How to Improve Your Sales Presentation
Here's a quick tool to strengthen your sales presentations: a list of the 20 most common errors that people make when giving presentations, along with some "rule of thumb" advice.
Each error in the list links to a page where that particular error (and the fix for that error) is discussed in more detail. I've also included links to Sales Machine posts that are of particular interest to sales presenters.
- #1: Presentation too long. Fix: cut your slides in half.
- #2: Graphics too complex. Fix: highlight relevant portions.
- #3: Reading from slides. Fix: Simple slides; speak off the cuff.
- #4: Unreadable fonts. Fix: Check slides from back of room.
- #5: Repeating yourself. Fix: Summarize, then new stuff.
- #6: Busy backgrounds. Fix: Single color backgrounds only.
- #7: Too many opinions. Fix: Replace opinions with facts.
- #8: Jargon and biz blab. Fix: Speak as to a family member.
- #9: Irrelevant data. Fix: Cut the information to the bone.
- #10: Cheap clip art. Fix: Use high quality art or nothing.
- #11: Skipping around. Fix: Restructure before presenting.
- #12: Wrong audience. Fix: Customize your slides.
- #13: Technical difficulties. Fix: Check out the setup.
- #14: Long introduction. Fix: Two sentences at most.
- #15: Trying to be funny. Fix: Omit the jokes.
- #16: Fancy Slides. Fix: Keep it simple, stupid.
- #17: Not enough story. Fix: Talk about people not data.
- #18: Meandering. Fix: Focus on your take-away.
- #19: Discussion rat holes. Fix: Maintain control.
- #20: Wrong time. Fix: No end-of-day or right-before-holiday.