If you’re in the world of marketing today, you know that B2B sales are not what they used to be. First, according to Salesforce, today 70% of a buyer’s journey is complete before they even reach out to the company. Second, the number of people typically involved in a B2B sales process increased from 5.4 to 6.8 in just a couple of years. That’s a lot of people you need to convince.
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So, how are all these potential buyers warming themselves up and progressing through the buying process on their own — without any direct involvement from sales personnel? They interact with your sales materials. For instance, your sales deck.
While the sales deck can still sometimes be used in a face-to-face meeting, as in decades past, today it is more likely to be sent to potential clients, investors and partners to provide a quick overview of your company and how it can solve their problems, or be used for lead generation.
Therefore, your sales deck is your ultimate chance to introduce yourself effectively to the prospect and present your sales pitch to them. Yet, many companies keep making the same mistakes that don’t serve them well: Using outdated, lackluster presentation software; failing to tell a compelling story; presenting the sales pitch too early; and so on and so forth.
Thankfully, the rise of new powerpoint alternatives today has made it easier than ever before to make beautiful, convincing presentations that close deals. Here is how to make your sales deck more impactful and hook your potential client in the first few slides.
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Focus on the client
Sure, you’re making a presentation about your company, but its focus should be not on your business, but on your client and their needs.
Put yourself in your potential buyer’s shoes; imagine their goals, challenges, and objectives. Address those in your presentation and outline how your company can solve them.
Use case studies and testimonials as well as relevant statistics that will speak to your client’s needs. If you can, include visually compelling “before/after” case studies demonstrating the success of your product or service.
Tell a story
Even though it’s called a “sales deck”, the actual sales pitch should be an afterthought, not the center of your presentation. Remember, you’re talking to a person, and people love stories. Tell a story worth telling and your sales deck will sell itself.
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Use compelling visuals
In today’s world of information overload, the quality of your visuals matters more than ever. Luckily, Powerpoint alternatives abound, so you don’t have to use clever animations to catch the attention of your viewer (in fact, you’d be better off without them). Nothing pleases the eye more and conveys your message better than one professional, compelling photo.
Modern presentation software allows you to use templates to create clean and convincing presentations quickly and effectively. So replace or complement words with visuals whenever you can.
Keep it short
According to Time Inc, people’s attention span has decreased significantly in recent years. So if you’re rambling on and on, you can be sure that you’ve lost your audience. In today’s world, less is more. Ideally, keep it to one message per slide, and make it as succinct as possible.
Leave your audience wanting more. After all, that confidence — paired with a super solid, professional sales pitch deck — is the winning combination for closing that next big deal.
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