Presentation

Introduction
A good presentation is as important as a good product. The significance of a good
presentation of the product can be gauged from the fact that many a time an
attractively packed presentation is sufficient to sell the product.

A good presentation can be in the form of attractive packaging and

display, or the conspicuous placement of the
product in the display window, etc. A good
presentation also includes the interior decoration of
the shop and appearance of the article.

On several occasions a customer goes to a shop or a departmental store to buy a

certain product but is attracted towards another product, Why so?

This happens because attractively displayed and packaged products influences

him/her to such an extent that he/she suddenly feels the need of buying that product
and makes the purchase.

Pre-Planning

Pre-Planning the sales presentation maximizes impact, generates interest and

stimulates a positive buying response.

You need to properly plan your presentation before delivering it to the prospect; it
may either be face to face or in the form of product. You should have a thorough
knowledge about your product and other competitive products available in the
market and also about price advantage that you can give to your customer.

A well-informed salesman/saleswoman would be able to satisfy all queries of the

customer and answer satisfactorily.

Prepare your models, slides, pictures and videos etc, if the product is voluminous.

Make your presentation enlightening, persuasive, information seeking and effective

through facts and figures, but never compare your product with that of your rival’s.

If you are asked to talk about the competition, you should then be prepared to
highlight the best points of your product and emphasize the weak points of your
rival’s product.

Start the presentation rolling

Before the sales presentation can be given, identify the potential new account and
determine if the account is in fact a user or a potential user of your
product or service or a non-user of your product.
This shall help you to customize your presentation; otherwise you
would land up telling everything from scratch, to a prospect that has already used
your product.

Categories of presentation

Sales presentation can be classified into five different categories as follows:

      Structured
This is usually done through films and slide projections. For example: In case
of intangible products such as Insurance, holiday packages etc.

      Semi- Automated

This approach follows when you use brochures or literature and substantiate
it with comments. For example: In case of pharmaceutical products where in
you need to give technical details of the product.

      Memorized

This approach follows when you present the company’s message with few
changes to the customer.

      Organized
This approach follows when you have a prepared outline or checklist and you
are given complete flexibility of words.

      Unstructured
This is a problem solving approach of presentation. This approach follows
when you along with the prospect explore the problems and find solutions for
the same. This approach requires quick solving of doubts and complaints of
the customers.

The Steps to success

Step 1

Listen to your customers and give them an option to talk since, it’s only when the
customer is talking that he/she will be able to say the most important word………Yes.
So listen for 50 percent of the time.

Step 2

Acknowledge customers ideas as well as facts. If the customer comes up with a cold
fact, there is usually some reason for that statement. By skilful questioning and
active listening you can find out the thoughts behind the fact; this may give you
more information than the fact itself. Use softening statements such as, ‘Good
question’, ‘You’ve made an excellent point’, etc.

Step 3
Don’t jump to conclusions; don’t anticipate what the other person might say. It may
not be true always that your prediction is right, and if it is not the case you could
miss a vital opportunity to gather information. Because how can you sell somebody
something unless you’ve found out their needs and desires.

Step 4

Respond with ‘Yes’, ‘Uh’, ‘Um’, ‘I see’, ‘I understand’, ‘I agree’, to let the other
person know that you are actively listening. Otherwise the customer forms an
impression that you are not interested in dealing with him/her.

Step 5

Ask questions to clarify what is being said. Don’t unnecessarily say ‘Yes’ when you
mean ‘No’.

Since most of the time it happens that in order to delight your customer you may
respond in positive when in actual you haven’t understood the fact, if this happens
you will be caught out later.

Step 6

Keep eye contact. That’s not to say that you stare at your customer, but you actually
do look in the customer’s eyes so that they know you are interested.

Step 7

Watch body language, both yours and theirs. Through this you come to know
customer’s interest, which shall in turn save time and energy and also that you can
keep a check on your expressions, so that they don’t hurt customers in any way.

Step 8

Note the buying signals and the buying motives of the customer. Try to sell the idea
behind the product and not the product itself. For example focus on ‘speed’,
‘accuracy’, and ‘efficiency’ in case you are associated with selling of calculators or in
case of cosmetics sell the fact ‘hope of looking good’.

Step 9

Don’t finish other people’s sentences. You might just get it wrong.

People in selling tend to be quick minded and occasionally come across a customer
who speaks laboriously. Have patience.

Objective of presentation is to convince the buyer that the need for the
product exists; the product in question can satisfy that need; the prospect
can afford to purchase the product; and that the prospect will be fully
satisfied.
Exercise

Find out whether you possess the key skill of presentation i.e., “Listening”.

Tick the most appropriate option.

Options: - A – Always

B – Frequently

C – Occasionally

D – Never

       Do you listen actively?

A B C D

       Do you listen for 50 percent of the time?

A B C D

       Do you listen for ideas as well as facts?

A B C D

       Do you respond actively?

A B C D

      

A
 Do you avoid jumping to conclusions?

       Do you ask questions to clarify information?

A B C D

       Do you maintain eye contact?

A B C D

       Do you watch body language of both yours and your customer’s?

A B C D

       Do you avoid finishing others’ sentences?

A B C D

       Do you avoid interrupting your customer while he/she has a suggestion or a
fact to make?

A B C D

Analysis

For each

A – 4 points

B – 3 points

C – 2 points

D – 1 point

10 – 20: You resist listening and try jumping to conclusions without substantial facts.
Listen to your customers, as this shall help you customize your presentation.
21 – 30: You listen to your customers but not actively. You pretend that you are
listening but in reality you are just waiting for your turn to speak. Listen actively as
this shall help you to respond actively.

31 – 40: You possess listening ability, but use it only for 50 percent of the time, and
utilize the other 50 percent to talk, as, if you don’t talk you can’t sell.