Looking for ways to boost the performance of your sales team? Want to give your crew some easy wins? Here’s how you can coach your team in their sales presentation delivery that will have a big impact on their closing rates.
Now, I know that some of their deals will be sizable, requiring detailed supporting documents. However, what you must remember is that they are salespeople, not the head of state of some small country. The fate of a nation isn’t going to hang on their every word. There is definitely no need to have them reading their sales presentation from a written script.
I’ve delivered scores of speeches to groups around the country in addition to delivering hundreds of sales presentations to clients. I learned from those experiences that as a speaker, you need the awareness to read the audience and the flexibility to respond to them in real time. Your sales reps need that same awareness and flexibility to address any questions, issues, and challenges that their prospects might bring up. And like a speaker, they need to be free to respond to the needs of their audience, also known as their prospects. To do that, they need to be aware of how the audience is responding to their presentation in the moment. Delivering your presentation from a rigid script steals that flexibility away from them. And their prospects know this.
How Awareness During Presentation Delivery Saved a Deal
Back when I managed a crew selling professional development programs, one of my sales reps asked me if I could join a client meeting. Kelly was in the prescription phase and she had prepared an outstanding presentation for a department manager of a local company. She wanted me there to give her some feedback on her delivery.
When she sat down with the manager, she handed him a copy of the proposal and kept a copy for herself. She then proceeded to read through the proposal as her presentation. After about 2 minutes, the manager stopped her and said, “Don’t read me the proposal. I can do that on my own time. Talk to me about this deal.”
At first, Kelly was a little nervous. She was pushed out of her comfort zone. But when she found her footing, she realized that she knew everything about the company and about the deal she was proposing. At that point, she was able to have a real conversation with the department manager and addressed his concerns in real time.
Something your people have to get comfortable with is that their proposal is not their presentation. They need to remember that people buy from people. As such, they need to have a real conversation with their prospects. Don’t let them get comfortable reading their proposal the same way a speaker reads their slides, using it as a crutch in their presentation delivery.
Create A Framework For Your Sales Presentation
So, what’s the solution? What should they do to boost their presentation delivery? It’s actually quite simple. They need to do what professional speakers do. When you are coaching them through their presentation delivery, have them put their major talking points in an outline form. They can use note cards, PowerPoint slides, or maybe draft their sales proposal that way.
That outline serves as a framework for them to speak about their solution in a way where they can hit the highlights. That will free them to have a real conversation with their prospect. And puts them in a position where they can adjust in real time.
Remember, they’ve asked all the important questions during their diagnosis and they’ve done their research. They’ve put together a comprehensive solution. They are the experts. Help them leverage that power by condensing their proposal into the main points they want to hit. Then, help them use that framework to free up their attention in the presentation delivery and be aware of how their prospects are responding. This will allow them to interact freely with their prospects and build stronger relationships.
In summary, don’t let your salespeople read their proposal from a written script unless they really need the verbal precision. Instead, help your salespeople make better use of their proposal by outlining the main points and create an outline for their presentation delivery. Coach them to control the overall structure and flow of their presentation. Help them remain free to address their audience, making them relatable and approachable. And you will find them closing more deals.
Good Selling!
Need more ideas on designing and delivering your presentation? Get your copy of Persuasive Sales Presentations here.
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