Presenting the Solution

Guest post by: Colly Graham
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Asking the Right Questions - By Colly Graham

Know your audience.
Tailor your presentation to your prospective customers. To do that, consider what they are likely to need from you. Use terminology they'll understand and make sure you are familiar with their business jargon. That will help you to establish common ground with them.

Be honest. If you don't know the answer to a question, don't try to answer it. There's nothing wrong with admitting uncertainty. At the same time, be sure to play up your strengths -- including the ability to learn what you must to serve the client's needs.

Create an outline. A good sales presentation has four main sections; each section is described below. Just don't be a slave to your outline -- be prepared to use your notes as a departure point for improvisations that suit a particular audience or situation.

The Four Components of a Strong Presentation

1. The introduction. Begin by thanking your prospective customers. Let them know that you are glad to be there and convey how enthusiastic you are about the things you can do for their firm. If you had help in preparing your proposal, give a quick word of thanks and acknowledgment to the people who assisted you.

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2. The body. Offer a clear, concise and convincing description of the benefits you can provide to your prospective customers. Be specific and offer concrete examples. Highlight your expertise, the methods you would use to apply it and the benefits that will result from choosing your firm.

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3. The conclusion. Summarise the body of your talk. Once again, highlight the likely benefits of doing business with your company. Thank everyone in the audience.

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4. The Q&A. Offer the opportunity to clarify any points in the body of your talk and emphasise your company's strengths. Try to anticipate important questions before your talk so you can formulate answers. Restate questions so everyone in the audience can hear them, then keep your answers brief and to the point. Remember: If you can't answer a question, don't try.

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Free PDF Download
Asking the Right Questions - By Colly Graham

About the Author: Colly Graham

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Colly Graham CEO of salesxcellence After graduating from college, Colly entered the field of accountancy however after five years decided to change his career direction in sales. First working for a Fortune 500 company in fast moving consumer goods, his career progressed from selling capital equipment, financial services to internet services, with a wide management experience in both telephone and field sales, concentrating on the recruitment, training and development of sales people, in this role he gained experience in designing and building a number of successful sales teams. Colly brings thirty years of practical experience of selling and his ability to empathize with sales people and establish immediate rapport and credibility as a trainer, (the accolade Colly receives from most sales people is “that he has carried the bag”). A licensed practitioner of NLP Colly trained with Richard Bandler in 1998. When I entered the field of sales, back in 1969, with local franchise holder for Pepsi Cola because of my lack of knowledge of any selling skills I set a goal, to one day, start my own training company. As my career in sales progressed becoming a sales manager, group
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