We have developed and used four training activities to help the participants to master these steps in the sales process:
Prospecting potential clients
Making a sales presentation
Handling client’s objections
Closing the sale
Synopsis
Each participant reviews a list of sales presentation ideas (prepared by a panel of master salespeople) and writes additional ideas for selling their consulting service. Pairs of participants collaborate to consolidate their lists of ideas. The next step involves the formation of triads and a further consolidation of ideas. Finally, the team members select five pivotal ideas for enhancing their sales presentation.
Purpose
To carefully plan and make an effective sales presentation of consulting services.
Participants
Any number, divided into triads.
Time
15 – 20 minutes
Supplies
Paper and pencil
Timer
Whistle
Handout
How To Make a Sales Presentation
Flow
Individual assignment. Explain the importance of making a sales presentation of consulting services. Distribute copies of the handout and ask the participants to study the ideas and come up with additional ideas. Announce a 3-minute time limit.
Rehearse the sales presentation. At the end of 3 minutes, ask the participants to spend a few minutes to individually and mentally rehearse their sales call.
Form triads. Organize the participants in groups of three.
Assign roles. In each group of three, ask one person to play the role of the evaluator. The person on the evaluator’s right side becomes a prospective client and the other person sells consulting services.
Explain the roleplay. Ask the client and the consultant to stand back-to-back (to better simulate the lack of visual feedback during a telephone call). Instruct the consultant to make a sales presentation to the client who reacts to the presentation by asking appropriate questions.
Start the first round. Announce a 3-minute time limit for the consultant to make their sales call.
Conduct a critique session. After 3 minutes of the roleplayed telephone presentation, ask the evaluator to comment on the strengths and weaknesses in the consultant’s presentation. The consultant listens to the critique and takes notes on how they would revise their next presentation. Following the evaluator’s feedback, ask the client to provide additional ideas for improving the sales presentation. Finally, ask the consultant to share their second thoughts on improving the sales presentation.
Repeat the process. At the end of about 3 minutes, ask the participants to switch their roles. The client becomes the consultant during the next round. The consultant becomes the new evaluator, and the third person plays the role of the client. Ask the three participants to repeat the roleplay presentation and critique as before.
Conclude the activity. Conduct the third and final round of the roleplay. Ask the participants to note down ideas for improving future sales presentations.
Handout
How To Improve Your Sales Presentation
Investigate crucial business factors: Determine key factors related to your prospect’s business including type, size, market, income, and buying power.
Grasp the prospect’s perspective: Understand the prospect’s pain, preference, and power.
Highlight three major benefits: Develop and present three significant benefits that align with the prospect’s needs.
Engage through emotional storytelling: Use the stories to dramatize your understanding of the prospect’s experiences.
Maintain flexibility: Stay adaptable throughout your presentation, ready to pivot the suggestions based on the prospect’s responses.