As a B2B sales professional, the presentation phase of the sales process is a crucial moment in moving a deal forward, closer to a close.
It is your chance to demonstrate how your product or service helps solve the customers business problem, and the benefits from the outcomes that they will experience.
This is the challenge many sellers face when working through the process. Where there is not enough value offered within a presentation, or it is delivered as a canned, scripted, bland experience, there likelihood of entering into any serious commercial conversations will be low.
How can you avoid the possibility of not moving into a negotiation phase in your sales cycle. Here are three key points to consider:
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- Tailor your pitch to the specific needs of your potential customer. Understand their business, their business problems, and what they’re looking to achieve as a successful outcome. By leading to your solution, and not with your solution, thereby helping the customer see themselves achieving success through meeting their goals and overcoming any challenges they may be facing, you increase your chances of further, serious conversations.
- Build trust and rapport with your potential customer. This can be achieved through effective communication, active listening, and being able to answering their questions or concerns about how to you can them achieve their outcome vs. highlighting features and benefits for parts that they may not even use in your solution. Building trust and rapport is essential in order to establish a sense of credibility and reliability, which is crucial in the B2B sales process.
- Be prepared for objections and have a plan to address them. Anticipating potential objections and having a plan to address them can help you to overcome any obstacles that may arise during the proposal phase. Seek them out. Ask for them. Embrace them. The customer will be looking for a reason to disqualify you during the presentation phase. Having a frame of reference of potential objections and being willing to address them (good, bad or ugly) will show that you are serious about wanting to move forward and not a note taker, looking to send a canned response after the presentation.
By focusing on the customer’s outcomes and success rather then your solutions’ features and benefits, you will stand out from any competition and will see an improved conversation rate of moving your sales process ahead after the presentation.
Here are five key indicators that your presentation has added value to a level that a B2B buyer would want to move into a more formal negotiation phase with you:
- Asking for detailed information about the product or service: If a B2B buyer is showing interest in moving forward, they will likely ask for more detailed information about the product or service, such as specifications, pricing, or case studies.
- Expressing a sense of urgency: A buyer who is ready to move forward will often express a sense of urgency in their communications, such as stating that they need to make a decision soon or that they have a specific deadline.
- Bringing in other decision makers: A buyer who is interested in moving forward will often involve other decision makers in the process, such as their manager or other members of their team.
- Discussing specific terms and contracts: A buyer who is ready to move forward will begin discussing specific terms and contracts, such as payment terms, warranties, and delivery schedules.
- Requesting a formal proposal: A buyer who is ready to move forward will often request a formal proposal or quote, which is a strong indication that they are interested in moving forward with the sale.
Your job is not done yet. This is truly where the fun begins in the negotiation phase. For now, let’s focus on getting past the boring presentation and be thrilled to be a part of an engaging and elevated conversation with the buyer that will help you #winthedeal.
