Why reps bomb sales presentations

Published: Wed, 07/31/24

Updated: Thu, 08/01/24

July 31, 2024

TOGETHER WITH

Welcome back. In sales, the last week of July is an important one because… oh, who are we kidding, every week is important if you care, and not so important if you don’t! So sit back and relax, and enjoy this week’s fully-baked issue, where we’ll look at pitfalls to avoid in your sales presentations, share a Sales Fail about assuming too much, and give some advice to a rep whose manager doesn’t trust him to take calls alone. Let’s go.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK

On average, five decision-makers are involved in every sale.

Source: HubSpot

SALES ROUNDUP

Here’s what’s happening in the sales world this week:

Salesforce recently released their State of Sales Report, which covered changes in the industry, including the impact of AI. Among the findings: 67% of reps don’t expect to meet their quota this year, reps report spending 70% of their time on non-selling tasks, and 81% of sales teams are either experimenting with or have fully implemented AI. You can read the summary and link to the report here.
A Mississippi salesman has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud which resulted in the loss of over $1 million. Court documents show Aaron Brown, 42, of Lamar County, conspired with multiple individuals beginning in January 2021 to use his auto sales company and companies owned by co-conspirators to engage in a systematic check kiting scheme. Brown faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. You can read more about the scheme here.

FEATURE

Image: eamesBot/shutterstock.com

The 3 Common Pitfalls in Sales Presentations: What to Avoid and How to Improve

Presentations are where deals are won or lost. After all the work that goes into getting a prospect to agree to hear a pitch, salespeople should be spending time continuously reviewing their presentations to find ways to improve.

Sjodin Communications conducted a multi-year study that looked at the work habits of over 5,000 salespeople to understand how they effectively (or not so effectively) give sales presentations. The study identified three common mistakes salespeople make during presentations, along with strategies to overcome them.

1. Information Overload: Data Dumping

One of the most common mistakes in sales presentations is overwhelming the prospect with excessive information. Usually, a salesperson will have a lot to say in a short amount of time, which can lead to "data dumping." In sales, you of course want to establish expertise and product knowledge, but when salespeople rattle off a laundry list of features, company history, or technical specifications without context, they risk losing the prospect’s attention and interest. While the information might be factually correct, it fails to engage or persuade effectively.

How to Improve: To avoid this pitfall, focus on crafting a compelling narrative that addresses your prospect's specific needs and pain points. Instead of listing every feature, highlight how your product or service solves their problems or adds value to their business. Remember, your goal is not just to inform, but to persuade and inspire action.

For instance, rather than stating, "We have 24/7 customer support," you could say, "Our round-the-clock support team ensures that you'll never face downtime during business hours, saving you thousands in lost revenue."
By weaving relevant information into a story that resonates with your prospect’s pain points and needs, you'll create a more engaging and persuasive presentation.

2. The Missing Close: Concluding Without Action

This may seem obvious, but all sales calls should end with closing language. Nearly half of the 5,000 salespeople in the study admitted that they often just concluded sales presentations without a clear ask or call to action. They might wrap up with a vague "Thank you for your time" or "Let me know if you have any questions," leaving the ball entirely in the prospect's court. Many salespeople worry about coming off too pushy and admit to being hesitant to go in for the hard sell at the end of a sales call. However, without a clear call to action, even interested prospects might not know how to proceed, leading to lost opportunities.

How to Improve: To address this, view the close as an essential part of your presentation, not an optional add-on. Prepare a clear, confident ask that aligns with the next logical step in your sales process. This could be scheduling a follow-up meeting, starting a trial period, or even signing an agreement.

Practice your closing statement to make it feel natural and non-aggressive. For example: "Based on what we've discussed, I believe [product/service] would be an excellent fit. Would you like to move forward with a 30-day trial to see the results for yourself?"

Remember, your job is to guide the prospect through the decision-making process. A strong close does just that.

3. Winging It: The Pitfalls of Poor Preparation

The longer you’ve been selling a specific product, it becomes more tempting to rely on experience and wing a presentation. While you may be able to skate by some of your calls by just winging it, you could be leaving money on the table. Lack of preparation can manifest in various ways: forgetting key points, stumbling over questions, or failing to tailor the presentation to the prospect. This not only undermines your credibility but also wastes a valuable opportunity to connect with your prospect.

How to Improve: To combat this, prioritize thorough preparation. Start by researching your prospect and their industry to understand their unique challenges and goals. Use this information to customize your presentation, ensuring it speaks directly to their needs.

Create a clear outline of your key points and supporting evidence. Practice your delivery, ideally in front of a mirror or a colleague who can provide feedback. This rehearsal helps you refine your message and build confidence.

On the day of the presentation, arrive early (even if it’s on Zoom) to familiarize yourself with the environment and technology. Take a few moments to center yourself mentally, leaving any distractions or nervousness at the door.

By investing time in preparation, you'll deliver a more polished, confident, and effective presentation that resonates with your audience and increases your chances of success.

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MEME OF THE WEEK

Source: Instagram -- Sales Humor

QUIZ

Which company was the dominant CRM vendor in the early 2000’s, with 45% market share in 2002?

A. Oracle
B. Siebel Systems
C. Salesforce
D. HubSpot

SALES FAILS

Each week, we bring you the most cringe-worthy sales moments from across the web. To submit your sales fail story for consideration, click here. (Don't worry, you'll remain completely anonymous).

I owned a mattress factory and retail store with my former spouse. A man and woman came into the store looking for a new mattress. The woman was crabby and old. She had a cane, gray hair, black coat. The man had black hair and was wearing a jean jacket, jeans, sunglasses, and black cowboy boots.

I attempted to warm her up as she was trying out the mattresses. The man did not lie on any of the beds. He spent his time walking around looking at everything. She eventually warmed up, and I knew I was close to the sale. As she was laying there relaxing, the man casually made his way to us. I said to the man, "So, you brought your mom out today to go mattress shopping!?" The man flipped his head at me and smirked, and the lady shot straight up and said, "You just lost a sale, missy!"

My face was purple when I realized they were husband and wife. I kept saying I was sorry as she headed out the door. She said, "I am sure you are! And you should be!" When I walked into the factory and told everyone, they died laughing. Never assume anything.

Anonymous Wisconsin

GRAPH OF THE WEEK

Source: LinkedIn Poll -- July 2024

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ASK THE QUOTA

Want to submit a question and be featured in our advice column? Click here. (Don't worry, you'll remain completely anonymous).

Dear Quota Team

I'm an SDR at a small-ish company. The sales team is pretty small. It's me, 3 other salespeople, and our sales manager.

The pay is good. Our product is straightforward and easy to sell. But my sales manager is always stepping on my toes. He was a top seller himself who got recruited to hire and lead the sales team at our company. He doesn't necessarily micromanage me, but he considers himself a "closer" (he mentions this often) and ALWAYS insists on joining me on sales calls with prospects I've already qualified to help me "close the deal." What ends up happening is that he joins my meetings at the later stages of the deal and takes over the room. I end up just kind of sitting there awkwardly like a little kid who brought his dad to work to handle the "serious business.” He does close a lot of these deals, and I still do get credit for making the sale, but it's frustrating for me.

I feel like he doesn't trust me enough to close deals myself. I really do enjoy sales and I imagine it will be my long-term career. I feel like I won't be able to grow as a salesperson if I can't run deals myself from start to finish. How can I get him to trust me and let me fully own my own deals?

Frustrated in Illinois

Dear Frustrated,

It sounds like it's time to have a candid conversation with your sales manager. You're coming from a good place, you just want to take on more responsibility and grow professionally, so it's likely your manager may see a bit of himself in you and give you more autonomy as long as you keep the conversation on a positive note. You don't want to come off as a complainer or as someone who is overly cocky. Talk about your aspirations and how you want to improve as a salesperson. Mention how much you've learned from him watching him closely, and ask if he'd be willing to give you a bit more freedom to run deals yourself for a while to prove that you're also a closer. He'll most likely respect your drive and ambition and give you a chance.

If he still keeps butting in and wants to be involved in the sales calls, there's not much else you can do. For what it's worth, it sounds like you have a pretty good job and you're happy there aside from this one hiccup. If you leave, you risk running into even worse problems at another company. No job is perfect, so try to appreciate the good parts and show up every day ready to prove yourself when opportunities arise. Good luck!

Quiz Answer: B. Siebel systems was the dominant CRM vendor in the early 2000’s (you can read the source article here)

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Today's email was written by Ken Kupchik, Erica Furgiuele, Steve Rado, and Emily Hill.

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