7 Tips for Creating a Great Sales Presentation

Everyone in B2B sales knows the value of sales presentations. A great presentation can drive a deal to closing, while a bad presentation can turn an opportunity stone cold. Preparing an effective presentation does not have to be stressful or nerve-wracking.

These seven tips will get you on the right track for creating high quality sales presentations that have a big impact with your buyers:

1. Know Your Audience

Put yourself in your audience's shoes. Who are they? What motivates them? What are they interested in and what do they want to hear? Most importantly, what do you want them to walk away with? By learning all you can your prospect and their business, you can better create a presentation that they'll actually want to see.

2. Identify Your Key Talking Points

A lot of the time, the most you can expect your audience to retain from a presentation are two to three main points, so make sure those points are high-impact, relevant and memorable. Remember: tell them what you are going to tell them. Tell them. Then tell them what you told them. This repetitive process will reinforce your message and keep you on track during delivery.

3. Create an Outline

Create an outline of the concepts or ideas you are going to cover. This will frame your presentation and help you create supporting slides.  Your outline might look something like this…

Opening Statement – Set the tone for your presentation, capturing the audience’s attention and building rapport.

Purpose – Tell why you are here and why they should listen to you.

Key Points and Objectives – Tell what you are going to say and how you are going to say it.

Closing Statement – Repeat your purpose and summarize and end on a positive note. After all, this is the last thing your audience will walk away with.

4. Do the "Who Cares?" Test

Give your outline the “Who Cares” test by going through your topics and talking points and ask “Who really cares about this point? Should I cover it?” If the answer to the first question is "nobody," the answer to the second question should be a definitive "no." Take it out of your script.

5. Prepare the Script

Having a well-written script will help you deliver your message with confidence. It lets you write out the things that you want to say and helps you refine your message moving forward. Your script should not be written word for word. Just give it a  little more detail than your outline so that your talking points have depth. Only include what matters and try not to use words that you wouldn’t normally use.

6. Build Your Slides Around Your Message

Once you have your script, create your supporting slides. Keep in mind that the point of your slides is to better illustrate what you are going to say, not tell the entire story, so keep them simple and avoid clutter. The audience is going to read the slide the second it appears on screen, so makes sure the points on the screen are addressing the topic you are discussing and not jumping ahead.

You should be the focus of the presentation. Your  slides are there to support you.

7. Practice, Practice, Practice

You’ve identified your key points, created your script and built your slides. Now it is time to practice.

Practicing often builds your comfort-level with the script and helps identify refinements you want to make. Make sure your presentation flows and addresses your key value points. Check your timing. If you only have an hour to present, end your presentation in time to allow for questions and answers or discussion.

Follow these 7 tips for creating a great sales presentation, and you'll be one step closer to nailing that deal. Good luck! 

What's your go-to tip for preparing a great sales presentation? Let us know in the comments!