Presenting Your Products and Services – Sales Series Part VI

By Action Coach Dave Beam

Well, here it is at last.  You have established a great relationship with your prospect, positioned them well, and asked the best questions so that you have a great understanding of what they want and how they will buy.  Once you create an agreement with them concerning what they are looking for, it is time to present your solution; your proposal.

This is the point where many salespeople lose the game.  They wander away from their prospect into a world of their own, talking too much about themselves, their company, and details about what they have to sell.  Don’t misunderstand, the prospect does want and need to know about your company and your product and services, and some people want more information than others.  But your prospect absolutely does NOT want to be bored or blasted.  Though you talk a little more in this part of the process, it still must be a conversation.

The key to an effective presentation is tying every point back to the agreed needs.  You must connect everything you say to a communicated need of the prospect.  The script would sound like this: “First, George, my understanding is that you want your living room painted teak brown with a stain resistant paint because of the grand children!  We use only Acme brand big bucks paint, which carries a washability guarantee, which means it can be easily cleaned without fading.  How does that sound with what you had in mind? (George hopefully agrees that is exactly what he wants).  Second, you want the work to begin on Monday in two weeks, and be completed in one week.  You will be going on vacation and what us to do the work while you are gone and be finished when you return.  We can definitely meet that schedule, and are completely bonded so you don’t need to worry about our access to your home.  We will have this completed when you return, and you won’t even know we were there, other than your beautiful living room.  Does that sound like it will work for you? (If you have done your great questions, you’ll be right on target).  Finally, you mentioned that the last time you had contractors, the neighbors complained about the rusted out truck and unsavory characters smoking on your front porch.  Our vehicles are clearly identified and look very nice, and our technicians don’t smoke and always leave the property to take their lunch break.  Does that sound good to you?

If you have positioned, asked great questions, listened, agreed, and now summarized your products and services, you are ready to ask for the commitment.  We’ll address that next week.