If you’re in the sales role for your MSP or IT Company, you’re giving presentations to prospects. And, while practice makes perfect, nothing compares to actually being in front of decision makers and delivering. We hope that this checklist will help:

Dress to impress.

When you’re going in, you don’t want anything distracting your decision makers from your actual presentation. You’ve done so much up to this point in learning about their organization and assessing their overall landscape and let’s not forget how challenging it may have been to even get them to talk to you in the first place.  Don’t blow it on wardrobe malfunctions, a sloppy appearance or poor hygiene issues, etc.

Check out CharTec’s business stylist, Brandi Lenore and her top four tips to acing that first impression….

Show up early.

When you’re running late, your body experiences side effects of stress that aren’t comfortable or cute, potentially wreaking havoc on your confidence. Some of those side effects include

  • Talking too fast
  • Stomach issues
  • Chest pain
  • Heavy sweating

Know your audience.

By preparing ahead of time and knowing who you’re meeting with, you’ll be able to connect a lot easier. After all, you are looking for a favorable reaction to what you are saying. By understanding your audience you are able to style-flex and ensure your likeability. Even though you are selling to them because they have a need, you are not the only person with a solution. You need to be likable.

Understand your environment.

During your assessment, you’ll have the opportunity to get a good layout of their office. Take not to conference rooms that you may be presenting in. Do they have a whiteboard? Will you have access to a projector or screen for your slides? Where are they potentially going to sit in reference to where you’ll be standing? Make sure you’re in view of them the entire time and no one needs to turn awkwardly to follow you. Thinking through these things will really help in preparing and delivering your presentation.

Avoid long stories.

People have limited time and short attention spans. When you drag out the point, you lose your audience and it’s very challenging to get them back on track for your entire presentation.

Show personality.

This is really important because your passion for your products and services can help your audience become impassioned as well. If you don’t see the value in what you’re selling, why would your audience?

When you take a moment to pause in your presentation, a couple of things happen.  First, you include the audience, allowing them to respond with their body language.  You build curiosity and suspense by holding back on the point. And, most importantly, pausing ensures you are not rushing through and allows the audience to stop and ponder what you just said, connecting with it and absorbing it.

Stay the course.

No matter what, do not get sidetracked. Stay on top of your slides and trudge forward to the finish line. First of all, you don’t want anyone to lose track of why you’re there by talking about something irrelevant and you don’t want to take up everyone’s time beyond what they already granted you.

Remember, if you made it to the stage of presenting your managed service offering to the prospect it is your sale to lose. Don’t let that happen by making silly mistakes that take away from what you and your organization can offer.