The client has invited you in to make the case for why you should get their assignment. You’re up against three competitors. They are all competent and well prepared. It’s show time. How do you stand out? How do you create a wow-experience that puts you ahead? The answer is as much in HOW you present yourself as WHAT you say. Here are some tips to help improve you presentation selling skills:
- Start with High Energy – Don’t start the presentation with a lengthy summary of your presentation or background of your team members, start with a high energy executive summary that addresses the client’s three most important business objectives.
- Use Trial Closes – Confirm with the client along the way through “trial closes” like: “Are there any other objectives we have not addressed?” The sooner and more often a client talks, the more likely you’ll be successful. If you trial close well, the final close will take care of itself.
- Be Natural – Use natural gestures to animate your communication and move around the room with a purpose, don’t just pace back and forth like a tiger in a cage.
- Avoid Roaming Eyes – Look into the eyes of one person at a time and hold that eye contact as you complete your sentence or thought. Don’t dart or scan with your eyes from one person to the other and don’t turn to face your Power Point when talking.
- Integrate Visuals – Mix a number of visual aids and props: Placemats, PowerPoints or Prezi, iPad, poster boards, books, etc. Make each visual client centric. Keep font size large and ideas simple, ideally one to three messages per slide. Handout books at the end of the presentation, or else you will lose control. Placemats should be used to introduce team members and reinforce key points, not to summarize the entire presentation.
- Practice Makes Perfect – Practice your presentation in front of peers until you get it perfect. In particular, practice your transitions and hand-offs from one speaker and agenda item to the next.
These are only a few of the tips to help you present better. The Coldwell Banker Commercial organization is in the process of developing a multi-faceted approach so that our professionals can excel at presenting. Stay tuned for more tips!
