Become the Contractor of Choice
Four P’s of a Super Presentation
By Paul Montelongo
Do you make presentations for your company? Sales presentations?
Product presentations? Project design presentations? Virtually any
kind of appearance that you make in front of a prospect or client
can be viewed as a presentation.
Making an influential and powerful presentation shouldn’t
be taken for granted. You can master the art of a powerful presentation
with the four P’s of a Super Presentation.
1. Promptness.
Unwarranted tardiness is an unforgivable sin when making a presentation.
Arrive early. In this case, early means at least 15-minutes early.
Early arrival allows you time to acclimate to the environment in
which you will be giving your presentation. If you have to setup
products, props, demonstration models or a meeting room, arrive even
earlier. If you are meeting with a prospective customer, early arrival
sends a message to your prospect that you are serious, dependable
and reliable. It allows you the convenience of reviewing any notes
you may have collected about your prospect. Observe the surrounding
conditions of your prospect’s home
or business to glean additional info rmation that you could use in
your presentation. Look for items of interest that you could use
to build a friendly conversation with your prospect.
When you arrive early it also helps you to gather your composure
and not feel rush when meeting with your prospect or client. When
you arrive at the last minute or late, your prospect can get the
feeling that you are rushing through their appointment and not giving
them the adequate time they want and deserve.
I know “stuff happens”. So, if you are going to be
late, use that fancy cell phone of yours to call ahead and notify
the prospect. A courtesy call to your prospect may give you the edge
that you have been looking for.
2. Be Prepared.
I can’t imagine Tiger Woods showing
up to a golf tournament and not taking any practice swings. In fact,
he has hit every club in his bag tens of thousands of times on the
practice range. When he pulls out a 9-iron during an official round,
he is completely comfortable with his ability and is totally prepared
for the result.
Rehearse your presentation. You can rehearse your presentation out
loud or silently. Ask for feedback from your friends, colleagues
and even from your customers. Learn what works for you and your personality
and what needs to improve. Consider carrying a cassette recorder
with you and taping your next presentation (with your prospect’s
permission).
Have all of your support materials, demo products and paperwork
in order and completely available for your presentation. Anticipate
questions that your prospect may ask and prepare the answers to those
questions in advance of your arrival. There is no substitute for
quality preparation. Your disciplined approach to your presentations
will result in closing more sales.
3. Personable.
The number one reason your customer’s buy from you is likeability.
Think about your last major purchase. Would you really have
purchased that new truck from a jerk salesman just because he said
he had the lowest price in town? Not likely. The truth is that price
is not really at the top of most
prospect’s list of reasons to buy. Trust and confidence is
far more important.
Your ability to create unbreakable rapport with your prospect is
crucial. Be genuine and enthusiastic about your presentation. It
is always better to be a little over zealous than to be lazy or apathetic
about the product or services you represent. Enthusiasm is contagious.
Understand that your prospect has his/her own reality. The manner
in which they communicate and process information is very individualized.
Tap into their reality by asking sincere, probing questions that
will elicit a favorable response. Help them feel at ease with you.
Converse with your prospects as though you were chatting with your
best friends.
4. Professional.
I am asked all the time in my seminars and workshops how a construction
industry professional should dress. Here is a rule of thumb that
will always work. Dress at least one or two levels above your competition.
If your main competition is Bubba who works out of his
wrecked primer gray van, wears a T-shirt, faded jeans with worn out
tennis shoes and takes his old dog to the job site, then you need
to get some new competition. Dressing one level above Bubba just
ain’t that hard.
What would happen if you showed up to your next sales presentation
wearing a pair of slacks, a pressed cotton shirt and a necktie? And
imagine if your shoes were “military spit shined”?
The point is that your dress and grooming is a reflection of your
level of commitment and professionalism. I know we live in a “dress
down” society. I don’t
make the rules, but the rules still say that your prospect will judge
you by the way you dress and the way you present yourself.
Being professional means that you will present clean, professionally
created printed materials. Your presentation package should be neat
and appealing. One of the biggest no-no’s in our business
is using too much industry jargon. Speak to your prospect in plain
English and explain construction industry terms to your prospect
in a way that they will understand.
Making a Super Presentation to your prospect involves many aspects.
When you combine all of the above, your sales success will soar.
Till we meet again, take great care.
Paul Montelongo
PS. Need personalized assistance to keep your selling funnel greased?
Check out my entrepreneurial coaching program. You can create unstoppable
momentum by receiving regular customized coaching for your business
and personal life. You can preview the entire program here:
http://www.contractorofchoice.com/coachingprogram.htm
PSS. Do you want to discover the secrets of selling the way your customer wants
to buy? Learn about different personality styles and how to sell to those styles
and your sales will soar. You can preview a Special Report on this subject
here:
http://www.contractorofchoice.com/howtosellpdf/howtosellspecialreport.htm
PSSS. Some of my best stories are included in my book
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Thanks for your interest. Please feel free to forward this article
to anyone you know that is interested in professional and personal
development. Copyright 2003, Success Concepts, Inc. This content
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