3 Ways to Ensure Your Sales Presentation Skills are Honed
We often think of the sales process as one brief period of time.
In reality, you give three different sales presentations every single day:
- The one you prepare for
- The one you actually give
- The one you should have given
I’ll go on the assumption that you are spending adequate time in preparation (Presentation #1). And the actual presentation is a given; it’s what you just did earlier today (Presentation #2).
So let’s focus on Presentation #3. Or what I call “The Third Presentation”.
Too often we finish a sales presentation and move quickly on to the next task on our list (return calls, e-mails, admin, etc.). But think about it for a moment. What are you missing in this critical moment? Could there be room for improvement in your sales presentation skills?
In the gap between Presentation #2 and The Third Presentation exists an amazing growth opportunity!
The difference between the actual and the ideal represents a curriculum of sorts. If you can identify the “growth in the gap”, you can transform your actual presentation into an incredible future presentation.
Here is a really simple example. When I first learned to snowboard some ten years ago, I decided in advance that I would not be one of those poor saps you see sitting in the snow all day long in utter frustration.
I decided in advance that when I fell (not if, when) I would immediately get back on my feet and diagnose what went wrong. That evaluative process greatly sped up my learning curve, and I was on intermediate runs by lunchtime on day one.
If you want to master The Third Presentation, follow these three steps:
Build a Self-Assessment Habit
It takes time and focus, but you can train your brain to spend just a few minutes analyzing each presentation you give. Write notes to yourself if you need to or ask for accountability from someone around you.
By establishing this habit right away you are setting yourself up for success.
Ask the Tough Questions
Did I take that sale as far as it could have gone? Were there glaring moments of discomfort? Did I get stumped? If I had a do-over, what would I do differently?
Be brutally honest in the answers – this is the important part of the exercise.
Rehearse the Minutiae
Find an area of incremental improvement and start to work. The key here is to identify something small but significant. Target 15 to 30-second chunks of your presentation and fine-tune each one (10 to 15 seconds is even better if you can reach that level of detail!).
If some portions of your presentation last longer than 30 seconds, then break those portions into smaller chunks.
Does that sound repetitive and grueling to you?
Well, then, welcome to the world of mastery!
Everyone says they want to get better at what they do. But ignoring the lessons of The Third Presentation will keep you stuck in your old habits and mired in your old ways.
Learn how to master The Third Presentation …and you will change someone’s world.
