Choose a template that makes sense for your business and presentation style. You should also think about the environment you are presenting in. While conference settings can call for more engaging and exciting slides, a client meeting may mean dialing it in.

2. Use the Right Design Principles in Your Marketing Presentations

As many marketing professionals will tell you, a great design goes a long way. This also extends to your marketing presentation. Whether it’s at networking events, marketing conferences, client meetings, or just internal presentations, a strong presentation created with a great design will stick with the viewers even after the presentation is complete.

Visual Hierarchy

A basic design concept that you can use to create great marketing presentations is the visual hierarchy. This is a design principle that involves identifying design elements and organizing them in order of importance.

For a marketing presentation, this could include keeping the key information as the most eye catching elements on a slide. You will want to think about what you want your audience to take away from one slide and keep the key message and the most important points the biggest or at the top to drive the point home.

Color Psychology

Another design element to consider is colour psychology. This will also have to coincide with your brand’s colours, but aesthetic is a huge part of creating a pleasing and engaging presentation.

There have been studies done that state that specific colours can have an impact on a viewer’s decision making. Colour can be used to draw the eye to important information or elements of the presentation that you want the viewer to remember.

Font Pairing

One last design element you should consider when creating your slides is to pair your fonts. While there are many creative font styles out there, the vast majority will not be used in professional marketing presentations.

You will want to find fonts that match or pair well your brand’s. For example, you don’t necessarily want two more flowery fonts paired together as this can take away from the information and data that is being presented.

Tell an Engaging Story With Your Marketing Presentation

A compelling brand story can be the reason a customer decides to purchase your product or use your services. This story should be evident throughout the whole presentation: from the titles and layout to the images and colours.

3. It Helps in Conversion of Followers into Customers

One of the main purposes for a marketing presentation is to convert a viewer into a customer or client. The information and knowledge you deliver and who you present it can be a motivating force to turn an audience member into one of your customers. Integrating tips and strategies for engaging your customers will help you convert followers into customers.

Use Your Presentation Skills to Drive Sales

Sales happen when client needs are met with a service or product. But, if your potential clients or customers don’t know about your company, you won’t increase your sales.

This is where your marketing presentation has a huge and important role. While a strong marketing plan can help you reach your goals, an engaging and professional presentation can turn audience members from strangers to customers.

Make Your Marketing Presentation About Your Audience

When you run a Google Slides or Powerpoint marketing presentation, you need to remember to make it about the audience . Especially if you are trying to boost sales or gain a client, make them the central focus.

To reach them, you should cultivate empathy. You can do this by understanding the problem from their perspective. Understand their needs and questions and then work towards answering them. You’ll find that customers that feel understood or heard by an organization will be more likely to continue in the buying journey.

Create Journey Maps

In many types of content marketing, you have to consider the types of buyers or customers you are trying to reach. As well, you have to think about the buying journey they will take to move from potential customers to actual customers. It is information that can help you understand the customer and understand their thought process.

While this should all be brainstormed in your marketing plan, it can also be defined and explored in your marketing presentation and on your slides.

Digging into the “why’s” behind a customer’s decisions will help you create marketing and advertising components that will get their attention and answer their questions. Then, answering these questions in your Google Slides or Powerpoint presentation will reach your target audience that much more.

4. It Creates Brand Awareness

Strong brand awareness can make or break a company. Think about brands like Band-Aid or Kleenex who has such strong brand awareness that their brand names have become synonymous with the name of the product.

In order to grow your business, you have to make potential clients and customers aware of your brand. This is where digital marketing come into play.

A presentation can often be the means by which you introduce your company to a group of potential customers.

Focus On Your Central Idea

One of the most important tips to remember when you are presenting to potential customers is to focus on the most important idea and key pieces of information you want them to leave with.

If you present an enormous amount of information with tons of images that aren’t related to your organization your brand image gets lost in the shuffle. Deliver the most important ideas on your slides and you’ll see how engaged your audience is.

5. Good Presentations Generate Trust and Invite Opportunities

As marketers know well, trust is a huge part of running a business. As a presentation strategy, you want to generate trust through the information your provide and the stories that are told.

As one of Canada’s most recognized asset management firms, Dynamic Funds offers top-tier solutions. In creating this presentation, our focus was on integrating an easy to read, accessible PowerPoint presentation that translated big concepts in an audience friendly way to build trust with them.

We encourage you to watch the example video.

Making a good first impression

Right from the start, you want to come across as a trustworthy and intelligent brand. Customers don’t want to hear from an organization that doesn’t seem trustworthy or worth their time. There are some tactics you can use to help present yourself well to your viewers.

For example, when you’re speaking, make eye contact. Be conformable and positive in your tone. Tell a related story to keep them engaged. All of these tips can make a huge difference on your presentation.

Understand How to Help and transform Your Audience

As we stated above, understanding a customer’s needs and wants can transform your audience. If your product isn’t presented as a solution to their problem, customers will lose interest and stay as potential followers. Telling them that your product or service will meet their needs in your presentation will go a long way and will likely convert them from followers to actual customers.

Need A Marketing Presentation Created For Your Company?

Make an impression that lasts with your next presentation. Use our presentation design service that will not only save you time and money, but create powerful sales tool that will make the right impression, first time around.

If you’re ready to begin working with award winning designers that have an established reputation, contact Presentation Geeks today by clicking the button below.

Author:  Content Team

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