Why most “SALES” Presentations suck…
Legendary screenwriting guru Robert McKee said "as a method of persuasion, I am not a big fan of PowerPoint presentations," What McKee is really saying is that using PowerPoint the way most people still do today in sales presentations (slides filled with loads of data and lists of "points" - mostly features not benefits) fails… Even assuming people are able to stay focused & pay attention… largely because the audience assumes the presenter is hiding something or that they are only including the bits and pieces that support their case.
McKee also greatly dislikes the term "PowerPoint presentation" When people use this term, especially in a disparaging way, they assume that using PowerPoint necessarily means using it the way the Microsoft templates suggest (title, bullets, small charts and graphs, etc.) rather than as a simple digital storytelling tool that can amplify a person's live message with full screen video clips, easy to see quantitative displays, high quality photography, good type, and so on.
There are no such things as "PowerPoint presentations" there are only effective presentations and ineffective ones. The effective ones almost always incorporate elements of story and good storytelling, regardless of whether they use multimedia or not.
Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools a presenter has. Yet it's also one of the most difficult things for a presenter to do well. But why are stories so important? And what separates a good story from a poor one?
First, presentations need to be is deceptively simple and storytelling is central to simplifying complex concepts and opportunities in a sales presentation. Stories help us make sense of the world and give structure and order. They tell us what is important, and what is not, and give us a way to connect individual experiences to those of others, as well as to our own goals, wants & needs. More to the point for a typical presenter stories are the best way to make the message more memorable.
There's very little substitute for good narrative… Good presenters are instinctive storytellers. Without narrative, a presentation isn't a presentation at all, it’s just a "data dump" of information clients are unlikely to remember. A true presentation looks toward its own outcome (what the presenter wants the audience to do) and is designed accordingly. "You look at understanding, believing and remembering. If the audience understood what you said, did they believe it? And if they believed it, did they remember it and see the value? And did they remember the key things to drive to the outcome you want? That's what stories do…
Stories embody knowledge, and knowledge is best embedded and remembered through a good story. In short, stories make facts come to life to truly show your clients not only what is in it for them but also provides an emotional resonance… They are a powerful way to trigger an emotional response and engage an audience's memory. They create a context that helps you understand why a point matters. An overhead with a couple of formulas just can't do that. Stories establish common ground between speaker and audience… a way to motivate without intimidating or being too pushy. Stories free people to discover for themselves, so they aren't threatened… they feel included… their intelligence has not been insulted and most importantly… they are more likely to take action.
You can find stories everywhere… on the news, on the Internet, in everyday conversation with clients. If they add value to your presentation… add them. But, to connect with your audience make it yours. Stories without connection or context are deadly. They don't have to be all yours, but if you to put something of yourself into it they will resonate.
First, presentations need to be is deceptively simple and storytelling is central to simplifying complex concepts and opportunities in a sales presentation. Stories help us make sense of the world and give structure and order. They tell us what is important, and what is not, and give us a way to connect individual experiences to those of others, as well as to our own goals, wants & needs. More to the point for a typical presenter stories are the best way to make the message more memorable.
There's very little substitute for good narrative… Good presenters are instinctive storytellers. Without narrative, a presentation isn't a presentation at all, it’s just a "data dump" of information clients are unlikely to remember. A true presentation looks toward its own outcome (what the presenter wants the audience to do) and is designed accordingly. "You look at understanding, believing and remembering. If the audience understood what you said, did they believe it? And if they believed it, did they remember it and see the value? And did they remember the key things to drive to the outcome you want? That's what stories do…
Stories embody knowledge, and knowledge is best embedded and remembered through a good story. In short, stories make facts come to life to truly show your clients not only what is in it for them but also provides an emotional resonance… They are a powerful way to trigger an emotional response and engage an audience's memory. They create a context that helps you understand why a point matters. An overhead with a couple of formulas just can't do that. Stories establish common ground between speaker and audience… a way to motivate without intimidating or being too pushy. Stories free people to discover for themselves, so they aren't threatened… they feel included… their intelligence has not been insulted and most importantly… they are more likely to take action.
You can find stories everywhere… on the news, on the Internet, in everyday conversation with clients. If they add value to your presentation… add them. But, to connect with your audience make it yours. Stories without connection or context are deadly. They don't have to be all yours, but if you to put something of yourself into it they will resonate.
So remember to tell your story in your next sales presentation. In the introduction tell them why they should listen and what you will do for them… Tell them the story… what their situation is and what it will look like when they choose your solution… And summarize the benefits gained in your conclusion… Remember… Simplicity Sells.
Oh… and for all of you that I have been been fortunate enough to have spent time with… the secret is out… all my stories are there for a reason and are mostly planned… if you remember them you will have remembered the message I was trying to convey… see… it works…
For more conversation on how to structure, build & deliver Presentations that Sell check out our webinar on www.metrolandhr.com or register for our next Sales Presentations that Sell course on Tuesday November 6th (9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.).at the Vaughan Press Center, - 1 Century Place, Woodbridge ON L4L 8R2. To register, email Melanie Facchini at mfacchini@metroland.com.