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Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but Compelling affects more senses, as it ultimately resonates in one’s brain and one’s gut. A compelling message appeals to both your sense of logic and your emotions – seeking out pleasure and avoiding the risk of pain. (FYI: behavioral economics has demonstrated that avoiding pain is more desirable than seeking pleasure!) Like beauty, it’s defined not by you but the beholder.
Compelling also is more than just a litany of the benefits of your product or service. It has to address the context in which they decision is made, in terms of the audience’s willingness to receive information and the availability of other options. For instance, just because your company’s sales and profits are growing, that doesn’t mean it will do so FASTER than your competitors nor does it mean it presents FEWER RISKS. And without addressing such issues, an investor presentation is not compelling.
Therefore, keep these 6 attributes in mind when you’re trying to decide whether your presentation is compelling. Is it:
- Succinct – Attention spans are shorter today than every before.
- Engaging – Audience wants to hear and see more
- Persuasive – The argument is structured to guide you through the typical decision process
- Trustworthy – The presenter appears authentic and dependable
- Rewarding – Taking the desired action leads to greater benefits than other available opportunities
- Safe – The risks of the action are minimized when compared to the potential rewards
A common sales myth is that you make a sales presentation. Most B2B sales are not impulse-driven but the result of a set of sales presentations, which, when coordinated properly, produce the end result: buying.
The danger of the myth is that companies don't coordinate all aspects of the presentation-related events. Typically, buyers have to develop trust and confidence in:
- the product or service
- the company's ability to stand behind it over time
- the sales team/person's ability to tailor the product/service to meet the buyer's needs today and tomorrow.
A sales "presentation" includes all the buyer/company touch-points from receptionists to website presentation. All must be aligned to deliver, powerfully the key messages of why the buyer should choose your company, product and sales person. There has to be a clear and convincing, rational and emotional triggered communication of its competitive advantage. Without it, the sales person has to work harder than necessary to get the message across, as he/she has to overcome fear of risk, uncertainty about long-term success, and doubt as to the benefit. This produces an unnecessary expenditure of sales effort or, even worse, loses the sale entirely.
The sales team must make sure all elements of the sales-chain are aligned and focused. Depending on which stage you're in, the presentation content differs because it's addressing the concerns of different people.
- The Scout wants to identify firms providing needed products and services
- The Qualifier wants the detailed features: does the product/service meet the company's specifications
- The Decision-Maker (and team of influentials) needs to determine whether he wants to be held accountable for making the decision, given the implications for his organization.
The key to success is orchestrating the presentation's message and means of delivery so all the parts are aligned and reinforce one another. Whether you're coordinating a presentation by a tightly knit team (e.g., responding to an RFP) or coordinating customer service, sales and operations, you want to make sure that everyone looks and sounds like they are working together. Just as everyone on a relay team has to pass the baton smoothly to the next person, each person in a sales team needs to perform their part without gaps or unnecessary repition.
The task, therefore of the sales director, is to be an effective "orchestra conductor" making sure that all the "instruments" are delivering complementary components of a powerful message that compel the audience to take the desired action: BUY!
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During
this program we'll practice by delivering your own presentation, and getting
feedback from video & group. To promote your company, service or product -
and your career, don't miss this workshop. To register for the Early Bird Special, 
