Myth #1
Salespeople are Good Presenters
Because many salespeople are
personable and good one-on-one communicators, it is believed that they are
automatically good presenters. This couldn't be further from the truth. Though
some people are naturally good presenters, most people don't have the knowledge
or training required for effective presentations. There is a science in planning
and organizing an effective presentation. To gain the trust and develop the
chemistry that earns business requires delivery skills that are not taught in
school or in sales skills training.
Often, salespeople are
sent into important presentations with canned presentations. Though the graphics
are often impressive, they are typically not prepared by someone in sales, and
are not crafted to speak to the individual prospects that will make up the
audience. Is it any wonder that many salespeople don't use these presentations,
and when they do, they tend to be boring and miss the prospect's hot buttons?
Salespeople and their
support staffs have the potential to be great presenters, but they need a
methodology, practice, feedback and coaching. The TAP Blueprint gives the
salesperson the ability to take canned presentations and successfully tailor
them for his prospect. To be successful the presenter must present from the
audience's point of view, "what's in it for them" (client-centered). We say it,
but do our salespeople present it?
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Myth #2
The Facts Speak for Themselves
Separate studies done by
Stanford University and Wharton have shown that the facts represent only 7% of
how audiences are persuaded. How something is presented and who presents it
makes up the other 93% of the persuasive process. These studies showed if your
presentation is organized and delivered well, your personal and your company's
creditability increases and your point or proposal has an increasing chance of
being accepted.
The old adage in the legal
profession, "the facts speak for themselves", doesn't hold true in court now
days, nor does it hold true in closing business. Having the fastest, easiest to
use, least costly solution doesn't automatically win you the business. The facts
need to be right, but how you say something is critical in the persuasive
process. TAP gives you the skills to say it more effectively.
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Myth #3
Winning Presentations Are Expensive
In 1992 a small document
management company, less than $7 million per year, retained me to help them win
an opportunity at a major financial company in Los Angeles. The competition was
IBM and CSC. With four weeks to prepare I made sure I met the decision-makers
and influencers, asked a lot of questions, and planned out my proposal and my
presentation. Not being aware of PowerPoint or similar tools at that time, I did
the presentation on flip chart paper. Imagine my surprise and dismay when I
found out our competitors used multimedia computer projection for their
presentations.
To make a long story
short, I won it for my client. The next week we took the key players to lunch
and asked why my client was chosen since our competitors used high-tech computer
presentations and I did ours on butcher paper. They commented, "You addressed
our needs and concerns far better than your competitors. Your presentation was
better organized and you communicated with us, while your competitors seemed to
talk to their presentation."
Certainly the use of
modern multimedia tools can add impact to your presentation and today I am a
committed user of PowerPoint. However, the most valuable tool you have in your
tool kit is the ability to understand the prospects needs and effectively
communicate how you will meet them.
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Myth #4
Sales Presentations Are Not Necessary
A study at the University
of Minnesota proved that giving a sales presentation for a proposal increased
the success rate by 43%. Additionally, the study proved that you could receive
23% more for the same proposal using a formal sales presentation. Every day,
graduates of TAP prove that a well prepared and delivered presentation wins more
business.
By giving a presentation
of your proposal, you create more value for your offering and create a deeper
and more persuasive effect on the audience. UCLA showed in a study that people
are persuaded only 7% by the words in a presentation, 38% by the verbal
presentation, and 55% by the visual presentation. This is contributed to the
amount of sensory perception the brain dedicates to vision. With this
information doesn't it make sense to take full advantage of the natural,
physiological gateway to a person's decision-making process?
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Myth #5
Solution Selling Alone Will Increase Sales
The bottom line is that
the salesperson needs to understand whom the decision-makers and influencers
are, theirs and the company's objectives, issues, needs, pain and how the
decision will be made. To make a winning presentation requires this information.
When salespeople know their sales process culminates with a sales presentation
(with appropriate follow up), they understand the importance of the solution
selling process and will use it more successfully. Solution selling is
implemented in the planning process (The Pyramid of Persuasion) and the
presentation organization (The Blueprint) and TAP literally funnels the decision
makers to YES.
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