For much too long now the business world has seen presentations as very formal events, talking at the audience, delivering very polished scripted content, with big reveals to add wow factor. And of course for a long time we have relied on PowerPoint to help us do all of that!
For sales professionals trying to make an impact on a new prospect there is really one key objective:
You need to be memorable.
This is more important than ever because the chances are that your prospect is going to need some time before they make their final decision to buy. It’s rare that people will sign on the dotted line in their very first contact with you.
Whether you speak to your prospects in person or over the phone, Prezi can help you deliver a conversational presentation that people won’t forget!
Forget presentations and have conversations.
Do you ever plan and script out conversations with your friends? My guess is you don’t, and yet conversations you have with friends are always really memorable. You can always listen very easily, you feel involved in the conversation, and you can give your input at any time.
If we scripted our chats with friends and only talked at them without asking for any input back then we probably wouldn’t have these friends for long!
Now of course we aren’t saying you should just completely wing it in your next sales presentation. You do of course need to plan and think about what you are going to cover, but it doesn’t have to be a one way street. You can start to use a conversational style in your presentations by doing some of the following things:
- Recored yourself speaking rather than write a formal script. That can help you adopt a more relaxed conversational style that people will find easier to listen and engage with. You can type up the recording if you need a document to practice from later
- Ask your prospect what’s most important to them first, before you start your presentation with something that isn’t high on their agenda
- Know your audience and use terminology that they can understand. If they aren’t a technical person then avoid jargon completely
- Ask rhetorical questions so that your audience feels they are answering things you ask along the way. Make them feel like they are making their own mind up and they will be encouraged to listen more
- Focus on audience members when you present. If you have a room of 3 people or 30 people, make sure you give plenty of eye contact and actually talk to individuals rather than focus on an imaginary entity at the back of the room
- Relax! Presenting can be pretty nerve wrecking, but if you approach it in the conversational way people will appreciate that you aren’t just reeling off a script and they also won’t focus on how nervous you look rather than the content you deliver
There are tonnes more tips on conversational presenting, and as a small business owner who does a lot of his own sales I would personally recommend this approach when in front of your new prospects.
So how can Prezi also help with this new way of presenting?
Prezi aids the conversational flow
Any of you who tune in to my blogs or free webinars regularly will have heard me talk lots about the power of building non-linear presentations with Prezi. You can view more on this exciting area of Prezi in the video below:
It is really easy to set up a layout in Prezi that contains all of your content and makes it possible for you to transition to any area you chose. This means that you can ask your audience…
What do you want to focus on?
…and then go straight to that part of your Prezi. You won’t need to try and remember the slide number, or blank out the screen whilst you frantically try to find the content. Prezi makes this focus on content extremely quick and easy to navigate on the canvass.
You can sign up to one of our upcoming Webinars to learn more on this subject.
Present anywhere with Prezi
Built into the Prezi software is the option to present remotely. You pay no extra for this feature and it means that anyone with an internet connection can click on a link you send them and see your Prezi online whilst you talk them through it. That can be quite an impressive way to present to a new prospect, and it’s worth knowing that you can actually send the same link to 30 people at once.
If you really can’t get the prospect on the phone, or meet them in person then you might want to send them a link to view your Prezi online. You can see some examples of embedded Prezi’s here. This will enable the prospect to click through your presentation at their own pace and focus on the areas that are most important to them. If you want this experience to feel slightly more personal then try adding audio narration to your Prezi. This will make the prospect feel like you are presenting to them, and that could help them engage and listen a lot more than just reading text.
Conversations can win more business
I can honestly say that I have won business for my company by presenting in this way, but don’t just take my word for it. Have a look at some great examples of sales teams using Prezi and seeing massive success in this great new Prezi blog.
People are tired of being talked at during a presentation, and they love getting involved during meetings of all kinds. It’s no longer a one way street of the presenter just trying to look good when standing up to deliver. More than ever it’s about good sharing of ideas and products to help uncover requirements and objections that all help lead to new sales.
I hope you have fun in your next present conversation.
