You have had the initial meeting with your prospect, found out their needs and they have invited you back to present to the management team. Great news! Unfortunately at this stage many proposals fail to get across the line due to an ineffective presentation.
You are the presentation
A common problem with presentations is that people think that the written proposal or PowerPoint is the presentation when in fact YOU are the presentation.
The proposal or PowerPoint is a visual aid, an aid to your presentation, helping to reinforce visually what you are communicating verbally.
Two people can deliver the same presentation (visual aid) and get completely different levels of buy in based on their ability to communicate verbally and non verbally.
To ensure audience buy in, focus on your verbal and non verbal communication as much as your visual aids.
Three key questions to answer
There are three key questions I pose to clients when working with them on their pitches and presentations:
Firstly, do we understand the prospect’s objectives and are they clearly stated. If we don’t have these then we might as well pack up and go home now!
Secondly, do we have a logical argument of how we can help the prospect achieve each of their objectives. And as part of our logical argument, have we turned our features into benefits to present a compelling proposition to our prospect’s needs.
Thirdly, do we have a powerful delivery that engages the audience and brings the opportunity to life.
If your presentations and pitches are not getting the desired outcome, the reason may be that one or more of these areas are not being adequately addressed.
Bring the opportunity to life for the audience
Give the prospect an indication of how your solution would look, sound and feel once implemented and gain agreement from them for the desirability of the picture you have painted.
Engage with them logically by providing facts and figures to support your argument and provide an emotional connection through mock ups and examples.
Demonstrate your credibility with case studies
Show your credibility to supply the proposed solution by demonstrating how you have helped other organisations who faced a similar situation to that of your prospect.
Pose the right question
Once the picture has been painted and the prospect has a sense of the opportunity a useful technique is to ask the prospect how they think their audiences will feel once they have experienced what you have proposed.
No need to sell it to them, they will sell it to themselves!
