Special Speeches: Sales Presentations

00:00 How do you give an effective sales presentation? At some level, every speech is a sales presentation.

00:13 You're trying to sell something.

00:14 You're trying to sell an idea.

00:17 It might not be trying to get money out of people or a new client or customer, but you're always trying to sell something.

00:23 But let's say you are trying to sell concrete or a house or any other product or service.

00:30 The main thing you've got to realize is that you have to make this real.

00:34 You have to make it tangible.

00:36 People do not buy abstractions.

00:38 The number one problem most speakers have beyond data dumping is they are too abstract. You've got to tell people exactly what they're getting, why they're getting, and the benefits to them.

00:50 And the most effective way to do that is testimonials from satisfied customers, clients, and really walking them through how you've already changed people's lives with your product or service.

01:04 So sometimes the best way to speak is to let your customers speak for you. The other thing you've got to do is realize you still have to ask people for their business.

01:16 It doesn't matter if you're trying to sell yourself as a candidate, you have to ask for a vote if you want someone to buy your mutual fund or anything else at some point.

01:26 Again, in a soft sell non-cheesy way, you need to let people know that you would be very happy to do business with them and ask them for their business.

01:37 And I understand plenty of industries, especially financial service industries, are heavily regulated, always do what is legally required if you don't do anything that is even close to being a legal gray area.

01:52 But to the extent that you can ask people to directly for their business in a non pressure, non-desperate way, the better people like to be asked for their business.

02:03 And that is quite often the one thing people forget the most in their sales presentations.