Archive for the ‘Sales Presentations’ Category

How Will You be Different for Your Clients in 2010?

January 11th, 2010 |1 comment

With 2010 promising more than 2009 ever could, how will you be different for your clients? Will your sales team visit them and offer the same products in the same old way, just hoping that they will need your products this time?

Or will you enable them to be different. Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Break the mould: Give staff permission to vary the traditional sales presentation. If the client sees the 2010 sales presentation as 2009 extended, why would they pay attention? They have seen it before!
  2. Then jump on the bits of the mould: Encourage your staff to try something different. Just because your staff have permission to try something new in the sales presentation side does not mean that they will. Actively encourage them to be different.
  3. Equip them: Give them the tools to be different. This includes training, support material and maybe even pricing structures (though this is not as important). If you want things to change, how will they change unless you drive the changes with a new approach?
  4. Get ideas from industries not related to you. If you are in the superannuation game, look at what the food sector is doing to sell their product. You will be amazed at what you can learn. If you look at your own industry too much you will put the blinkers on to what is possible. Industry experts have their place, but keep your eyes open for someone who knows nothing about what you do. That is the person who will question the norm.

If 2010 is to be different to 2009, how will YOU make it different. As always, your thoughts are appreciated below….

Cheers,

Darren Fleming


The 5 minute Annual Sales Conference

December 10th, 2009 |no comments

Keep you team and audience interested at the next sales conference by insisting that every person presenting does a lightning talk. These are the instructions:

1. Maximum time allowed: 5 min + Q&A time (time set by you)
2. Slides: Every speaker has 20 slides (no more; no less)
3. Slide transition: Slides automatically move on after 15 seconds (slides cannot be repeated or returned too)
4. No logos on the screen (we know who you work for!)
5. Lights in room stay turned on.

What is the result:
1. Speakers who focus in on their message
2. Speakers who do not waffle
3. Speaker who know their material because they cannot read the slides
4. Audience members who can remain awake through what would otherwise be boring presentations
5. Shorter and more enjoyable presentations

This is how lightning talks work. http://vimeo.com/7021316

Will this work for sales conferences? YES. You just need to be in tune with your message.

Follow these instructions and the annual sales conference will be worth attending for more than just the boozy nights!

Cheers

Darren Fleming


Comfort vs. Competence

November 23rd, 2009 |2 comments

Many people say that they are comfortable when speaking to groups. Unfortunately comfort rarely equals competence.

What they mean by saying they are comfortable is that they do not feel nervous when standing in front of a group. This is not usually a good thing. Elton John once told Andrew Denton that he is always nervous before his concerts. He is not alone in performers who feel this way.

Being comfortable has nothing to do with how effective your presentation will be. Effective presentations are about connecting with your audience and having them adopt your message. They are not about you feeling comfortable.

Feel the energy that the opportunity to present gives you. Don’t call it nervousness; call it excitement!

As always, your thoughts on this are appreciated.


Has Westpac got it wrong?

November 11th, 2009 |3 comments

Westpac Banking Corporation in Australia recently launched their TV advert campaign about how they have changed. The campaign highlights that they are now more customer focused. The only problem is, the ads are not saying that.

The key line in all the ads is ‘I am… We are…’ then they explain what that means. Their explanation includes being ‘Factor 30 sunscreen’, ‘not swimming for 30 minutes after eating’ (what ever that means!) and other lines aimed at getting Gen X & Y to remember the fun of their childhood.

But I don’t care about Westpac – I care about me, in the same was as you care about you.

Your thoughts please…….

Cheers

Darren Fleming


The Solution

October 28th, 2009 |no comments

Often we have to present information that we don’t think our audience will understand or accept. This new information may be moving them away from what they have always believed or it may be stretching them to consider doing something completely different. It may simply be beyond their level of comprehension. The question is, ‘How do we get around it?’

The solution is always based on the problem. Here are the steps:

1. Tell the audience that you will be sharing something new (prepares for learning)
2. Tell them the benefits of what you are presenting (WIIFM)
3. Tell them who will be doing this in the future (third party endorsement)
4. Tell them that it may take a few explanations to get it – and that you want them to question it (shows strength of argument)
5. Tell them why industry leaders will be adopting your new ideas (gets the audience to self-select as industry leaders)
6. Tell them what your idea is.

Please share your thoughts below.

Cheers, Darren


PowerPoint and your Logo – an unhealthy relationship

October 21st, 2009 |no comments

Ever since PowerPoint invaded the world 10+ years ago, the marketing department has insisted that the company logo must be on ALL the slides. It’s now time to move on from that and here’s why:

1. Clients don’t really care about your logo. Let’s face it, do you care about another companies logo and want to see it all the time?
2. You don’t need your logo for branding during the presentation. If the audience cannot remember where you are from during your presentation you’ve got work to do and your logo wont fix it.
3. How excited are you to see Channel 7 put the Olympic logo up 12 months out from the Olympics – annoying isn’t it
4. More often than not, the logo will detract from pictures on the screen. The last thing you want is your logo standing out as something that doesn’t fit in.

Next time, Go Zen – less is more.

Cheers

Darren Fleming


World Class PowerPoint

October 16th, 2009 |4 comments

The next time you have to give any sort of presentation using PowerPoint, try this:
1. Decide what your main points will be.
2. Visit www.istockphoto.com
3. Search for a picture that conveys your idea. For example, if your main point is about performance, look for a picture that shows performance. This could range anywhere from a picture of Formula 1 racing car through to a couple competing in Ballroom dancing. It all depends on the type of performance you are after.
4. Buy the picture (typically about $2-$5)
5. Make the picture as big as the screen.
6. Place minimal text on the slide.
7. Leave the 1 slide up for the whole time you are speaking about that main point (could 10 minutes!)

I guarantee that your audience will not have seen this type of business presentaiton before, and you will be remembered for it….and after all that is what you want!

What is your opinion on this?

Cheers

Darren Fleming


What are You Saying?

October 8th, 2009 |3 comments

There are 3 meanings that can be attributed to any message. The meanings change depending on our thoughts.

The fist meaning is the meaning that you attribute to the message. eg ‘Can you come here when you get a chance’ to you means ‘Can you come here now’

The second meaning is the meaning that the other person hears. eg. ‘Can you come here when you get a chance’ to them means, ‘No hurry, but I want to show you something if you want to see it’

The final meaning is the literal interpretation. ‘Can you come here when you get a chance’ means ‘You decide if you want to come and when you want to come.’

Next time someone misunderstands your message, or does not do what you want them to do, consider if they got the message as you intended them too.


Social Media Has Changed Us

September 21st, 2009 |3 comments

Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and other have changed the way that we communicate. Like it or not, we need to conform to get through.

This does not mean that you have to start tweeting, playing Mafia wars on Facebook or put your resume up on LinkedIn. It means that we have to reduce our message to it’s bear essentials so people will give us a chance. Twitter only allows 144 characters to get your message across. Today, a long messages that takes ages to to be delivered will be ignored, even if delivered face-to-face. People just have too much information that they are trying to sort through to wait around for you to get to the point.

Are your sales presentations getting to the point? Or do you use slides filled with bullet point after bullet point after bullet point?

%name%, communication has changed. Have you changed with it?


How to Give World Class Business Presentations

June 4th, 2009 |1 comment

When you are speaking, you are selling.

You could be selling your latest widget to your next customer, your ideas to your staff, or selling yourself in your annual performance review. What ever it is, you are selling.

But the reality is the results that you achieve will be a direct result of how well you present your ideas, as opposed to how good your ideas are. The world is full of bad ideas that were sold correctly, while the good ideas die with their creator.

If you want to sell more products, if you want your staff to listen to you, or if you want to be able to get that pay rise, you need to be able to sell your ideas, and sell them well.

Recorded in front of a live audience, in this audio will give you the reasons why you need to:

  • Include stories in your next presentation
  • Control the room from the moment you enter it
  • Why you need to make your very first word interesting
  • Why PowerPoint fails more often than it succeeds…and

The one thing you must remember at the start of every presentation so your audience will listen to you

At just $15, this could just be the best investment you make in your next Business Presentation.

Get it now


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