One of the most powerful sales tools is often abused and can be an obstacle to effective selling. I have lost count of the sales people that I have interviewed over the years who seemed credible but were incapable of making an effective sales presentation. They immediately forget all the things their sales training and learning has taught them and produce something unstructured that fails to meet the needs of the audience – who is their prospect. The clue to the solution is in the first word of my title – Preparation. There are many books on the subject and thousands of web pages. Here is a system that works for me.

Objectives and Take-Away

• Write down the objectives of the talk – from the audience perspective.

• Write down the Take-Aways – the 3 or 4 things you want the audience to remember at the end of your presentation. This gives you two advantages:

  • The audience has something to focus on

  • When you rehearse and find you are 10 minutes over time, this list is the ultimate guide to cutting irrelevant content.

Storyboard

Sketch the main points on a scrap of paper. I usually draw a grid to represent the number of slides or visual aids. Then add in a summary point at the front – tell them what you are going to tell them. And one at the end – tell them what you told them. Here is a grid that I might use for a 15 to 20 minute talk.

The introduction is the point where you confirm the audience objectives for the presentation. You have been granted time to make this presentation for a reason and you must already know what your audience’s objectives are – but it pays to double-check and to confirm.

Outline

Now you have enough detail to start to write the outline of your talk. Refer back to your objectives and Take-Away list as you go – to ensure that content remains relevant to the audience and to your objectives.

Script / notes

If your outline makes sense, you can now start to add details to each of your points. I try to void a verbatim script for the final version and use bullet point notes. Use a system that works for you. Think in terms of:

• Evidence, facts and data to support your point

• Clarification of complex points to prevent misunderstanding

• Anecdotes that support your point

• Questions you will ask the audience to check that you are meeting their objectives

• Interaction, especially for longer sessions, keeps audience interest and reinforces the points you are making

Visual aids

Now produce any slides. Make them visually appealing. Avoid large amounts of text that you may be tempted to read verbatim – the rule of 6 is a helpful guide – max 6 bullets per slide, max 6 words per bullet. Better still, use graphics and images that reinforce and support the points you are making. Beware the complex features of PowerPoint – if animations add clarity then use them – sparingly. There are lots of web guides to help you with PowerPoint.

Rehearsal

Rehearse your talk. Stand up to do this. Time yourself. Mark sections that need more work as you go.

Refine

Go back to your notes and refine them. Fix the errors you found in the first rehearsal. Cut back on the content to get into the time allowed. There is nothing worse than reaching the end of your allotted time with 40% of your content remaining.

Rehearsal

Rehearse your talk again. Check the timing. Make sure the visual aids add value to the content. Get someone to act as your audience and to offer constructive suggestions at the end of your rehearsal. In particular, ask your helper to tell you the 3 things they remember having listened to your talk. Their list should match the Take-Away list you wrote down when you started this process. If necessary (and it often is) – go back and refine your content again. Then rehearse again and check the timing. If your presentation is in a large, unfamiliar, room to a large audience, finding time for a dress rehearsal at the venue is well worth-while.

Back-up x 3

Make back-ups of any files you have created. I usually go for 3, plus the computer that is being used on the day. For major events, a back-up PC is a good plan too!

This was a guest post by Paul Fileman of Results-Zone. Results-Zone bring extensive knowledge and experience gained in Blue Chip organisations to businesses like yours. They ensure that your business is fully exploiting a well thought through operating plan. They work alongside you and your team – as business results managers. They ensure that your team and your business are elevated to the results-zone. They bring you “hands-on” experience – similar to employing high quality management skills without the risk or costs in recruiting full time employees.

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