PPB December 2015

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• “Our product would improve your … ”
7. Head into the close with confi-
dence, not a question. Many of your
competitors close on questions. No. No. No.
Close on a high, and let your last words
linger. Make sure they’re yours. The warm-
up to that is a question: “Based on what you
have heard, what are your specific ques-
tions?” After you answer questions (and pos-
sibly objections), drive the sale forward.
Depending on the complexity of your offer-
ing or how many people are involved, you
may want to say:
• “At this point, our most logical step is …”
• “At this point, may I recommend we … ”
• “At this point, our best clients elect to …”
8. Reinforce your key idea. Your
last words are the most important ones
you’ll say, so never introduce a new idea
that you have no time to develop. Good
copywriters often write the P.S. of a sales
letter first, because it confirms the key idea
in the letter. Your approach might sound
like this:
“Again, thank you for the opportunity to
demonstrate how our approach could be what
you’ve been searching for. We look forward to
our next meeting. In your discussions,
remember the results of [other successful
clients]. Be secure in knowing we pioneered
this industry.”
Depending on the situation, you could
also say you “are more nimble than our com-
petition,” “can get started as soon as you say
yes,” or “are a one-stop shop.”
Most professionals are fairly smooth in
the body of their presentation. Very few,
however, open and close effectively and
memorably. Take these eight steps, and apply
or adapt what is appropriate to your situa-
tion. Script your opening and closing for
specificity and brevity. You won’t read it, but
work from an outline. In the middle of the
night, if your spouse asked, “How will you
open and close next week’s presentation?”,
your response should be automatic and
exactly what you will say.
Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE, has taught individual salespeople and sales
teams how to speak more powerfully and boost their sales beyond expecta-
tions for 25 years. She is trusted by clients such as Microsoft, ADP, Visa,
Genentech, Wounded Warrior Project and the American Payroll Association.
Her interactive virtual training platform offers a surefire shortcut to becom-
ing powerfully persuasive and successful in sales.
DECEMBER 2015 • PPB • 25
The Solution: More Practice
Formally practicing your presentation is the only way to
make sure that your carefully developed content is presented
effectively. To get the most from your practice time, use the
following process:
• Practice delivering your presentation (not silently reading it)
while standing
• Video (or at least audio) record it
• Review the recording
• Refine your presentation
• Repeat
Mistake No. 3: Failing To Improve
Your presentations will ultimately define your success and,
when done properly, will be remembered and acted on by
your audience. While the ability to present information is criti-
cal to many professionals, most fail to improve over time, typi-
cally as a result of one factor: they don’t get feedback from the
right people. Do you rely on feedback from:
• Friends, family and staff? These people are close to you, they
like you and have a relationship or dependency on you. They
are not necessarily objective and honest with you.
• The people who come up after your presentation and tell
you how great it was? These people might just want to get a
few seconds with you for their own reasons or you may have
connected well with them. What about all the people who
didn’t come up? What did they think?
The Solution: Get Strategic Feedback
Try the following tips:
• When people say “Great job,” thank them and then ask:
o What is something specific you learned?
o What are you going to do differently as a result of what
you heard?
o How do you feel about this subject?
• By asking specific questions after you speak, you will discover
what they really heard. Ask this of listeners who come up to
you and those who don’t.
• Listen to a recording of your presentation as a disinterested,
disengaged audience member who believes there are better
things to do than listen to you. What would you improve?
• Ask a trained speaker to provide an assessment of your pres-
entation skills at least quarterly.
—Mark A. Vickers, a certified professional coach and certified
world-class speaking coach, is a communications consultant
who helps organizations improve performance through
improved communication and speaking skills.
Your last words are the most important ones you’ll say, so never introduce a
new idea that you have no time to develop.” “