How To Deliver A Professional Presentation

Written by Jonathan Farrington

All professional salespeople have to be involved in a presentation at some time in their sales career and Top 5 % players present their proposals every time.

Presentations allow us to : -

• Influence a group of important people.

• Gain consensus and commitment.

• Find out who the real players are and the real status.

• Set ground rules for a major sale.

• Make a lasting impression of professionalism.

When it comes to the enthusiasm that sales professionals have for making a presentation, they broadly fall into four categories, (as I highlighted in a previous article: Seekers Make the Best Sales Presenters )

The Avoider:

An Avoider does everything possible to escape from having to stand in front of an audience; in some drastic cases salespeople may seek positions that do not involve making presentations.

The Register:

A Register is also extremely hesitant of speaking in public, however Registers may not be able to avoid speaking as part of their job but they never encourage it. When they do speak they do so very reluctantly.

The Acceptor:

The Acceptor will give presentations as part of their job but does not seek opportunities to do so. Acceptors occasionally give a presentation and feel they did a good job. They even find that once in a while they are quite persuasive and enjoy the experience.

The Seeker:

A Seeker looks for opportunities to speak. They understand that anxiety can be a stimulant which fuels enthusiasm during a presentation. Seekers work at building their professional communication skills and self-confidence by speaking often.

The reality is, that making presentations is an essential sales skill, Top 5% achievers are very good presenters. Any salesman or woman, who has ambitions to become the best in their sector or industry, will need to ensure that they can deliver dynamic, convincing and professional presentations, whenever they are called upon to do so.

Becoming a Seeker is a pre-requisite to success!

There Are Four Key Elements Of A Successful Presentation:

Element One: Structure

In preparing for any presentation, there is a simple, yet useful structure: -

• Prospect Need
• Prospect Advantage
• Your Proposal
• Your Action.

Prospect Need:

It is essential that you consider your prospects/ audience's views because every prospect/audience has a need. Need consists of two parts - symptoms and causes, (through identifying the symptoms we find causes).

Prospect Advantage

• Main - This demonstrates how your ideas will meet the needs and resolve the prospects problems
• Added - These are powerful persuasions that explain why your ideas are superior and compelling.

Advantage statements should always be specific

Your Proposal:

Never assume your audience is as informed about the subject as you are. You must define your proposal by explaining the general pattern to the extent that your audience needs in order for them to understand the message.

Your Action:

• Present Action - This is a single immediate action that your audience must initiate.
• Future Action - These will be a series of actions, spread out over a period of time (example: inform departments of order, form consultative groups, finalise policy, implement policy).

Remember:

Your ideal presentation will cover the above four steps, however you may change the position of the two pairs according to your audience.

Format:

The following format will ensure that your presentation is forceful and compact, it will give you control over the content and structure of your message. You will need to adapt the elements so that they can be used in any sequence to fit your presentation agenda and to match that of your audience.

Opening

- Introduce yourself
- Thank your prospects for their time
- Build credibility
- State your objectives
- Confirm the level of commitment you expect
- Overview the elements

Agenda

-Topics to be covered

Overview

- Brief presentation of your prospect's, goals and objectives (The primary goals that you will address).

Review Requirements

-Those identified and agreed at the Exploratory Meeting.

Proposal Discussion (Your Solution)

-Highlight features and associate advantages.

Benefits

-Translation of advantages into actual prospect's benefits.

Summarise

- Summarise topics.

Question & Answer Session

- Encourage questions to reiterate important points

Close

- Outline your action plan - what you want your prospects to do based on what you have told them.

Message

Your message is the core of your presentation - this is where you must be at your most persuasive. The definition of persuasion is "Causing someone to do something by argument, reasoning or entreaty" Most persuasion requires some form of evidence.

Audiences process information in two ways; by responding emotionally to imagery or by using logic. Therefore you must address both ways of perceiving information and you achieve this by using analogies to appeal to imagery and facts and figures to appeal to logic. You will never control your audience's feelings and actions but you can plant images and create feelings that lead to the actions.

The Three Laws Of Successfully Communicating Your Message:

To achieve a balance in your presentation, for every set of numbers - tell a story, and for every story present a set of numbers, this is called "The law of variety"

Give facts and figures only for points that your audience may doubt, this is"The law of stinginess"
Present one point at a time, prove one point at a time, and use the most powerful facts and figures - Auxiliary law.

In addition, also consider using the other two forms of "evidence".

Experience, both your own and your audience's and Opinions of experts - but the opinions of experts outside your company.

Delivery:

The delivery of a presentation is split into two parts - Verbal and Physical.

Tips on Verbal Delivery:

Gear your presentation to your audience, use familiar terminology and acronyms. Ensure that your voice level is sufficient for all to hear.

Think about your attitude because your confidence will make your presentation. confidence is displayed in the words that you use and in the way in which you use your voice.

A good presenter is always aware of his or her audience and alters delivery accordingly.

Steer clear of:

• The use of unnatural terminology and acronyms,

• The use of destructive phrases and non-words e.g. "OK", "You Know" etc.

• Speaking too quickly.

• Speaking in monotone.

• The use of slang.

• Reading visuals.

• Addressing one person continuously.

Tips On Physical Delivery

Retain eye contact with your audience and they will always pay attention. Use large descriptive gestures along with a big voice to describe important points, your words and hand movements must carry throughout the room.

Stand straight, yet relaxed, move around the platform/room; do not hang on the podium/lectern.

Being aware of your audience will help to ensure that you have control of them. If they appear distracted or have lost interest, moving closer to them or using exaggerated gestures should regain their attention. Smile, as this will relax both you and the audience.

Avoid

• Minimal eye contact.

• Small descriptive gestures.

• Distracting gestures.

• Poor posture.

• Untidy dress sense.

• An unsmiling attitude.

Finally...If you look and sound enthusiastic about your subject, the more your prospect/audience is likely to be. Enthusiasm really is infectious!

Specific Tips For Seminar Delivery

• Pitch Your Presentation for the Audience - not the subject matter.

• Sense how your audience is responding - and react accordingly.

• Ask questions - it encourages a certain amount of interaction.

• Always repeat questions back - to make sure that everyone has heard them.

• Address answers to everyone - not just the questioner.

• Use analogies in your presentation - make it fun to be there.

• Limit your use of visual aids - remember if it is worth saying to the audience - say It.

• Don't be afraid of silences - you can use them to emphasise a point or let the audience absorb an idea while you check your notes.

• Try to speak, as you would in normal conversation - with inflections and pauses, rather than speeding non - stop in a monotone.

• Talk to someone all of the time, talk to everyone some of the time.

• Remember you are selling:

- Your solutions

- Your company

- Your services - Yourself - and one of the first tasks is to sell the attendees on wanting to listen.

Start with the assumption that nobody wants to be there or to stay - this provides you with a good challenge.

Involve Your Audience - Remember:

• Tell them what you are going to tell them.

• Tell them.

• Tell them what you have told them.

The Use Of Visuals:

Generally people comprehend:

11% of what they hear.

32% of what they see.

73% of what they see & hear.

90% of what they see hear & discuss.

An effective visual presentation will:

Emphasise the highlights of your proposal and provide you with a guide and prompt:

Plus:

- Stimulate interest.

- Guide you - moreover guide you logically.

- Be creative.

- Be specific.

Visuals are not a crutch but a way of re-enforcing your contact.

Confucius said "One Picture Paints A Thousand Words"

When creating visuals try and anticipate areas where the audience may need
"reassurances", Dramatise important points that you want to get over, but overall know your audience and your position.

And Finally -Nine Golden Rules For The Effective Handling Of Questions:

- Welcome questions

- Question questions
- Be discreet

- Keep it simple

- Illustrate your answers

- Never win an argument and lose your audience

- If you don't know don't bluster

- Involve the audience

- Summarise

and....Stay in control.

Jonathan Farrington
		About the author:
		Jonathan Farrington is a globally recognized business coach, mentor, author and consultant, who has guided hundreds of companies and thousands of individuals around the world towards optimum performance levels. He is Chairman of The JF Corporation, CEO of Top Sales Associates and Senior Partner at The JF Consultancy
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