The linear B2B presentation is dead! With these 7 tips your interactive sales pitch is guaranteed to be a success
You can create the greatest and most innovative product and invest vast amounts of time and money in technological progress, but if you can't sell your work accordingly, you won't be successful. In the intensified battle for the attention of customers, it is therefore essential to find communication media that fit the claim of a forward-looking company and make it tangible as such. The (sales) secret therefore lies in modern and dynamic tools with which you can not only inform your customers, but above all entertain them and bind them emotionally. In the following seven tips, we'll tell you how you can achieve this in the form of interactive presentations!
Before we dive into the world of interactive (sales) communication, let's say it again in a nutshell: Linear and one-dimensional forms of presentation (in most cases) no longer correspond to our modern information behavior - because in order to really inspire people, it is essential to speak WITH them and not TO them. An interactive presentation offers optimal possibilities to integrate all means of communication of your company and to respond sensitively to the needs of your interlocutors. So that presentations ultimately become sales ...
1. Involve your customers interactively
Imagine you are attending a sales presentation. The presenter comes into the room and starts reading off the text of a crowded slide. It will probably only take a few seconds before you start to get bored.
THE (SALES) SECRET: Try to connect with your potential customer from the very first second. For example, introduce yourself and ask your customer to do the same. You can also ask your conversation partners directly which elements of your presentation you should cover first or what you should focus on. This way, you show them directly that your presentation is a dialogue and not a monologue.
Letting the customer choose the direction is also a great way to start your presentation interactively and make a positive first impression. This also directly conveys to the person you are talking to that they are part of your story. The emotional connection to you and your product begins ...
Here we tell you the 3 best ways to start a presentation!
2. Use navigation features to create a more interactive presentation
Nowadays, modern software tools offer many smart features that allow you to create not only design-strong but, most importantly, interactive presentation that the human eye is inevitably attracted to. The visual supports and efficient navigation functions of your slides immediately make your content easier to consume and understand.
For example, presono allows you to switch to a new slide with interactive overlays without immediately showing the entire content. Consequently, you can make new info appear with a mouse click when it's time. This way, you ensure that customers focus on your explanation and not on the slide itself.
3. Tell a story
Do you remember listening to stories from parents and grandparents when you were a child and being captivated from the start? Just as stories magically attracted our attention back then, they still do today. Exciting storytelling is thus an excellent way to make data and information easily tangible and emotionally experienceable. Vivid situations, scenarios and customer examples allow us to connect with a product, idea or information, identify with it and remember it.
Read here how you can use storytelling to make your interactive presentation interesting and vivid.
4. Answer questions in your interactive presentation
As already mentioned, interactive presentations focus on dialog. That's why you should make sure to include enough time in your (sales) pitches for the questions, wishes and needs of your discussion partners. On the one hand, this requires top preparation, but consequently remains much better in the memory of the audience. You also benefit from the following additional advantages:
- With questions and answers you promote interactive exchange.
- You get the opportunity to repeat or deepen your message.
- You keep the attention of your conversation partners.
- With presono's tracking and analysis function, you can, for example, document your interactions and optimize and adapt your presentation accordingly.
ATTENTION: During classic company presentations and the explanation of your WHY, you tell your very personal story undisturbed. Questions can or should be asked here only afterwards your presentation. For this reason, a hybrid version is recommended here: deliver the first part of your presentation in a linear fashion and then enter into dialog with your counterpart.
5. Show your value with customer examples
Customer examples are an excellent way to show how your product works in real life. Not only do they provide insight into potential uses, they also help your potential customers figure out how they themselves can benefit from your product. For example, show how an existing customer has increased sales or productivity with your product. In this way, you can clearly communicate the value of your product or service to your conversation partners and inspire confidence at the same time.
6. Make a connection with the customer using personal elements
Depending on the situation and the person you are talking to, consider adding relevant, personal elements to your sales pitch. Tell a personal story or recount your experiences related to your product or service. This not only helps you strengthen the connection with your conversation partner, but also positions you as a trusted advisor who speaks from experience.
7. Integrate tools for live interactions
If you are speaking to a larger audience, audience response tools such as slido or feedbackr can provide exciting and insightful interactions in addition to modern presentation tools such as presono. For example, you can use them to collect audience questions and involve your audience directly in your presentation with live votings. If necessary, this helps you to directly give your presentation a new direction.
With these tips under your belt, we wish you great success with your next (B2B) presentation and are happy to answer any questions you may have!