Why You Should Skip the Sales Presentation

A big part of selling involves understanding all the ins and outs of your product or service.

And it seems that especially when you are meeting with a major client, you will go to great lengths to prepare a thorough sales presentation.

Maybe it even has quite a few bells and whistles (PowerPoints, nicely-printed handouts and so forth).

But are you wise enough to recognize when the sales presentation actually is getting in the way?

Years ago when I was working for a large corporation, a colleague and I had spent countless hours preparing a presentation for a major client.  The day of the meeting came and the colleague and I did one more quick review of  our game plan while in the lobby, clarifying who would handle which part of the presentation.

Guess what happened next?

We met with our contact and discovered that his day was not going smoothly.  He seemed a bit frazzled, and I immediately assessed that our slick sales presentation was only going to further overload his day.

I had to adjust, for the sake of the sale.

Instead of doing the presentation we had meticulously prepared, we instead sat down and asked him questions about his business.  You wouldn’t believe the look of relief on his face.

We needed to skip the sales presentation so we could connect with the customer.

Now before you think that my solution is to never prepare sales presentations, I wouldn’t say that at all. Remember that preparation is what fuels confidence.   A thoroughly-prepared sales presentation actually equips you with the knowledge you need to be able to adjust if necessary.

The experience I had with the client I described is an example where we completely shifted gears and didn’t use the presentation at all.

There are other experiences, though, where you may use only part of the sales presentation.  All of us can recall sales calls where we were originally told we would have a certain amount of time, only to then have that time shortened when we arrive.

Variables come up that you just can’t foresee until you’re on the call.  You should have the ability to use all or none of the presentation — and still sell with excellence.

During the entire sales call that I described above, I never once took out my computer or glossy sales materials.

In the end, the way we were able to connect with the client resulted in significant business for us.

If you have a sales call that warrants skipping the sales presentation, then by all means — skip it!

Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share the Post:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

Downloadable Sales Resources

Sales Leader Rules of Engagement

A Mind for Sales: for salespeople feeling stressed out, burned out, and bummed out. If you’re a sales professional, this book is written just for you. Get your mind right and close more deals with this new business development book.

Subscribe Now

Subscibe to The Sales Hunter Email list to get the latest posts and exclusive sales content right in your inbox.

The Sales Hunter Podcast

The Sales Hunter Podcast features Mark Hunter and top sales leaders, delivering actionable insights to help you become the salesperson you’re meant to be. This show isn’t just for entertainment—it’s designed to empower you with strategies to turn prospects into profits. Subscribe, leave a review, and start selling with confidence!

The Sales Hunter University

The Sales Hunter University offers top-tier sales training available in real-time or on-demand, accessible on any device. Named a Top 10 Sales Development Program in 2022, it’s perfect for sales teams, managers, and driven individuals. Each course is expertly designed by Mark Hunter to deliver the results you need.

Sales Logic Podcast

Ready to amplify your sales impact?

Hosted by sales experts Mark Hunter and Meridith Elliott Powell, Sales Logic answers today’s toughest selling questions with a logic that will help you win more deals and make more money.

When you sell with confidence and integrity, uncertainty becomes your competitive advantage and the sale becomes logical.

The Ultimate Email Prospecting Guide - Mark "The Sales Hunter" Hunter

Download the Ultimate Email Prospecting Guide today!

Enter your information and we’ll immediately send you our most popular download, and add you to our weekly Sales Tip newsletter.