Elements of a Great Sales
Presentation
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Chapter
10
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Chapter
10
Main Topics
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The Tree of Business Life: Presentation
The Purpose of the Presentation
Three Essential Steps within the Presentation
The Sales Presentation Mix
Visual Aids Help Tell the Story
Dramatization Improves Your Chances
Demonstrations Prove It
Chapter
10
Main Topics
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Technology Can Help!
The Sales Presentation Goal Model
The Ideal Presentation
Be Prepared for Presentation Difficulties
Chapter
10
The Presentation
 Create elements of the
presentation that appeal to the
buyer’s senses and lead to
improved understanding.
 Liven up your talk with drama and
a demonstration.
 Use technology to help make your
message clear.
 Be professional about competition.
 You will see that ethical service
builds true relationships.
10-6
Exhibit 10-1: The Presentation is the Heart
of the Sale
 An effective approach
allows a smooth transition
into discussing your
product’s features,
advantages, and benefits.
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The Purpose of the Presentation
 Your main goal is to sell your product to
your customer – to help him.
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The Purpose of the Presentation, cont.
 Purpose of the presentation:
1. Provide knowledge via features, advantages,
2.
3.
4.
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and benefits of your product, marketing plan, and
business proposition
Allow buyer to develop personal attitudes toward
your product
Attitudes result in desire (or need)
Convert a need into a want and then into the
belief that your product can fulfill a certain need
The Purpose of the Presentation, cont.
5. Convince the buyer that not only is your product
6.
10-10
the best but also that you are the best source
to buy from
When this occurs, she is in the conviction stage
Exhibit 10-2: The Five Purposes of the
Presentation
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Three Essential Steps Within the
Presentation
1. Fully discuss the features, advantages, and benefits
of your product.
2. Present your marketing plan – tell whole story:
 How to resell (for reseller)
 How to use (for consumer and industrial user)
 Promotion plans, delivery, etc.
3. Explain your business proposition.
 What’s in it for your customer?
 Value/Cost comparison
 Should be last (why?)
10-12
Exhibit 10-4a: Salespeople Use These
FABs in Their Presentations
Features, Advantages, and Benefits of Bix Buckwheat Pancake Mix
Features
Advantages
Benefits
Product
1. Great tasting, fluffy and
1. Traditional “farmhouse”
light; highly nutritious
recipe, with freshest
ingredients; fortified with
vitamins A, B, C, and D;
no preservatives
2. User needs only to add
2. Quick and easy to
water, stir, and cook
prepare
10-14
1. Provides an appealing
item; expands breakfast
menu; increases
breakfast business
2. Requires minimal
kitchen time and
labor
Exhibit 10-4b: Salespeople Use These
FABs in Their Presentations
Features, Advantages, and Benefits of Bix Buckwheat Pancake Mix
Features
Advantages
Benefits
Marketing Plan
3. Just in time delivery;
weekly as needed
3. No need to store large
quantities
4. Local distribution center
4. Additional orders can be 4. Prevents out-offilled quickly
stock situations
5. An experienced sales
representative to serve
account
5. Knowledge and
background in
food-service industry
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3. Requires minimal
inventory space; keeps
inventory costs low
5. Provides assistance for
meeting changing needs
and solving business
problems
Exhibit 10-4c: Salespeople Use These
FABs in Their Presentations
Features, Advantages, and Benefits of Bix Buckwheat Pancake Mix
Features
Advantages
Benefits
Business Proposition
6. Quantity discounts
6. Reduces costs
7. Extended payment plans 7. Reduces interest costs
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6. Increases your profits
7. Increases your profits
Exhibit 10-5: The Sales Presentation Mix
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Persuasive Communication
 Seven factors of good communication:
(Chapter 4)
1.Use questions
2.Be empathetic
3.Keep the message simple
4.Create mutual trust
5.Listen
6.Have a positive attitude and enthusiasm
7.Be believable
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Persuasive Communication
 Sell Sequence = FAB + trial close
 To be a persuasive communicator:
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10-19
Use logical reasoning
Persuade through suggestion
Have a sense of fun
Personalize relationships
Build trust – being honest; doing what you say you will do
Be aware of your body language – always smile!
Control the presentation – questions rechannel an off-course
presentation
Use diplomacy – choose your battles
Use words as selling tools (simile, metaphor, analogy)
The Sales Presentation Mix
 Sales Presentation Mix
 Persuasive communication
 The SELL sequence + Trial Close

Show – Explain
– Lead
(features) (advantages) (benefits)
–
Let
(customer talk)
+
 Trial Close: after strong selling point, after answering
objection, immediately before move to close
Persuasive Communication, cont…
 Logical Reasoning – presentation
conducted around three parts
 Ex.:
1. Major premise: All manufacturers wish to reduce
2.
3.
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costs and increase efficiency.
Minor premise: My equipment will reduce your
costs and increase efficiency.
Conclusion: Therefore, you should buy my
equipment.
Persuasive Communication, cont…
 Persuasion through suggestion
1. Suggestive propositions – suggest the prospect
2.
3.
4.
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should act now
Prestige suggestions – name the famous or
respected people or companies that use your
product.
Autosuggestions – attempt to have buyer sell
herself by imagining herself using the product
Direct suggestions – suggest that prospect buy
your product
Persuasive Communication, cont…
 Persuasion through suggestion, cont.
5. Indirect suggestions – make it seem as if the
purchase of your product is the buyer’s idea
 “Should you buy 50 or 75 dozen…?”
 “Have you talked to anyone who has used their
product?”
6. Counter-suggestions – get the buyer to express
why he needs the product and will also compel
him to defend his decision
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Persuasive Communication, cont…
1. Simile – a comparison statement using the words
2.
3.
“like” or “as”
 A poorly manicured lawn is like a bad haircut
Metaphor – implied comparison that uses a
contrasting word or phrase to evoke a vivid
image
 Our power mowers sculpt your lawn
Analogy – compares two different situations
which have something in common
 Our sun screen for your home will stop the sun’s heat
before it gets to your window. It’s like having a shade
tree in front of your window without blocking the view
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Exhibit 10-5: The Sales Presentation Mix,
cont…
10-25
Participation is Essential to Success
 Questions
 Product use: appeals to senses
 Visuals (to be discussed)
 Demonstrations (to be discussed)
10-26
Exhibit 10-5: The Sales Presentation Mix,
cont…
Proof Statements Build Believability
 Past sales help predict the future
 The Guarantee
 Testimonials
 Company proof results
 Independent research results:
 Restatement of the benefit before proving it
 Proof source and relevant facts or figures about
the product
 Expansion of the benefit
10-28
Proof Statements Build Believability
 For a proof statement referring to
independent research results to be most
effective, it should contain a:
1. Restatement of the benefit before proving it
2. Proof source and relevant facts or figures
3.
10-29
about the product
Expansion of the benefit
Example
 Consider the following proof statement referring to
independent research results (identify: source and
facts, benefit restatement, benefit expansion):
I’m sure that you want a radio that’s going to sell and be
profitable for you ( benefit restatement ). Figures in
Consumer Guide and Consumer Sales magazines
indicate that the Sony XL-100 radios, although the
newest on the market, are the third largest in sales
(source and facts). Therefore, when you handle the
Sony XL line, you’ll find that radio sales and profits will
increase, and more customers will come into your store
(benefit expansion).
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Exhibit 10-6: Proof Statements Help Prove
What You Say
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Exhibit 10-5: The Sales Presentation Mix,
cont…
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The Visual Presentation–Show and Tell
 Increase retention
 Reinforce the message
 Reduce misunderstanding
 Create a unique and lasting impression
 Show the buyer that you are a professional
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Visual Aids Help Tell the Story
 Some common visual aids are:
 The product
 Charts and graphs illustrating features and advantages
 Photographs and mock-ups
 Equipment
 Sales manuals and catalogs
 Order forms
 Letters of testimony
 A copy of the guarantee
 Flip-boards and posters
 Sample advertisements
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Visual Aids Help Tell the Story, cont…
 Appeal to the prospect’s vision with the intent
of producing mental images of the product’s:
 Features
 Advantages
 Benefits
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Exhibit 10-5: The Sales Presentation Mix,
cont…
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Dramatization Improves Your Chances
 Dramatics refers to talking or presenting the product
in a striking, showy, or extravagant manner:
 Dramatics should be incorporated only when you
are 100 percent sure they will work effectively.
 One of the best methods of developing ideas for
dramatizations is to watch television commercials.
 Dramatic presentations set you apart from the
many salespeople that buyers see each day.
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Dramatization Improves Your Chances,
cont…
 Dramatization
improves your
chances of
success.
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Exhibit 10-5: The Sales Presentation Mix,
cont…
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Demonstrations Prove it
 If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a
demonstration is worth a thousand pictures
Demonstration checklist
Needed and appropriate?
Objective?
Planned and organized?
Flows smoothly and naturally?
Will it go as planned?
Will it backfire?
Is it ethical and professional?
Exhibit 10-8: Seven Points to Remember
about Demonstrations
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Demonstrations Prove It
 Use participation in your demonstration:
 Let the prospect do something simple
 Let the prospect work an important feature
 Let the prospect do something routine or
frequently repeated
 Have the prospect answer questions throughout
the demonstration (feedback)
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Reasons for Using Visual Aids, Dramatics, and
Demonstrations
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Capture attention and interest
Create two-way communication
Involve the prospect through participation
Afford a more complete, clear explanation of products
Increase a salesperson’s persuasive powers by obtaining
positive commitments on a product’s single feature,
advantage, or benefit
6. People receive 87 percent of their information on the outside
world through their eyes and only 13 percent through the other
four senses.
7. The addition of participation is much more persuasive than
dramatization alone.
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Guidelines for Using Visual Aids, Dramatics, and
Demonstrations
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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Rehearse them!
Customize them to fit individual customer.
Make them simple, clear, and straightforward
Control the demonstration
Make demonstration true to life
Encourage prospect participation
Incorporate trial closes after showing or
demonstrating a major feature, advantage, or
benefit to determine if believed or important to
prospect
Technology Can Help!
 Can provide excellent presentation methods
 Multimedia computers can:
 Present video clips
 Play sound bites
 Show beautifully illustrated graphics
 Be connected to projection equipment
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Exhibit 10-10: The Sales Presentation
Goal Model
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The Ideal Presentation
 Your approach technique quickly captures
your prospect’s interest and immediately finds
signals that the prospect has a need for your
product and is ready to listen.
 The ideal prospect:
 Is friendly, polite, relaxed, listens
 Says “yes” and enthusiastically thanks you
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The Ideal Presentation, cont…
 Several weeks later you receive a copy of
customer’s letter sent to your company’s
president glowing with praise for you
 Sometimes it happens but many times there
are difficulties
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Be Prepared for Presentation Difficulties
 How to handle interruptions:
 Is the interruption personal or confidential?
 Offer to leave the room
 Regroup your thoughts
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Be Prepared for Presentation Difficulties
 Once discussion is over:
 Wait quietly and patiently until prospect’s attention
is completely gained
 Briefly restate selling points that were of interest
 Do something to increase prospect’s participation
 Once interest is gained move deeper into
presentation
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Be Prepared for Presentation Difficulties,
cont...
 Should you discuss the competition?
Do not refer to a competitor unless
absolutely necessary.
Acknowledge your competitor only briefly –
then drop it.
Make a detailed comparison of your product
and the competition’s product when
necessary.
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Be Prepared for Presentation Difficulties,
cont...
 Be professional always
 Know where the presentation takes place:
 Could be anywhere
 Diagnose prospect to determine sales
presentation
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The Golden Rule
 You want to do to others what you would have
them do to you.
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Summary of Major Selling Issues
 The sales presentation is a persuasive vocal and
visual explanation of a proposition.
 Four common methods of presentation are
memorized, formula, need-satisfaction, and problemsolution.
 Consider the elements of the presentation mix that
will be used for each prospect.
 Use persuasive communication techniques to
develop prospect participation, proof statements,
visual aids, dramatization, and demonstrations.
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Summary of Major Selling Issues, cont…
 Persuasive communication techniques help to
uncover needs, to communicate effectively, and to
pull the prospect into the conversation.
 Visuals must be properly designed to illustrate the
features, advantages, and benefits of your products
through graphics, dramatization, and demonstration.
 Careful attention to development and rehearsal of the
presentation is needed to ensure that it occurs
smoothly and naturally.
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Summary of Major Selling Issues, cont…
 The presentation is the heart of the sale.
 Acquire or create materials that convey your

message and convince others to believe it.
Exhibits, facts, statistics, examples, analogies,
testimonials, and samples should be part of your
repertoire.
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End of Chapter 10
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Chapter
10