\u201cWith sales, you\u2019ve got to know their language,\u201d says Spencer, \u201cso that you can speak to what they\u2019re looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s with a prospective investor, customer, or partner, understanding the needs and requirements of the person you\u2019re selling to (plus, how you\u2019re uniquely able to serve these needs) is the key to closing a deal.<\/p>\n
Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n Think of a sales presentation as the ultimate pitching opportunity<\/a>. It\u2019s your chance to prove to your potential customer that your service or product is worthy of investment. It should include granular detail around the specific problem you\u2019re aiming to solve, often with the support of visuals, case studies, and other relevant data.<\/p>\n Also, a sales presentation isn\u2019t complete without a value proposition: Make sure you\u2019re clear on what you\u2019re offering, why you\u2019re the right person to offer it, and exactly how you plan to execute.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n I know internet stalking isn\u2019t typically condoned, but when you\u2019re planning your sales presentation, a deep level of research is crucial.<\/p>\n \u201cThe research step is really, really important, because then [the customer] is going to be like, \u2018Hey, this person knows me,\u2019\u201d says Spencer. Your prospective client also wants to see that you have an understanding of the respective industry as a whole.<\/p>\n In addition to knowing the ins and outs of their company\u2019s leadership and employees, \u201cget acquainted with educating yourself about current trends, recent news, and your<\/em> company\u2019s competitors,\u201d adds Erica Franklin<\/a>, founder of EVF Consulting and global director of sales for Sistas In Sales<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cStorytelling is winning,\u201d says Franklin. While only 5% of people remember statistics during a presentation, 63% remember stories<\/a>.<\/p>\n One of the best ways to storytell in a presentation is to incorporate case studies and real-world examples \u2014 especially ones that involve use of your product.<\/p>\n \u201cI enjoy seeing presentations from companies that use their own products to convince customers to purchase those same products, like Monday.com and Gong.io,\u201d says Franklin. \u201cThey are literally able to show you repeatedly why their products are successful.\u201d<\/p>\n Storytelling is also what helped Franklin land a repeat client who was mulling over whether or not to renew the service. \u201cInstead of accepting their hesitation, I crafted a renewal and upsell proposal that (I believe) shifted their perspective \u2014 not just on the current products but also on the future possibilities,\u201d says Franklin.<\/p>\n She did this by showcasing the success of partnership via strategic storytelling and hypothetically presenting what growth would look like if they remained a customer. \u201cThey ended up not only renewing but also expanding their partnership,\u201d shares Franklin.<\/p>\n Especially if your budget is tight, Spencer suggests putting together the presentation yourself rather than paying someone else to do it, and better allocate those funds to serve a business need elsewhere. It\u2019s also how you get closest to the material you\u2019ll be presenting.<\/p>\n Consider free resources from platforms like Canva<\/a>, Keynote, Google Slides, and PowerPoint, many of which offer customizable templates.<\/p>\n AI, when used responsibly, can also be a help reviewing and formatting aid. Gamma<\/a> is a new AI-powered platform on the market that I think is worth testing out.<\/p>\n Forty percent of people<\/a> prefer non-written visual forms of communication, so charts, graphics and other imagery are ideal.<\/p>\n Videos are even better. Plus, the more copy you add to your slides, the more inclined you\u2019re going to be to read directly from the presentation. Text can be a crutch. Visuals are more of a guide. Likewise, \u201cthe more people are trying to read, the less they’re listening,\u201d says Spencer.<\/p>\n Another benefit of non-wordy slides is that they also make for a more concise presentation. When it comes to ideal length, Franklin says, \u201cDepending on the product, I would say 20-30 minutes, leaving a few minutes for discussion, so 45 minutes max.\u201d<\/p>\n Another rule of thumb? Each slide should convey exactly one point, says Spencer. That way you\u2019re staying on track and keeping the customer engaged.<\/p>\n He suggests thinking of it like this: \u201cWhat are the chapters in my story?\u201d Each slide should be a \u201cchapter.\u201d You don\u2019t want to muddle your chapters with excess, so take note of any information that\u2019s not pertinent. If it\u2019s not adding to the story, it probably doesn\u2019t need to be included. If it must stay, include it as an add-on or reference point, like a book\u2019s appendix or bibliography, that you don\u2019t necessarily need to present.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n The more you practice, the more nuances you\u2019re able to consider \u2014 and that will make your presentation more interesting.<\/p>\n Repeated practice will also prepare you to be unfazed by any curve balls thrown at you the day of. The more you know your stuff, the less you\u2019ll need to rely on a script. You\u2019re able to deliver a more natural presentation, and I think it makes you more confident when you need to improvise as well.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re the closest to the concept, it\u2019s easy to miss what requires more explanation. Try practicing on someone who has zero or very minimal knowledge of what\u2019s being presented. This was, you can ensure your pitch is clear and thorough no matter who\u2019s on the receiving end.<\/p>\n \u201cYou always want to assume that the person you\u2018re presenting to doesn\u2019t have the level of detail that you have,\u201d says Spencer. \u201cAnd that they\u2019re not an expert, because often they’re not.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n A sales presentation doesn\u2019t have to feel like that boring lecture every student dreaded attending. Your client wants to learn, but they also want to feel included and engaged.<\/p>\n \u201cSales presentations have become much more conversational and less scripted or tied to a specific selling process,\u201d says Franklin.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile selling methodologies are great, sometimes just having real conversations about what is going on and what is needed wins. Trust-building is the key to closing deals.\u201d<\/p>\n Building trust also means approaching the presentations like there\u2019s an already-established partnership. Successful sales reps are 10 times more likely<\/a> to use collaborative words like \u201cus,\u201d \u201cwe,\u201d and \u201cour.\u201d<\/p>\n Part of engaging your customer means allowing them to participate. Encouraging them to weigh in on the conversation positions you to address anything you may have missed, and you can sometimes drive your point home even further.<\/p>\n Franklin suggests asking your potential client open-ended questions like, \u201cWhat does success look like for you?\u201d or \u201cWhat other products have you used in the market to address your pain points?\u201d<\/p>\n While the hope is that your presentation is clear \u2014 and that your prospective customer is taking notes \u2014 it\u2019s important that they have reference points to refer back to later while deliberating.<\/p>\n \u201cPresentations (even shorter versions) are helpful to your contacts after the meeting as they usually need something tangible and concise to help them sell internally,\u201d says Franklin.<\/p>\n Send them an email with your slides before or after the meeting.<\/p>\n Numbers are important. Always be clear on what yours are.<\/p>\n By the end of the presentation, your client should know exactly what you\u2019re asking for and what the next steps are, should they choose to move forward.<\/p>\n Spencer says it\u2019s important to be confident in the number you’re presenting. You should have already done your homework, so \u201cdon\u2019t negotiate against yourself,\u201d he says, and be sure to give your potential client room to think.<\/p>\n Equally as important, he adds: \u201cRemember that you\u2019re going to hear no.\u201d Sometimes, it\u2019s a firm no (which happens to the best of us); sometimes, that \u201cno\u201d means not right now, or not in this way. After all, 83% of potential clients<\/a> won\u2019t initiate a sale for 3-12 months.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they cannot buy everything right now, make a long-term plan,\u201d says Franklin. Sometimes it\u2019s about playing the relationship game.<\/p>\n![\"\u2192](\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/53\/2d0b5298-2daa-4812-b2d4-fa65cd354a8e.png\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n
What is a sales presentation?<\/h2>\n
![\"pull](\"https:\/\/web-stil.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sales-presentation-2-20250320-1970817.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nBest Practices for Planning a Sales Presentation<\/h2>\n
1. Study your potential client and the industry.<\/h3>\n
2. Tell a story.<\/h3>\n
![\"sales](\"https:\/\/web-stil.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sales-presentation-3-20250320-5998624.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n3. Do the leg work \u2014 if you can.<\/h3>\n
4. Don\u2019t go too text-heavy.<\/h3>\n
5. Remove the excess.<\/h3>\n
Essential Steps to Help You Practice Your Presentation<\/h2>\n
1. Repetition is key.<\/h3>\n
2. Practice with someone foreign to the project<\/h3>\n
![\"sales](\"https:\/\/web-stil.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sales-presentation-4-20250320-1016910.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nTips for Delivering Your Sales Presentations<\/h2>\n
1. Approach it like a conversation.<\/h3>\n
2. Allow the customer to speak.<\/h3>\n
3. Make sure your potential customer has a copy of the deck.<\/h3>\n
4. Wrap up with clarity around numbers and next steps.<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/track.hubspot.com\/__ptq.gif?a=53&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fsales%2Fanatomy-of-a-perfect-sales-presentation-infographic&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fsales&bvt=rss\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"