Effective Presentation Skills

There is an ancient adage that states "Salesmen are born, not made."

This can be true and may even be applied to making an effective sales presentation. Not everyone was born to stand before an audience of cynical purchasing officers whose hearts have turned to stone a long time previously. On the other hand you don't need to be a W.P. Barnum to make a positive impression.

What you need to do to acquire and polish effective presentation skills is to follow the following simple paths

.
  • Create credibility both of yourself and the company you represent. If you come across a decent and reliable human being, that is good an impression that you can hope to make.
  • Know your product. What you don't know, learn. Your audience will rapidly lose any respect for you and interest in your presentation if they feel that you don't know what you are talking about.
  • Know and love the company you are representing. Know its history, it people, what motivates it and the company's goals and vision.
  • Never say "they" always say "we".
  • Although you may be totally privy to your company's balance sheet and profit margins, never volunteer that kind of information at a sales presentation. Anyone who wants or needs to know will make it their business to find out.
  • If you have sold yourself, you are more than half way there to selling your company and its products.

By honing and emphasizing these very important positive personal traits, you will have acquired a very strong foundation of effective presentation skills.

The next stage is to design and produce a presentation that will complement the presenter's personality as well as effectively promoting his company's interests.

Here a few more points that hopefully will make your company's presentation effective:

  • When we set about preparing our presentation, we should remember that the human brain, and especially the brain of corporate purchasing officers, is only capable of absorbing so much information at any given time. Provide your audience with as much back-up information as good taste will allow. Company brochures, specific information of the product or project you are presenting. Also at least one writing block and a few pens, bearing the company logo. They will expect it, and will allow them to take notes, or simply draw sketches.
  • It may be a very good idea to use PowerPoint to emphasize the main points of your overall presentation. Many people do, and it can be very effective. Keep in line with your company theme and livery. Use the company logo as much as possible. There are many excellent "off-the shelf" graphic and animations that you can buy to embellish your presentation. Just remember that most people have seen these presentation graphics before. If you really want to impress them, don't go for overkill. Simple and special is the answer.
  • Never lose the personal touch. Keep eye contact with your audience, and keep a dialogue running throughout the presentation. Invite questions and answer them immediately.
  • If something in your PowerPoint goes wrong, don't panic. Work round it. If the air conditioning packs in during the session, relate to it. If it happens at the beginning of the session, suggest that you move to another room. If it occurs nearer the end of the session ask the audience for some patience as the presentation is due to end. If your presentation has been going well till then, you will have their sympathy. Try to take advantage of it.
  • When the presentation has ended, don't let your audience leave the room until you have had some form of feedback from them. Probe them for a reaction, even if it is negative. Try and discover where you think this presentation has led. What will the next step be in your negotiations?

Stick to these few points and your presentation should prove to be effective and satisfying. As much as for you as for your audience.