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How to Create and Deliver a Killer Sales Presentation

Written by: Orana Velarde

A good sales presentation is the key to landing a new client or customer. Present your offers, products and services in a way that will inspire your audience to take action. 

With a killer sales presentation template and some tips on how to create one, you’re on your way to a successful sales meeting. Regardless if it’s virtual or in person.

Let’s dive in! 

Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit sales presentation templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:

What is a Sales Presentation?

In short, a sales presentation is a speech with or without a slide deck in which the speaker is trying to sell something to their audience. A sales presentation can be formulated in a number of different ways.

For example, a sales presentation can be a pitch deck . Startups use these to present their ideas to potential investors and get funding.

B2B companies use sales presentations to sell their products or services to other companies. In some cases, a webinar is a sales presentation with an added value proposition.

What a sales presentation isn’t, is a sales report where the presenter gives results on sales activity. Think of a sales presentation as before the sale takes place and a sales report as to what happens after.

Below is a pitch deck presentation template that can easily work as a sales presentation. Simply take out some of the slides and fill in your own company information for the particular offer.

Slides to Include in Your Sales Presentation

Sales presentations have existed for a long time. Millions of people have created, presented and closed deals with sales presentations . Thankfully, there are also people that look at the data. 

In this case, the data I’m referring to is the perfect number and type of slides to include in a sales presentation for a higher chance of success. The general consensus for a pitch deck outline , for example, is around 10 slides in this order:

• Introduction
• Market Size and Opportunity
• Competition
• Investment and Use of Funds

Let’s say your sales presentation isn’t a pitch deck to convince investors to fund your startup. If your sales presentation is geared towards selling a particular product or service from your company, it can look more like this:

• Emotion Factor

Do you feel like you might need some help to create a sales presentation? Don’t worry, we’ve got you. Check out the video below to learn how to create a presentation quickly and easily, right inside Visme! 

5 Killer Sales Presentation Tips

In order to create a sales presentation that will convert your audience into customers, it needs to be well designed and also well presented. Here are 5 top tips to take into account when creating your sales presentation.

1. Keep It Short

Keep your sales presentation short. You don’t need to write a dissertation about your product or service. In fact, you should create a little mystery and anticipation. Relay just enough information that will pique their curiosity to the point of wanting to know more. 

2. Tell a Story

Use storytelling techniques at the start to help your audience relate to your pitch. Try using a fictional character as a starting point to explain how your service or product changed or improved their life or work. Insert personable tidbits that your audience can relate to. 

3. Know Beforehand What Your Clients Want or Need

Don’t give a sales presentation to people who won’t be interested in it. Make sure you know what your ideal client and customer really need and want. What are their pain points? How does your offer help them overcome it? Your sales presentation needs to address those and explain in simple language how your product or service is their best choice.

4. Ask Questions and Create Conversation

During the presentation, ask questions to create a conversation with your audience. This will remind them that you are a real person and not a machine. Give them an opportunity to also ask you questions.

5. Don’t Drone a Memorized Speech

It’s definitely a good idea to practice what you’ll say during the sales presentation. But what isn’t so great is to memorize a speech that you’ll then drone out like a middle school play. 

When giving a good presentation , it’s important to be calm and prepared. Your body language says a lot about how you feel when relaying the information. Even if you’ve given the same presentation over 20 times to different audiences, make it new every time.

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5 Ready to Use Sales Presentation Templates

Using a template can help you get a good idea of how to set up the slides in your sales presentation. In the end, you might not use the template as is and you’ll change a lot of the elements. But the idea is that a template gets you started.

At Visme, we have a number of sales presentation templates. Here are a few of our favorites.

1. Creative Sales Presentation

This sales presentation template has 16 slides all in a similar style. Choose the slides that fit your vision best and duplicate your favorites. This is the perfect template for the sale of a digital product or service.

2. Event Sponsorship and Booking Sales Presentation

Use this template if you’re selling sponsorship and booking opportunities for an event. It doesn’t matter if the event is virtual or in person, you still need to get people to participate, buy tickets, buy advertising spots, etc. 

3. Product Sales Presentation

Showcase your products in the best light. Try out this template to create a sales presentation that sells a specific product. Each slide is designed to present an important aspect of your product, its value proposition and who it solves your customers’ pain points.

Change the colors to match your brand and personalize the messaging easily. Keep critical information accurate and consistent across your presentation using Dynamic Fields . All you need to do is create dynamic fields and input data once , which will appear throughout your slides.

4. Freestyle Modern Sales Presentation Theme

The Visme Modern presentation template isn’t just great for sales presentations. This set of slides can help you create any type of presentation. For a sales directed slide deck, use the slide library categories to find the slides you need. 

Not only does this slide library have all the slides you need, but there are also variations of each one. Select the one that fits your content best. 

5. Minimalistic Simple Sales Presentation Theme

Much like the modern presentation theme, the simple presentation theme has over 300 slides in over 20 categories. You simply have to select the sides you need, then choose the composition of the elements you like best. 

Finally, add your own information and data to finalize your sales presentation deck. Don’t forget your brand colors, a few storytelling tidbits and a clear value proposition.

Design Elements To Use In Your Sales Presentation

Sales presentations created with or without templates can benefit from a number of design elements. These are tools that will help you visualize the information for your pitch. From charts to infographic widgets, everything is at your disposal with Visme.

Let’s take a quick look at some of them.

1. Content Blocks

Creating visual content with content blocks is much easier than starting from scratch. We use the same principles as our presentation themes to create ready to use content blocks. 

There are a number of design options when it comes to content blocks. For example, header and text, stats and figures, graphics and text and diagrams. You also have to ability to save your favorite and most versatile blocks in a library to use for all your future presentations.

Visme content blocks are available on the left-hand toolbar of your editor. In the “Basics” button at the very top of the list.

Visme icons come in all shapes and sizes. From static line icons to animated full-color isometric illustrated icons. All are color customizable and easy to resize. Making them fit your brand is seamless and intuitive. 

Use icons instead of bullet points, as a replacement of unnecessary text, as a way to create a visual flow, or as a decorative element. Icons are your best friend when creating visual projects.

3. Characters

Include personable characters along with your content blocks and other design elements. These characters will help create a relatable environment for your audience, making it easier to sell your products or services.

The Visme characters can be static or animated. Customized in terms of color, pose and repetition of action. They work great to explain certain concepts and ideas that need a visual push to come across.

4. Infographic Widgets

Infographic widgets are great design tools for visualizing small data sets. Use groups of these to visualize individual statistics and information that will help sell your product or service.

Customize the color and dimensions easily to fit in with the rest of your project.

Visualize location information with customizable interactive maps. Choose between counties, states, entire countries or regions. Enter data for your map with a Google sheet or do it manually. 

Visme maps can be as simple as a color outline to a multicolored data map with a legend and interactive pop ups.

6. Charts and Graphs

Very few sales presentations can get away without a minimum of charts and graphs. The Visme graph engine has a wide variety of options to create line charts, bar graphics, scatter plots and more. 

You only need to input your data once and the graph engine shows you different options to choose from. Select the one that makes your data the easiest to read and doesn’t confuse the audience.

7. Special Effects

Adding special effects is a great way to add visual value to your slides. Motion graphics shapes and backgrounds will make your sales presentations more interesting to look at. These are great for sales presentations that don’t accompany a speech or elevator pitch.

How To Create a Sales Presentation in Visme in 9 Steps or Less

It’s easy to design a sales presentation with Visme. The design elements and information visualization tools will help you put together a memorable sales presentation that will seal the deal.

1. Create an Outline

Before you start designing any slides, you’ll need to have all your information in an easy to follow outline document. If possible, separate the sections into what will go on each slide. This will help save you time when you’re actually in the editor creating the presentations.

Remember to keep the information per slide as short and sweet as possible. You’re looking to convince and convert, not teach a masterclass. 

2. Choose a Template

Once you have all your information ready to go, it’s time to sign in to your Visme account and choose a template. Browse the ready-made templates or select one of the three themes which are more like builders.

When you pick a template and then you realize it’s not what you needed, changing for another one is easy from inside the editor. Set up as many slides as your outline calls for.

Presentation Templates

Ecommerce Webinar Presentation

Buyer Presentation

PixelGo Marketing Plan Presentation

Technology Presentation

Product Training Interactive Presentation

Work+Biz Pitch Deck - Presentation

Create your presentation View more templates

3. Select Images and Graphics

All the photos, icons and illustrations inside the templates are free to use. As are all the ones in the Visme graphics library. Simply use the search function to find what you need. All icons and illustrations are customizable to match your brand colors. 

If you have brand or company visual assets ready to use, upload them to your media library and add it to your canvas. 

4. Input Your Information

Add the content from your outline into the presentation. Go slide by slide so you don’t miss anything. If text boxes change sizes, use the sizing function to readjust how text fits on the slide. 

5. Customize Slides to Add Brand Assets

Change the color theme to match your brand. Prepare your Brand Kit first with a color palette and color theme with your brand colors. Then in the editor, change the template colors as you wish.

To change the fonts, select the text and add the new fonts in. You can upload your own brand fonts or use one from our long and varied collection.

6. Add Data With Data Visualizations

Use the Visme Graph Engine to create charts and graphs to add to your sales presentation. If the template you selected already had charts and graphs, simply customize to fit your data and story.

Add infographic widgets for small data sets or small tidbits of statistical information. For example, percentages and arrays. 

7. Add Interactivity, Animation and Narration

If you’ll be sending the sales presentation on its own without your speech accompanying in, consider adding interactivity, animation and narration for your audience to feel connected to the slides. 

Alternatively, you can have two versions. One without these elements to accompany your spoken speech and an interactive version to send to potential clients after you’ve talked to them.

Interactivity can be buttons that open popups, websites or navigate to other slides. Animation can be achieved with animation effects on any element or with animated icons and characters.  Add narration to your slides so your audience will have an easier time following along.

8. Use Presenter’s Notes

When presenting live to an audience, take advantage of the presenter's notes function. These are notes and reminders that only you can see on the slides as you go through the sales presentation.

They will help you stay on track with the story, will give you cues for when to ask questions or insert a humorous comment. Use these as support, not as reading points.

9. Share Your Sales Presentation With a Link or Download

Your sales presentations can be shared in a number of different ways. Share it as a live link, download as HTML5 to share offline with all the animation and interactivity you added. Download as a PDF to share as a static presentation or to print in a booklet. 

Share your sales presentation easily in a Zoom or Google Meet call by sharing your screen and sending a copy to your attendees.

Your Turn to Create a Killer Sales Presentation with Visme

Now it’s your turn to create a sales presentation. We hope you’ll try Visme to see just how much you can do with the tools at your disposal.

Check out all the sales presentation templates to get started. We think you’ll never want to create a presentation anywhere else. 

Create beautiful presentations faster with Visme.

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About the Author

Orana is a multi-faceted creative. She is a content writer, artist, and designer. She travels the world with her family and is currently in Istanbul. Find out more about her work at oranavelarde.com

Back to Sales Management

How to Craft and Deliver a Sales Presentation: A Step-by-Step Guide

Written by: Sean McAlindin

Sean McAlindin, a business and arts writer, has a decade-long experience in music and culture journalism and recently ventured into business writing.

Edited by: Sallie Middlebrook

Sallie, holding a Ph.D. from Walden University, is an experienced writing coach and editor with a background in marketing. She has served roles in corporate communications and taught at institutions like the University of Florida.

Updated on July 21, 2024

What is a Sales Presentation?

Why are sales presentations important, the steps to creating and delivering an effective sales presentation, where sales presentations go wrong.

In the competitive world of business, the significance of delivering an impactful sales presentation cannot be overstated. Not only is it a vital tool for showcasing your products, services, or ideas – a successful sales presentation connects with an audience and builds the bridge to a potential business relationship. 

Ultimately,  it’s about establishing credibility and likeability with your prospects. Whether you’re pitching to potential clients, investors, or colleagues, mastering the art of delivering a compelling sales presentation can lead to positive outcomes and lucrative sales opportunities.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you craft and deliver effective sales presentations. We will cover essential tips for preparation, including doing your research, understanding your audience, and setting clear objectives. You’ll learn how to create a solid presentation from the ground up with a strong narrative structure, engaging visuals, and a decisive call to action. 

We’ll also address how to handle questions and follow up after the presentation, as well as touch on some common pitfalls where sales presentations go wrong. By following these strategies, you can elevate your presentation skills, connect with your audience on a deeper level, and achieve greater success in your sales endeavors.

Key Takeaways

Sales presentations are the most direct way to sell your product or service to a new audience. Mastering these skills will improve your confidence as a sales professional, build lasting business relationships, and help you close more deals.

Crafting a quality sales presentation requires preparation, structure, insight, and adaptability. It’s important to have the right tools, knowledge, structure, and mindset to connect with your audience. Our trusted experts at Making That Sale will go over everything you need to know in this comprehensive, step-by-step guide.

A sales presentation is a communication tool used by individuals and businesses to showcase their products, services, or ideas to potential clients, investors, or stakeholders.

It is a strategic and well-crafted pitch designed to create a favorable impression of your product and services, and persuade your prospects to buy what you’re selling. Whether conducted in-person or virtually, a successful sales presentation builds a relationship with the audience, addresses their needs, and ultimately persuades them to consider your solution.

Most sales presentations include a script along with a slideshow that features graphics, video, and key statistics. However, a truly effective presentation goes far beyond features and benefits. The best ones tell a spellbinding story with engaging visuals that forges genuine interest and personal connections with the audience.  

Sure, you’re going to talk about the product or service you’re selling, but on a deeper level, you are trying to build trust and rapport between you and your prospects. A sales presentation is all about establishing the framework for a successful and fulfilling business relationship. A great pitch takes advantage of this opportunity to make a lasting impression and convince your customers to make the next step on their business journey with you by their side. 

Sales presentations are important in the world of business mainly because they often represent your first (and sometimes only) opportunity to grab your customers’ interest and establish the potential for a future sale. 

It’s an opportunity to showcase the unique benefits of products or services, while establishing trust and credibility with the audience. By addressing their specific needs and pain points, sales people  demonstrate expertise, relevance, and commitment to personalized service. 

By presenting information in a clear and engaging manner, you can use your sales presentation to encourage quicker responses and commitments from stakeholders. In competitive markets, an effective sales presentation sets businesses apart from competitors by giving them the chance to highlight their advantages and persuade prospects that their solutions are the best. 

Sales presentations are indispensable tools for businesses to communicate their mission, build relationships, and create actionable opportunities. By learning how to craft and deliver impactful presentations, salespeople can propel themselves toward sustainable success, career growth, and a world of endless business possibilities. 

Now, let’s go through the process of creating and delivering a sales presentation, step by step. In this section, we’ll cover preparation, written craft, visual design, live delivery, Q&A, and follow-up, ensuring you don’t miss the chance to engage your audience and deliver a compelling message.

1. Preparing the presentation

Before stepping into the spotlight, it’s crucial to lay the groundwork for an effective sales presentation. 

If you follow these foundational steps as you embark on your journey to becoming a skilled sales presenter, you’ll be well on your way to delivering a sales presentation that leaves a lasting impression and yields successful results. 

Understand your audience

An excellent sales presentation is no mere, one-sided pitch, but rather a personalized engagement with each unique audience. It involves understanding the specific challenges and requirements of who you’re selling to and tailoring your content accordingly. This level of customization establishes rapport, trust, and credibility, while laying the foundation for a positive and receptive atmosphere.

Before you begin crafting your sales presentation, learn about the prospect’s company size, mission, industry, internal processes, and vision for the future. Examine their pain points and associated consequences to customize your presentation directly to their needs. This will help you plan some small talk, tweak your sales pitch, and choose relevant social proof that sells directly to their experience and mindset. 

Identify the decision-makers and stakeholders who will be present during your presentation. Research their roles and responsibilities. If they’re from high-level management, focus on how you’ll help them achieve long-term goals. If they’re planning to use your solution day-to-day, focus on its efficiency, ease of use, and problem-solving.

Knowing your audience allows you to speak their language, making your pitch more relatable and convincing. Your preparation will demonstrate an attention to detail and leadership quality that naturally attracts people to you and persuades them to listen to what you have to say.

Know your product inside and out

The other side of the equation is knowing your product or service like the back of your hand. Before preparing your sales presentation, list all the positive attributes, statistics, and details that you want to get across, and choose the ones that are most important to your audience. You’re not here to overwhelm them with information, but you need to make sure you’re covering the basics and that you’re prepared to answer technical questions when they arise. 

Set clear objectives

Without clear objectives, a presentation can easily lose focus and go off the rails. Define what you aim to accomplish with your pitch – whether it’s to secure a deal, gain buy-in for a project, or establish a partnership. Setting clear goals enables you to structure your content effectively and ensure that every element of your presentation aligns with your intended outcomes.

Develop a compelling story structure

Great sales presentations are more than just a collection of slides; they tell a captivating story that resonates with the audience. By using proven storytelling techniques, presenters can draw their listeners in and create an emotional connection that makes the experience more memorable. 

We’re all wired for tales of triumph, struggle, and inspiration. While these narratives can take many forms, their most basic structure involves conflict and a resolution. In a sales presentation, this means focusing on how your solution can solve a specific problem or fills a key need for your client. Your goal is to demonstrate the value you can bring to their lives or businesses in a way that’s both compelling and relatable. 

Start by hooking your listeners with a strong opening that captures their attention and generates interest in your topic. Develop a logical flow of ideas, organizing your content in a way that is easy to follow and builds a persuasive case. Back up your claims with data, evidence, and real-world examples to reinforce the credibility of your offering and bolster your audience’s confidence in your presentation.

You can get more creative from there to bring your presentation to life, but that’s a great base to build from. For more information about how to leverage narrative techniques to make deals, read Making That Sale’s article, “How to Sell with Storytelling.”

2. Crafting the presentation

Creating a successful sales presentation is an art that goes beyond just delivering information. It’s about understanding your audience’s aspirations and crafting an entertaining narrative that resonates with their hearts, minds, souls. Each slide, every word, and every gesture presents an opportunity to make a lasting impression and leave your audience inspired.

In this section, we’ll guide you through choosing the right presentation tools, developing a story based on a common, effective structure, and creating appealing and impactful visuals and graphic design elements that tie everything together.  

Choose the right presentation tools

First things first, pick your preferred platform. PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote, Prezi, and Visme are all popular options. Choose a presentation tool that aligns with your style and allows you to unleash your creative genius with ease and confidence. 

When it comes to selecting the right sales presentation tools, there are several key factors to consider. First and foremost, ensure compatibility and accessibility with your workflow. Whatever program you use, make sure it seamlessly integrates across your devices and platforms for easy access and editing on the go. 

A user-friendly interface is equally important, as it empowers you to create visually captivating slides without a steep learning curve, saving valuable time and effort. If you collaborate with a team on presentations, prioritize tools with real-time collaboration features and version control to ensure that multiple team members can work together seamlessly.

Next, focus on the visual capabilities of the tool. Look for options that allow you to effortlessly incorporate images, graphics, charts, and multimedia elements. Visuals not only enhance engagement, but also help simplify complex information, making it easier for your audience to grasp and remember key points. 

Since many presentations are now happening online, choose tools that offer screen sharing, live broadcasting, and offline presenting capabilities. This flexibility enables you to adapt to different presentation scenarios and cater to various audience preferences. 

For more information on the pros and cons of popular sales presentation tools, read Making That Sale’s article, “The Best Sales Presentation Tools.”

Follow a simple presentation outline

Here is a bare-bones sales presentation outline you can use to start crafting your presentation. There’s plenty of room for interpretation and creativity, but this covers all the basics you need to include to get started. 

1. Open with small talk and introductions 

Thank your prospect for attending.  Introduce yourself and your business. Consider making a safe, agreeable joke or positive commentary about their company. Otherwise, open with an essential question or some type of appealing hook.  Make this section brief, yet personal, upbeat, and engaging. 

2. Set an agenda 

Remind the prospect of the purpose of the meeting and why it’s good they’re attending. Get their agreement to move on and talk about the problem and solution ahead.

3. Bring up your prospect’s main problem 

Summarize what you learned about during research and discovery about your client’s main pain point and elucidate the implications of leaving it unsolved. Present this information in a way that resonates with your audience by using empathetic language and descriptive storytelling. 

4. Talk about the benefits of your solution

Envision a better world in which the problem is gone, thanks to you. Reveal how your product or service can make this vision a reality by improving their business and brightening their outlook for the future.

5. Share social proof 

Include case studies, testimonials, and anecdotes from past customers who have benefited from your solution. Point to sales numbers, industry trends, or other data that supports your claims about your product.

6. End with a call to action 

Wrap up with a closing statement that invites your audience to begin this partnership, make a purchase, or take another decisive action. The whole build-up of your presentation is leading to this doorway. Make it easy and appealing for your audience to enter and take the next steps. 

3. Designing an engaging, effective slideshow

Now, let’s dive into the art of designing slideshows that seriously pop. Say goodbye to boring bullet points and clip art. In the age of media, we can and must do better. 

Start by selecting an appropriate color scheme and font that complements your brand and message. A dash of color can work wonders in capturing attention and making information more memorable.

Select engaging visuals that draw in your audience with photography, charts, and video clips. These graphics not only break the monotony of information, but also help illustrate your points and engage your audience. Engaging slides with relevant images and easy-to-process data can enhance understanding and retention of the information being presented. 

Create graphs that back your claims, illustrate trends, and supplement your stories. For example, if you say Facebook ad prices are trending upwards, show a line chart of this. If you’re talking about satisfied customers, show actual photos of the people whose lives you’ve touched. 

Be selective with your visuals as it’s essential to strike a balance and avoid overwhelming the audience with too much content. A visually appealing presentation should complement the presenter’s message and not overshadow it. So, choose wisely to ensure that every visual element serves a purpose in supporting your narrative.

Keep your slides clean and uncluttered to avoid overwhelming your audience. A cluttered slide can feel like trying to read another language. Stick to the essentials complemented with simple, compelling visuals, and your message will shine through as clear as day. When it comes to text, font size and readability matter, especially for those sitting in the back row. Make sure that everyone can effortlessly read your slides without squinting or calling for backup binoculars. Not everyone has 20/20 vision, you know!

Remember, designing an effective slideshow is an art form that requires thoughtful consideration of your audience’s preferences and needs. With the right blend of colors, fonts, and visuals, you’ll create a presentation that not only pops and engages, but also leaves a lasting impression on your listeners.

Pro tip : Send the slideshow to your audience ahead of time so that they can get an idea of what you’ll be talking about before the presentation.

4. Delivering the presentation

Now that you’ve got an expertly-scripted narrative and captivating visuals to go with it, it’s time to nail your delivery like a pro. Get ready to shine on that stage and win the hearts and minds of your audience with your down-to-earth, welcoming, confident approach to selling.

Rehearse the presentation

Remember the saying, “Practice makes perfect”? Well, it’s true when it comes to sales presentations. Rehearsing allows you to commit your pitch to memory, so it comes across as effortless and natural. 

It’s a good idea to practice alone to get comfortable with your material. Then, when you’re ready,  gather some colleagues, friends, or family as a test audience. Listen to their feedback and respond accordingly. 

Practice also gives you a chance to time your presentation, to see if it needs to be cut or expanded upon depending on your audience and venue. Remember to pace yourself, take time to answer questions, and leave room for unscripted interactions with your audience.

Develop confident body language

Confident body language can do wonders for your presentation skills. Start with eye contact – a simple, magic power that keeps your audience engaged and confident in you. Try to connect with all the people in the room, one calm, collected gaze at a time.

Whether you’re in person or on a Zoom call, don’t be afraid to let your hands do the talking. Use motions to emphasize your points and transitions. You don’t need to jump up and down – a small, well-placed gesture can go a long way. In terms of posture, put your shoulders back, smile, and feel free to move around naturally. 

Unless you really happen to offend someone, avoid apologizing if you make a mistake. This indicates nervousness or discomfort. Instead, take it in stride and move forward with confidence.

Speak with clarity and enthusiasm

Hold up, Shakespeare! Leave the jargon and technical terms at the door. Your audience isn’t here for a vocabulary lesson. You need to speak using clear, simple language that everyone can understand.

Since the tone of your voice matters a lot, consider using one that is upbeat and energized. Keep your narrative and visual content moving ahead. Don’t spend more than a minute or two on each slide. Frequently changing the visual stimuli helps to maintain the audience’s curiosity, especially in the age of 21st-century information overload where attention spans are shorter than ever. 

Above all, let your passion for what you’re selling shine through. Show enthusiasm for your subject matter and really believe in what you’re saying. If you’re not excited about what you’re selling, it’s unlikely your audience will become enthusiastic about it, or even interested at all. 

Connect with your audience

Do your best to maintain an approachable and friendly demeanor throughout the presentation. Smile genuinely, maintain eye contact, and use inclusive language. Encourage interaction with your audience by asking questions, seeking their input, and acknowledging their responses. 

While you’ll be tempted to push ahead with your scripted presentation, it’s a good idea to address questions as they come up, or promise to circle back around to them later. This approach creates a sense of involvement and fosters a two-way communication flow helping your audience feel valued, heard, and engaged in the conversation.

Be yourself

Every presentation is a chance to showcase not only your products or ideas, but also unique authenticity and passion. Embrace your one-of-a-kind voice, let your personality shine, and watch as your audience becomes invested in your vision.

Originality creates a human connection, making you more relatable and approachable to everyone. People buy from those they like and trust, so be true to yourself. You’ll be more likely to forge a meaningful bond with your audience and open them up to a sale. 

Don’t be afraid to go off script

While expert salespeople usually follow a script, they are also masters of improvisation. Every audience is different, and if you’re going to succeed consistently, you need to be able to think on your feet and respond to changing circumstances.

Going off script during a sales presentation can be a powerful tool to establish a genuine connection with your audience. While preparation is crucial, spontaneity adds an element of authenticity and adaptability that resonates with listeners. It allows you to address questions or concerns in real-time, demonstrating your expertise and building trust.

Let’s say your prospect asks an unexpected question or interrupts you in some other way. How are you going to react? The way we act in unfamiliar situations has a big impact on how people form opinions about us. They may just be testing you, or have a peculiar personality quirk. Either way, to keep their interest you’ll have to be agile and ready to shift gears to keep them engaged while continuing to steer the discussion toward your desired end goal. 

Close your presentation on a high note

As the curtains draw close on your spectacular sales presentation, it’s time to leave a lasting impression that lingers in the minds of your captivated audience. We suggest following these simple steps. 

1. Summarize

Summarize the key points and takeaways of your presentation, reinforcing your main message in a concise, yet impactful, manner. Consider using a creative analogy or metaphor that drives home the substance of your sales pitch in a memorable way. A well-crafted summary ensures that your audience departs with a clear understanding of your value proposition in a way they can repeat and explain to others. 

2. Call to action

Then comes the moment you’ve been building up to – the grand finale of your sales presentation! It’s time to close with a powerful call-to-action that sparks action in your audience. Whether it’s urging them to schedule a meeting, sign up for a trial, or commit to a purchase, make it crystal clear what you want them to do next. A compelling call-to-action fuels the momentum you’ve gained and propels your audience into the next step in the sales journey. 

3. Offer additional resources

Want to go the extra mile? Provide your audience with valuable resources that enhance their understanding and keep the momentum going. Share relevant materials, such as research papers, case studies, or links to informative websites. It’s a gesture that shows you’re invested in their success beyond the confines of the presentation.

4. Final thoughts

When it’s time for your closing master stroke, you may choose to go out with a thought-provoking question or inspiring quote. Be bold, creative, and authentic in your approach. While gimmicks aren’t necessary, you may choose to use a surprise element, such as a live demonstration, giveaway, or interactive game, to leave an indelible impression. 

5. Addressing questions and objections

As your sales presentation ends, the spotlight often shifts to a Q&A session. This is where you can showcase your expertise like a pro and add the final touches that make your sales presentation an absolute winner. Here are some ideas to prepare for this important but sometimes forgotten portion of the process. 

Anticipate potential questions and concerns

As you’re planning your presentation, step into your audience’s shoes and envision what might be on their minds. What questions would you have if you were in their position? 

Anticipating their concerns allows you to proactively prepare your answers, demonstrating that you truly understand their needs and are ready to provide reliable solutions. Get ready to handle those curveballs and you’ll win over your prospects with your knowledge and quick responsiveness. 

Prepare well-researched answers

When it comes to answering questions, there’s no room for winging it. Thoroughly research your topic, gather relevant data, and equip yourself with compelling evidence to back up your points. Armed with a wealth of knowledge, you’ll exude confidence and leave your audience with a sense of trust in your expertise. 

While you don’t want to bombard your audience with statistics in the initial pitch, the follow-up questions are a great place to nerd out and dig into the details. When they’ve asked a question, you can be relatively sure they are interested in gaining more in-depth knowledge about it. 

Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability

Sometimes, the Q&A session can throw unexpected surprises your way. Instead of silently freaking out and changing the topic, embrace the opportunity to demonstrate your adaptability, empathy, and sense of humor. 

If faced with a question you hadn’t anticipated, stay composed, and acknowledge the inquiry. If you don’t have an immediate answer, offer to follow up after the presentation. Doing this will offer your audience a small sign of your commitment to delivering accurate, up-to-date information.

6. Following up

As the final act of your sales presentation draws to a close, the journey doesn’t end there. Follow-up and feedback are the key ingredients to building long-lasting business relationships, closing deals, and refining your presentation prowess for your next audition. With this in mind, let’s dive into the steps to take after the spotlight fades and the audience gets on with their day. 

Send personalized follow-up messages

Keep the momentum going by reaching out to your audience with personalized follow-up messages. Thank them for their time, reiterate the main points discussed, and offer any additional information or resources promised during the presentation. A personalized touch shows your attentiveness and genuine interest in their needs, strengthening your connections and leaving a positive impression.

Offer them another opportunity to buy

Perhaps you and your prospect didn’t come to a final agreement at the end of the sales presentation. It’s likely they need some time to reflect on your offer and decide whether or not it’s right for their business. When you follow up, reiterate your product and pricing structure, so they know exactly what they need to do to move forward with your solution. You don’t need to be pushy, but keep the doorway open and make it as easy as possible for your potential client to walk through it. 

Request feedback

Open, honest feedback is the key to ongoing growth and improvement. Don’t be shy about asking your audience for their thoughts and opinions on your presentation. Constructive criticism and valuable insights can provide a fresh perspective, helping you refine your strengths and work on any areas that may need fine-tuning. 

Embrace feedback as a learning opportunity, and your future presentations will shine even brighter than before. Implement the suggestions that align with your goals and style, and don’t forget to celebrate the areas where you’ve received praise. With each iteration, you’ll become an even more compelling and confident presenter.

Before we conclude, let’s take a moment to talk about what people often do wrong while drafting their presentations. Here are the most common pitfalls that can completely derail even the most promising sales presentation. Steer clear of these and you’re well on your way to success. 

1. Lack of preparation

Insufficient preparation can negatively impact a presentation’s success. Without thorough research and planning, the presenter may struggle to effectively connect with their audience, convey the value proposition, or address potential questions that arise. There’s nothing worse than bombing a pitch because you didn’t do your homework. 

2. Poor understanding of the audience

Failing to understand the audience’s needs, preferences, and pain points can lead to a disconnected presentation that doesn’t resonate with the listeners. Take the time to research your prospects before every presentation or be doomed to forever remain a stranger. 

3. Too much ego 

Presentations are far too often egocentric and all about the company and the product. The problem with this is that the customer doesn’t really care about you, your product, or your service. Customers care about themselves and how you can make their lives better. Remember, to make them the center of your story or risk losing their attention and possibly causing them to hate you. 

4. Ineffective delivery

Poor public speaking skills and a lack of confidence can undermine the presenter’s credibility and diminish the impact of the message. These skills can be learned over time, but it’s important to cultivate genuine expertise and a good sense of self-esteem. Take care of yourself, your life, and your work, and this positive energy will come through to any audience that’s paying attention.

5. Text overload

No one wants to read a mass block of text. A presentation should be as succinct as possible or it will risk boring people. Each slide should address one idea or point. When you have too many ideas at once, people are more likely to become distracted and lose interest.

6. Too much jargon

In the world of sales, it’s all too easy to get caught up in statistics, technicalities, and meaningless jargon. Overloading the audience with too much information or complex data can confuse and disengage them, making it difficult for them to grasp the main points. It’s essential to keep your sales presentation simple, understandable, and engaging for each customer. The last thing you want to do is sound like an unrelatable salesperson who might as well be a robot. 

7. Lack of storytelling

Humans love to be told stories. There is something innately magical about them that draws us in and holds our attention. Presentations that are only a list of features and functions don’t command as much interest as those that weave a narrative of how your product can add value to a customer’s life. So get out your finest fountain pen and sketch out a story that’s sure to keep them on the edge of their seat.

8. Poor design

People like to look at things that attract them, and those things are usually well-designed. You may not be a gifted artist, but there are plenty of professionals you can find on freelancing platforms, such as Upwork, who will help make your presentation look professional, if you lack the skills to do it yourself.

You may also consider investing in an AI image generator like DALL-E , Midjourney , or Stable Diffusion to help you create the images you need. Nowadays, there are also a profusion of AI slideshow and video presentation generators including Vimeo, Animoto, Simplified, and Movavi. 

9. Missing call-to-action

Without a clear and persuasive call-to-action, the audience may not know the next steps to take. You can have the greatest build-up imaginable, but if you miss the punchline, it’s all for naught. To avoid missed opportunities, be absolutely clear about the coming steps at the end of your presentation in order to move the sale and business relationship forward from here. 

10. Overpromising and underdelivering

While it’s tempting to promise the moon, making unrealistic claims that cannot be fulfilled only leads to a loss of trust and credibility. Remember that honesty, authenticity, and empathy are the three keys to connecting with your customers. Be straightforward and grounded about what you can do for them and be ready to follow through on what you say. 

11. Technical issues

Technical glitches or disruptions during a virtual or multimedia presentation can disrupt the flow and distract from the message. While this is sometimes unavoidable, be sure to have a backup plan in case things go haywire. If you don’t think ahead, you could be caught out on on the sales presentation sea without a lifejacket or any chance of rescue. 

Armed with the insights from this guide, you’re now ready to craft and deliver sales presentations that captivate your audience, build strong business connections, and drive sales numbers. Embrace your own authentic voice, let your passion for selling shine, and watch as your audience becomes invested in your vision and ready to follow you to the promised land.

Remember, this isn’t just about delivering information; it’s about crafting a compelling narrative that resonates with each unique audience. So be sure to prepare, practice, and continually refine your presentation as you work through your leads. Be flexible, knowledgeable, helpful, and humble and you’re bound to see your results improve over time. 

You have the tools, the knowledge, and the spirit – now go out there and make your mark! Your journey as a skilled sales presenter has only just begun, and with each pitch, you have the chance to close more deals that will make a positive difference in the lives of your customers. 

Technical glitches and interruptions can happen, but being prepared is the key. Always have a backup plan, such as carrying a printed copy of your presentation or having digital copies on multiple devices. 

Stay composed if a technical issue arises and use humor to defuse any tension. Embrace interruptions as opportunities to engage with your audience and address their concerns. Your ability to handle these situations gracefully will showcase your adaptability and professionalism.

Recognizing and catering to diverse learning styles is essential to keep your audience engaged. Use a mix of visuals, verbal explanations, and interactive elements to accommodate different preferences. 

Incorporate hands-on activities, group discussions, or live demonstrations to enhance engagement. By appealing to various learning styles, you’ll create a more inclusive and interactive experience, ensuring everyone benefits from your presentation.

In the digital era, making your presentation collaborative is a valuable marketing opportunity. Incorporate visually appealing slides with shareable content, such as impactful quotes, statistics, or striking images. 

Encourage audience participation and offer incentives for social media shares, such as exclusive content or discounts. Utilize hashtags and create a catchy tagline to make your presentation easily discoverable on social platforms. By designing your presentation with shareability in mind, you can extend its reach and attract potential customers beyond the confines of the event.

Building rapport in virtual or remote presentations requires additional effort. Start by acknowledging the virtual setting and creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Use your webcam to establish eye contact and convey authenticity. Take a few moments to acknowledge and introduce various audience members to each other. 

Throughout the presentation, you may choose to encourage audience participation through live polls, chat features, or Q&A sessions. Find ways to personalize your content to address the unique challenges of remote work or digital interactions. By leveraging technology and adapting your approach, you can forge strong connections with your virtual audience that can rival or surpass in-person communication.

Encountering a difficult audience is a common challenge. Stay calm and empathetic, acknowledging their concerns without becoming defensive. Use data and evidence to back up your claims and demonstrate credibility. 

Address skepticism head-on by first acknowledging that you can understand where they are coming from, and next by highlighting the benefits of your solution and success stories of previous clients. Openly invite questions and listen actively to show that you value their input. By remaining composed and confident, you can win over even the most skeptical audience.

Data and statistics can be powerful tools, but too much information can overwhelm your audience. Use visuals like charts and graphs to present data in a clear and visually appealing way. Summarize key findings in short, boldface any bullets used, and focus on the most relevant and impactful statistics. 

Remember to provide explanations and interpretations to make the data more accessible and relatable to your audience. Learn how to use storytelling to put data into context and demonstrate its real-world significance to your audience.

The key to being persuasive without being pushy is authenticity and genuine care for your audience. Focus on educating and informing rather than on selling. Address their specific needs and concerns, and offer solutions tailored to their requirements. 

Be transparent about the benefits and limitations of your product or service, and always respect your prospects decision-making process. Building trust and credibility through honest communication will make your presentation persuasive without feeling overly sales-focused.

Featured Resources

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10 Best Sales Presentations To Inspire Your Sales Deck [+ 5 Tips]

Published: August 17, 2022

While many salespeople focus on making their sales decks flashy, fun, and exciting, they do little to ensure that their presentations address the prospect's top concerns and offer an irresistible solution.

As a result, many presentations are met with wishy-washy responses that drag along the sales process and waste valuable time.

What does a great sales deck look like? We'll take a look at some of the best, and provide tips for creating your own stellar sales deck and presentation.

What is a sales deck?

A sales deck is a slide presentation (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote, etc.) used to supplement a sales pitch. The sales pitch, given by a salesperson to a prospect, often includes an overview of the product or service, offers a value proposition and solution for the prospect, and includes examples of success stories from other clients.

The primary purpose of a sales deck and presentation is to introduce a solution (ie, your pitch ) that ultimately leads the prospect to purchase from your company.

If you've done everything right during the discovery process — digging deep into your prospect's challenges and understanding exactly what they need — only to get a noncommittal response, then your presentation needs some major adjusting.

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Sales Deck vs Pitch Deck

A sales deck is a pitch meant to convince a prospect to make a purchase by showcasing your product features, benefits, and value proposition.

A pitch deck , on the other hand, is usually created for investors who want to learn more about your company, vision, products, financials, and target audience. Think of the pitch deck more like a synthesized version of your business plan.

Ready to see some sales deck examples? Here are a few of the best, in no particular order.

Sales Deck Examples

• UpstartWorks
• Attention Media
• Leadgeeks.io

1. Leadnomics Sales Deck by Katya Kovalenko

Leadnomics has done something few companies successfully do in presentations: Showcase their brand identity.

The internet marketing agency hired a designer to create a sales deck that reflected their sleek, techie brand.

So while prospects learn about Leadnomics and what it offers, they can also get a peek into what it represents as a brand.

2. UpstartWorks Sales Deck by BrightCarbon

This slide deck for UpstartWorks starts with an image of the road to success, followed by a value proposition and a list of benefits buyers can enjoy from working with the company. They provide an overview of what they deliver to customers, who their clients are, and the results their customer base has seen.

The sales deck touches on all the key points a sales presentation should cover. And when it includes graphics and logos, they are clearly organized and not cluttered.

3. QS Sales Deck by BrightCarbon

QS , a platform that ranks colleges and universities, effectively uses icons and visuals throughout its sales deck to communicate its messages. At just a few slides, this is one of the shortest sales decks featured on this list.

If you’re going to make your sales deck short, make sure the information you include gets straight to the point, and be sure to front-load the most important information.

In terms of content, QS showcases its features, value proposition, and client impact.

4. Attention Media Sales Deck by Slides

Attention Media , a B2B creative agency, hired a presentation design agency to create a sales deck that features statistics and reasons businesses should work with them.

Key figures and messages are either in a bold, large, or bright font to make them stand out from the rest of the text.

While their slide deck is on the shorter side (the typical presentation is around 10 to 15 slides ), they include intriguing visuals and statistics that grab attention and keep viewers interested.

5. Freshworks Sales Deck by BrightCarbon

Freshworks is a B2B software platform that promises an all-in-one package for businesses. Its sales deck emphasizes simple text and organization. The problem and solution are introduced using graphics, which makes the text easier for readers to prioritize.

They include a dedicated slide to their mobile app, one of the product’s key differentiators and most salient benefits. The following slides provide a step-by-step walkthrough of how customers are onboarded and what they can expect on a regular basis.

Since the slides aren’t text-heavy, the salesperson can easily elaborate and answer any questions the prospect might have.

6. Soraa Sales Deck by BrightCarbon

Soraa , a lighting company, starts its sales deck with a visually appealing table of contents that contains three items: “Quality of light,” “Simply perfect light,” and “Why Soraa?”

The brand then dives into what its prospects care about most: How the light will look in their spaces and how they can apply Soraa’s offerings to their specific use case. It sprinkles in the benefits of using Soraaa as a lighting supplier. And it does this all while maintaining its strong branding.

7. Planetly Sales Deck by OCHI Design

The first thing Planetly does in its sales presentation is present an eye-catching statistic about customers wanting more eco-friendly brands. Then, they present the reasons behind that data.

The deck doesn't overwhelm prospects with too much text, opting for more graphics and visuals instead. It introduces a hard-hitting stat about the problem their prospect is facing, engages them by asking a question, and provides a solution to the issue.

The slide deck continues to outline specific product details and what sets the solution apart from others, ultimately leading to a slide that represents the expected outcome for the prospect.

8. MEOM Sales Deck by Katya Kovalenko

What you’ll first notice when scrolling through MEOM's sales deck is that it’s straightforward and easy to scan.

The brand kept it simple with their deck, making it easier for consumers to take in the information. Too often, companies overload their decks with information, and by the end of the presentation, consumers can’t remember anything.

On every slide, MEOM has one main message with supporting information in smaller font. In addition, the brand incorporates a detailed look at one of its staff members — a powerful tool when trying to attract consumers.

9. Leadgeeks.io Sales Deck by Paweł Mikołajek

Sometimes, the best way to explain a concept is through a series of process maps and timelines. In this sales deck, Leadgeeks.io takes this approach to explain its product process and onboarding process.

This method helps consumers visualize how this software will help them reach their goals and how they can adopt it at their business.

10. Accern Sales Deck by Katya Kovalenko

Similar to Leadnomics, software company Accern puts its branding at the forefront of the sales deck.

In addition to the use of design to make the sales deck stand out, Accern also highlights customer case studies in its deck, another form of social proof that shows the success other customers have found with this tool.

Each of these presentations provides a general overview of the products, problems, and solutions, and they can easily be tailored and customized to each prospective company. A custom presentation not only piques the prospect's interest but also increases the likelihood that they'll buy from you.

Curious as to how you can word your presentation during your meeting with prospects? Below, we go over the best examples we’ve seen so far.

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Example Sales Presentation

While there are plenty of videos online on how to deliver a sales presentation, there aren’t quite as many live sales presentations to watch.

That’s because sales presentations are delivered in the privacy of a meeting between the sales rep and the prospect, and are often not recorded with the intention of sharing online.

As a sales rep, though, you have an excellent resource for inspiration: explainer videos. Companies publish explainer videos to pitch their products to qualified leads. (Sound familiar?) Use the below examples to hone your own pitch to buyers, and pay close attention to the structure of each video.

This explainer video for Leadjet starts with an urgent problem: Finding leads on LinkedIn and moving them to a CRM loses valuable time and minimizes lead opportunities. Leadjet then presents its product as the solution.

The video jumps into the benefits users can enjoy, such as synchronizing conversations over both your CRM and LinkedIn, keeping the lead status updated, and adding custom details. In this video, Leadjet follows the ideal sales presentation structure: problem, solution, and benefits.

2. Node Influencer App

The Node influencer app allows small business owners to connect with influencers on social media. It starts its video with a simple question: “Looking to promote your brand with social influencers?” The presentation effectively identifies and addresses the target market before pitching the product to viewers.

This presentation is more tutorial-based, making it ideal inspiration if you’re creating a sales deck for someone who’s closer to making a decision. People most often want to see actionable demos when they’re ready to choose a provider.

This explainer video from Upsend, a former customer service software, begins with a problem: Most customers want instant responses to their queries, but customer service systems can be expensive for new companies. Enter Upsend.

The presenter addresses the target market — startups and small businesses — while assuaging their concerns about budget. In addition, it covers the most important features of the platform and the end result for the user. If Upsend were still available, this would be a product a new business would immediately want to add to their tech stack.

4. Algoplanner

Within a few seconds of the start of this presentation, Algoplanner drives home the critical urgency of adopting a supply chain software. It uses a scary number to pull your attention, citing a possible “loss of millions of dollars” if you fail to adopt the right tool.

It then introduces its product with a breakdown of what the software can do for users. Plus, it provides powerful stats to back up its claims, including that users can reduce automation development costs by 80%. The call to action at the end is powerful and simple, telling viewers to schedule a demo.

Sales Deck Presentation Tips

Ready for your presentation? Sticking to these five simple sales presentation guidelines, recommended by Marc Wayshak , will help you blow your competition away while dramatically increasing your chances of closing the sale.

1. Lead with solutions.

Have you ever met with a prospect who was excited about your product or service – and used your presentation to keep on selling? This is called over-selling, and it's the leading cause of death for sales presentations.

When you start your presentation, first lead with solutions. Don't talk about the benefits of your product's features or tell the prospect how great your company is.

Simply dive into how you're going to solve the deepest frustration your prospect is facing right now.

2. Incorporate case studies.

Once you've addressed the specific solutions you can provide to the prospect, it's time to add some color to your presentation.

Turn your sales presentation into an engaging story by sharing case studies of similar prospects and the results they've achieved with your help.

This step is important for building trust and credibility with the prospect. At the same time, case studies bring your solutions to life in the real world, making your presentation more engaging.

3. Ask for feedback throughout.

Most presentations are a one-way monologue by the salesperson. This approach is boring – and it's certainly no way to connect with a prospect.

Instead, ask short questions throughout your presentation like "Does that make sense?" or "Can you see how this would work for you?" Asking for feedback periodically ensures your prospect stays on the same page.

4. Welcome interruptions.

If you want to close more sales, you have to care about what your prospect is thinking throughout your presentation.

Any interruption is the perfect opportunity to find out. Whenever a prospect interrupts you – either with a verbal remark or subtle shift in their facial expression or posture – stop immediately.

Acknowledge the interruption, and welcome the opportunity to explore it with the prospect. Never ignore signals just to stay on a roll and conclude your point. Invite prospects to ask their questions or share their concerns.

The opportunity to respond to those concerns is always more valuable than whatever you were about to say.

5. Wrap it up quickly.

Your presentation should be ASAP: as short as possible.

It's natural for salespeople to get excited about what they have to share, but this causes most of them to ramble on for far too long.

Prospects only care about themselves and their challenges. Present the information they'll be interested in and nothing more.

Practice your next sales presentation with a colleague or friend and ask for their honest feedback on its length.

Sales Deck Template

Ready to start creating your own sales deck? Get started with these free templates .

It includes ten Powerpoint templates, each with a different focus.

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How to find a sales deck template.

Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Here are additional resources to find a sales deck.

This presentation platform allows you to pick from hundreds of templates and fully customize the template you choose. The best part? It’s free and offers premium packages for teams who want analytics, multiple users, and live video collaboration.

On this graphic design platform, you can search through countless presentation templates and customize them. Canva also offers extensive collaboration features, such as file sharing and commenting.

Get Inspired With These Sales Presentations

When delivering a sales presentation to a prospect, you can do so with the knowledge that thousands and millions of others have been in the same position as you. Luckily, we can see their work online to guide our sales deck creation process. Use these decks to structure your own, and you’ll be well on the road to closing more deals and exceeding your quota.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in April 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

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Sales presentations: templates, examples and ideas on how to present like a pro

A good sales presentation is more than a simple pitch, a demo or a list of facts and figures. Done well, at the right time in your sales process , it’s a tool for getting your prospects’ attention, drumming up excitement and moving prospects toward a buying decision.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to use the power of storytelling to drive decision-making and close more deals. We’ll also cover the fundamental elements of an effective sales presentation strategy, what to include in your sales decks and practical ideas on how to deliver them.

What is a sales presentation?

A sales presentation is a live meeting where your team showcases your product or service and why it’s the best option for your prospect.

Although the terminology differs from company to company, a sales presentation is not always the same as a sales pitch.

A sales pitch is what your sales professionals do all day long, on the phone, over Zoom or in person with clients.

A sales presentation (although it’s still a sales pitch) is a point-in-time event that usually happens when your sales team is trying to close a more lucrative deal. It’s not a simple phone call, as it often involves a meeting and a demo.

Because you’re likely presenting to a group of senior decision-makers and executives, sales presentations require ample prep time and coordination across multiple team members.

Key takeaways from this sales presentations article

Deliver effective presentations: Make your sales presentations compelling with storytelling, effective slide decks, tailored content and strong delivery techniques. Benefits of great presentations: Sales presentations grab attention, excite prospects and drive decision-making, helping close more deals by showcasing your product’s value. Pipedrive’s tools, including customizable sales dashboards and Smart Docs , help you create professional, tailored presentations that enhance your sales strategy. Try Pipedrive free for 14 days .

How (and why) to use storytelling in your sales presentation

Use stories in your presentations to help people remember and relate to your brand.

Statistics, facts and figures can help when you’re trying to persuade a prospect to become a customer, but they’re more impactful if you can frame them with a memorable story.

For example, tell a story about a customer who faced the same challenges as your prospect and supplement it with powerful data, they are more likely to listen and want to know more.

Human beings have a deep relationship with storytelling. Stories move, teach and, in a sales context, persuade audiences.

Chip Heath, a Stanford professor and the co-author of Made to Stick , demonstrates the importance of storytelling by doing an exercise with his students. He divides them into groups and asks them to deliver a one-minute persuasive pitch based on data he’s just shown them.

After the pitches are delivered, he asks the class to jot down everything they remember about them. Although most students use stats rather than stories, 63% remember the stories, while only 5% remember an individual data point .

The stickiness of stories makes them a useful tool for developing a sales presentation outline. They help prospects understand and remember the key points of the presentation and your product.

Thomas Dredge Sales Manager, Particular Audience

Start with a problem (and a deadline)

Your presentation is about the solution you’re offering your prospects, but it shouldn’t start with that solution.

Instead, lead with the problem your solution was designed to solve.

“ Value selling is key,” says Bradley Davies, business development at Cognism . “It is important to understand your buyer and tailor their journey to what you can do for them.

“First, you need to understand what is motivating them to have a discussion, which allows you to identify their pains and present how your offering solves their pains. Everything presented to a prospect should be based on the value for them specifically.”

You might choose to tell a story that positions your product as the hero, helping the customer vanquish a villain: their pain point.

Your story should be tailored to the pain points of the prospects in the room. For example, a change to their business, industry or the technology they use.

“If an element of your offering is not relevant, then don't distract them from the important features. It will keep them engaged and help to build their user story,” adds Bradley.

Recommended reading

Digging deep to determine customer pain points and make the sale

Create a sense of urgency around your product: It’s a solution to their problem, but if they don’t act now, they could miss an opportunity. Tell a story about what might happen if your prospect doesn’t change, framing the consequences of inaction.

Focus on outcomes

You’ve outlined the problem and, if you’re doing your job, your audience is nodding along. Now it’s time to start talking about the solution.

However, that doesn’t mean you should launch into the features and benefits of your product just yet.

Rather than presenting your product, a good sales presentation draws a picture of what life could look like for a customer once they start doing things differently. How will their workload or productivity improve? What will they be able to do with additional time and resources? How will they reduce spending and increase revenue?

From there, introduce your solution and the features that can make this brave new world possible. Do this in a few ways:

Position your features against the old way of doing things

Present those features as “superpowers” that will solve your prospect’s problems

Compare those features to competitors’ features

Quantify the value your features bring vs. the cost of doing nothing

Use a combination of some or all of the above

Creating a winning sales presentation slide deck

Most sales presentations include a slide deck to deliver facts, case studies and statistics that convey the value of your solution.

Create your sales pitch deck in an application like PowerPoint or Google slides to ensure your presentation is visible to everyone in the room (or in a virtual setting).

The best sales decks have a few key elements:

A great cover image or opening slide. Like the story you open your presentation with, your cover slide should grab your audience’s attention.

Data and key points . Charts, graphs, infographics, quotes and other information back up your presentation. Your slides should support your presentation by visualizing data, not repeating what you’re saying. You can get metrics from third-party sources or (if appropriate) from your own sales dashboard .

Testimonials and case studies from other customers. Quotes and success stories from or information about other customers, preferably in the same industry as your prospects, will act as social proof and go a long way to backing up your claims.

Competitive context. In all likelihood, your product isn’t the only one a potential customer is evaluating. Savvy sales professionals take the opportunity to proactively communicate how their product stacks up to their competitors’ and anticipate objections.

Customized content. While it might seem tempting to use the same content for every presentation, you should personalize your presentation for each meeting. You might want to use your prospect’s brand colors, find data specific to their market or industry, or reference an earlier exchange. You can find ready-to-use customizable sales decks through a graphic design app, such as Canva.

A glimpse into next steps. Give your prospects an understanding of what new customer onboarding looks like with a slide that includes a direct call to action offering next steps. For some companies, the training and customer support experience can be a value proposition in and of itself.

A note about text in your sales deck : Keep the slides simple and light on text. Your prospects don’t want to look at a wall of words to read. According to data from Venngage , 84% of presenters use visual data in their presentations – and for good reason: You don’t want to overwhelm your audience with text as they listen to you, look at your sales deck and watch the demo.

When you do include text, ensure you use a font (and font size) that can be easily read by everyone sitting in on your presentation.

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What else to bring to your sales presentation

Now that we’ve discussed the story elements of a sales presentation and your slide deck, what else should you bring to the meeting?

Most sales presentations are in-person affairs and include visual elements like a sales deck, handouts or even an in-person demonstration of the physical product. Here are a few things to think about including in your pitch.

13 examples of sales collateral you need to drive revenue

The product.

Nothing sells a product like seeing it in action.

Take Scrub Daddy, a sponge that changes shape depending on the heat of the water. When Aaron Krause, Scrub Daddy’s founder and inventor, presented the product on Shark Tank in 2012 , he demonstrated the sponge cleaning dirty kitchenware and greasy countertops. He also used bowls of water and two 10-pound weights to show the sponge’s amazing morphic abilities.

The tactic paid off: Scrub Daddy partnered with Lori Greiner for $200,000, in return for 20% equity in the business and is now considered one of Shark Tank’s most successful products.

Not all products are easy to demo, so you may have to improvise.

With a physical product, think of the perfect environment for a demo. What would show the product at its best?

With a digital product, make sure you have the technology on hand to show what your product can do (and check beforehand that the tech works). If it’s a mobile app, have your prospects download it. If it’s a platform, consider producing recorded or interactive product demos that can be embedded in your sales presentation.

For items that are too big to be brought in or which are location-specific, you may have to rely on a video as part of the presentation.

7 steps to putting together a brilliant sales demo

Leave behinds.

Depending on the nature of your solution, you may want to have materials you can leave with the prospects in the room.

This can be as simple as contact information or sales literature you pass out at the end of the presentation. It can also be something that’s part of the presentation, like a QR code that allows them to download the demo on their phones. Whatever format you choose, make sure the material is concise and to the point.

Tailoring your sales presentation to speak to your audience

Once you develop a strong sales deck template, it’s tempting to use it over and over with your target audience. Remember, personalization is essential in sales.

During lead generation , prospecting and sales calls, you know that prospects are more interested in buying if your pitches are tailored to them. It’s the same with your sales presentations, especially if you have an unusual prospect.

Let’s say your product is a CRM that’s normally used by sales organizations, but a human resources department is interested in using it to create a recruiting pipeline.

You wouldn’t use a sales deck with sales-related examples to sell it during the presentation.

Instead, you’d research talent acquisition challenges, ask your product department to create a template or a demo aimed at recruiting and build your sales deck accordingly.

Different industries have unique challenges and opportunities. It’s your responsibility to tailor your value proposition and key bullet points accordingly.

“To craft the perfect sales presentation pitch,” advises Danny Hayward, Sales Manager at Unruly , “ensure you take care of these three things:

Ask the right questions beforehand to understand the needs of the client, especially their flaws

Learn your product inside and out

Rehearse, rehearse and rehearse again

Danny Hayward Sales Manager, Unruly

How to nail your sales presentation delivery

Here are a few tried and true sales presentation techniques to make sure you close the deal.

Whether you’re presenting solo or as part of a team, it’s important to plan in advance. Follow these sales presentation tips for preparation.

Practice, practice, practice . You’ll need to get the timing right, especially if your presentation has a lot of moving parts. Go through it to make sure your timing works, so that you can nail the meeting itself.

Make sure everything works . You don’t want to go into a meeting with a faulty PowerPoint presentation or a broken sample – or find out there is no whiteboard when one is integral to your demonstration. Do your best to make sure everything goes to plan.

Decide on everyone’s roles . This one is just for those presenting as a team. Will different sales reps speak through each section? Will one rep talk while the others handle the sales deck and demo? Decide who will do and say what ahead of time.

Know your attendees. Make sure you know who from the prospect company will be in the meeting, their titles and the roles they each play in the buying process. Conducting light social media research can also clue you into attendees’ past experiences or alma maters (information that can fuel pre-presentation small talk and forge closer connections with your audience).

Practice confident body language

Presentations usually happen in person, which is why you need to practice strong body language. You want to look relaxed and confident (even if you’re shaking in your shoes).

Here are some ways you can improve your body language:

Eye contact . Make and maintain eye contact, even in virtual meetings. This shows people you’re interested in them and invested in what they have to say.

Stand up straight . Pull your shoulders back and straighten your spine; fixing your posture is an easy way to convey confidence. You’ll also feel better if you’re not hunched over.

Chin up. It’s hard when you’re in front of people, but don’t look at the floor or your shoes. Face straight ahead and make eye contact (or look at the back wall rather than the floor.)

Have a firm handshake. Some people judge others by their handshakes. Offer a firm handshake to make a good first impression.

Engage your audience

Presentations can span 30 to 60 minutes or more, so you need to be able to hold your prospects’ attention. There are a number of ways to keep everyone interested:

1. Understand your audience’s attention span

The beginning and the end of your presentation are the most memorable, so that’s where you want to use your strongest material.

Rather than leading with your product’s features, use the first few minutes of a presentation to briefly introduce yourself, and share the compelling story we mentioned earlier. If your demo itself is compelling, lead with that.

Then talk about product features and pricing. Your prospects might have already researched it or can look it up afterward, so it’s fine that it’s occupying real estate in the middle of the presentation.

Lastly, finish strong. Return to your story, sharing how your product solved an important problem. Close with confidence, and open the floor for questions.

2. Be funny

Humor can be tricky, so if you’re not comfortable making jokes, don’t force it. If, however, humor is part of your brand voice and you think it will be well-received by your audience, go for it. Humor can be a good way to connect with prospects, make your presentation memorable and relax everyone in the room.

3. Use a little showmanship

The best thing about a sales presentation is that it lets you show off your product. Unlike a pitch, a presentation lets you pull out the stops, make a splash and showcase your solution.

Use this to your advantage and be as memorable as you possibly can.

Sophie Cameron Business Development Representative, CAKE

What to do after the sales presentation to close the deal

The sales cycle isn’t over when the sales presentation ends. Here are some tips on how to wrap up loose ends and close the deal.

Take questions

Encourage questions to show prospects you care about their experience.

Sometimes prospects may want a question answered right in the middle of a presentation. Interactivity is a great sign of engagement. If that happens, stop the presentation and take their questions head-on to show you’re listening and validate their thoughts.

Other times they may sit silently waiting for you to give them all the information they need.

In either case, proactively ask for questions once you’ve ended your presentation. Encourage them to share their concerns. This is a consultative selling approach that works to build a relationship with your prospects.

By the end of your sales pitch, your prospect should be ready to come along with you and start your business relationship.

Outline the next steps of the process. The first could be offering a trial of your product, scheduling a follow-up meeting or sending over a proposal.

Whatever the steps, make sure they’re clearly defined. If you don’t hear from the prospect soon after the proposal, check back in with a follow-up email or call.

How to write a response-worthy follow-up email (with 15 templates)

Great sales presentation examples (and why they worked)

Here are some sales pitch examples you can use to inform your next sales presentation; these examples range from great sales decks to presentations and we’ll explain why they worked so well.

The successful demo

Stephen Conway of vegan chocolate brand Pure Heavenly opened his elevator pitch on the UK’s Dragons’ Den in 2019 by handing out samples of his chocolate. The product, paired with Stephen’s story about wanting to create an allergen-free treat that his young daughters could enjoy, led to three offers.

Why it worked: Conway knew the strength of his product and packaged it in a personal story, betting (correctly) that it would sell itself.

The data-driven presentation

Lunchbox is a restaurant technology company that specializes in online ordering, customer loyalty and guest engagement software. The sales deck the company used to raise its $50 million Series B in 2022 relied on bold visuals and graphs to illustrate its market opportunity, ARR history and competitive differentiators.

Why it worked: The deck tells two stories, one about the company itself and another about the way consumer dining habits have changed in the wake of COVID-19. Lunchbox used data to show how it met the industry’s new pain points for both itself and other companies.

Sales data: How to analyze sales data and a sample Excel spreadsheet

The presenters with overwhelming confidence

When Brian and Michael Speciale went on Shark Tank in 2017 to pitch their product, The Original Comfy, they had very little – no numbers or inventory, just a prototype of a big fleece blanket/hoodie and video of that hoodie being worn everywhere from the couch to the beach. What they did have was a good product and confidence in that product. Their presentation earned them an offer of $50,000 for 30% from Barbara Corcoran.

Why it worked: Corcoran says she bought in because the Speciale brothers had a good idea, the guts to present it and knew they had to strike while the iron was hot. While you probably should be more prepared for your own sales presentation, the Original Comfy story shows just how important confidence is in a sales presentation.

Begin your sales presentation by capturing your audience’s attention and establishing a solid foundation for the rest of your presentation. Here are some steps to consider:

Greet and introduce yourself

Establish rapport

State the purpose and agenda

Address the pain points

Present a compelling hook

Outline the benefits

Establish credibility

Set expectations

Remember to maintain a confident and enthusiastic demeanor throughout your presentation.

The ideal length of a sales presentation can vary depending on factors such as the complexity of the product or service, the audience’s attention span and the context in which the presentation is being delivered. However, keeping a sales presentation concise, focused and within the timeframe is generally recommended.

The conclusion of a sales presentation is a significant opportunity to leave a lasting impression and inspire action from your audience. Here are a few steps you should take to end your presentation effectively.

Include a call to action

Summarize key points

Showcase success stories

Open the floor to questions

Offer additional resources

Here’s an example of how to end your presentation:

“To quickly recap, we’ve covered these key points today: [Summarize the main features and benefits briefly].

“Now, let’s revisit our success stories. Our clients, like [Client A] and [Client B], achieved [mention their specific results]. These successes demonstrate how our product/service can deliver tangible benefits for your business.

“I’d be happy to address any questions or concerns you may have. Please feel free to ask about anything related to our offering, implementation process or pricing.

“Before we finish, I’d like to encourage you to take the next step. Schedule a demo, request a trial or start a conversation with our team. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the advantages firsthand.

“Lastly, we have additional resources available, such as case studies and whitepapers, to provide you with more insights. Feel free to reach out to our team for any further assistance.

“Thank you all for your time and consideration today.”

Final thoughts

It can be tempting to play it safe with a sales presentation by keeping it to a sales deck and a speech – but a sales presentation should be a show-stopper.

The best sales presentation tells your customer’s story, validates with data, offers a demo and more. It’s a major undertaking that shows the strength of your product. Done well, it keeps your prospects engaged and will make them want to do business with you.

Show customers how your product can push their business forward (or better yet, how your product can make them the superhero) and you’ll have a winning sales presentation that sparks your customer’s interest and drives revenue.

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7 Amazing Sales Presentation Examples (And How to Make Them Your Own)

7 Types of Slides to Include In Your Sales Presentation

Inside the mind of your prospect: change is hard, before-after-bridge: the only formula you need to create a persuasive sales presentation, facebook — how smiles and simplicity make you more memorable, contently — how to build a strong bridge, brick by brick, yesware — how to go above and beyond with your benefits, uber — how to cater your content for readers quick to scan, dealtap — how to use leading questions to your advantage, zuora — how to win over your prospects by feeding them dots, linkedin sales navigator — how to create excitement with color, how to make a sales pitch in 4 straightforward steps, 7 embarrassing pitfalls to avoid in your presentation, over to you.

A brilliant sales presentation has a number of things going for it.

Being product-centered isn’t one of them. Or simply focusing on your sales pitch won’t do the trick.

So what can you do to make your offer compelling?

From different types of slides to persuasive techniques and visuals, we’ve got you covered.

Below, we look at data-backed strategies, examples, and easy steps to build your own sales presentations in minutes.

• Title slide: Company name, topic, tagline
• The “Before” picture: No more than three slides with relevant statistics and graphics.
• The “After” picture: How life looks with your product. Use happy faces.
• Company introduction: Who you are and what you do (as it applies to them).
• The “Bridge” slide: Short outcome statements with icons in circles.
• Social proof slides: Customer logos with the mission statement on one slide. Pull quote on another.
• “We’re here for you” slide: Include a call-to-action and contact information.

Many sales presentations fall flat because they ignore this universal psychological bias: People overvalue the benefits of what they have over what they’re missing.

Harvard Business School professor John T. Gourville calls this the “ 9x Effect .” Left unchecked, it can be disastrous for your business.

According to Gourville, “It’s not enough for a new product simply to be better. Unless the gains far outweigh the losses, customers will not adopt it.”

The good news: You can influence how prospects perceive these gains and losses. One of the best ways to prove value is to contrast life before and after your product.

Luckily, there’s a three-step formula for that.

• Before → Here’s your world…
• After → Imagine what it would be like if…
• Bridge → Here’s how to get there.

Start with a vivid description of the pain, present an enviable world where that problem doesn’t exist, then explain how to get there using your tool.

It’s super simple, and it works for cold emails , drip campaigns , and sales discovery decks. Basically anywhere you need to get people excited about what you have to say.

In fact, a lot of companies are already using this formula to great success. The methods used in the sales presentation examples below will help you do the same.

We’re all drawn to happiness. A study at Harvard tells us that emotion is contagious .

You’ll notice that the “Before” (pre-Digital Age) pictures in Facebook’s slides all display neutral faces. But the cover slide that introduces Facebook and the “After” slides have smiling faces on them.

This is important. The placement of those graphics is an intentional persuasion technique.

Studies by psychologists show that we register smiles faster than any other expression. All it takes is 500 milliseconds (1/20th of a second). And when participants in a study were asked to recall expressions, they consistently remembered happy faces over neutral ones.

What to do about it : Add a happy stock photo to your intro and “After” slides, and keep people in “Before” slides to neutral expressions.

Here are some further techniques used during the sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Use Simple Graphics

Use simple graphics to convey meaning without text.

Example: Slide 2 is a picture of a consumer’s hand holding an iPhone — something we can all relate to.

Why It Works: Pictures are more effective than words — it’s called  Picture Superiority . In presentations, pictures help you create connections with your audience. Instead of spoon-feeding them everything word for word, you let them interpret. This builds trust.

Tactic #2: Use Icons

Use icons to show statistics you’re comparing instead of listing them out.

Example: Slide 18 uses people icons to emphasize how small 38 out of 100 people is compared to 89 out of 100.

Why It Works:  We process visuals 60,000 times faster than text.

Tactic #3: Include Statistics

Include statistics that tie real success to the benefits you mention.

Example: “71% lift driving visits to retailer title pages” (Slide 26).

Why It Works:  Precise details prove that you are telling the truth.

Just like how you can’t drive from Marin County to San Francisco without the Golden Gate, you can’t connect a “Before” to an “After” without a bridge.

Add the mission statement of your company — something Contently does from Slide 1 of their deck. Having a logo-filled Customers slide isn’t unusual for sales presentations, but Contently goes one step further by showing you exactly what they do for these companies.

They then drive home the Before-After-Bridge Formula further with case studies:

Before : Customer’s needs when they came on

After: What your company accomplished for them

Bridge : How they got there (specific actions and outcomes)

Here are some other tactics we pulled from the sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Use Graphics/Diagrams

Use graphics, Venn diagrams, and/or equations to drive home your “Before” picture.

Why It Works:  According to a Cornell study , graphs and equations have persuasive power. They “signal a scientific basis for claims, which grants them greater credibility.”

Tactic #2: Keep Slides That Have Bullets to a Minimum

Keep slides that have bullets to a minimum. No more than one in every five slides.

Why It Works:  According to an experiment by the International Journal of Business Communication , “Subjects exposed to a graphic representation paid significantly more attention to , agreed more with, and better recalled the strategy than did subjects who saw a (textually identical) bulleted list.”

Tactic #3: Use Visual Examples

Follow up your descriptions with visual examples.

Example: After stating “15000+ vetted, ready to work journalists searchable by location, topical experience, and social media influence” on Slide 8, Contently shows what this looks like firsthand on slides 9 and 10.

Why It Works:  The same reason why prospects clamor for demos and car buyers ask for test drives. You’re never truly convinced until you see something for yourself.

Which is more effective for you?

This statement — “On average, Yesware customers save ten hours per week” — or this image:

The graphic shows you what that 10 hours looks like for prospects vs. customers. It also calls out a pain that the product removes: data entry.

Visuals are more effective every time. They fuel retention of a presentation from 10% to 65% .

But it’s not as easy as just including a graphic. You need to keep the design clean.

Can you feel it?

Clutter provokes anxiety and stress because it bombards our minds with excessive visual stimuli, causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren’t important.

Here’s a tip from Yesware’s Graphic Designer, Ginelle DeAntonis:

“Customer logos won’t all necessarily have the same dimensions, but keep them the same size visually so that they all have the same importance. You should also disperse colors throughout, so that you don’t for example end up with a bunch of blue logos next to each other. Organize them in a way that’s easy for the eye, because in the end it’s a lot of information at once.”

Here are more tactics to inspire sales presentation ideas:

Tactic #1: Personalize Your Final Slide

Personalize your final slide with your contact information and a headline that drives emotion.

Example: Our Mid-Market Team Lead Kyle includes his phone number and email address with “We’re Here For You”

Why It Works: These small details show your audience that:

• This is about giving them the end picture, not making a sale
• The end of the presentation doesn’t mean the end of the conversation
• Questions are welcomed

Tactic #2: Pair Outcome Statements With Icons in Circles

Example: Slide 4 does this with seven different “After” outcomes.

Why It Works:  We already know why pictures work, but circles have power , too. They imply completeness, infiniteness, and harmony.

Tactic #3: Include Specific Success Metrics

Don’t just list who you work with; include specific success metrics that hit home what you’ve done for them.

Example: 35% New Business Growth for Boomtrain; 30% Higher Reply Rates for Dyn.

Why It Works:  Social proof drives action. It’s why we wait in lines at restaurants and put ourselves on waitlists for sold-out items.

People can only focus for eight seconds at a time. (Sadly, goldfish have one second on us.)

This means you need to cut to the chase fast.

Uber’s headlines in Slides 2-9 tailor the “After” picture to specific pain points. As a result, there’s no need to explicitly state a “Before.”

Slides 11-13 then continue touching on “Before” problems tangentially with customer quotes:

So instead of self-touting benefits, the brand steps aside to let consumers hear from their peers — something that sways 92% of consumers .

Leading questions may be banned from the courtroom, but they aren’t in the boardroom.

DealTap’s slides ask viewers to choose between two scenarios over and over. Each has an obvious winner:

Ever heard of the Focusing Effect?

It’s part of what makes us tick as humans and what makes this design move effective. We focus on one thing and then ignore the rest. Here, DealTap puts the magnifying glass on paperwork vs. automated transactions.

Easy choice.

Sure, DealTap’s platform might have complexities that rival paperwork, but we don’t think about that. We’re looking at the pile of work one the left and the simpler, single interface on the right.

Here are some other tactics to use in your own sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Tell a Story

Tell a story that flows from one slide to the next.

Example: Here’s the story DealTap tells from slides 4 to 8: “Transactions are complicated” → “Expectations on all sides” → “Too many disconnected tools” → “Slow and error prone process” → “However, there’s an opportunity.

Why It Works:   Storytelling in sales with a clear beginning and end (or in this case, a “Before” and “After”) trigger a trust hormone called Oxytocin.

Tactic #2: This vs. That

If it’s hard to separate out one “Before” and “After” vision with your product or service because you offer many dissimilar benefits, consider a “This vs. That” theme for each.

Why It Works:  It breaks up your points into simple decisions and sets you up to win emotional reactions from your audience with stock photos.

Remember how satisfying it was to play connect the dots? Forming a bigger picture out of disconnected circles.

That’s what you need to make your audience do.

Zuora tells a story by:

• Laying out the reality (the “Before” part of the Before-After-Bridge formula).
• Asking you a question that you want to answer (the “After”)
• Giving you hints to help you connect the dots
• Showing you the common thread (the “Bridge”)

You can achieve this by founding your sales presentation on your audience’s intuitions. Set them up with the closely-set “dots,” then let them make the connection.

Here are more tactical sales presentation ideas to steal for your own use:

Tactic #1: Use Logos and Testimonials

Use logos and  testimonial pull-quotes for your highest-profile customers to strengthen your sales presentation.

Example: Slides 21 to 23 include customer quotes from Schneider Electric, Financial Times, and Box.

Why It Works: It’s called  social proof . Prospects value other people’s opinions and trust reputable sources more than you.

Tactic #2: Include White Space

Pad your images with white space.

Example: Slide 17 includes two simple graphics on a white background to drive home an important concept.

Why It Works:  White space creates separation, balance, and attracts the audience’s eyes to the main focus: your image.

Tactic #3: Incorporate Hard Data

Incorporate hard data with a memorable background to make your data stand out.

Example: Slide 5 includes statistics with a backdrop that stands out. The number and exciting title (‘A Global Phenomenon’) are the main focuses of the slide.

Why It Works:  Vivid backdrops are proven to be memorable and help your audience take away important numbers or data.

Psychology tells us that seeing colors can set our mood .

The color red is proven to increase the pulse and heart rate. Beyond that, it’s associated with being active, aggressive, and outspoken. LinkedIn Sales Navigator uses red on slides to draw attention to main points:

You can use hues in your own slides to guide your audience’s emotions. Green gives peace; grey adds a sense of calm; blue breeds trust. See more here .

Tip: You can grab free photos from Creative Commons and then set them to black & white and add a colored filter on top using a (also free) tool like Canva . Here’s the sizing for your image:

Caveat: Check with your marketing team first to see if you have a specific color palette or brand guidelines to follow.

Here are some other takeaways from LinkedIn’s sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Include a CTA on Final Slide

Include one clear call-to-action on your final slide.

Example: Slide 9 has a “Learn More” CTA button.

Why It Works:  According to the Paradox of Choice , the more options you give, the less likely they are to act.

Step One : Ask marketing for your company’s style guide (color, logo, and font style).

Step Two: Answer these questions to outline the “Before → After → Bridge” formula for your sales pitch :

• What are your ICP’s pain points?
• What end picture resonates with them?
• How does your company come into play?

Step Three: Ask account management/marketing which customers you can mention in your slides (plus where to access any case studies for pull quotes).

Step Four:  Download photos from Creative Commons . Remember: Graphics > Text. Use Canva to edit on your own — free and fast.

What are the sales presentation strategies that work best for your industry and customers? Tweet us:  @Yesware .

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Prepare, Present, And Follow Up: How To Nail Your Best Sales Presentation

Some people find presenting easy. They seem to have an intuitive understanding of how to grab and keep the attention of everyone in the room. Meanwhile, there are those who confess presenting is stressful. What to do if you are a sales rep who belongs to this second type?

There is a piece of good news for you: you can definitely master the art too. To deliver the best sales presentation, you should learn key tips beforehand, so you’ll be ready the next time you’re done with lead generation .

In this blog post, we’ll break down the process of creating a sales presentation into steps and discuss best practices you can use at each stage.

Sales presentations — what are they?

• Why is it difficult to deliver a good sales presentation?

Step 1. Preparing for a sales presentation

Step 2. presentation, step 3. follow-up.

A sales presentation is a part of the sales process wherein a salesperson demonstrates a product/service and explains in detail how to use it with a single aim — to move a prospect further down the sales funnel , motivating them to buy it. 

The best sales presentation makes room for questions, so it becomes a genuine two-way process, in which the prospect understands the value of the sales offering, while the sales rep learns more about their target market, prospect’s real wants, and needs. 

Another significant characteristic of a successful sales presentation is that the audience will likely feature some major players, i.e., decision-makers, which definitely streamlines the sales process.

But why is it sometimes difficult to deliver a good sales presentation?

The truth is, people, in general, don’t find presentations exciting. About 79% agree that listening to others presenting them something is boring. Your goal as a salesperson is to make your sales presentation engaging so your prospects understand all the benefits of your product without being overloaded with unnecessary information. Thus, professional presentation design and limited data are key to attractive slides.

Seems like a challenge, doesn’t it? Worry not, though. This post is designed to help you prepare the sales presentation step by step. 

How to give a successful sales presentation: a step-by-step guide

We recommend that you break down the process of delivering your sales presentation into three logical steps:

• Preparation
• Presentation itself

Let’s discuss what you should do at each of these steps, so you can be forearmed with a good outline next time you present your solution to prospective customers.

Good sales presentations begin before the speaker actually enters the room or joins the call . That’s the case when success is down to preparation. 

Preparation for the sales presentation means getting knowledgeable about any details relevant to your product, prospect, and the market in general. Incorporating an AI presentation tool can enhance your preparation, providing insights for more engaging and effective communication.

This is why this first step to giving your best sales presentation should boil down to the following tasks: 

Know your product

You need to know your product features inside out. Learn this information from your team and study the questions about your product that your customers frequently ask. These issues are likely to come up during the presentation itself. 

Try to test your product features as a user on your own. This way, you’ll be well-versed in how it’s all working and better understand your solution’s benefits. Look through your product testimonials to back up your expertise with real data from the current customers who have been using your product successfully for some time. 

Now think about how to render information about your company and solution simply and clearly — prospects you’ll be presenting to may have little knowledge of what your business is doing.

Know your competitors

“Know your enemy” — a saying you’ve probably heard many times. In business, it’s not about enemies but rather competitors who may serve as a good background for your product growth. 

Look more precisely into the solutions your prospects might buy instead of yours. Identify their weaknesses, so you can shine while comparing your features to theirs. But don’t neglect to study their strengths, too, so you’re prepared to overlay them with the benefits of your product. 

On top of this, learn how your competitors give their sales presentations. If they turn up with slick visuals and the most up-to-date software , you’re going to look pretty lackluster with your ring-bound notepad. 

Research your competitors both online and using any printed materials they circulate to potential customers. Get a feel for their tone of voice and brand identity. If there are any elements of their approach you can successfully assimilate (in a fully legal fashion), do so. They’d do the same to you. After all, all’s fair in love and sales. 

Gain customer knowledge

Knowing your customers and their buyer behavior is crucial to a successful sales presentation. Always keep in mind: you’re there not just to talk about your product but to connect with your prospecting customers. For this to happen, you have to know them well and identify their needs and wants. 

Before you even start a sales process, you’ll build your ideal customer profile , which will help you target prospects who are more likely to buy your product. But it doesn’t mean they’ll all actually will. 

So, at this stage, learn more about your prospect’s buyer personas. How long have they been in the company you’re selling to? Are they experts in their field? Have they bought from your competitors before?

Study the market 

What, in essence, does the company you’re presenting your solution to is doing? What’s the nature of their market? What problems are they likely to deal with? How might your product help solve them?

It will work wonders if you show you’ve done thorough research about the market your prospects operate in and their challenges and offer ways your company can assist in healing their pain points. You’ll come across as someone who wants to make their life a little better, which is hard to resist. 

Now that you’ve worked hard to prepare for the sales presentation, let’s discuss what strategies will help you win your prospect’s heart during the sales call or meeting when you’re demonstrating your demo. 

Leverage storytelling

One of the most powerful tools while making a sales presentation is telling your prospect a good story . People like stories: we’ve been gathering around campfires to hear tales from our fellows for centuries. OK, the tribes of antiquity were probably not assembled to learn about what the newest support chatbot could do for them, but there are some constants of storytelling that pertain to marketing and sales even now. The fact is, stories can be fun, and they can be memorable. 

Tell the company’s story: why it was born, how it was born, and the dreams and ideas behind it. People love stories of struggle and eventual triumph, so stage it like this, but don’t go overboard. Something else people like about a story? Brevity. 

Tell your prospects about one of your current customers who faced a problem your product could alleviate, propelling the company to succeed. Testimonials you’ve prepared at the first stage will be pretty helpful here 🙂 

Emphasize the value of your solution by painting a picture of what might be achievable when all obstacles are overcome. Once your prospect can envisage this promised land, you can tell them how your product will get them there, faster than other alternatives (aka your competitors). 

Use technology

You can’t rely solely on your magnetism and storytelling while giving a sales presentation. The modern audience expects a little more of an audio-visual feast than a salesman with a clipboard. They expect a digital pitch . 

Any technology like PowerPoint is a great way to get information across in a manner pleasant to your prospect’s eye. Well-crafted PowerPoint templates will allow you to visualize your product features, while a nicely laid out infographic will make the information you’ll be telling your prospect not tedious to hear. Look at the example:

If an image can somehow put what you’re saying in a better way, do use it in your sales presentation. 

In addition, you can use video content to present your solution. Short videos work miracles — not a surprise, about 94% of marketers say video has helped them increase user understanding of a product/service.

Include social proof

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon that consists in people mimicking the actions of others when faced with uncertainty. In marketing and sales, you can use social proof in a variety of forms:

• Customer reviews
• Testimonials
• Certifications and awards
• Influencers
• Press features
• Endorsements from experts in your industry

Social proof greatly influences decision-making: 2 out of 3 people say they’d be more likely to make a purchase after watching a testimonial video demonstrating how a business, product, or service had helped another person like them. 

You can learn who to ask for social proof professionally in our post about customer referrals . 

Demonstrate your product functionality

Don’t forget to bring the product in with you, of course.

If your product is digital, like an application or other software, have it installed and ready for work in real-time. 

Say, if your company is offering a CRM solution , show how all of its features work as soon as your prospect onboards. You can even let them try it on their own, under your caring guidance. This way, prospects will test it beforehand – the experience that will be more likely to result in their decision to buy it. 

End your presentation with a call to action

Your sales presentation can’t be just a one-way conversation. You should aim at building relationships with your prospect. A call to action (CTA) actually extends the life of your sales presentation, whereby you give them something to think about…and come back. 

In your call to action, offer your prospect one or two next steps. Just ensure it is short, straightforward, and personal. For example, instead of using something generic like ‘Download the guide,’ try something like ‘Become a pro with this short guide.’ The second option highlights the benefits and sounds more buddy-like, doesn’t it?

A sales presentation doesn’t end at the last slide and a polite ‘Goodbye.’ You should be sure your prospect has got the idea right, has no questions to ask, and is satisfied with how a presentation went. So, at this final step, we recommend that you do the following:

Ask yourself a series of questions about your performance. These could include:

• ‘Have I identified my prospect’s problem and offered solutions?’ 
• ‘Have I made sure the prospect knew how much I appreciated the chance to present to them?’
• ‘Have I encouraged a dialogue?’
• ‘Have I kept my comments relevant and engaging?’

Then rate your performance on each of these aspects out of 10. Doing this exercise immediately after the presentation will give you a good idea of how you performed.

Approach the prospect for feedback

If the call to action doesn’t seem to have worked, and the prospect isn’t hurrying up to order from you, there’s nothing wrong with approaching them and asking (but briefly) what feelings they have after the demo and what they think about your solution.  

Any customer retention guide will tell you about the importance of making a customer feel valued, and following up is an aspect of that. Ask if they’ve had time to think about what you had discussed and see if there’s anything you can do for them to seal the deal. This way, you’ll demonstrate that you care about your prospect’s feelings.

Quite often, the prospect may have loved the product but hasn’t had time to mull over how best to implement it. You can assist by suggesting ways your product might be integrated into their company and emphasizing how much time will be saved once the product is in place. 

Some basics to end with

To crown it all, we’ve gathered several simple tips to help you deliver effective sales presentations. Here are a few of them:

• Make eye contact. Sales professionals know this is one of the most important sales techniques. If you aren’t afraid to look directly in the eyes of your prospect, you come across as honest. In addition, this allows you to notice how they feel when you’re saying something and adjust your speech accordingly.  
• Relax. Your behavior at the sales presentation should convey calmness and confidence, so even if it’s your first demo in life, try to be relaxed. You’re an expert, and your knowledge of the subject is enough not to worry.  
• Listen. Though a sales presentation seems your moment to speak, remember to make contact with the prospect. Be attentive to what they’re asking and telling you. That’ll prove you really care.  
• Learn from the best. You don’t have to come across like Cirque du Soleil or PT Barnum, but it can help if you demonstrate a little showmanship. Watch some videos of great orators (from Martin Luther King to Jerry Seinfeld), but do bear in mind your capabilities. If you want to improve in this area, consider a public speaking course. 
• Practice, especially if you’re part of a sales team making the presentation. The more people there are, the greater the potential for mess-ups, so get that presentation nailed. You’ll all feel much more confident, which will be visible to your prospects. 

Wrapping up

The key to your best sales presentation, like any other business communication , is your knowledge and understanding of the interlocutor. Have a clear message, ensure you’re using all the tricks to get it across and practice until you know your pitch inside out. When you deliver your demo, be mindful of your prospect’s needs and ensure they get a chance to express them. 

Whatever sales presentation ideas you use, if you treat your audience with respect and look like you genuinely want to be there with them, you’ll give yourself the best chance of success. And if you need a single platform for all your sales activities, Snov.io is always here for you.

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7 Sales Presentation Examples for Successful Pitches

A successful sales presentation can significantly influence a potential client’s decision-making process. It needs to be engaging, informative, and persuasive.

This guide explores the components of an effective sales presentation, and best practices for creating one, and provides seven exemplary sales presentation templates from various sources.

What Is a Sales Presentation?

A sales presentation is a strategic dialogue designed to persuade a potential client or customer to purchase a product or service. It typically involves a detailed explanation of the product’s features, benefits, and potential return on investment.

What Is Included in a Sales Presentation?

A sales presentation typically includes sections on:

• Introduction : Brief introduction of the company and the presenter.
• Customer Needs : Identification of the client’s needs and how they align with the product or service.
• Product/Service Details : Detailed information about the product or service, highlighting unique selling points.
• Success Stories : Real-life examples or case studies demonstrating the value of the product or service.
• Pricing and Packages : Overview of pricing options and any customizable packages.
• Call to Action : Strong conclusion that prompts the audience to act or decide.

Sales Presentation Best Practices

Creating an effective sales presentation involves several best practices:

• Tailor Your Message : Customize the presentation to address the specific needs and interests of your audience.
• Keep It Concise : Focus on key points to maintain the audience’s attention and keep the presentation within an appropriate timeframe.
• Use Visuals : Employ charts, graphs, and images to make your points clearer and more engaging.
• Rehearse : Practice your presentation multiple times to ensure smooth delivery.
• Engage Your Audience : Encourage questions and interact with the audience to make the presentation more dynamic.

7 Sales Presentation Examples

1) piktochart: “sales pitch examples”.

Piktochart’s Sales Pitch Examples illustrate how to effectively communicate the value of your product or service. These examples showcase various strategies to capture and retain the audience’s interest, making them highly practical for anyone looking to enhance their sales presentations.

Canva Sales Presentation Template offers visually appealing templates designed to make sales presentations more engaging. These templates are easy to customize and suitable for a wide array of industries, helping presenters create professional-looking presentations effortlessly.

2) Slidebean Sales Pitch Deck Template

Slidebean Sales Pitch Deck Template is designed to streamline the creation of impactful sales presentations. The template guides users through structuring an effective pitch, emphasizing the art of storytelling to captivate potential investors and clients.

3) Prezi Sales Plan Presentation Template

Prezi Sales Plan Presentation Template offers a dynamic way to engage audiences with its distinctive zoomable canvas. The template allows sales professionals to outline their strategies and goals in a visually engaging sequence that captures the natural flow of a sales process.

It is designed to help presenters illustrate complex sales plans through a structured yet flexible narrative, enabling the audience to follow along through a visual journey of targets, tactics, and expected outcomes.

4) Queza : Pastel Color Sales Marketing Powerpoint

Queza : Pastel Color Sales Marketing Powerpoint from Envato Elements is designed with pastel colors and a clean, modern aesthetic, making it ideal for sales and marketing presentations that require a fresh and inviting look. This PowerPoint template is versatile, featuring a range of slide layouts that can be used to showcase products, market analysis, sales strategies, and more.

5) SlideSalad Sales Deck PowerPoint Templates

SlideSalad Sales Deck PowerPoint Templates ****offer a comprehensive sales deck that is robust and creatively appealing, ideal for making impactful sales presentations. It features hundreds of unique slides designed for various sales niches, allowing for extensive customization.

6) Solua : Cyber Monday Sale Event Powerpoint

The Cyber Monday Sale Event PowerPoint on Envato Elements is a powerhouse for creating high-impact sales presentations. This template features a modern design that effectively combines bold colors and sleek layouts to capture audience’s attention. It includes multiple slide options to showcase products, promotional offers, and pricing strategies.

7) SlideModel Sales Pitch Presentation Template

SlideModel Sales Pitch Presentation Template offers professionally designed templates tailored for sales presentations. These templates are structured to facilitate clear communication of complex data, strategic alignment, and persuasive storytelling. They are particularly useful for sales teams looking to present data-driven arguments effectively.

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How to Nail Your Brand Presentation: Examples and Pro Tips

Presentation Design: A Step-by-Step Guide

8 Effective Sales Presentation Examples to Boost Your Close Rate

Winning sales presentations turn prospects into customers. But, constructing a winning presentation is often a source of dread for many sales folks. What is the perfect number of slides? Which is the best order? Should it be hyper-branded or simple?

Or, should we even be using slide decks at all in 2024?

Now, if you want to make the journey collaborative, or want to gain access to cool insights like whether they even looked at your presentation, the static deck just won't cut it.

Designing a beautiful and highly personalized sales presentation is great, but access to behavioral analytics through digital links is super powerful. Knowing whether the buyer clicked on that presentation, and then how long they viewed it, can help shape those next steps in your sales cycle.

In fact, by 2025, 80 percent of B2B sales interactions will happen in these digital channels, according to Gartner . This means that presenting your pitch digitally unlocks new opportunities to engage and collaborate with your buyer. Ultimately, this will help you close deals much faster.

Sales professionals of all types, from SDRs to Customer Success, make pitches at different points in the sales cycle. That's why it's super important to create presentations that are both enjoyable for buyers to watch and easy for sellers to navigate—especially if they’re pitching multiple times a day!

Sales Presentation Vs. Sales Pitch: Are They the Same?

Presentation? Pitch? What’s the difference? These two sales practices are often referred to interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same.

Generally, a pitch is when you’re closing the deal. It’s short and effective—highlighting the benefits and value of the product and offering the sale. Now, it is also technically a sales presentation, but it’s not a “sales presentation.”

The sales presentation comes earlier in the process when you’re looking to get buyers interested in your product/service. Every good sales presentation gives prospects confidence in your brand and helps develop the customer relationship. It emphasizes the value your product delivers and provides clear direction for the next step in the sales process.

So really, the key differentiator between these two sales activities is the point in the sales process—the presentation introduces your product, and the pitch closes out the deal. This shifts your purpose and your approach when creating a presentation vs. pitch deck.

To create the best sales pitch ever, you can head over to our ultimate guide . But first things first. Let’s build a winning sales presentation that makes potential customers beg to buy.

6 Key Components of a Winning Sales Presentation

While there's no "one way" to make a pitch presentation, there are a few core ingredients that can transform a bland presentation into a show-stopping performance.

To keep your buyers engaged and prevent them from nodding off, make the presentation more interactive by fostering a conversation, using eye-catching visuals that leave an impression, and pacing your delivery to keep the energy level high.

1. Start Strong: Cover Slide + Confidence

First impressions matter. Your first slide and the first few moments of your delivery will shape perceptions and affect the ultimate success or failure of your sales presentation.

Your cover slide should instantly capture the audience's attention and convey your brand and industry. Later, we’ll explore some stellar examples. For now, just make sure your audience has a good idea of who you are and what you do from the very beginning—and make it interesting. Images are great at this.

Regarding your delivery, confidence is key — key— to both your sales career and presentation. The confidence you project about your solution will transfer to prospects, reducing their concerns and supporting an overall positive experience.

But you can’t get by on cover slides and confidence alone.

2. Sell Solutions (+ Value), Not Products

Gone are the days when you could simply shout that your product was the greatest thing since sliced bread—and expect customers to believe you.

Times have changed. Value-based selling is in . Today, the best approach is to inform your buyer with the right message through the right media, selling your solution and not your product.

In your sales presentation, make sure that each product feature that you include has a clear benefit for your prospective buyer. And don't just list the features. Explain why they make your product better, in the simplest way possible.

If your lead generation process produced high-quality leads, and your pre-presentation research uncovered pain points, you should have a pretty good idea what this prospective customer needs—and how your product can solve the issue.

At the end of the day, people want to know what's in it for them and how your product/service will make their lives better. Sell them the solution. The product is just a bonus.

3. Tell a Story

People remember stories. They’re more engaging than stats and figures—and humans connect with humans, not numbers. Research by cognitive psychologist Jerome Bruner suggests that facts are 22 times more likely to be remembered if they’re part of a story .

You want to harness that power for your sales presentation.

Consider your top-shelf customer success stories—or even the customer you just closed yesterday, who solved a major pain point with your solution. The key here is to find past customer situations that your current prospect can identify with. Maybe they serve a similar market niche, or are both struggling to keep their fully-remote team afloat.

Or, maybe, you want to tell your company’s story. Close itself started as a solution to our founders’ frustrations with existing sales CRMs.

Like any great story, you need an arc, characters, conflict—and a resolution. Include whatever graphs and metrics you think add value to the presentation. The numbers don’t speak for themselves, but they do play a supporting role to your storyline.

Turn your case study into a case story, illustrating how your product has helped someone else, and prepare to hook your target audience.

4. Keep It Simple

Be concise. Make your key points digestible. Prospects should be able to quickly scan your sales presentation—and then get back to the conversation.

However, many companies that offer complex products, such as software, tend to overcomplicate the delivery. Most buyers don’t have time to read white papers or long-winded info about your technical specs. Those details can come later.

There are ways to present content while neither boring nor overwhelming your audience:

• Video: Sixty-six percent of people will watch a company’s entire video if it’s less than 60 seconds. Give them something they can quickly digest, that effectively highlights your value prop and most important product features.
• Interactive demos: a great alternative to video calls, ideal with async presentations. You can use interactive demo software like Navattic or Walnut to let your buyer learn about your product on their terms, in their own time.

Whatever you do, get to the point. Time and attention spans are short. Be succinct.

Visually, don’t give your PowerPoint presentation the crafting kindergartner upgrade. Brand colors and fonts should be established early and kept consistent throughout.

In short—less is more. Don’t exhaust your audience visually or mentally.

5. Include the Proof

Your audience wants to know that your solution works. They also want to feel confident about their decision to pursue your product over the competition. How can you help ease these concerns? Include evidence in your sales presentation.

Social proof establishes your credibility and showcases how your solution has transformed the work lives of your customers. It’s an important element in building trust between you and your prospect . Social proof can include media mentions, G2 reviews, social media engagement, customer testimonials, and more.

Recent data from Statista, as of September 2023, indicates a shift in consumer behavior. Their survey, conducted among 10,021 consumers, revealed that 53 percent of U.S. respondents rely on search engines like Google for information about products. This highlights the evolving landscape of consumer trust and information sourcing.

Additionally, 34 percent of consumers used customer reviews as a source of information. This underscores the continued importance of positive reviews and testimonials in fostering trust in a business. The customer success story you've shared can be further enriched by integrating these insights, demonstrating not only the value of customer reviews but also the growing reliance on digital search engines for product information.

Including social proof in your presentation demonstrates how well your solution can meet customer needs —including theirs.

6. Call Them to Action

Nothing cleans out the sales pipeline like a well-timed, well-placed, and well-designed CTA . Success in sales relies on the success of your call to action. And that extends to your sales presentation.

Unlike the sales pitch, your sales presentation is probably not asking for the close. Instead, you are asking them to take the next step in the sales process—book a call, talk to their stakeholders, demo your product, or something else.

You want the CTA to be straightforward. Brief as possible. And effective. Make it easy for them to follow through. For example, if you want them to book a call, share a calendar link. Then follow up .

You have spent time and resources (yours and theirs) on this presentation, so don’t fumble the deal with a weak or confusing CTA. Your sales presentation should be the whole package. Literally.

But can we really tie all of this together into one mega-effective sales presentation? We’re about to find out.

8 Effective Sales Presentation Examples

Sales presentations come in all shapes and sizes. A great sales deck is one that is true to your brand, relevant to your target audience, and produces results.

Various factors can influence the structure, included elements, and delivery. For example, a self-directed presentation that prospects view online may require more text than one that’s delivered face-to-face (or via Zoom). A presentation given to industry experts will include different details (and language) than one delivered to your average, may-be-customer Joe.

As you build your next effective sales presentation, draw inspiration from these winning examples. We’ll share the presentation—and tell you why it works.

1. What + Why: Memento

Stating the problem, explaining the solution.

This sales presentation deck from Memento first describes the pain points of existing solutions—then showcases why Memento is different, emphasizing value and innovation.

This tried-and-true strategy keeps messaging simple and potent. The graphics and color-blocked backgrounds enhance that messaging, and the result? An eye-catching and powerful sales presentation.

2. Image-Rich Slides: Zuora

Is a picture worth a thousand words? Sometimes. It depends what that picture is, and what you’re trying to say.

Zuora uses an image-rich presentation to help differentiate themselves in the industry, and to support the storyline of their presentation. At the same time, text is kept to a minimum.

Visuals can create a supportive foundation upon which you can build your value proposition , company vision, and prospect-relevant story. You’ll probably include photos of your digital or physical product, but you can also add stock images or infographics.

Memorable presentations show , rather than just tell.

3. & 4. Personalize for Prospects: Trumpet

People aren’t numbers—and they don’t want to feel as such.

Personalize your sales presentation so that it speaks directly to your buyer. When possible, call them out by name and make sure that every aspect of the presentation is 100 percent relevant to their situation.

If you want to go the extra mile, incorporate their own brand identity. Make it about them, not about you. Our friends at Trumpet are on a mission to do just that with customizable presentation pods.

Check out this presentation pod example .

This prospect-specific presentation covers most of our key components for an effective sales presentation while taking personalization to the next level. Plus, it’s interactive—which adds value for both prospects and sales reps. Look for the comment section beside the presentation, where you can keep all communication and questions in one spot.

These customization options make your presentation stand out—and are bound to increase your CTA response rate. You can directly incorporate your online scheduling tool, such as Calendly, which also integrates with Close CRM to streamline prospect scheduling.

Here’s another winning example from Trumpet, featured as a use case for SDRs. Again, it’s got all the elements of an effective sales presentation (right down to customer testimonials), and even includes a short audio message specifically for the prospect, from the SDR.

So, ditch the generic sales script and personalize the presentation. Do your homework and make it relatable to each individual prospect, whenever possible.

Then, post-presentation, you can even follow up with a next-steps pod —again, created specifically for your prospect.

5. Be You(r Brand): Reddit

Remember earlier, when we said your sales presentation shouldn’t look like a kindergarten-age graphic designer let loose on Canva? There are always exceptions, right?

First and foremost, you must consider your audience and brand.

The best sales presentations are those that inform and persuade while being true to their brand identity. Sometimes that looks like minimalism: Short sentences, muted color palettes, and quiet power. Sometimes, that looks like pizazz.

Reddit has since updated its branding and slogan, but it once boasted to be “the front page of the internet.” At that time, this sales presentation got them a lot of love.

Talk about hooking an audience. But even the randomness isn’t random—it matches their brand, audience, and value proposition.

So consider your brand, audience, and value proposition, and build a sales presentation worthy of that. (But oh, to be on the sales team at Reddit.)

6. Adaptable Sales Story: Eigen Technologies

Eigen Technologies wanted a presentation to support a core sales story that could be tailored to different industry customers. An overview presentation like this one covers the bullet point features of the product while allowing the presenter to add any relevant prospect-specific slides.

Notice the decision to highlight how this solution stacks up against its industry competitors. This can add power to your own value proposition. Something else that adds power? The cohesive sales story that threads through the entire presentation, from stating the problem to showcasing the solution.

For some, this presentation might be a little text-heavy. When you’re presenting live, you want prospects to be listening to you, rather than simply reading all the information from your slides. For animated videos , take-home or self-guided presentations, however, use the amount of text necessary to support your message.

An animated sales presentation can also be a great addition to your sales and marketing materials. Save the static for your presentation, and get double-mileage with a video.

7. Out-of-the-Box: Apple

It’s hard to find live sales presentation examples because most are given privately in meetings, or directly between a salesperson and their prospect. However, explainer videos like this one can inspire your delivery—and your sales deck.

Steve Jobs, wearing his famous black turtleneck, was known for his potent yet simplistic Apple product presentations. Apple continues to lead with powerful sales messaging. Today, it has evolved to match its updated branding and sales style.

Watch how this presentation involves two different team members, both of whom add unique value to the messaging. Depending on the nature of your solution, the expertise level of your audience, and other factors, you might consider something similar—when it makes sense.

Note that every feature mention is immediately followed by its value. Your audience wants to hear about your product's benefit—don’t leave them with product details as bullet points.

8. Putting It Simply: Microsoft Office 365

This business presentation from Office 365 employs an attention-grabbing color scheme while spotlighting feature details via powerful, concise messaging.

With complex products especially, you need to filter out unnecessary information. Boil it down to your key points and features, then use simple graphics and copy to share your product. Let your value overwhelm prospects—not the presentation itself.

Are you ready to get started on your next super-effective sales presentation? Before you go, consider how it could impact your closing rate—and how you can optimize results.

Using Your Sales Presentation to Close More Deals

Every customer touchpoint should drive prospects toward your ultimate goal: closing more deals. An effective sales presentation is just one step in the customer journey, and tips and presentation templates will take you far.

Let’s look again quickly at the end of your presentation.

At the end of the presentation, you need a strong call to action—but you should also consider other ways to make your message stick. Based on the nature of your solution and how you’re delivering the presentation, you might need to leave behind handouts for your audience.

They should be focused and simple, supporting rather than detracting from your presentation. Maybe they even create a dynamic QR code for scanning to download your app or view contact information.

Then to fully optimize your sales presentation, you must follow up . Your sales presentation alone might not sell your solution—but your faithful follow-up game can push them to take the next step. Enter your CRM.

An agile CRM like Close can streamline this outreach and boost customer retention rates . Now you can optimize—and sustain—the success of your next sales presentation.

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Blog Marketing 15 Sales Presentation Examples to Drive Sales

15 Sales Presentation Examples to Drive Sales

Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Oct 31, 2023

A sales presentation is not merely a brief introduction to a product or service. It’s a meticulously constructed sales pitch tailored to showcase the unique features and key elements of what’s being offered and to resonate deeply with the prospective customers. 

But what stands out in the best sales presentation is their ability to weave an engaging story, integrating customer testimonials, success stories and sales performances to maintain the audience’s attention span and to persuade them to take action. 

The right tools, like those provided by Venngage presentation Maker and its sales presentation templates , can greatly aid in this endeavor. The aim is to have a presentation memorable enough that it lingers in the minds of potential clients long after the pitch. 

Its ultimate aim is not just to inform but to persuasively secure the audience’s commitment.

Click to jump ahead:

6 Sales presentation examples

What to include and how to create a sales presentation, sales presentation vs pitch deck.

• Final thoughts

A sales presentation can be the differentiating factor that turns a potential client into a loyal customer. The manner in which a brand or individual presents their value proposition, product, or service can significantly impact the buying decisions of their audience.

Hence, drawing inspiration from various sales presentation examples can be an instrumental step in crafting the perfect pitch.

Let’s explore a few examples of sales presentations that cater to different needs and can be highly effective when used in the right context.

Clean sales presentation examples

The concept of a “clean” sales presentation reflects more than just its visual aesthetic; it captures an ethos of straightforward, concise and effective communication. A clean presentation offers a professional and efficient way to present your sales pitch, making it especially favorable for brands or individuals looking to be perceived as trustworthy and reliable.

Every slide in such a presentation is meticulously designed to be aesthetically pleasing, balancing visuals and text in a manner that complements rather than competes.

Its visual appeal is undeniably a draw, but the real power of a clean sales presentation lies in its ability to be engaging enough to hold your audience’s attention. By minimizing distractions, the message you’re trying to convey becomes the focal point. This ensures that your audience remains engaged, absorbing the key points without being overwhelmed.

A clean design also lends itself well to integrating various elements such as graphs, charts and images, ensuring they’re presented in a clear and cohesive manner. In a business environment where attention spans are continually challenged, a clean presentation stands as an oasis of clarity, ensuring that your audience walks away with a clear understanding of what you offer and why it matters to them.

Minimalist sales presentation examples

Minimalism, as a design and communication philosophy, revolves around the principle of ‘less is more’. It’s a bold statement in restraint and purpose. In the context of sales presentations, a minimalist approach can be incredibly powerful.

It ensures that your content, stripped of any unnecessary embellishments, remains at the forefront. The primary objective is to let the core message shine, ensuring that every slide, every graphic and every word serves a precise purpose.

This design aesthetic brings with it a sense of sophistication and crispness that can be a potent tool in capturing your audience’s attention. There’s an inherent elegance in simplicity which can elevate your presentation, making it memorable.

But beyond just the visual appeal, the minimalist design is strategic. With fewer elements on a slide, the audience can focus more intently on the message, leading to better retention and engagement. It’s a brilliant way to ensure that your message doesn’t just reach your audience, but truly resonates with them.

Every slide is crafted to ensure that the audience’s focus never wavers from the central narrative, making it an excellent choice for brands or individuals seeking to create a profound impact with their pitches.

Simple sales presentation examples

A simple sales presentation provides a clear and unobstructed pathway to your main message, ensuring that the audience’s focus remains undivided. Perfect for highlighting key information, it ensures that your products or services are front and center, unobscured by excessive design elements or verbose content.

But the beauty of a simple design is in its flexibility. With platforms like Venngage , you have the freedom to customize it according to your brand voice and identity. Whether it’s adjusting text sizes, incorporating vibrant colors or selecting standout photos or icons from expansive free stock libraries, the power to enhance and personalize your presentation lies at your fingertips.

Creating your ideal design becomes a seamless process, ensuring that while the presentation remains simple, it is every bit as effective and captivating.

Professional sales presentation example

A professional sales presentation is meticulously crafted, reflecting the brand’s guidelines, voice and core values. It goes beyond just key features or product benefits; it encapsulates the brand’s ethos, presenting a cohesive narrative that resonates deeply with its target audience.

For sales professionals, it’s more than just a slide deck; it’s an embodiment of the brand’s identity, from the great cover image to the clear call to action at its conclusion.

These presentations are tailored to address potential pain points, include sales performances, and present solutions in a compelling and engaging story format. 

Integrating elements like customer success stories and key insights, ensuring that the presentation is not just good, but memorable.

Sales performance sales presentation example

A company’s sales performance presentation is vital to evaluate, refine and boost their sales process. It’s more than just numbers on a slide deck; it’s a comprehensive look into the effectiveness of sales campaigns, strategies and the sales team as a whole.

This type of sales presentation provides key insights into what’s working, what isn’t and where there’s potential for growth.

It’s an invaluable tool for sales professionals, often serving as a roadmap guiding future sales pitches and marketing campaigns.

An effective sales performance presentation might begin with a compelling cover slide, reflecting the brand’s identity, followed by a brief introduction to set the context. From there, it delves into specifics: from the sales metrics, customer feedback and more.

Ultimately, this presentation is a call to action for the sales team, ensuring they are equipped with the best tools, strategies and knowledge to convert prospective customers into paying ones, driving more deals and growing the business.

Testimonial-based sales presentation examples

Leveraging the voices of satisfied customers, a testimonial-based sales presentation seamlessly blends social proof with the brand’s value proposition. It’s a testament to the real-world impact of a product or service, often making it one of the most effective sales presentation examples. 

By centering on customer testimonials, it taps into the compelling stories of those who have experienced firsthand the benefits of what’s being offered.

As the presentation unfolds, the audience is introduced to various customer’s stories, each underscoring the product’s unique features or addressing potential pain points.

These success stories serve dual purposes: they not only captivate the audience’s attention but also preemptively handle sales objections by showcasing how other customers overcame similar challenges.

Sales professionals can further augment the presentation with key insights derived from these testimonials, tailoring their sales pitch to resonate deeply with their potential clients.

Creating a good sales presentation is like putting together a puzzle. Each piece needs to fit just right for the whole picture to make sense. 

So, what are these pieces and how do you put them together? 

Here, I’ll break down the must-have parts of a sales presentation and give you simple steps to build one. 

What to include in a sales presentation?

With so much information to convey and a limited time to engage your audience in your sales presentation, where do you start?

Here, we’re going to explore the essential components of a successful sales presentation, ensuring you craft a compelling narrative that resonates with your prospects.

• A captivating opening slide: First impressions matter. Start with a great cover image or slide that grabs your audience’s attention instantly. Your opening should set the tone, making prospects curious about what’s to come.
• Data-driven slides: Incorporate key points using charts, graphs, infographics and quotes. Instead of flooding your slides with redundant information, use them as a tool to visually represent data. Metrics from your sales dashboard or third-party sources can be particularly illuminating.
• Social proof through testimonials: Weave in testimonials and case studies from satisfied customers. These success stories, especially from those in the same industry as your prospects, act as powerful endorsements, bolstering the credibility of your claims.
• Competitive context: Being proactive is the hallmark of savvy sales professionals. Address how your product or service fares against competitors, presenting a comparative analysis. 
• Customized content: While using a foundational slide deck can be helpful, personalizing your presentation for each meeting can make all the difference. Whether it’s integrating the prospect’s brand colors, industry-specific data or referencing a past interaction, tailored content makes your audience feel acknowledged.
• Clear path to the future: End by offering a glimpse into the next steps. This can include a direct call to action or an overview of the onboarding process. Highlight the unique value your company brings post-sale, such as exceptional training or standout customer support.
• Keep it simple: Remember, simplicity is key. Avoid overcrowding your slides with excessive text. Visual data should take center stage, aiding in comprehension and retention. 

Related: 120+ Presentation Ideas, Topics & Example

How to create a sales presentation? 

Crafting a good sales presentation is an art that blends structure, content and design. 

A successful sales presentation not only tells but also sells, capturing the audience’s attention while conveying the main message effectively. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure that your sales deck becomes a winning sales presentation.

1. Find out your ideal audience

The first step to any effective sales pitch is understanding your audience. Are you presenting to prospective customers, potential clients or an internet marketing agency? Recognize their pain points, buying process and interests to craft a message that resonates. This understanding ensures that your presentation is memorable and speaks directly to their unique needs.

2. Pick a platform to Use

Depending on your target audience and the complexity of your sales literature, you might opt for Venngage presentation maker, PowerPoint templates, Google Slides or any tools that you are comfortable with. Choose a tool that complements your brand identity and aids in keeping your audience’s attention span engaged.

3. Write the ‘About Us’ section

Here’s where you build trust. Give a brief introduction about your organization, its values and achievements. Highlight key elements that set you apart, be it a compelling story of your brand’s inception, a lucrative deal you managed to seal, or an instance where an internet marketing agency hired you for their needs.

4. Present facts and data

Dive deep into sales performance metrics, client satisfaction scores and feedback. Use charts, graphs and infographics to visually represent these facts. Testimonials and customer success stories provide that added layer of social proof. By showcasing concrete examples, like a customer’s story or feedback, you give your audience solid reasons to trust your product or service.

5. Finish with a memorable conclusion & CTA

Now that you’ve laid out all the information, conclude with a bang. Reiterate the value proposition and key insights you want your audience to remember. Perhaps share a compelling marketing campaign or a unique feature of your offering.

End with a clear call to action, directing your prospects on what to do next, whether it’s downloading further assistance material, getting in touch for more deals or moving further down the sales funnel .

Related: 8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips]

Sales presentation and the pitch deck may seem similar at first glance but their goals, focuses, and best-use scenarios differ considerably. Here’s a succinct breakdown of the two:

Sales Presentation:

• What is it? An in-depth dialogue designed to persuade potential clients to make a purchase.
• Focuses on: Brand identity, social proof, detailed product features, addressing customer pain points, and guiding to the buying process.
• Best for: Detailed interactions, longer meetings and thorough discussions with potential customers.
• Example: A sales rep detailing a marketing campaign to a potential client.

Pitch Deck:

• What is it? Pitch deck is a presentation to help potential investors learn more about your business. The main goal isn’t to secure funding but to pique interest for a follow-up meeting.
• Focuses on: Brand voice, key features, growth potential and an intriguing idea that captures the investor’s interest.
• Best for: Initial investor meetings, quick pitches, showcasing company potential.
• Example: A startup introducing its unique value proposition and growth trajectory to prospective investors.

Shared traits: Both aim to create interest and engagement with the audience. The primary difference lies in the intent and the audience: one is for selling a product/service and the other is for igniting investor interest.

Related: How to Create an Effective Pitch Deck Design [+Examples]

Final thoughts 

Sales presentations are the heart and soul of many businesses. They are the bridge between a potential customer’s needs and the solution your product or service offers. The examples provided—from clean, minimalist to professional styles—offer a spectrum of how you can approach your next sales presentation.

Remember, it’s not just about the aesthetics or the data; it’s about the narrative, the story you tell, and the connection you establish. And while sales presentations and pitch decks have their distinct purposes, the objective remains consistent: to engage, persuade and drive action.

If you’re gearing up for your next sales presentation, don’t start from scratch. Utilize Venngage presentation Maker and explore our comprehensive collection of sales presentation templates .

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How to Create Your Ultimate Sales Presentation (with examples)

The Presentation is Step 4 of your Ultimate 10-Step Sales Presentation.

So, you are a dedicated sales professional who has been following my Ultimate 10-Step Sales Presentation formula! Thus far, you have completed your sales prospecting, so you know the customer is a qualified prospect. You have also spent time developing a strategic presentation plan. Plus, you have even planned your all-important approach to begin your presentation.

Now. At last. It is time to plan a killer presentation; a presentation sure to bring success and well-deserved hearty congratulations from coworkers and bosses!

So, no more delays, let’s get started!

In this article on creating your ultimate sales presentation, we will cover:

• Types of Common Selling Situations

4 Sales Presentation Methods

Basics of a group presentation, win-win negotiating, which presentation method is best, types of selling situations.

When I first started as a sales representative, I only had to master one selling situation. It was me selling to a single buyer. However, as I gained sales experience, I found that I had to present in a variety of selling situations.

As a professional salesperson, you need to be aware of the types of selling situations that you might encounter over the course of your career. Here are five of the most common selling situations.

• Salesperson to the buyer. A single salesperson presenting to a single buyer. This is how most of us start in our selling careers.
• Salesperson to the buyer group. A single salesperson presenting to a buying group or committee. You may present to a buying group when the information is technically complex or when the dollar value of the product is above a single buyer’s authorized level.
• Sales team to the buyer group. A selling team presents to a buying group or committee. The selling team and buying committee is often made up of people from different departments with different skillsets. For example, I led selling teams comprising myself as a sales manager, along with people from sales, finance, product supply, operations, and logistics. We presented to customer buying teams comprising people with the same areas of expertise.
• Consultant selling. A lead salesperson assembles company personnel to deal with specific opportunities or solve specific problems for a customer. For example, when I was a sales manager for Procter& Gamble’s Foodservice division, I was frequently called on to work with customers as a consultant to solve a specific problem. “Why don’t our pie crusts bake evenly?” “Why are the scallops cooked at lunch lighter than the scallops cooked for dinner?” I brought in teams of experts to work specifically on these problems.
• Seminar selling. Seminar selling is often educational in nature. In the “old days,” seminar selling was often held in a hotel meeting room. For example, attorneys put on an educational seminar about wills and trusts. When they were done with the seminar, they sold their services. These days a lot of seminar selling is done via “webinars.” A salesperson presents educational material via a live stream over the internet, and when they are done, they sell their services.

Now that we have a handle on the most common selling situations, we must determine which sales presentation methods we will use for our presentation.

Your sales presentation is a combination of persuasive verbal and visual communications of your business proposition that will solve a customer’s problem. Although to deliver a compelling presentation, you also need to match the presentation method to the specific buying situation.

There are four basic presentation methods most salespeople need to master. They are the

• persuasive selling,
• needs-satisfaction, and
• problem-solution method.

The primary difference between the methods is the percentage of time the salesperson is speaking. In the memorized and persuasive selling methods, the salesperson dominates the conversation. In the needs-satisfaction and problem-solution methods, both the salesperson and buyer share in the conversation.

You can think of these methods as being on a continuum from highly structured to completely customized.

The memorized sales presentation method is the most highly structured method. The salesperson does 80-90% of the talking. The buyer’s participation is generally limited to responding to questions posed by the salesperson.

The memorized presentation is a “canned” presentation; delivering the same basic presentation to every prospective buyer. The salesperson discusses the same features and benefits hoping they will stimulate the buyer’s interest.

The most common use of memorized presentations today is door-to-door and telephone sales.

The memorized presentation method has several advantages.

• It increases the confidence of inexperienced salespeople.
• It ensures that a salesperson or entire salesforce delivers the same features and benefits to prospective buyers.
• It is most efficient when selling time is short.

Drawbacks of the memorized presentation include:

• It is impersonal.
• It may present features and benefits that mean nothing to the buyer.
• It has limited participation with the buyer and, therefore, may be perceived as a high-pressure sales presentation.
• It is not effective for complicated selling situations or technical products.

Persuasive Selling

The persuasive selling presentation method is a powerful tool for both new and experienced salespeople. It is less structured than the memorized presentation. The salesperson typically controls the approach and beginning of the presentation but then engages the buyer more and more as the presentation continues.

The persuasive selling method has several advantages.

• It provides an opportunity for more buyer/seller interaction.
• It provides a logical framework and flow of information.
• It allows the salesperson to handle anticipated questions and objections.

The primary drawback of the persuasive selling model is that the structure is less flexible than the need-satisfaction or problem solution methods. Its more formal structure makes it less suitable for complex selling situations.

With the persuasive selling method, the presentation follows a formula or outline. A typical outline for a persuasive selling presentation includes five steps.

Summarize the Situation

State your idea, explain how it works.

• Reinforce the Key Benefits

Suggest an Easy Next Step

Summarize the situation that leads to the purpose of your presentation.

For example , “Last time we met, you mentioned needing to increase sales by 5%. Is that still the case?”

State your idea regarding a solution in clear, simple terms.

For example , “My idea is for you to feature Product X in your advertising and support the feature with a display.”

Share the details of your proposal. Include information about the product, pricing, timing, and etc., so the buyer understands how your proposal will solve his/her problem.

For example , “We know features and displays on Product X increase sales volume by 5x. I suggest you feature Product Super Duper Extra Large Size in your feature on (date). I will come in the week before the ad and build a display for you.”

Reinforce Key Benefits

Reinforce the key benefits by restating why your proposal solves the buyer’s problem. Focus on the key benefit(s) that are most important to the buyer.

For example , “As I said, a feature and display of Product Super Duper usually has a significant impact on sales. I estimate your sales will increase to (estimate) during the week of the feature and display.

Close the sale by suggesting the next steps, which are needed so you can successfully follow through in your proposal.

For example , “If you submit Product Super Duper for a feature on (date), I will order X number of cases of Super Duper to arrive the week before the feature. Then, on the day before the ad breaks, I will come in and build a display for you.”

Need-Satisfaction

The need-satisfaction presentation method is the most difficult to master. The entire presentation is often a back and forth conversation between buyer and seller. For this reason, the salesperson needs to be able to adapt their style and the information they convey to the seller throughout the presentation.

The need-satisfaction method has several advantages.

• It is highly flexible and customizable.
• It is particularly well-suited for the sale of complex, highly technical products.
• It is most effective at uncovering and prioritizing buyer needs.

The primary drawback of the needs-satisfaction method is the open-ended conversational nature of the presentation process. This makes it a difficult method for less experienced salespeople to master.

As the name suggests, the salesperson begins by discussing the buyer’s needs, then clarifies and summarizes the buyer’s greatest need, and finally, demonstrates how their product will meet the buyer’s needs.

Need Development

The presentation begins with the salesperson, asking a probing question to begin the process of ascertaining buyer needs. The salesperson asks a series of these probing questions to understand as much as possible about all the buyer’s specific needs and problems.

It is not uncommon for half or even more of the presentation time to be spent in the need development phase.

For example , a probing question for a computer salesperson is, “What tasks do your employees use your computers for? Or, “What software do the people in your company use the most?”

Need Awareness

Once the salesperson understands the buyer’s needs and problems, it is time to narrow down the needs/problem to the most important one to solve. The salesperson should then restate the need/problem and confirm with the buyer.

For example , “From what you’ve told me, the biggest problem your accounting staff has is they need to be able to see what people in other departments are spending. They use the Super Deluxe Accounting software package, but they are not on the same network, so they cannot see what various departments are spending. Is that correct?”

Need Fulfillment

The need fulfillment stage is the final phase of the needs-satisfaction presentation method. In this stage, the salesperson demonstrates how their product will meet the buyer’s needs or solve their problem.

For example , “I can certainly understand the importance of having your accounting staff computers networked with common software so they can see what each department is spending. My company makes an internet hub specifically designed to link seamlessly all the computers in the accounting department. It is fast, reliable, and is expandable so it can grow as your company grows. I suggest our training team come in and train your accounting department the week before the technical crew installs the new system Is next week good for the training or would the following week be better?”

I’ve used the needs-satisfaction method numerous times throughout my career.

Often, with complicated situations, I’ve had to spend an entire appointment on just needs development and needs awareness phases. When this happens, I will take the time between appointments to think through all the buyer’s needs/problems and select the best features, advantages, and benefits. Then in my next meeting with the buyer, I will use the persuasive selling method to present my solution because I already know the problem I need to solve for the buyer!

Problem-Solution

The problem-solution presentation method is a completely flexible, customized presentation that requires full engagement between buyer and seller. It is like the need satisfaction method because it is designed to uncover specific buyer needs or problems and then provide the appropriate solution. The primary difference is the problem-solution method is designed to handle a situation where the buyer may not even understand the problem or know how to solve it.

The problem-solution presentation method has several advantages.

• It is highly flexible and completely customizable.
• It is best suited for highly complex technical situations.
• It provides an in-depth analysis of specific needs or problems.

The problem-solution presentation method also has several disadvantages.

• Its complexity makes it difficult for inexperienced salespeople to manage the entire process.
• It is time-intensive, often taking several appointments involving multiple disciplines, over a period of weeks or even months.

Multiple Steps are Needed

The problem-solution presentation method consists of multiple steps. Here are eight steps I follow using the problem-solution presentation method.

• Agreement between buyer and seller to complete the analysis.
• Assemble the seller team and identify the customer’s mirror team.
• Agree on a timeline and the scope of the analysis.
• Conduct the actual analysis.
• Form conclusions and recommended courses of action based on the analysis.
• Develop the sale presentation based on the analysis, conclusions, and recommended course of action.
• The sales team delivers the sales presentation to the customer mirror team.
• Implement the agreed-upon actions.

I can’t give you a verbatim example of a problem-solution presentation, or this article would likely run several hundred more pages than you would want to read! However, I can give you an example of a situation where I used the problem-solution method.

I was in a role where I led teams of salespeople, finance, and product supply experts to analyze entire departments of a grocery store. The goal was to maximize department profits by optimizing the product assortment and layout of the department.

The analysis required the retailer to provide months’ worth of detailed financial and volume information for every product carried in the department. We combined their information with complicated psychographic information to determine the mix of products that would maximize profits and customer satisfaction. Then, with the optimized assortment, we designed shelf layouts that incorporated each product in its most logical and efficient location.

Once the analysis, conclusions, and recommendations were developed, we assembled all the information in presentation notebooks. With all the data these presentations typically ran over 100-pages!

Finally, when everything was printed, our selling team comprising of salespeople, finance, and product supply folks, presented to the customer’s mirror team. Often these presentations ran over two hours.

Once all the agreements were made, we established implementation teams responsible for making the changes in every store.

All-in-all it was not uncommon for this process to take 2-3 months for every retailer we worked with. However, we only committed to this kind of work when there was a significant long-term upside for our company! Given all the time, energy, and expertise to do the analysis and make the presentation.

Both the need-satisfaction and problem-solution presentation methods may involve presenting to a group of people. So next, let’s look at some of the nuances of presenting to groups.

There are two types of group presentations I participated in or delivered over the years. One type is what I call the one-to-many, where I present to a customer’s group. The other type and the one I liked the most is the many-to-many, where a group from the seller company presents to a group from the buyer company.

Delivering successful group presentations is complicated because many people are involved, you cover a lot of material, and the material itself is usually complicated.

I can’t possibly cover everything about running a successful group meeting in this article. Nonetheless, there are a few basics you must understand to conduct successful group presentations.

Get plenty of space

These group presentations are often conducted in a large meeting or board room. There’s nothing worse than stuffing 15 people into a room that holds ten.

Arrange for more time than you think you’ll need

If you need 90 minutes, ask for two-hours. No executive will complain if you finish 30 minutes early, but you stand the risk of losing people if you go over your allotted time.

The more people, the more structured the presentation method. Controlling the attention of any large group requires a presentation that is highly structured and organized.

Start with introductions

Chances are individuals who know each other, but not everyone else in the room, so start with simple introductions of name and role.

Publish an agenda

Let the people know what will be covered and in what order. This is also a perfect time to let people know what to expect for the rest of the meeting.

Have a designated question and answer time

Open questions and answers throughout a presentation with large groups are too distracting. If there are major sections to your presentation you can have a question and answer session for each section. Otherwise, you may elect to have one question and answer section at the end of the presentation.

Assign a timekeeper

For very complicated, long presentations, have someone on your team serve as a timekeeper to help keep you on track and from going over your time limit.

Appoint a designated note-taker on your team

The note taker needs to capture key comments, questions, and agreements for reference later.

Get engagement and agreement as you go

I know I said not to have open questions and answers throughout the presentation, but that doesn’t mean you make the presentation like a robot from the front of the room. If you see head nods, ask if they agree. If you see someone with a concerned or quizzical look on their face, ask if they have a question. If the issue is simple, handle it. Otherwise, say you’ll answer their question in just a moment (or in the Q&A at the end).

Focus on benefits

Talk about and reinforce the key benefits of your solution throughout your presentation. If there is a product supply person in the room, mention the benefits that accrue to that department. If there is a finance person talk to them about financial benefits. And so on! Make sure every person in the room hears the benefit of the proposal as it pertains to them!

Summarize the benefits

Just as you’re getting ready to close, summarize, or restate the key benefits you mentioned throughout your presentation. Again, make sure everyone hears the benefit that your solution brings to them in their work!

These tips are just the basics of running a successful group presentation. I can’t guarantee your success by following them, but I can just about guarantee failure if you ignore any of them!

As you approach the close, you will almost certainly have points the buyer wants to question or negotiate. So next, let’s talk a little bit about how to set yourself and your team up for successful negotiations.

I knew a few salespeople over the years who had a “take it or leave” attitude. They had one proposal, and one way of doing business and they were prepared to walk away from business if the buyer didn’t meet all their demands.

On the other hand, I also ran across a few customers who had a “take it or leave it” attitude. They made whatever demands they felt they could get away with pressuring suppliers to meet their demands. They figured if one supplier didn’t meet their demands the next supplier probably would.

I didn’t like working with either sellers or buyers who took that hardline approach.

In my opinion, a relational salesperson should be prepared to negotiate whether you are talking to a single buyer or a buying group. Over the years, I found the trick is to plan your points of negotiation ahead of time. By planning ahead of time you’ll know where you can compromise and where you cannot.

For example , you should know:

• What extra services can you provide that competitors do not?
• Is your price firm, or is there some flexibility?
• Are there payment terms or a payment plan?
• Can you provide any free services (like training) or equipment upgrades?
• Can you offer flexible delivery dates?

At Procter & Gamble (and most other large companies), our prices and terms were fixed, so I had to create negotiating flexibility in other ways. I could easily offer different shipping dates, different quantities and product assortment, and in some cases, product training.

The point is that I was clear about the things I could not negotiate. Likewise, I clarified that I was happy to negotiate where I had flexibility.

So far, we have covered the five most common selling situations and the four presentation methods. Now, it is time to determine which presentation method is best for you and your situation.

Your selling objective is the starting point in deciding which presentation method to use. If you are making a sales presentation, you will take a different approach than if your objective is to gather the information you can use later to develop a sales presentation.

Generally speaking, if you are making a sales presentation, the memorized or persuasive selling method is best. However, if you need to understand buyer priorities or uncover buyer needs or problems then the needs-satisfaction or problem-solution methods are best.

Yet, there is no single best method. When selecting your presentation method you must consider

• the experience of the salesperson,
• your objective,
• the nature of the product,
• the information about the buyer’s need or problem,
• and a host of other variables.

We’re Not Done with our Sales Presentation!

Although we’ve made a lot of progress, we’re still not ready to see the buyer yet!

Sure, we’ve done our prospecting, some approach planning, and we’ve decided on a presentation method. However, we still need to create that all-important presentation! In the next article, we’ll take a hard look at the important elements we must include in our presentation.

The Ultimate 10-Step Sales Presentation Series

Step4: The Presentation is the fifth in a series of articles, which have been created to teach you how to craft and deliver the Ultimate Sales Presentation in 10-Steps.

If you missed a prior article in this series or you want to review one again, you’ll find them here:

Kick-Off: The Ultimate 10-Step Sales Presentation

Step 1: Customer Prospecting

Step 2: Pre-Approach Planning

Step 3: The Approach

Step 4: The Presentation – Part 1 (you’re here)

Steps 5-10: Coming soon. A new article releases every two weeks.

If you want to make sure you don’t miss one of these articles, you can sign up to receive the series here .

Join the Conversation

As always, questions and comments are welcome. What questions do you have about the Approach step of the Ultimate 10-Step Presentation model?

I’d love your help. This blog is read primarily because of people like you who share it with friends. Would you be kind enough to share it by pressing the share button?

Category: Salespeople

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7-step sales process: When to use it and when to break it

Lucid Content

Reading time: about 6 min

The 7-step sales process

• Prospecting
• Preparation
• Presentation
• Handling objections

If you are one of the 2.5 million employees in the United States working in sales, you know that even for the most natural salesperson, it can sometimes be difficult to turn potential leads into closed sales. Across industries, you need different skills and knowledge to prove to your potential customers that your solution is best for their particular problem.

As the old adage goes, “Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist.” Once you’ve mastered the seven steps of the sales process you might learn in a business class or sales seminar, then you can break the rules where necessary to create a sales process that may not necessarily follow procedure but gets results.

The textbook 7-step sales process

What are the seven steps of the sales process according to most sales masters? The following steps provide a good outline for what you should be doing to find potential customers, close the sale, and retain your clients for repeat business and referrals in the future.

1. Prospecting

The first step in the sales process is prospecting . In this stage, you find potential customers and determine whether they have a need for your product or service—and whether they can afford what you offer. Evaluating whether the customers need your product or service and can afford it is known as qualifying.

Keep in mind that, in modern sales, it's not enough to find one prospect at a company: There are an average of 6.8 customer stakeholders involved in a typical purchase, so you'll want to practice multi-threading , or connecting with multiple decision-makers on the purchasing side. Account maps are an effective way of identifying these buyers.

2. Preparation

The next step is preparing for initial contact with a potential customer, researching the market and collecting all relevant information regarding your product or service. Develop your sales presentation and tailor it to your potential client’s particular needs. Preparation is key to setting you up for success. The better you understand your prospect and their needs, the better you can address their objections and set yourself apart from the competition.

3. Approach

Next, make first contact with your client. This is called the approach. Sometimes this is a face-to-face meeting, sometimes it’s over the phone. There are three common approach methods.

• Premium approach: Presenting your potential client with a gift at the beginning of your interaction
• Question approach: Asking a question to get the prospect interested
• Product approach: Giving the prospect a sample or a free trial to review and evaluate your service

Dive deeper into the various sales approaches you can use to start a relationship off on the right foot.

4. Presentation

In the presentation phase, you actively demonstrate how your product or service meets the needs of your potential customer. The word presentation implies using PowerPoint and giving a salesy spiel, but it doesn’t always have to be that way—you should actively listen to your customer’s needs and then act and respond accordingly.

5. Handling objections

Perhaps the most underrated step of the sales process is handling objections . This is where you listen to your prospect’s concerns and address them. It’s also where many unsuccessful salespeople drop out of the process—44% of salespeople abandoning pursuit after one rejection, 22% after two rejections, 14% after three, and 12% after four, even though 80% of sales require at least five follow-ups to convert. Successfully handling objections and alleviating concerns separates good salespeople from bad and great from good.

In the closing stage, you get the decision from the client to move forward. Depending on your business, you might try one of these three closing techniques .

• Alternative choice close: Assuming the sale and offering the prospect a choice, where both options close the sale—for example, “Will you be paying the whole fee up front or in installments?” or “Will that be cash or charge?”
• Extra inducement close: Offering something extra to get the prospect to close, such as a free month of service or a discount
• Standing room only close: Creating urgency by expressing that time is of the essence—for example, “The price will be going up after this month” or “We only have six spots left”

7. Follow-up

Once you have closed the sale, your job is not done. The follow-up stage keeps you in contact with customers you have closed, not only for potential repeat business but for referrals as well. And since retaining current customers is six to seven times less costly than acquiring new ones, maintaining relationships is key.

Want to nail the sales follow-up process? Follow our tips.

Sales process takeaways: What’s important?

Now that you understand the basic seven stages of sales process development, you can begin to tailor them to your own product or service and customer base. Cut out steps that are unnecessary to your particular business and focus on your customer. You know the rules—now get ready to break them in ways that bring you closer to your customer and turn you from a sales professional to a sales artist.

Whatever approach you take, keep these fundamentals in mind:

Identifying the customer’s problem

You have a product or service you want to sell—now what? Anyone with a problem related to your area of expertise can be a potential customer. You'll need to dive deep into discovery work to learn each buyer's specific goals, needs, and pain points. 

Develop a solution for the customer

Once you have uncovered problems for your products to solve, tailor your offerings to fix those issues—and be prepared to explain how your product truly is a solution for the given problems. Sales engineers can use Lucidchart to visually demonstrate how their product or service solves client problems and makes their lives easier, such as the flowchart below.

Be persistent

Following up isn’t just for after the close to get repeat business. As stated before, most customers don’t buy right away. You have to handle objections and try, try, try again. This is where the seven-step sales process doesn’t account for repeated approaches, presentations, meetings, or phone calls where you handle objections. If it did, it might be a 13-step sales process or a 21-step sales process, or… you get the idea.

Bottom line: stay connected—set up a calendar for repeated contact with potential, present, and past customers so you're more likely to reach them when they're ready to buy.

What are the key steps in the sales process? Whatever your customers need them to be.

Once you’ve tried out a few different approaches, tweaking the original seven steps in the sales process to fit your customers better, document your successes so that you can follow the steps that work best and easily get new reps up to speed as they are onboarded.

Whatever steps you settle on, you need to document your sales process to ensure that sales reps follow it. Learn about sales process mapping.

About Lucidchart

Lucidchart, a cloud-based intelligent diagramming application, is a core component of Lucid Software's Visual Collaboration Suite. This intuitive, cloud-based solution empowers teams to collaborate in real-time to build flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, customer journey maps, and more. Lucidchart propels teams forward to build the future faster. Lucid is proud to serve top businesses around the world, including customers such as Google, GE, and NBC Universal, and 99% of the Fortune 500. Lucid partners with industry leaders, including Google, Atlassian, and Microsoft. Since its founding, Lucid has received numerous awards for its products, business, and workplace culture. For more information, visit lucidchart.com.

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How to Have Meaningful Conversations That Triple Your Sales

One of the biggest problems I faced as a new inside sales rep was how to have a conversation that resonated with my buyer. After diving into the structure of my calls with my manager, we found that my calls were more of the interrogation approach, asking closed-ended questions. If there is one major piece of advice I can give, it is to learn from my failure.

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5 Steps to Stronger Sales Presentations

The best product in the world won’t save the day if your sales reps are delivering flat presentations.

Let’s face it, some salespeople oversell, some salespeople undersell, and some might find a happy medium, but lack confidence in their delivery.

The truth is, there are a variety of reasons so many sales teams are simply missing the mark with their presentations.

The following five steps are a simple format you can use to accelerate your sales presentation success:

1. Start With the Objectives

Your clients are busy (aren’t we all!). They aren’t entertaining your sales presentation because they have nothing better to do.

They have needs, concerns, and issues they need help with. So, always begin the sales presentation by reiterating the objectives.

“You said you were trying to accomplish A, B, C”

List out the objectives. If you’re in person, even write them out on a whiteboard.

How you do this is up to you, but far too many salespeople start the sales presentation off by blabbering out a list of features and services. Slow things down, and start with the goals.

2. Discuss Your Features and Benefits

Now that the goals have clearly been stated, you can begin outlining what you have to offer and the benefit it will bring to the client. The best language to use is:

“Here is how we solve problem A for you, and the benefit to you is…”

3. Follow With Examples

You’ve outlined the objectives or problems your client is facing, you’ve discussed how you can help, and how your client will benefit. Now, you need to back up your talk.

Give specific examples that prove you are in fact capable of delivering what you promise and have a track record of doing so.

4. Ask a Question

No, not any random question that comes to your head. You need to ask a very specific question. That is, you want the client to acknowledge everything you’ve covered so far in your sales presentation. Language to use here is:

“ Can you see how this process solves your problem?”

5. Bring Up the Investment 

You always want to frame the price of your product or service as an “investment” because that word presupposes that they’re getting a return.

“The investment for this project is…”

Bonus tip: Ask for the sale!

Don’t forget about your closing question if you want to make the sale.

I’ve been on numerous sales calls where a rep completely nails the presentation but doesn’t close the sale because…they don’t ask! Don’t make this error!

Get your sales team to follow this format and watch your sales results grow!

What’s one tip you’d provide to a salesperson who’s struggling with their presentations?

4 responses to “ 5 Steps to Stronger Sales Presentations ”

[…] If a client says, “We don’t care about that”, leave it out of the proposal and further discussions because it’s not relevant. However, if the client says, “That is very important to us. We should include that as well”, then you can add value to both the discussion and your presentations. […]

[…] Groups put together presentations based on their template approach to selling (i.e., the steps they take with every sale). Then they […]

[…] You must ensure your virtual skills are as good as your in-person skills. Some of my clients are finding that smaller, local companies might still be open to face-to-face transactions with select, trusted sellers. However, larger companies won’t even let you in the door. You can’t just pick a side here. I don’t know of anyone who is doing either all-virtual or zero-virtual selling now. Everyone is adapting to do both. That means being just as skilled at setting up a video call as with building a convincing value calculation, handling objections, or creating a compelling presentation. […]

[…] You must ensure your virtual skills are as good as your in-person skills. Some of my clients are finding that smaller, local companies might still be open to face-to-face transactions with select, trusted sellers. However, larger companies won’t even let you in the door. You can’t just pick a side here. I don’t know of anyone who is doing either all-virtual or zero-virtual selling now. Everyone is adapting to do both. That means being just as skilled at setting up a video call as with building a convincing value calculation, handling objections, or creating a compelling presentation. […]

Mastering the Art of Presenting Data in PowerPoint

Presenting data in PowerPoint is easy. However, making it visually appealing and effective takes more time and effort. It’s not hard to bore your audience with the same old data presentation formats. So, there is one simple golden rule: Make it not boring.

When used correctly, data can add weight, authority, and punch to your message. It should support and highlight your ideas, making a concept come to life. But this begs the question: How to present data in PowerPoint?

After talking to our 200+ expert presentation designers, I compiled information about their best-kept secrets to presenting data in PowerPoint. 

Below, I’ll show our designers ' favorite ways to add data visualization for global customers and their expert tips for making your data shine. Read ahead and master the art of data visualization in PowerPoint!

Feel free to explore sections to find what's most useful!

How to present data in PowePoint: a step-by-step guide

Creative ways to present data in powerpoint.

• Tips for data visualization

Seeking to optimize your presentations? – 24Slides designers have got you covered!

How you present your data can make or break your presentation. It can make it stand out and stick with your audience, or make it fall flat from the go.

It’s not enough to just copy and paste your data into a presentation slide. Luckily, PowerPoint has many smart data visualization tools! You only need to put in your numbers, and PowerPoint will work it up for you.

Follow these steps, and I guarantee your presentations will level up!

1. Collect your data

First things first, and that is to have all your information ready. Especially for long business presentations, there can be a lot of information to consider when working on your slides. Having it all organized and ready to use will make the whole process much easier to go through.

Consider where your data comes from, whether from research, surveys, or databases. Make sure your data is accurate, up-to-date, and relevant to your presentation topic.

Your goal will be to create clear conclusions based on your data and highlight trends.

2. Know your audience

Knowing who your audience is and the one thing you want them to get from your data is vital. If you don’t have any idea where to start, you can begin with these key questions:

• What impact do you want your data to make on them?
• Is the subject of your presentation familiar to them?
• Are they fellow sales professionals?
• Are they interested in the relationships in the data you’re presenting?

By answering these, you'll be able to clearly understand the purpose of your data. As a storyteller, you want to capture your audience’s attention.

3. Choose a data visualization option

One key to data visualization in PowerPoint is being aware of your choices and picking the best one for your needs. This depends on the type of data you’re trying to showcase and your story.

When showcasing growth over time, you won’t use a spider chart but a line chart. If you show percentages, a circle graph will probably work better than a timeline. As you can see, knowing how to work with charts, graphs, and tables can level up your presentation.

Later, we’ll review some of the most common tools for data visualization in PowerPoint. This will include what these graphs and charts are best for and how to make the most of each. So read ahead for more information about how to present data in PowerPoint!

4. Be creative!

PowerPoint can assist with creating graphs and charts, but it's up to you to perfect them. Take into account that PowerPoint has many options. So, don't be afraid to think outside the box when presenting your data.

To enhance your presentation design, try out different color schemes, fonts, and layouts. Add images, icons, and visual elements to highlight your ideas.

If this sounds complicated to you, there's no need to worry. At the end of this article, you’ll find some easy tips for upgrading your data visualization design!

At this point, you might wonder: what is the best way to present data in PowerPoint? Well, let me tell you: it's all about charts. To accomplish a polished presentation, you must use charts instead of words. When visualizing quantitative data, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Based on +10 years of expertise, we've identified key chart types and creative ways to work with them. Let's delve into each one!

Line Charts

Line charts are a classic, which can make them boring. However, if done correctly, they can be striking and effective. But where does their popularity come from? Here's the answer: Line charts work great to show changes over time.

Another critical difference is that line charts are accumulative. For example, you can join them to a column chart to show different data at a glance. They allow data visualization effectively, making it easier to figure out.

To make the most of them, mastering how to work with line charts is essential. But there is good news: you will have a lot of freedom to customize them!

Download our Free Line Chart Template here .

Bar and column charts

Bar and column charts are another classic choice. Again, they are simple and great for comparing different categories. They organize them around two axes: one shows numbers, and the other shows what we want to compare.

But when should you use a bar chart or a column chart? A bar chart is better when comparing different categories and having long labels. A column chart, on the other hand, is better if you have a few categories and want to show changes over time.

You also have the waterfall option, which is perfect for highlighting the difference between gains and losses. It also adds a dynamic touch to your presentation!

Unsure how to implement these charts? Here's how to add a bar or a column chart in PowerPoint.

Download our Bar and Column Chart Template here .

Venn diagram

Venn diagrams are definitely something to consider when discussing data visualization—even if its focus is not quantitative data! Venn diagrams are best for showcasing similarities and differences between two (or more) categories or products. 

By using overlapping circles, you can quickly and easily see common features between separate ideas. The shared space of the circles shows what is the same between the groups. However, items in the outer parts of each circle show what isn’t a common trait.

They make complex relationships easy to understand. Now, you only need to know how to create a Venn diagram in PowerPoint —quite simple!

Download our Free Venn Diagram Template here .

Pie charts are a great way to show different percentages of a whole. They immediately identify the largest and smallest values. This means that they are great options for drawing attention to differences between one group and another.

However, many people misuse pie charts by overpacking them. As a rule, keep the chart to six or fewer sections. That way, the data is striking, not confusing. Then, make the pie chart your own with small, individual details and designs.

Once again, the powerful presentation of data is in simplicity.

Are you considering incorporating it into your presentation? Here’s how to easily add a pie chart in PowerPoint.

Download our Free Pie Chart Template here .

Bubble Charts

Bubble charts playfully present data in an incredibly visual way. But, what makes them so unique? It's easy: they show different values through varying circle sizes.

Squeezed together, the circles also show a holistic viewpoint. Bigger bubbles catch the eye, while small bubbles illustrate how the data breaks down into smaller values. ¿The result? A presentation of data in a visual form.

It can be one of the most graphic ways to represent the spending distribution. For example, you can instantly see your biggest costs or notice how important finances are getting lost in a sea of bubbles. This quick analysis can be incredibly handy.

Download our Free Bubble Chart Template here .

Maps are the go-to solution for presenting geographic information . They help put data in a real-world context. You usually take a blank map and use color for the important areas.

Blocks, circles, or shading represent value. Knowing where certain data is can be crucial. A consistent color scheme makes it easy to show how valuable each section is.

They also work great when paired with other forms of data visualization. For example, you can use pie charts to provide information about offices in different cities around the world or bar charts to compare revenue in different locations.

Download our Free World Map Template here .

If you want to display chronological data, you must use a timeline. It’s the most effective and space-efficient way to show time passage.

They make it easy for your audience to understand the sequence of events with clear and concise visuals.

You can use timelines to show your company’s history or significant events that impacted your business. Like maps, you can easily mix them with other types of data visuals. This characteristic allows you to create engaging presentations that tell a comprehensive story.

At this point, it's a matter of understanding how to add a timeline correctly in PowerPoint . Spoiler: it's incredibly easy.

Download our Free Timeline Chart Template here .

Flowcharts, like timelines, represent a succession of events. The main difference is that timelines have determined start and finish points and specific dates. Flowcharts, on the other hand, show the passing from one step to the next.

They are great for showing processes and info that need to be in a specific order. They can also help you communicate cause-and-effect information in a visually engaging way.

Their best feature is that (unlike timelines) they can also be circular, meaning this is a recurrent process. All you need now is to become familiar with creating a flowchart in PowerPoint .

Download our Free Flowchart Template here .

5 Tips for data visualization in PowerPoint

Knowing how to present data in PowerPoint presentations is not hard, but it takes time to master it. After all, practice makes perfect!

I've gathered insights from our 200+ expert designers , and here are the top five tips they suggest for enhancing your data presentations!

1. Keep it simple

Don’t overload your audience with information. Let the data speak for itself. If you write text below a chart, keep it minimalist and highlight the key figures. The important thing in a presentation is displaying data in a clear and digestible way.

Put all the heavy facts and figures in a report, but never on a PowerPoint slide.

You can even avoid charts altogether to keep it as simple as possible. And don't get me wrong. We've already covered that charts are the way to go for presenting data in PowerPoint, but there are a few exceptions.

This begs the question: when shouldn't you use charts in PowerPoint? The answer is quite short. If your data is simple or doesn't add much value to your presentation, you might want to skip using charts.

2. Be original

One of the best ways to make your data impactful is originality. Take time to think about how you could present information uniquely. Think of a whole new concept and play around with it. Even if it’s not yet perfect, people will appreciate the effort to be original.

Experiment with creative ways to present your data, adding storytelling techniques , unique design elements, or interactive features. This approach can make the data more appealing and captivating for your audience.

You can even mix up how to present data in PowerPoint. Instead of just one format, consider using two different types of data presentation on a single slide. For instance, try placing a bar chart on the left and a pie chart showcasing different data on the right.

3. Focus on your brand

Keeping your presentation on-brand can genuinely make you stand out from the crowd! Even if you just focus on your brand’s color scheme, it will make your presentation look more polished and professional. 

Have fun experimenting with data visualization tools to ensure they match your company’s products and services. What makes you different from others?

Add your brand's style into your visualization to ensure brand consistency and recognition. Use colors, fonts, and logos aligned with your company's image.

You can even make a presentation that more subtly reflects your brand. Think of what values you want to associate with your company and how you can display these in your presentation design.

4. Highlight key information

Not distracting your audience nicely brings us to our third point: Highlight key information. Being detailed and informative is important, but grabbing and keeping the audience's attention is crucial.

Presenting numbers in PowerPoint can be difficult, but it doesn’t must be. Make your audience listen to the bigger message of your words, not just the exact details. All the smaller particulars can be confirmed later.

Your listeners don’t want to know the facts and figures to the nearest decimal. They want the whole number, which is easy to spot and understand.

The meaning of the number is more important than its numerical value. Is it high or low? Positive or negative? Good or bad for business? These are the questions to which you want the answers to be clear.

Using colors is an excellent way to work with this. Colors are also a great visual tool to showcase contrast. For example, when you're working on a graph to display your revenue, you can showcase expenses in red and earnings in green. This kind of color-coding will make your data visualization clear from first sight!

5. Use Templates!

Presentation templates can be your best friend when you want to present data effectively in PowerPoint.

They offer pre-designed layouts and styles that can ensure consistency throughout your presentation. Templates allow you to adjust colors, fonts, and layouts to match your branding or personal preferences.

Microsoft Office has its own library of templates, but you can also find some pretty amazing ones online. Take some extra time to search and pick one that truly fits your needs and brand. 

¿The good news? Our Templates by 24Slides platform has hundreds of PowerPoint chart templates, all completely free for you to use . You can even download different templates and mix and match slides to make the perfect deck. All are entirely editable, so you can add your own data and forget about design.

If you liked the look of some examples in this article, you might be in luck! Most are part of these, and you can also find them on our Templates platform.

In this article, I've shown why knowing how to present data efficiently in PowerPoint is crucial. Data visualization tools are a must to ensure your message is clear and that it sticks with your audience.

However, achieving results that really stand out could be a huge challenge for beginners.  So, If you want to save time and effort on the learning curve of presenting data in PowerPoint, you can always trust professionals!

With 10+ years of experience and more than 200 designers worldwide, we are the world’s largest presentation design company across the globe.

24Slides' professional PowerPoint designers work with businesses worldwide, helping them transform their presentations from ‘okay’ to ‘spectacular.’ With each presentation, we're crafting a powerful tool to captivate audiences and convey messages effectively!

Looking to boost your PowerPoint game? Check out this content:

• PowerPoint 101: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners
• How to Create the Perfect B2B Sales Presentation
• The Ultimate Brand Identity Presentation Guide [FREE PPT Template]
• 7 Essential Storytelling Techniques for your Business Presentation
• The Cost of PowerPoint Presentations: Discover the hidden expenses you might overlook!

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Mastering the 5 Steps of the SPICED Sales Methodology

Table of Contents

The buying journey isn’t what it used to be. With so many options, ever-changing expectations, and people involved in decision-making, it’s no wonder why many sales teams often struggle to understand what their customers need. This challenge is even bigger in businesses where the real win isn’t just closing a deal but creating connections that keep your customers coming back.

This is where the SPICED framework comes into play. It unifies sales, marketing, and customer success teams by providing a clear, shared approach to understanding and addressing customer needs.

In this article, you’ll learn how to identify customer pain points, assess impacts, and navigate decision-making processes with sample questions and real-world examples.

Key Takeaways

• The SPICED framework helps sellers gather all the necessary details from prospects before recommending a solution.
• It’s useful for identifying prospects who are (and aren’t) the right fit for your product or service.
• It works best in complex sales environments.

What is the SPICED Framework?

Developed by Winning by Design, the SPICED framework is a five-step sales methodology that helps go-to-market (GTM) teams diagnose customer needs, recommend a compelling solution, and maintain strong, lasting relationships. SPICED stands for Situation, Pain, Impact, Critical Event, and Decision.

SPICED framework is particularly useful for needs-based or solution selling in the enterprise, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and recurring revenue business models. It helps sales reps understand their prospects’ backgrounds, foresee potential objections, and highlight the risks of not making a change. Ultimately, this framework helps prospects see the impact they need to make and motivates them to take action on their own.

Much like MEDDIC and BANT, the SPICED method empowers sellers to qualify inbound leads based on deal potential, buyer readiness, and the likelihood of closing. What makes it different is its emphasis on long-term customer success and retention.

Steps in the SPICED Sales Methodology

Each part of the SPICED framework serves as a key talking point for sellers during different stages of customer interaction to gather important information. It has consultative and provocative elements, where you ask questions to understand what the customer needs and encourage them to consider new perspectives. It also ensures that GTM teams cover all the crucial details needed for a successful sale.

Here is the step-by-step process of the SPICED framework:

Identify and understand the customer’s current situation. Gather information about their organization, business demographics, and objectives to establish their fit into your ideal customer profile (ICP) and create a conversation baseline. You can find information on blogs, LinkedIn, product launches, customer feedback, and news releases.

Some discovery call questions you could ask to uncover their situation are:

• What’s a typical day like for you and your team?
• I saw that your company recently expanded. How is that going?
• What’s your main focus for this quarter in terms of business goals?
• Are you currently targeting any new markets or customer segments?

Start with broad questions to get the prospect talking about their current practices and how they operate. You should also attention to hints that indicate deeper issues. If the prospect begins expressing strong emotions, it’s a cue to steer the conversation toward exploring their pain points.

Discover the customer’s pain points. What issues or challenges hinder their success? Usually, these issues stem from unmet expectations or solutions that aren’t working well. Once you hear about these shortcomings, it’s a good opportunity to dive deeper. Understanding their pain helps align your solution to their needs.

Here are some questions you can ask:

• What’s the most significant bottleneck your team faces right now?
• Are there any specific processes that seem to slow things down for you?
• How is your team currently handling [specific challenge]?
• Have you received any feedback from customers about areas needing improvement?

If your prospects are downplaying their problems, ask follow-up questions to uncover the real cause of their pain. You should also pay attention to the prospect’s emotions. The stronger their emotional pain, the more receptive they’ll be to your solution.

Assess the impact of the pain points on the customer’s business. How do these challenges affect their operations, performance, and revenue?

This step emphasizes the urgency and importance of finding a solution. The goal is to highlight the repercussions of the customer’s existing process and show the positive outcomes of addressing these challenges. This is also when you start building a strong case for why your solution is the right choice. Use data, case studies, and industry benchmarks to show how your product or service can make a real difference for their business.

Example impact questions are:

• Are these challenges impacting your revenue or market share?
• What would resolving this issue mean for your team’s productivity?
• Do you have any data on how these challenges are affecting customer satisfaction?

Critical Event

Identify critical events that drive the need for change. These events are usually a deadline or goal they’ve set and want to hit. They could be upcoming contract expirations, budget cycles, or regulatory changes. Recognizing these events helps you position your solution as timely and relevant.

Some questions you could ask are:

• Is there a specific deadline by which you need this problem solved?
• Are there any contracts or vendor agreements expiring soon?
• How do upcoming budget reviews affect your current priorities?
• Are there any regulatory changes coming that could impact your operations?

Remember that the SPICED framework does not always strictly follow a sequence for impact and critical events. In some cases, prospects might already recognize their problem and have a few solutions in mind. You can identify these signs with active listening and uncover the full impact and critical events with follow-up questions.

More importantly, you shouldn’t force a deadline. Instead, focus on grasping your prospect’s sense of urgency.

During the decision stage, find out what it takes for your prospect to close the deal. This means learning about their decision-making process, the influencers, and their evaluation criteria.

Facilitate the decision-making process by addressing any concerns or questions they may have. Be ready to present your solution to different stakeholders If possible, develop connections with internal champions who can support your solution.

Example decision questions include:

• How do you typically finalize decisions like this with your team?
• Do you have any concerns I can help address to make this decision easier?
• What’s your timeline for implementing a new solution?
• Who are the other decision-makers, and who else is involved in evaluating solutions for your team?

Benefits of the SPICED Framework for Your Business

The SPICED framework’s diagnostic nature gets clients talking about their situation and highlights the risks of no change. It sparks movement to the next step. Putting the customer first makes them see more value in your offering and strengthens your relationship with them.

Here are the benefits that will ultimately impact overall revenue:

1. Create a consistent buying experience

The SPICED Framework aligns sales and revenue teams with a standardized approach, ensuring everyone speaks the same language and follows the same process. It also helps avoid misunderstandings and personal biases during lead qualification. This consistency leads to clearer communication and better collaboration.

2. Align GTM teams

Rolling out a new product is never easy. Sales, marketing, and product teams must sync to pinpoint customer needs and pain points. The SPICED framework can help uncover this information to help sellers create a unified, compelling narrative. It also aids in creating comprehensive buyer personas, ensuring GTM strategies resonate with the right target audiences.

3. Optimize sales productivity

The SPICED Framework streamlines the sales cycle by helping teams identify critical events and decision drivers early. This approach enables sales teams to prioritize high-value activities and focus on understanding customer needs and closing deals. Additionally, it improves lead generation by targeting the most promising prospects, ensuring that time and resources are spent on opportunities with the highest potential for successful conversions. This, in turn, improves sales productivity and forecasting.

4. Improve sales onboarding, training, and coaching

The structured nature of the SPICED Framework makes it an excellent tool for onboarding new sales team members and providing ongoing training and coaching. It offers a clear roadmap for understanding and engaging with clients, which helps new hires ramp up quickly and integrate with the team. Improving the skills of sales reps using the SPICED framework can drive 78% more annual recurring revenue (ARR) .

Guide: What Good Sales Onboarding, Training, and Coaching Look Like

SPICED Framework Application

Let’s explore a real-world application of the SPICED framework to selling AI solutions. We will explore sample discovery from each process step with a retailer seeking real-time customer insights.

• Situation: A retailer with 2,500 employees across six locations seeks to improve its customer insights capabilities. They currently use a mix of legacy systems and modern CRM platforms to manage their data.
• Pain: Their existing systems are cumbersome and require extensive manual data processing, creating workflow bottlenecks. The retailer’s marketing director spends hours each week manually compiling reports. Senior managers are concerned about the accuracy and timeliness of data insights, which are critical for decision-making in a competitive retail market.
• Impact: AI could automate data analysis and reduce operational costs. Real-time metrics would allow them to adapt more swiftly to customer needs, enhancing their competitive advantage. This capability could transform them from reactive to proactive.
• Critical Event: Leadership has set a deadline to implement improvements before their fiscal year-end meeting in Q4. The upcoming Q2 planning session coincides with their annual performance review, where they present growth strategies to key stakeholders. This is when the team will present solution options. They anticipate launching a new product line in Q4 and need predictive analytics.
• Decision: The team needs a solution that integrates with their existing CRM and is budget-friendly. The chief technology officer and head of data analytics are tasked with evaluating the software options, while final approval rests with the chief financial officer. The legal department will scrutinize the contract to ensure it aligns with company policies.

By applying the SPICED Framework, salespeople can seamlessly navigate the sales process , aligning their solution with the buyer’s needs and goals. This understanding leads to a successful and collaborative partnership.

Tools to Implement the SPICED Framework

Implementing the SPICED Framework requires the proper tools to gather and analyze information, facilitate communication, and ensure team integration. Here are some tools that can help:

• Customer relationship management (CRM) systems: CRMs like Salesforce manage and organize customer data. They allow sales reps to record and access detailed information about prospects, track interactions, and monitor sales progress, all of which are integral to the SPICED Framework.
• Sales enablement software: Tools like Highspot provide sales teams with the resources and insights needed to engage with prospects. They typically include a robust sales training platform , along with content management and analytics, enabling sales reps to deliver personalized and impactful presentations aligned with the SPICED Framework.
• Communication and collaboration tools: Platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams facilitate real-time communication and collaboration among sales teams. These tools help sales reps share quickly, ensuring everyone is aligned and informed throughout the sales process.

How to Integrate Your Sales Methodology Into Your Sales Enablement Strategy

Integrate SPICED Framework into Your Sales Process with Highspot

Incorporating the SPICED sales framework into your playbook can change how you engage with customers. You can develop long-term relationships and enhance every step of the customer journey. SPICED ensures that sales conversations are meaningful and effective by emphasizing active listening and tailoring interactions to meet specific needs.

Highspot complements this approach by providing automation, templates, and tools that streamline the sales process. This allows teams to focus on what matters most: understanding and addressing customer needs. With Highspot, sales, marketing, and customer success teams can access resources that support a customer-centric sales strategy, helping them to create personalized, impactful experiences.

Request a Highspot demo today!

The Highspot Team works to create and promote the Highspot sales enablement platform, which gives businesses a powerful sales advantage to engage in more relevant buyer conversations and achieve their revenue goals. Through AI-powered search, analytics, in-context training, guided selling, and 50+ integrations, the Highspot platform delivers enterprise-ready sales enablement in a modern design that sales reps and marketers love.

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MoSCoW Prioritization

What is moscow prioritization.

MoSCoW prioritization, also known as the MoSCoW method or MoSCoW analysis, is a popular prioritization technique for managing requirements. 

  The acronym MoSCoW represents four categories of initiatives: must-have, should-have, could-have, and won’t-have, or will not have right now. Some companies also use the “W” in MoSCoW to mean “wish.”

What is the History of the MoSCoW Method?

Software development expert Dai Clegg created the MoSCoW method while working at Oracle. He designed the framework to help his team prioritize tasks during development work on product releases.

You can find a detailed account of using MoSCoW prioritization in the Dynamic System Development Method (DSDM) handbook . But because MoSCoW can prioritize tasks within any time-boxed project, teams have adapted the method for a broad range of uses.

How Does MoSCoW Prioritization Work?

Before running a MoSCoW analysis, a few things need to happen. First, key stakeholders and the product team need to get aligned on objectives and prioritization factors. Then, all participants must agree on which initiatives to prioritize.

At this point, your team should also discuss how they will settle any disagreements in prioritization. If you can establish how to resolve disputes before they come up, you can help prevent those disagreements from holding up progress.

Finally, you’ll also want to reach a consensus on what percentage of resources you’d like to allocate to each category.

With the groundwork complete, you may begin determining which category is most appropriate for each initiative. But, first, let’s further break down each category in the MoSCoW method.

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Moscow prioritization categories.

1. Must-have initiatives

As the name suggests, this category consists of initiatives that are “musts” for your team. They represent non-negotiable needs for the project, product, or release in question. For example, if you’re releasing a healthcare application, a must-have initiative may be security functionalities that help maintain compliance.

The “must-have” category requires the team to complete a mandatory task. If you’re unsure about whether something belongs in this category, ask yourself the following.

If the product won’t work without an initiative, or the release becomes useless without it, the initiative is most likely a “must-have.”

2. Should-have initiatives

Should-have initiatives are just a step below must-haves. They are essential to the product, project, or release, but they are not vital. If left out, the product or project still functions. However, the initiatives may add significant value.

“Should-have” initiatives are different from “must-have” initiatives in that they can get scheduled for a future release without impacting the current one. For example, performance improvements, minor bug fixes, or new functionality may be “should-have” initiatives. Without them, the product still works.

3. Could-have initiatives

Another way of describing “could-have” initiatives is nice-to-haves. “Could-have” initiatives are not necessary to the core function of the product. However, compared with “should-have” initiatives, they have a much smaller impact on the outcome if left out.

So, initiatives placed in the “could-have” category are often the first to be deprioritized if a project in the “should-have” or “must-have” category ends up larger than expected.

4. Will not have (this time)

One benefit of the MoSCoW method is that it places several initiatives in the “will-not-have” category. The category can manage expectations about what the team will not include in a specific release (or another timeframe you’re prioritizing).

Placing initiatives in the “will-not-have” category is one way to help prevent scope creep . If initiatives are in this category, the team knows they are not a priority for this specific time frame. 

Some initiatives in the “will-not-have” group will be prioritized in the future, while others are not likely to happen. Some teams decide to differentiate between those by creating a subcategory within this group.

How Can Development Teams Use MoSCoW?

  Although Dai Clegg developed the approach to help prioritize tasks around his team’s limited time, the MoSCoW method also works when a development team faces limitations other than time. For example: 

Prioritize based on budgetary constraints.

What if a development team’s limiting factor is not a deadline but a tight budget imposed by the company? Working with the product managers, the team can use MoSCoW first to decide on the initiatives that represent must-haves and the should-haves. Then, using the development department’s budget as the guide, the team can figure out which items they can complete. 

Prioritize based on the team’s skillsets.

A cross-functional product team might also find itself constrained by the experience and expertise of its developers. If the product roadmap calls for functionality the team does not have the skills to build, this limiting factor will play into scoring those items in their MoSCoW analysis.

Prioritize based on competing needs at the company.

Cross-functional teams can also find themselves constrained by other company priorities. The team wants to make progress on a new product release, but the executive staff has created tight deadlines for further releases in the same timeframe. In this case, the team can use MoSCoW to determine which aspects of their desired release represent must-haves and temporarily backlog everything else.

What Are the Drawbacks of MoSCoW Prioritization?

  Although many product and development teams have prioritized MoSCoW, the approach has potential pitfalls. Here are a few examples.

1. An inconsistent scoring process can lead to tasks placed in the wrong categories.

  One common criticism against MoSCoW is that it does not include an objective methodology for ranking initiatives against each other. Your team will need to bring this methodology to your analysis. The MoSCoW approach works only to ensure that your team applies a consistent scoring system for all initiatives.

Pro tip: One proven method is weighted scoring, where your team measures each initiative on your backlog against a standard set of cost and benefit criteria. You can use the weighted scoring approach in ProductPlan’s roadmap app .

2. Not including all relevant stakeholders can lead to items placed in the wrong categories.

To know which of your team’s initiatives represent must-haves for your product and which are merely should-haves, you will need as much context as possible.

For example, you might need someone from your sales team to let you know how important (or unimportant) prospective buyers view a proposed new feature.

One pitfall of the MoSCoW method is that you could make poor decisions about where to slot each initiative unless your team receives input from all relevant stakeholders. 

3. Team bias for (or against) initiatives can undermine MoSCoW’s effectiveness.

Because MoSCoW does not include an objective scoring method, your team members can fall victim to their own opinions about certain initiatives. 

One risk of using MoSCoW prioritization is that a team can mistakenly think MoSCoW itself represents an objective way of measuring the items on their list. They discuss an initiative, agree that it is a “should have,” and move on to the next.

But your team will also need an objective and consistent framework for ranking all initiatives. That is the only way to minimize your team’s biases in favor of items or against them.

When Do You Use the MoSCoW Method for Prioritization?

MoSCoW prioritization is effective for teams that want to include representatives from the whole organization in their process. You can capture a broader perspective by involving participants from various functional departments.

Another reason you may want to use MoSCoW prioritization is it allows your team to determine how much effort goes into each category. Therefore, you can ensure you’re delivering a good variety of initiatives in each release.

What Are Best Practices for Using MoSCoW Prioritization?

If you’re considering giving MoSCoW prioritization a try, here are a few steps to keep in mind. Incorporating these into your process will help your team gain more value from the MoSCoW method.

1. Choose an objective ranking or scoring system.

Remember, MoSCoW helps your team group items into the appropriate buckets—from must-have items down to your longer-term wish list. But MoSCoW itself doesn’t help you determine which item belongs in which category.

You will need a separate ranking methodology. You can choose from many, such as:

• Weighted scoring
• Value vs. complexity
• Buy-a-feature
• Opportunity scoring

For help finding the best scoring methodology for your team, check out ProductPlan’s article: 7 strategies to choose the best features for your product .

2. Seek input from all key stakeholders.

To make sure you’re placing each initiative into the right bucket—must-have, should-have, could-have, or won’t-have—your team needs context. 

At the beginning of your MoSCoW method, your team should consider which stakeholders can provide valuable context and insights. Sales? Customer success? The executive staff? Product managers in another area of your business? Include them in your initiative scoring process if you think they can help you see opportunities or threats your team might miss. 

3. Share your MoSCoW process across your organization.

MoSCoW gives your team a tangible way to show your organization prioritizing initiatives for your products or projects. 

The method can help you build company-wide consensus for your work, or at least help you show stakeholders why you made the decisions you did.

Communicating your team’s prioritization strategy also helps you set expectations across the business. When they see your methodology for choosing one initiative over another, stakeholders in other departments will understand that your team has thought through and weighed all decisions you’ve made. 

If any stakeholders have an issue with one of your decisions, they will understand that they can’t simply complain—they’ll need to present you with evidence to alter your course of action.  

Related Terms

2×2 prioritization matrix / Eisenhower matrix / DACI decision-making framework / ICE scoring model / RICE scoring model

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The Ultimate Sales Prospecting Guide: Definition, Benefits, and Steps for Success

Prospecting is an essential part of the sales process, but if you want to strike gold, you need to have a well-thought-out strategy in place.

In this guide to sales prospecting, you’ll get everything you need to know. We’ll cover the definition of sales prospecting, why it’s important, the steps in the prospecting process, and tips for success.

Table of Contents

What is sales prospecting, why is sales prospecting important, the prospecting process: 7 steps for success, effective prospecting outreach channels, common prospecting challenges and how to overcome them.

Sales prospecting is the process of identifying potential customers who fit your ideal customer profile and connecting with them to move them further down the sales funnel.

Prospects vs leads

A lead is at the top of your sales funnel. Leads, the broadest category in the funnel, are anyone who could realistically purchase from your company but is still unqualified by your sales team.

Once your sales team qualifies a lead as a good fit based on your ideal customer profile, that lead becomes a prospect. Your sales team will then reach out to them to learn more about them and move them toward a sale.

Your sales team might gain access to leads to convert into prospects through inbound marketing , in-person events, referrals, and other channels. Prospecting tools, which surface information about potential customers who match your ideal customer profile, can also help your team find prospects.

Prospecting is an essential part of the sales process and is instrumental to growing your business. Here’s why:

Prospecting helps fill your pipeline

Smart sales prospecting strategies help keep your pipeline full of qualified potential new customers. With a good prospecting process in place, leads will move through your pipeline toward making a purchase. Without one, you may miss out on ideal customers.

Prospecting improves sales process efficiency

The prospecting process helps your sales team qualify leads. When that process works well, your team can focus on the leads most likely to convert. This saves them time, helps them work more efficiently, and results in a higher win rate.

Prospecting helps you establish relationships

Prospecting encourages you to reach out early in the sales process. Even if this doesn’t result in a sale right away, it helps establish relationships, which can boost feelings of trust with your leads and improve your company’s reputation overall. It may also contribute to winning more sales further down the line.

How does the sales prospecting process actually work? Here are seven steps to follow for sales prospecting success.

1. Gather prospects from various channels

Before you can begin reaching out to prospects, you need to collect prospects from across various channels and make sure your prospect list is organized. 

You’ll likely have potential prospects coming in from marketing-driven channels, like your website content, social media posts, online ads, in-person events, and referrals. These potential customers come in as leads, which your sales team will qualify and convert into prospects.

You may also have sales-driven prospects from online research and prospecting tools. Your sales team might find prospects by conducting research on social media sites and elsewhere online. You can also use sales prospecting tools to help you find new prospects. These tools surface information about potential customers who match your ideal customer profile, helping you find prospects you otherwise wouldn’t.

As you gather prospects, you’ll need to keep your prospect data organized and integrate it into your sales process. A customer relationship management (CRM) tool that enables your sales and marketing teams to work together is the ideal solution for this. With a CRM, sales and marketing can see how many leads are coming in, where they came from, and where they are in the pipeline.

A prospecting tool that’s built into your CRM, such as Nutshell’s ProspectorIQ , can help streamline your process even further. With ProspectorIQ, you can find prospects that match your ideal customer profile and add them to your CRM with just a few clicks.

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2. Compare prospects to your ideal customer profile

Once you have your list of prospects in a digestible format, it’s time to learn a little bit about them. The main goal at this stage is to gather information to be able to compare them to your ideal customer profile —a research-based description of a company or individual that is best suited to become a customer of your business.

Depending on your business and the type of customers you’re looking for, you might want to gather:

• Demographic data like location, age, gender, education level, income, and job
• Attitudinal data about interests, preferences, and beliefs
• Firmographic data such as industry, company size, and revenue

3. Prioritize your prospects

Next, prioritize your prospects so you know who to reach out to first. Some elements to look at when prioritizing your prospects include:

• Their fit with your ideal customer profile
• The size of the opportunity
• The likelihood the sale will close

You might not have the exact numbers for all of these elements, but a good, informed estimate will go a long way.

4. Research prospects to personalize your outreach

One of the most important elements of any prospecting strategy is personalizing your outreach to each prospect. This helps you establish relationships and increases the likelihood of getting a response and eventually closing a deal.

To personalize your outreach, you’ll need to learn more about each prospect. There are many ways you can research prospects, including: 

• Exploring your prospects’ social media posts
• Browsing their company websites, including their ‘about us’ pages and blog posts
• Looking into the state of their industry and how the prospect compares to their competitors
• If you’ve worked with similar companies in the past, reviewing the challenges those companies faced

In this stage, you want to offer value rather than sell right away. So, through your research, try to uncover your prospects’ most significant challenges and determine how your solution can help them overcome them.

5. Create outreach plans and connect with prospects

Now that you know more about your prospects, you can create brief but personalized outreach plans for each prospect and start reaching out.

You’ll need to decide on the channels you’ll use to connect with prospects, whether that’s phone, email, or another medium, as well as what to say and how to say it.

Check out these tips for successful initial outreach:

• Identify a reason for connecting: Identifying a specific reason for reaching out, such as a mutual connection or a recent change in the prospect’s business, can help warm up the prospect.
• Be personable and casual: In your initial conversation, focus on establishing the relationship and save the hard selling for later. While you should make it clear why you’re reaching out, asking personal, lighthearted questions about things like weekend plans is much better than sounding robotic or salesy.
• Provide value: Early in your relationship with a prospect, ensure you provide value. Consider offering a free resource or audit and make it clear how your solution can benefit the prospect.
• Make it about the prospect: Your first conversation should be about the prospect, not you or your business. Ask lots of questions and learn everything you can about the prospect’s pain points. In later conversions, you can provide more details about how you can help the prospect relieve those pain points.
• Don’t be afraid to move on: If, during this process, you realize a prospect isn’t the right fit, don’t be afraid to move on. This isn’t a failure. It’s an opportunity to save both you and the prospect time so you can focus on prospects that are a match.
• Establish a clear next step: At the end of your first conversion, make sure you establish a clear next step so you can move the relationship forward. Often, this step is booking a follow-up meeting within the next few days, but tailor the next step to your business and your prospect’s needs.

6. Follow up

If you don’t hear back from a prospect after your initial outreach, send a follow-up . Your first message may have just gotten lost in the shuffle, and another nudge might get you in the door.

The exact number of follow-ups you send is up to you, but you’ll likely want to make several attempts at connecting spaced a few days apart before sending a “breakup” message. 

In your breakup message, let the prospect know you won’t be reaching out again and what value they’ll miss out on. This is sometimes the push a prospect needs to reach out, especially if they’re interested but have just been putting off getting back to you.

7. Review results and adjust as needed

As you conduct your sales prospecting, it’s important to review your results regularly and try new strategies to optimize your process.

As you prospect, make a note of what strategies work especially well and periodically review metrics to see how your sales team is performing. Based on this information, tweak your process to test new techniques and see where you can improve. Over time, you’ll gradually improve your process and results.

Learn how to warm up leads step by step

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An essential step of any sales prospecting strategy is the channels you use to connect with your prospects. Various methods can be beneficial, and you can use a mix of mediums to communicate with each prospect while tailoring the mediums you choose to their preferences.

Some of the most common mediums used for sales prospecting include:

Phone calls

Calling prospects on the phone is a classic prospecting method that can still be quite effective. Many of your calls will likely go unanswered, but when you do reach a quality prospect, you have an excellent chance to make an impression. Phone calls are direct and personable and can move the relationship forward faster than other methods. Good qualification and personalization processes are essential to making the most of phone calls.

Email is another one of the most common and valuable prospecting outreach channels. Compared to phone calls, reading an email requires less time investment for prospects and doesn’t need to happen in real time, meaning your message might reach more prospects. However, email is less personable than a phone call, and your email could get lost among all the other emails people receive each day.

Another advantage of email is the ability to reach a large number of prospects at once while still personalizing your messages. You can even create personal email sequences that send follow-up emails automatically.

To succeed with email, you’ll need to craft attention-grabbing subject lines, be clear and concise in your emails, and provide actionable next steps.

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Social media

Social media is an increasingly popular channel for prospecting outreach. Sites like Twitter and Facebook can be useful, but LinkedIn is the go-to since it’s focused on professional topics.

Connecting on social media can feel more natural than other methods because these sites are designed to help people connect and people often share information that’s relevant to your prospecting.

For example, you might connect with someone on LinkedIn who works at a company that’s a good fit for your product. You might engage with their posts, establishing a relationship. If they eventually post that they started a new role where they might need your product, you could congratulate them and eventually bring up how your product could help them succeed in their new role.

Direct mail

Direct mail may seem like an old-school outreach method, but it’s an excellent way to stand out in today’s digital world. Through direct mail , you can send personalized letters, brochures, or informational resources to prospects.

This method is more costly than digital methods, but your outreach will be much more memorable than another email. You’ll want to conduct thorough research before using this method to ensure the prospect you’re contacting is well-qualified.

There’s no more personable way to connect with someone than face-to-face, and events such as networking events , conferences, and trade shows provide the perfect opportunity for this. These kinds of events allow you to get to know prospects, demonstrate your products, and gather real-time feedback.

You might attend industry events you know your ideal customers will likely attend. You can even host events and invite prospects to them.

While making a good impression at the event is, of course, essential, a well-crafted follow-up that moves the relationship forward is just as important.

Another way to connect with qualified prospects is through referrals. Your customers likely know others who may benefit from your products or services too.

To make these connections, ask customers with whom you have a good relationship if they know anyone else who may benefit from your solutions. Then, when you reach out, you have a natural way to start the conversation—by mentioning your mutual connection.

Like anything, sales prospecting comes with its own set of challenges. Here’s a look at some of the most common challenges and how to prepare for and overcome them.

Handling rejections

Rejection is part of sales, and you’ll experience it during the prospecting process through missed calls, unanswered emails, and potential customers who just aren’t interested.

It’s important to remember that this is an entirely normal part of the sales process. Try to view rejection as an opportunity to learn and improve your strategies. 

For example, if an outreach email isn’t getting responses, you can tweak it and track which changes lead to improvements. Analyzing which types of prospects respond best can help you improve your qualification strategy so you can spend your time on the contacts most likely to become customers.

Managing time effectively

Time management is another persistent challenge in sales. There’s so much you could do, and there are often many potential customers you could reach out to, so you need to know where to focus your time to get the best results.

Prioritizing your prospects can make a huge difference. Compare prospects to your ideal customer profile and evaluate factors like potential deal size and likelihood to close. Regularly reevaluate your ideal customer profile to ensure it’s still accurate.

Software such as prospecting tools and a CRM can also help you manage time more efficiently. These tools keep you organized, make collaborating easier, and enable automation.

Keeping the pipeline full

While a high volume of leads can present time management challenges, the other side of the coin is the challenge of keeping your pipeline full of qualified leads.

For a healthy pipeline, the sales and marketing teams need to work together to ensure they are on the same page about what makes a lead qualified. Collaborate with your marketing team on defining qualified leads and coordinate your prospecting efforts so that you can divide up tasks and stay aligned.

Ready to connect with your ideal customers?

Now that you know more about sales prospecting and the steps of the prospecting process, it’s time to get out there and start looking for new opportunities!

If you’re looking for a tool to help you in your journey, consider Nutshell. With our CRM, you can organize your entire sales process, collaborate with your team, and track and automate your outreach. Plus, our Nutshell IQ suite of tools, which includes ProspectorIQ , makes it easier than ever to find qualified prospects and add them to your CRM so you can start reaching out.

Contact our team or start a free trial to get started today!

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• Search our database of over 200 million contacts
• Customize your filters to quickly find your ideal prospects
• Save people and company filters for easy access
• Add prospects to your CRM with just a few clicks and start reaching out
• You’ll also get our other Nutshell IQ tools for even wider reach

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A Guide for Organizing Your GTM Team's Content With Walnut 

The challenge: Managing an expanding demo library

The solution: a framework for organizing your demo library, putting it all together.

In today’s fast-paced B2B landscape, the ability to deliver engaging and personalized product demos can make or break a deal. 

Walnut empowers go-to-market (GTM) teams to adopt a product-led sales (PLS) approach by offering a robust platform that clones your web-based product’s frontend. This allows you to create highly customizable demos, enhancing both pre- and post-sales interactions. 

Product marketers understand the value of impactful demos in sales cycles and are often tasked with providing a narrative or building the demo itself. This may include some form of segmentation, either by persona, use case, industry, or stage of the funnel, to ensure that each audience gets the right message. And this can quickly expand the volume of demos available. 

With great power comes the need for meticulous organization. That’s why in this blog, I’ll explore how to effectively organize your sales content using Walnut, ensuring your team always has the right demo at their fingertips.

Walnut’s ease of use and technical versatility allow for an increased volume of demos. 

This proliferation is beneficial, allowing marketing and sales teams to create numerous demos without needing any technical skills. 

However, it also necessitates a structured approach to content management. Without proper organization, team members might struggle to find the right demo, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. 

Product marketers should define which demos are meant for each segment and guide sales or sales enablement teams on when to use them and what the narrative is.

To streamline your demo library, consider implementing a framework that incorporates folders, tags (or labels), and permissions. 

It’s also helpful to define an internal owner or committee of owners, such as product marketers and sales enablement managers. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:

Step 1: Define your folder structure

Organize your templates and demos into folders based on different criteria, such as:

• Sales stages : Separate demos by stages in the sales funnel (e.g., Awareness, Consideration, Decision).
• Use cases : Create folders for different use cases (e.g., marketing campaigns, discovery calls, post-sales support).
• Product features : Organize demos based on key product features or modules.
• Target audience : Differentiate demos based on the intended audience (e.g., SMBs, enterprise clients).

Step 2: Implement a tagging system

Tags add an additional layer of granularity, making it easier to locate specific demos. Use tags to identify:

• Industry : Tags for different industries (e.g., healthcare, finance, tech).
• Personalization level : Indicate whether a demo is generic or tailored.
• Purpose : Specify the purpose of the demo (e.g., lead generation, feature adoption, product training).
• Content type : Distinguish between linear guided demos, non-linear demos, and semi-clones (AKA non-guided).

Step 3: Establish clear permissions

Control access to ensure the right team members can find and use the appropriate demos:

• User groups : Utilize user groups to control who can see what content and at what level of permission.
• Access levels : Set view and edit access for demos and folders. Users without view access will not see the content in their library.
• Viewer : Can only view content.
• Presenter : Can view and create a demo from a template and personalize it.
• Editor : Can create, edit, and update any template they have access to.
• Admin : Similar to Editors but have additional administrative capabilities.

To illustrate, let’s consider a scenario where a sales rep needs a demo for an upcoming discovery call with a healthcare client:

• Go to the “Discovery Calls” folder .
• Use tags to filter demos by industry (healthcare) and personalization level (tailored).
• Select the appropriate demo or create one from a template . This way, you’ll be confident that it’s the best fit for the client and sales stage.

By following this framework, your sales team can quickly and easily access the right demo, tailored to the specific needs of each interaction. 

This not only improves efficiency, but also enhances the overall buyer experience, leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

Organizing your demo content with Walnut is essential for maximizing the platform’s potential and ensuring your team operates at peak efficiency. 

By defining a clear folder structure, implementing a robust tagging system, and establishing precise permissions, you can create a seamless demo library that supports your entire GTM strategy. 

Start organizing today and empower your team to deliver exceptional, personalized demos at every stage of the sales journey !

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