When making a presentation there are some mistakes that will often cost you the sale
1) Handing out your “proposal” before you present.
Well if you are going to hand out the presentation, why do you even need to be there? At best they can ‘follow along with you’ which means they will not be looking at you, at worst, you haven’t truly discussed things like the cost and they are jumping ahead and looking at the back page with pricing and you begin to sound like Charlie Browns teacher, “waa waa waa waa”.
2) Not engaging all of the people you are presenting to in your meeting
Working with one person in the organization and then having to present to several is a scenario most of us will experience. If this happens you have no idea if they agree with the issues your contact had and even if they do agree, if you don’t get them talking right at the beginning, you are just “pitching” and not engaging them in the recommendations. Big mistake!
3) Talking to your projector screen and not to the prospects.
So often we are so proud of the presentation we put together that we watch it as closely as they do. First of all there is nothing more frustrating for your prospect then feeling ‘pitched to’ and not listened to.
4) Not talking about money beforehand and having to justify cost at the actual presentation.
It is truly important to have learned enough to ask the right questions to be able to discuss some round numbers and get an agreement before you present.
5) Not understanding what will happen after you present.
The common misunderstanding is that after you present your recommendations or proposal is that you have to then wait for their answer be cause they have to ‘think it over’. NO THEY DON’T. Learn what that process is before you present and if there needs to be a next step, you need to know that before and find out that day.
