PPB December 2019

what you can do for this buyer, division or department. Use case studies, samples and photos of similar projects completed for other companies. Again, use testimonials or a letter of recommendation if there is no potential conflict. The purpose of these materials is to demonstrate clearly and prove your expertise by showing the prospects what you have accomplished for others. Finish the presentation with a call to action. For example, if you are addressing the group that oversees events, list the company’s events you know are scheduled in the next couple of months. Prepare a few ideas for each and share them. If you are addressing the person in charge of safety programs, you may conclude with some innovative product they can implement into their safety award structure. Show your prospects that you have given a lot of thought to their business; you may get them started in a direction they may have forgotten or overlooked. Presentation Strategy And Planning Communication Controlled and clear communication before, during and after a presentation is vital. Pre-Meeting Before the presentation, confirm in writing: • Date, time and exact location of meeting • Number of attendees, names and, if possible, their emails • Length of time allotted (for example: 1-2 pm) Send a reminder email three days before the presentation confirming all this information and include an agenda for your contact to share with other attendees. By setting the stage before you are in the room, you will grab the attendees’ attention faster, and you may even trigger questions from them right away. In your reminder email, ask if the client wants to add anything to the agenda. Remember, you want the presentation to fully address their needs. Written Presentation Tips Most distributors and salespeople are experts at sales calls—those client meetings where you showcase new products or specific samples in response to a client’s need. But what about written presentations, leave-behind documents or a Request for Proposal submission? These pieces have a long shelf life and you never know when or how they are circulated within an office. Unfortunately, written materials are often a last- minute thought by the presenter. They may lack the professional touch that could set you apart or make you memorable in a positive way. Here are a few first steps you can take to raise the professionalism of your written presentations. Start by running spell check on your document—but don’t rely completely on spellcheck. Most will not catch typos like typing “on” instead of “or.” So, have someone who hasn’t worked on the document read it as well. Ask them to read for two things: 1 Typos, grammatical errors and other inadvertent mistakes. 2 Clarity of your message. Ask if the content makes sense to the reader. Is the flow of information logical and does it offer a clear understanding of the message you want to convey? Next, review the material with a critical eye and see what you can eliminate or simplify. Very few people will take the time to read your presentation or handout from cover to cover, so add visual cues to your most important information. Use fonts, colors, headlines and select a page layout that directs the reader’s eye. Make it easier for the reader to focus on your most important messages and you will extend your positive in-person presentations to the written page. Source: Tango Partners “Show your prospects that you have given a lot of thought to their business; youmay get them started in a direction they may have forgotten or overlooked.” | DECEMBER 2019 | 37 GROW