© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

STRENGTHENING THE PRESENTATION  How can salespeople use verbal tools to strengthen the presentation?  Why do salespeople need to augment their oral communication through tools such as visual aids, samples, testimonials, and demonstrations?  What methods are available to strengthen the presentation?  How can salespeople utilize visual aids and technology most effectively?  What are the ingredients of a good demonstration?  Is there a way to quantify the salesperson’s solution to the buyer’s problem?  How can salespeople reduce presentation jitters? 10-2 McGraw-Hill/Irwin chapter 10 SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THIS CHAPTER ARE:

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved McGraw-Hill/Irwin “When giving my presentation, I try to create an environment that will use as many of the buyer’s sense as possible.” ~Seon Anderson

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Keeps the buyer’s ________  Improves the buyer’s understanding  Helps the buyer remember what was said  Offers ________ of the salesperson’s assertions  Creates a sense of value 10-4 Characteristics of a Strong Presentation McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved How We Learn and Remember McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Salespeople should ask themselves: –How can I use my ________ and ________ to make a vivid impression on my prospect or customer? –How can I make my presentation a little different and a little stronger?  A seller should strategically select methods and media that will helpfully address the needs of the buyer How to Strengthen the Presentation McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Respond to the buyer’s unique style –Expressives = colorful, visual, positive –Analyticals = clean, simple, detailed –Amiables = people-filled, slow-paced –Drivers = crisp, professional, to-the-point  Consider elements such as: –How many people will attend –Which stage of the buying process they are in –What information they need –What type of situation this is 10-7 How to Strengthen the Presentation (continued) McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Use stories from your own life  Have a ________ for telling the story  Use the “hook” of the story to tie back directly to your presentation  Be accurate and vivid with the words you choose  Pace the story  Choose stories that fit your own style  Remember, stories can be quite short 10-8 Word Pictures and Stories McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Humor  Don’t oversell the joke  Don’t apologize before telling a joke  Identify facts necessary for the punch line of the story to make sense  Use humor from your own life  Enjoy yourself by smiling and animating your voice and nonverbals  Practice telling the joke in different ways  Make sure your punch line is clear 10-9 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Know the single point the visual should make  Customize the presentation  Use current, accurate information  Don’t place too much information on a visual  Use bullets  Don’t overload the buyer with numbers  Clearly label each visual with a title  Recognize the emotional impact of colors and choose wisely  If possible, use ________ instead of tables  Use high-quality photos and drawings, not clip art  Use consistent art styles, layouts, and scales  Check your visuals closely for errors  Know and obey copyright laws Graphics and Charts McGraw-Hill/Irwin Judge this slide based on guidelines found in your book on page 256.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Models, samples and gifts –Keeps buyer interest –Cross-sectional models  Catalogs and brochures –Help to effectively communicate information  Photos, illustrations, ads, and maps Additional Visual Tools McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  The testimonial used should carefully match satisfied user and prospect  The person who writes the testimonial should be above reproach –________ affirm this person is still a satisfied customer  Test results from third-party organizations have more clout Testimonials and Results McGraw-Hill/Irwin Testimonials are statements written by satisfied users of a product or service.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Using Media to Display Visuals  Appropriate to the situation  ________  Video  Computers  Digital collateral management systems  Document cameras (visual presenters)  Whiteboards McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Be prepared  Secure a proper place for the demonstration  Check the equipment before beginning  Get the prospect ________ in a meaningful way  Always relate product features to the buyer’s unique need  Make the demonstration an integral part of the overall presentation Product Demonstrations McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Keep the demonstration simple, concise, and clear  Plan what you will do during any dead time  Find out whether the prospect has already seen a competitor’s product demonstration  Find out whether anyone present has used your product before  Probe during and after the demonstration Product Demonstrations (continued) McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Don’t forget the goal of your meeting  Make sure the handouts look professional  Don’t cram too much information on a page  Don’t drown your prospect in information  Important for foreign buyers Handouts McGraw-Hill/Irwin Handouts are written documents provided to help buyers remember what was said.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  The ________ process –Include customer’s specifications for the desired product, including delivery schedules  Writing proposals –Executive summary (1-2 pages) –Body of the proposal The total cost minus the total savings A brief description of the problem A brief description of the proposed solution Budget  Presenting the proposal Written Proposals McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Cost-benefit analysis –Simple cost-benefit analysis –Comparative cost-benefit analysis  Return on investment (ROI) ROI = net profits (or savings)  investments  Payback period Payback period = investment  savings (or profits) per year Value Analysis: Quantifying the Solution McGraw-Hill/Irwin Value analysis Showing the prospect that the cost of the proposal is offset by the added value.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Value Analysis: Quantifying the Solution (continued)  Net present value –Assesses the validity of an opportunity –NPV – The net value today of future cash inflows minus the investment  Opportunity cost –The return a buyer would have earned from a different use of the same ________ McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Profit margin –The net profit the reseller makes, expressed as a percentage of sales  Inventory turnover –Annual sales  average retail price of inventory on hand –Inventory management systems  Return on space –Sales per square foot or sales per shelf foot Selling Value to Resellers McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Know your ________ well  Know what you’re talking about  Prepare professional, helpful visuals  Be yourself  Get a good night’s sleep  For presentations to groups, feed off the energy and enthusiasm of several friendly, happy-looking people in your audience Dealing With the Jitters McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Recognize the effect of fear on your body and reduce the accompanying stress manifestations  Visualize your audience as your friends  Psych yourself up for the presentation  Realize that everyone gets nervous before a presentation at times  Practice, practice, practice Dealing With the Jitters (continued) McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Strengthening communication with the buyer is important.  Many methods of strengthening communication are available.  A backbone of many sales presentations is the product demonstration.  It is often important to quantify the solution so the buyer can evaluate the costs in relation to the benefits he or she can derive from the proposal.  All communication tools require skill and practice to be used effectively Summary McGraw-Hill/Irwin