Sales teams are increasingly under pressure to ensure that every sales meeting is time well spent for both the seller and the buyer. Today’s buyers are not only empowered with a multitude of options but also expect instant access to information and the ability to make purchasing decisions asynchronously. This evolving landscape means that sales meetings are as much about handling objections and building rapport as they are about showcasing a solution. To navigate this complex environment, it’s crucial to adopt best practices for presenting in sales meetings that foster engagement, conversation, and connection.
In this article, we will explore effective strategies for delivering engaging pitches during sales meetings while also providing insights on how Pitch can help standardize and enhance these practices across your salesforce.
The Importance of a Strong Setup for Screen-Sharing
Investing time into setting up your screen-sharing environment is foundational to successful sales meetings. Considerations such as whether to use a second monitor, where each meeting participant should look while presenting, and the smoothest method for switching between a sales deck and a live demo are critical for a professional presentation.
Single-Screen vs. Multi-Screen Setup
When it comes to professional screen-sharing, a dual-screen setup is highly recommended. This configuration provides more desktop space, allowing for greater context and flexibility. Use one screen for anything shared with the prospect, such as slides or a live product demo, while reserving the other screen for personal notes, CRM records, and relevant sales collateral.
However, if a dual-screen setup isn’t feasible, a single-screen configuration can still work effectively. In this scenario, open multiple windows on your desktop—for example, the Pitch app and your browser—and share only the presentation window during your video call. This allows you to read your speaker notes easily while presenting.
Utilizing Speaker View for Focused Presentations
When presenting slides during a sales call, it’s important to set up your environment to maintain focus on your delivery. Ensure your audience can see the entire slide without distractions that might detract from your pitch. In Pitch, you can simply play your presentation before sharing your screen.
Depending on your familiarity with your content, your approach may differ. If you know your pitch inside out, playing the presentation and sharing this window can work well. You can then hide controls for a distraction-free view of your deck. Conversely, if you feel you need extra support, consider utilizing the speaker view, which provides speaker notes, time management tools, and all your slides at your fingertips—instantly boosting your confidence while presenting.
Juggling Screenshares Smoothly
Switching between various windows during a sales call is another key aspect of your setup. It’s likely you won’t be showing your slides from start to finish. Instead, you may present some slides, dive into a live demo, and pull up additional resources as the conversation unfolds.
Most video conferencing tools allow seamless switching between different windows while screen-sharing. Ensure your prospects can see a full-screen view of what you’re discussing—without unwanted distractions from personal tabs or unrelated content. Prepare relevant windows ahead of the call and close any unnecessary ones to streamline the process.
Tailoring Your Speaker View
The ideal speaker view should contain just the right amount of information to enhance your presentation without overwhelming you. With Pitch, you can customize the layout of your speaker view to show only what you need, thereby creating a more effective presentation experience.
Navigating Slides with Ease
Keep your speech flowing by previewing the next slide to stay on track. If a customer has a question about a previous point at the end of the presentation, you can quickly jump back to that slide. This functionality helps ensure that the conversation remains relevant and engaging.
Viewing and Taking Notes
Support your pitch with talking points, additional facts, or helpful prompts. This is particularly important during discussions, as it allows you to jot down notes in real time whenever the prospect shares relevant details. Being able to reference these notes later can significantly enhance follow-up conversations.
Managing Time Effectively
Incorporate a timer, clock, or progress bar in your speaker view to track time effectively. This allows you to make your points succinctly, allocate time for addressing objections, and agree on next steps to move the deal forward.
Once you’ve customized your speaker view settings, Pitch will remember them for your next presentation, saving you time and effort in future meetings.
Harnessing the Power of Speaker Notes
Often overlooked, speaker notes can be a sales rep’s secret weapon. When utilized effectively, they can boost confidence and help keep the call on track, even in the face of unexpected developments.
Articulating Key Messages
Having a well-crafted sentence at your disposal can help convey your point clearly and concisely. It’s beneficial to prepare a few key phrases or sentences that succinctly express your main ideas while avoiding convoluted language or legal pitfalls. However, avoid scripting your entire pitch; maintaining a natural conversational tone is essential for building rapport with prospects.
Providing Accurate Facts
Speaker notes can serve as a repository for important, often-forgotten details, such as the source of a statistic or answers to frequently asked questions. This ensures your slides remain clean and uncluttered, while you have easy access to essential information when needed.
Engaging with Prospects
Sales dialogues drive results; monologues do not. Remind yourself to interact with the prospect throughout the call. For example, if your next slide covers your product’s various integrations, ask the prospect about their existing software stack first. Use their responses to transition smoothly into the next slide, creating a collaborative storytelling experience.
Personalizing Your Pitch
Recognizing that not every section of your presentation will resonate equally with every prospect is crucial. Utilize speaker notes to emphasize what matters most to each individual. For instance, if your notes prompt you to ask if the prospect has used a similar product before, you can tailor your discussion to highlight your solution’s differentiating features.
Taking Notes for Future Reference
While there are various tools available for note-taking, switching between applications can disrupt your focus during a presentation. With Pitch, you can edit your speaker notes to jot down thoughts for later reference, such as technical questions you need to address in a follow-up email. This integration helps streamline your workflow and keeps your attention on the prospect.
Creating Template Speaker Notes
Duplicating decks and copying over speaker notes for every new prospect can be a tedious and error-prone process. Such an approach makes achieving consistent sales excellence a challenge, especially when your product or service evolves quickly or when presentations are personalized for individual customers.
Instead, create a presentation template from a well-structured sales deck you would like to reuse. This way, everyone on your sales team can access the most up-to-date version. Templates ensure consistency in structure and style, while also allowing for the incorporation of new insights about what resonates with prospects.
Marketing or sales enablement teams can play a pivotal role in helping sales reps accelerate their processes by providing presentation templates that include speaker notes. By maintaining templates in your Pitch workspace, sales reps always have the latest slides and notes available when creating new decks. This practice also presents an excellent opportunity to continuously improve sales call quality by integrating feedback on what resonates and what does not.
Summing It Up
With a little preparation and attention to detail, you can make every sales call run smoothly and leave prospects eager to engage further. Start by establishing a setup that suits your presenting style, and complement your pitch with well-structured speaker notes. Additionally, by utilizing presentation templates, you can equip your entire sales team for success.
In today’s fast-paced sales environment, effective communication, engagement, and relationship-building are paramount. By following these best practices, sales teams can not only enhance their presentation skills but also foster deeper connections with prospects. In a world where every interaction counts, making the most of your sales meetings is not just beneficial—it’s essential for driving growth and success in your organization.