Persuasive Presentations

• Spend time thinking about the objective of the presentation. Why are you doing this presentation? What is it that you want the client to do after he or she has seen your presentation? Write it down to remind you.
• Create a Benefit Analysis Worksheet to organize the known information about the product or service under the headings:

A feature is a part of the design of the product or is inherent in the service. It may be tangible (perceptible) or intangible (imperceptible). An automatic transmission is tangible. You can see that there is no clutch in the car and the gears change by themselves. Calcium in an Antacid is an intangible feature; you wouldn't know it was there unless you were told.

 An advantage explains what the feature does. It describes the purpose or function of the feature. Four -wheel-drive offers greater traction in all weather. The use of newspaper as a medium offers great credibility.

 A benefit is the value or worth the user will derive from the product or the particular feature. It tells the customer "what's in it for me". Unless features and advantages have been related to user needs, no benefit has been demonstrated. Four-wheel-drive gives you greater safety because of the increased traction. A newspaper advertising campaign will enhance the credibility of your new product because it is considered the most credible medium.

 In the buyer's perception, the benefits must be real and valuable. Does the user really care if 32 bit technology makes processing his accounts payable 2.4 seconds faster? Perhaps not if this feature is more costly.

 Find out whether the buyer really wants the feature. In the classic example, the buyer doesn't really need 1/4 inch tungsten drill bits, the buyer needs 1/4 inch holes! A laser might be a better answer to his problem than a set of tungsten drill bits.

 Features and benefits should be fleshed out by transitional phrases;

• This is important because...
• You'll really like this since...
• This means that...
• Others have found this valuable because...
• Because of this feature (advantage)…

 Motive refers to the need to which the feature appeals. Identifying the motive helps determine the benefit. Keep in mind Maslow's needs, Security, Safety, Belonging, Esteem, and Actualization. Add to this, cost saving, profit, time saving, trust, credibility. "Our research numbers show that this campaign can raise awareness among readers of the KW Record by 108% over the 4 week campaign period.

 3. Use Dramatization

 a. Demonstrations

• Planned and rehearsed beforehand.
• Environment neat clean and quiet
• During the demonstration, ask questions to make sure the client grasps the significance of each feature/benefit
• At every step the prospects participation in the demonstration should be encouraged.
• Demonstrations should be, as much as possible, specific to the client.

Demonstrations can be primary or secondary. A primary demonstration uses the participation of the client and allows him or her to experience the benefit of a product or service. A secondary demonstration shows how your research made a certain conclusion. eg. awareness study samples and results.

 b. Audiovisual

• Illustration aids should be used to show things that cannot be brought to the client. Video, slides, overheads etc.
• Organizer aids provide point-by-point track for the Account exec. to follow. Photos, charts, graphs, point form notes, maximize client understanding as you move them through preplanned sales points. Numerical data in particular need to be visual.
• AV should suit audience size. eg flip charts, video, PowerPoint, even pencil and paper for small groups. Slides, overheads, projection video for larger groups.

c. Recommendation Stories

 Stories about other prestigious customers who had similar needs solved by the product.

• Name names. "In the Coke campaign we found that..."
• Develop dramatic conflict in pointing out what the problem was and how your solution solved the problem. "GM was floundering. They were down 8 points until we showed them that women were viable buyers of small cars"

 d. Show return on investment

Often used after demonstration or dramatization to prove that the investment is worthwhile. Conclude with believable estimates of how much business could actually be brought in by following your campaign. Use real numbers, be accurate and believable.

• Operating costs decrease. Equipment costs, labour costs, maintenance costs, reduced downtime, reduced marketing costs, reduced sales call costs.
• Increase revenues. Get more use out of production or sales area facility, increase traffic increase sales volume without capital costs improve image, change customer's perceptions.

e. Compare and contrast

Often we need to help the client build an image of value in their mind. We can do that by creating an analogy they can understand. Compare a complex concept to a simple one they understand.

• eg. pulse-and-sustain advertising when used to create awareness is like an airplane. Once you get it(awareness) up there it takes relatively little energy to keep it up there.
•  eg a floppy disk is like a 2 drawer file cabinet. A 2 gig hard drive is like a room full of filing cabinets.
•  eg customer awareness to customer action is a pyramidal process. The campaign has to generate a high degree of awareness (eg 80%) to result in 5% action. "You have to plant thousands of grass seeds to grow a good healthy lawn."

4. Use Showmanship

• Use movement to keep attention focused on yourself. Don't overdo it though.
• Use unique and novel demonstrations or introductions. Use the most advanced technology you can afford.
• Contrast. Change captures attention. Change voice, presenter, to alter pace. Change from talking to showing.
• Intensity and size. Bigger brighter and louder stimuli get the most attention. Don't be brash but keep volume, colour and size in mind.

5. Being Understood

• Space out the points. Pause for an understanding check after each.
• Repetition aids learning. Use different examples to reinforce key points
• Words have emotional impact choose them carefully. eg in real estate, sell the merits of home not house; in presentations use you not we,
• Use concrete words. Not "it saves money" but "it will save you the cost of purchase in 3 years".
• Avoid negative words. Leave the word but at home. eg not "its a good machine but its expensive" but "its a good machine and worth every penny.
• Use verbal Headlines to change topics. "Let's take a look at the target market". "Sue will take a few minutes to discuss strategies."

 6. Presentation psychology

Presentations can be geared to the way the audience processes information.

People differ in the was they take in information. Some are visual, some auditory, and some kinesthetic

Visual people watch you. Their eyes are generally up and to the side. They often use phrases like "that's not clear", "that's a bright idea", "I see what you're saying". For these people try to paint word pictures.

 Auditory people listen. Their eyes are often horizontal but to the side. They often use phrases like "I hear you" That rings a bell". For this person, try to use sound-based words, use testimonials (words of others)

 Kinesthetic people rely on their feelings. Their eyes are often down and to one side. They use phrases like "that feels right" "I have a hunch" "I sense that..." These people are monitoring their feelings toward you and your product or presentation, help by checking: " How does that feel to you?" "Are you ok with this?" These people will react positively to words with positive emotional impact.

 In a large group, assume that you will have all types. Vary the presentation so that parts of it will have some particular appeal to all types.

 There are many good books on learning theory in general, and presentation skills in particular. If you need help, use the library resource personnel.