Creating Exciting Sales Presentations

One of the things sales trainer Jim Meisenheimer talks about the most is being different. Think about how many sales calls your prospect gets each day - who's he going to call back, the person who leaves a message with no value, or the person who devises a creative way to reach out to him? The same thing goes for sales presentations. Prospects see the PowerPoint go on and they immediately tune out. Start them off with a story or provocative question, and you're on the right track. Today, Meisenheimer gives us the four best ways to start and end a sales presentation. Then he'll be back tomorrow with nine ways to jazz up those presentations once you've started.

"Most salespeople are strong conversationalists when sitting down and talking with customers," says Meisenheimer. "When asked to deliver a presentation standing up, the dynamics can change dramatically for you if you're not prepared. You can easily make every stand-up presentation a conversation with your audience, regardless of size. Here's how."

The two most memorable parts of a stand-up presentation are the beginning and the end. The four easiest and most powerful ways to begin and end your presentations include:

1. Start with an exciting quotation that you can link to your presentation.

2. Begin your presentation with a compelling statement. Seven years ago, I gave a sales presentation titled, The 12 Best Ways To Increase Sales, Earn More Money, And Have More Fun. I began my presentation with, "There's not a single thing I can do for you today, to show you how to increase sales, earn more money, and have more fun. Not one thing ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to share 12 creative ideas with you today."

3. Start your sales presentation with a rhetorical question that creates a transition into your presentation.

4. One of the best audience grabbers is to start your sales presentation with a short story. Beginning your presentation with a success story that involves someone in your audience is even more powerful.

The next time you're preparing how to begin and how to end one of your sales presentations consider one of these proven approaches.

Jim Meisenheimer publishes The No-Brainer Selling Tips Newsletter, a fresh and high content newsletter dedicated to helping you grow your business and multiply your income. Use this link to sign-up for Jim's F-R-E-E The Start Selling More Newsletter and to get your copy of his Special Report titled, "The 12 Dumbest Things Salespeople Do."