CHAPTER 9
STRENGTHENING
THE
PRESENTATION
Stephen B. Castleberry | John F. Tanner Jr.
Copyright © 2014 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• How can salespeople use verbal tools to strengthen a
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 a
presentation?
9-2
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• How can salespeople use 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 a
buyer’s problem?
• How can salespeople reduce presentation jitters?
9-3
CHARACTERISTICS OF A STRONG
PRESENTATION
• Keeps the buyer’s attention
• Consider the social style of the prospect and adapt the use
of communication aids accordingly
• Improves the buyer’s understanding
• Multiple-sense appeals: Appealing to more than one
sense
• Increases understanding dramatically
9-4
CHARACTERISTICS OF A STRONG
PRESENTATION
• Helps the buyer remember what was said
• Skillful and well timed presentation is likely to be
remembered
• Offers proof of the salesperson’s assertions
• Most communication tools have proof to back up a
salesperson's claim
• Creates a sense of value
• Product handling suggests its value
9-5
EXHIBIT 9.1 - HOW WE LEARN AND
REMEMBER
9-6
HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE
PRESENTATION
• Use imagination and creativity to make a vivid
impression on a customer
• Make presentation different and stronger
• Strategically select methods and media that addresses
the needs of the buyer
9-7
HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE
PRESENTATION
• Respond to buyer’s unique social style
• Expressives - Strong, intense colors and lots of photos,
cartoons, fancy fonts, and positive images
• Analyticals - Clean and simple, a list of references, and
lots of details
• Amiables - With people and a relatively slow-moving
presentation
• Drivers - Crisp professional visuals with bold lettering to
highlight important points
9-8
HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE
PRESENTATION
How many people
will attend
Which stage of the
buying process they
are in
Strategizing
What information
they need
What type of
situation this is
9-9
HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE
PRESENTATION
Verbal tools
• Word pictures and stories
• Humor
Visual tools
• Graphics and charts
• Models, samples, and gifts
• Catalogs and brochures
• Photos, illustrations, ads, and maps
9-10
VISUAL TOOLS
• Testimonials: Statements written by satisfied users of a
product or service
• Effectiveness based on skillful usage
• Carefully match satisfied user and prospect
• Test results
• Tests on the product or service, conducted by the seller’s
firm or some third-party organization help strengthen the
presentation
9-11
USING MEDIA TO DISPLAY VISUALS
• Chose media appropriate for the situation
• Portfolio: Collection of visual aids
• Video
• Laptops, iPad, and other portable devices
9-12
USING MEDIA TO DISPLAY VISUALS
• Digital collateral management systems or sales asset
management systems: Used to archive, catalog, and
retrieve digital media and text
• Collateral: Collection of documents that are designed to
generate sales
• Simplify the collection
• Make it possible for salespeople to easily secure and adapt
these selling tools for specific situations
9-13
USING MEDIA TO DISPLAY VISUALS
• Power point presentations
• Use visuals that encourage two-way conversation
• Document cameras or visual presenters: Capable of
displaying any three-dimensional object without the use
of a transparency
• Electronic whiteboards: Used when working with
customers who prefer to brainstorm an issue or problem
• SMART boards or digital easels
9-14
PRODUCT DEMONSTRATIONS
• Appeals to the buyer’s senses
• For effective demonstrations:
• Be prepared and secure a proper place for the demonstration
• Check the equipment before beginning the presentation
• Get the prospect involved in a meaningful way
• Relate product features to the buyer’s unique needs
• Make it an integral part of the overall presentation
• Keep the demonstration simple, concise, and clear
9-15
PRODUCT DEMONSTRATIONS
• Plan for dead time
• Time in which the machine is processing on its own
• 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
9-16
HANDOUTS
• Written documents provided to help buyers remember
what was said
• Increase buyer retention of information, especially over
longer periods, when prepared well
• Contain the conclusion of the presentation
9-17
WRITTEN PROPOSALS
• Request for proposal: Document issued by a
prospective buyer asking for a proposal
• Contains customer’s specifications for the desired product,
including delivery schedules
• Used when the customer has a firm idea of the product
needed
9-18
WRITTEN PROPOSALS
• Executive summary: One-or two-page summary that
provides:
• Total cost minus the total savings
• Brief description of the problem to be solved
• Brief description of the proposed solution
• Describe the current situation in relation to the proposed
solution and a budget
9-19
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING PROPOSALS
• Writing guidelines
• Use polished writing skills and skip buzzwords
• Focus on actual results that the prospect can gain from
going with your proposal
• Presenting the proposal
• Convince the prospect about the need for the product
• Compare the product and terms of sale with those of
competitors
9-20
VALUE ANALYSIS: QUANTIFYING THE
SOLUTION
• Process of showing the prospect that the cost of the
proposal is offset by added value
• Common ways to quantify a solution
• Value propositions
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Return on investment
• Payback period
• Net present value
• Opportunity cost
9-21
CUSTOMER VALUE PROPOSITION
• Way in which a given product will meet the prospect’s
needs
• Identifies how the offerings is different from that of
competitors, especially the next-best alternative
• Should have following features
• One or more key features of the product/service complete
with external proof
• Benefits, both economical and emotional
9-22
CUSTOMER VALUE PROPOSITION
• Positioning of your company as the prospect’s long-term
partner
• Personal problem solver
• Should have solid, clear information is critical
9-23
COST–BENEFIT ANALYSIS
• Simple cost-benefit analysis: Lists the costs to the
buyer and the savings the buyer can expect from the
investment
• Information needed to calculate savings must be supplied
by the buyer
• Comparative cost–benefit analysis: Comparing the
present situation’s costs with the value of the proposed
solution or the seller’s product with a competitor’s
product
9-24
RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)
• Net profits (or savings) expected from a given
investment
• Expressed as a percentage of the investment
• ROI = Net profits (or savings)  Investments
• To ensure accuracy, collect data about costs and savings
that the buyer can expect
9-25
PAYBACK PERIOD
• Length of time it takes for the investment cash outflow
to be returned in the form of cash inflows or savings
• Calculated by adding up estimated future cash inflows
and dividing them into the investment cost
• When expressed in years:
• Payback period = Investment  Savings (or profits) per
year
9-26
NET PRESENT VALUE
• Discounting the cash flows - Firms calculate the value
of future cash inflows in today’s dollars
• Net value today of future cash inflows minus the
investment
• Assesses the validity of an opportunity
• Net present value = Future cash inflows discounted into
today’s dollars - Investment
9-27
OPPORTUNITY COST
• Return on investment earned from a different use of the
same investment capital
• Successful salespeople:
• Identify other realistic investment opportunities
• Help the prospect compare the returns of the various
options
• Never forget that prospects have a multitude of ways to
invest their money
9-28
SELLING VALUE TO RESELLERS
• Profit margin: Net profit the reseller makes, expressed
as a percentage of sales
• Inventory turnover: Calculated as:
• Annual sales  Average retail price of inventory on hand
• Measures how fast a product sells relative to how much
inventory has to be carried
• How efficiently a reseller manages its inventory
9-29
COMPONENTS OF INVENTORY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM
• Efficient consumer response (ECR)
• Quick response (QR)
• Automatic replenishment (AR)
• Just-in-time (JIT)
• Reduce average inventory and transportation expenses
• Make products available when end users want them
• Electronic data interchange (EDI): Computer-to-computer
transmission of data from a reseller and back
9-30
RETURN ON SPACE
• One of the key investment that resellers make
• Assessed as investment is sales per square foot or sales
per shelf foot
9-31
DEALING WITH THE JITTERS
• Know your audience well
• Know what you’re talking about
• Prepare professional, helpful visuals
• Be yourself
• Get a good night’s sleep
• Presentations to groups, feed off the energy and
enthusiasm of several friendly, happy-looking people in
your audience
9-32
DEALING WITH THE JITTERS
• Recognize the effect of fear on your body and reduce
the accompanying stress manifestations
• Visualize the audience as friends
• Think of previous success
• Realize that everyone gets nervous before a presentation
• Practice well
9-33