THE DNA OF SELLING

Objectives and Components
of a Winning Presentation

I decided early in my career that it would be valuable to identify the load-bearing pillars that support a sale. One might ask, “Why do we need more than one objective when it’s obvious that closing the sale is the objective?”

The answer is best explained by asking these questions:

Against what criteria can you evaluate your performance after the presentation, whether or not you’ve earned the business? How can you prepare and deliver a presentation if you don’t know the fundamental pieces that support the sale?

I’ve seen newcomers fail because they got lucky and closed a deal early on with a sub par presentation. They continued to utilize the same poor presentation and failed. How could they know the reason that they failed?

This lesson contains a proven checklist of the critical objectives that must be achieved during the sales presentation to ensure the best possible outcome. I created the list so that I could have a running track of the most important things I had to achieve during the presentation in order to earn the business. These objectives are the result of much trial and error over thousands of presentations.

Once completed, the list allowed me to review the objectives prior to a presentation and evaluate my performance post presentation. It enabled me to make adjustments during the presentation when circumstances moved me out of sequence or forced me to compromise an objective. These are tools that make it possible to adapt “on the fly” while giving the presentation.

For example, building rapport prior to your presentation is one of the pillars that you may not be able to achieve each time. Recognizing that rapport is an objective; you would seek out opportunities during the presentation to develop or further enhance that objective.

Each pillar is so critical to building a strong foundation that it’s impossible for me to tell you which one is most important. I cannot tell you which objective I would eliminate and still earn the business. Achieving each objective is critical for a successful outcome. Miss four or five and you might as well forget it.

(1) Know the audience
(2) Get their names straight
(3) Include some humor
(4) Have it flow in a logical sequence
(5) Utilize visuals
(6) Minimize technical aspects
(7) Maximize benefits
(8) Amplify the problem
(9) Present the solution
(10) Consider how it will make people feel
(11) Include common objections
(12) Instill urgency to buy now
(13) Keep it short and simple
(14) Ask for the order
(15) No close. … why not?

(1)Know the audience – A sales presentation given to an audience without the presence of the decision-making body is usually a waste of time, unless you need the practice. Some companies purchase by committee. In such cases, you must work your way, step by step to the final decision maker. However, the higher up you can start, the better off you are.

Present to the decision-making body. I will not subordinate my presentation to anyone who doesn’t have the authority to make the decision or, at the very least, to lead me to the decision maker. I would rather use the time, effort, and resources to find a more viable setting to ply my trade. I would place the contact in my “later” file and get back to it if and when I have nothing better to do. While it’s critical to always try to give the presentation to the decision-making body, sometimes you are forced to comply with company policy and work your way up, step by step through committees. If the reward is big enough, I may comply, especially if I’m wearing the boss’s badge of authority. Make sure you close at each level as you make your way up to the final agreement. The close at each level is an endorsement from the present group and an appointment set with the next one, with the agenda (ground rules) agreed upon in advance.

I was trained by a man who managed a group of us as we handled sales to elementary schools. He was the top seller and group leader. We left at 5:00 am and drove from San Francisco to Bakersfield. Upon arriving, the superintendent said, “Something has come up and I can’t meet with you. I would like you to meet with my curriculum coordinator, John. He is in the building just around the corner.”

Most people would have gotten in their car and rushed over to meet John. Not Bob. He asked, “Can John make the decision to go ahead?”

The superintendent said, “Yes.”

Bob asked, “Does he make the decision to recommend this to you or does he make the final decision to implement programs district wide?”

“No, he makes the final decision. He’s been with me for many years and I trust him.”

At that point, 99 out of 100 salespeople would have run down the street to meet with John. Not Bob. “Can John approve the agreement?” Notice that he didn’t say “sign”.

“Yes,” the superintendent said.

By that time, I was up and ready to go see old John. Not Bob. He said, “Does he know he can?”

“Uh, I don’t know”, the superintendent replied.

Then, Bob asked, “Would you do me a big favor?”

“Sure.”

“Would you tell John that he can?”

The superintendent called John and told him that there were a couple of fellows coming to see him with an enrichment reading package and if he liked it, he could sign the agreement. Then, we left. Guess what? We got the deal. That’s called “selling smart.”

That was a lesson I will never forget. The ROI (Return-On-Investments) for callbacks was really low in that business, so we didn’t make callbacks. We had to pay all of our own expenses, including hotel and car. We had our own money invested in every presentation. So, it was important to take steps that were the most likely to bring success. This job was a true boot camp for me.

(2) Get their names straight – Draw a simple seating chart including the names and positions of each attendee, especially if there are three or more people in the room for your presentation. This will avoid the potential embarrassment of addressing people by the wrong name. Having to ask, “What’s your name again?” is, at the very least, a distraction. Also, make certain that you can pronounce their names correctly. Address people by their first names if appropriate.

(3) Include some humor – Humor is a great icebreaker. It relieves tension. Tickle their fancy and you’ll own them. Avoid off-color or politically incorrect jokes. Personal experiences are best. You will be perceived as more “human” when you can laugh at yourself.