Julie M. Hansen

A successful sales presentation must grab your prospect’s attention and make a compelling case for him to take the next step in the sales process. Winning presentations don’t happen by chance. Make sure your next sales presentation is designed to persuade and engage today’s busy decision makers by keeping the following checklists handy as you plan, build, and deliver your sales presentation.

How to memorize or read from a script is a topic rarely covered in sales meetings, yet the success of your sales presentation lies on your ability to effectively and accurately communicate your message. When it comes to using scripts, there are three basic methods to choose from. Some salespeople like to put their script in the notes section of PowerPoint or Keynote to read from or refer to as they present.

Keeping prospect’s engaged during a sales presentation is an ongoing challenge, and you need as many good tools in your toolkit as you can find. Gamification — using elements from game playing, like scoring, rules, and team activity — is a hot topic, especially in e-learning where it’s proven to be extremely effective at helping people learn and retain information.

In a perfect world you’d have weeks to prepare for every sales presentation, but you don’t live in a perfect world. Opportunities can present themselves with little or no notice. Following are ten things you can do right now that will have a big impact on the success of your presentation. Know your first line.

Your sales tools aren’t limited to your PowerPoint slides and projector. Used effectively, your voice, body, and movement can bring your presentation’s message to life and add impact. Follow the guidelines here to make sure that you’re using your voice, body, and movement to their highest potential. Voice ___

Prospects are used to being told things in a sales presentation. Stories are an effective way to shake things up and show your prospects, rather than tell them. A relevant, well-told story can gain your prospect’s attention, soften her position, drive home a key message, and differentiate you and your solution.

A hook is an attention-grabbing device that focuses your prospect’s attention on your message, sets the tone of the presentation, and provides something of value. Here are several types of hooks that ensure that your presentation starts on a strong note. Quote: Using someone else’s words can add an element of credibility to your presentation or effectively frame your message.

When was the last time you gave a sales presentation and the prospect signed the contract at the end? If you’re selling a complex or high-priced solution, it may never happen. For many products and services decision makers may not get together for days, weeks, or even months to discuss your proposal. In the meantime, your prospect has seen additional vendors and had to address new demands and challenges.

The best slides tell a story, but that story can get miscommunicated or lost on your prospect if your presentation slide is unclear or difficult to read. Subject each slide in your deck to these guidelines to make sure that you’re using your valuable real estate wisely. Keep one message per slide. No more than six lines of text.