Preparing for the Big Presentation

The first focus of any business lunch, meeting, or presentation should be to create a personal connection. No matter how wonderful your product or service may be; if there is no rapport, there will probably be no sale either. Remember you are selling YOU over everything else.

Get to the meat of your pitch immediately. Focus on your key points and reign in any wandering conversations. Before your presentation, pick out the facts that you feel will get you the account and don’t leave until you have stated them.

Always have a proposal ready. Have a clear idea of exactly what you want. With "WIIFM,” (What's In It For Me) in mind, you will need to create your presentation's proposal from the view of the other side of the table. Start by making a list of what’s in it for them because this is the heart of your proposal. How can you help them make money, save money, and make their lives easier and more pleasant?

Knowledge is power - so research, research, research! This includes not only your subject matter, but your target audience as well. Make sure that you are selling to someone who has the power to buy – in other words the decision-maker of the company.

For formal presentations, prepare a PowerPoint or KeyNote computer slide presentation. A formatted presentation will keep you centered, enabling you to hit on all your key points. Use photographs, bullets, and other graphics, to bring your presentation to life. Also, preparing a PowerPoint or KeyNote presentation forces you to determine exactly what your selling points are whether you end up using it or not.

Practice makes perfect. Run through your presentation until you feel confident in your knowledge and ability to deliver the message. Also, try to schedule your least likely prospects first for added practice. By the time you get to the best prospects you will be a well-seasoned pro.

Never assume. Of course you will probably send preliminary information to all prospects for them to look over at their convenience. This doesn’t mean that they know the material. Most likely they never read it, just glanced over it, or read it, but nothing sunk in. Also, don’t pass out printed copies of your slides before you start the meeting. You want your audience to be paying attention to you.

Have prepared answers to the most commonly asked questions. This will prevent any fumbling around on your part and will instill confidence in you in your prospects eyes. When a question is asked, begin with, “I’m glad you asked that question,” and then go in to your concise answer.

Also, be prepared to deflect unwanted questions. Not all questions are necessary or appropriate when dealing with a large group or a first time meeting. For example, if the topic of cost is brought up, be prepared to answer back with, “I would love to sit down with you and go over the numbers as soon as we have a grasp of the complete scope of this project.”

Don’t leave a meeting without an agreement or a follow-up plan. Are you meeting again? If so, when and where? What needs to be prepared for this meeting? Don’t expect or wait for someone else to do it, step up to the plate and definitively ask what the next step is going to be.

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