Turning Good Sales Presentations Into Great Ones

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How do you get busy people to listen? How do you attract attention with so many people on mobile devices and easily distracted during your presentation? Follow these 3 easy steps to win attention.

 

Knowing the answer provides the secret for turning good sales presentations into great ones.

 

Think of great sales presentations as a three-act play. Act I, grab attention. Act II, keep attention. Act III, drive attention into action.

Funny, right? It seems, well…how shall I say, overly simplistic. But when you’re staring at a blank screen and a blinking cursor, simplicity is your friend.

 

Now, let’s blast through the stages so you can carry on building your awesome play.

 

Act I. Grab Attention

 

Start your presentation with a clear and compelling message. Focus attention in the first 7 seconds so your audience immediately is with you.

 

One of the fastest ways to jolt your audience to take notice is to shock them. Share a shocking statistic. Show a compelling picture. Pull hard to rock people out of distraction.

 

Tip: check industry websites for breaking news. Often the latest news is the perfect touch to position your message in the spotlight of extreme importance and urgency. Not only are you highlighting that you are up to date and on top of current events. You are also showing that your presentation is specific for each audience. Plus, you’ll build powerful rapport by showing your care and commitment to provide value.

 

Act II. Keep Attention

Getting attention is hard. Keeping attention can be even harder. Unless you know a few insider secrets.

 

Think in terms of 3 options. Media. Message. Market.

 

Media: Switch media to captivate and hold focus. If you’ve started with PowerPoint, switch to an interactive conversation at the whiteboard. If you’ve started at the whiteboard, transition to an audience activity. If you’ve started with a story, show a critical piece of physical evidence.

In short: change the media.

 

Message: As you switch to diverse media, find new ways to say, show, tell, interact and experience your focused message. Tell a story. Show a picture. Share a video. Provide an exercise. Offer a customer experience. The result? Your message will come across loud and clear—through a multi-faceted story.

 

Market: Match your strategies to keep attention to fit your market. Adjust stories to connect with the people in the room. Adapt your examples, visuals and exercises. The more you match your audience, the faster you will keep their attention.

 

Act III. Drive Attention Into Action

In your third and final act of your great sales presentation, direct attention towards action. Add sparkle and polish with examples of action, benefits of action, rewards of action, and stories about people who take action.

 

For Act III to work remarkably well, consider it a culmination of the previous two acts. You’ll have spun the threads that weave through your entire sales presentation and in the final act; you’ll pull everything together for a dramatic finale.

 

If giving sales presentations is part of your job or business, remember these three essential stages for success. Want your sales presentation to grab attention, keep attention, and drive attention into action? It pays to have some fun along the way. Do this and you’ll go from good to great to exceptional.