(A lot of company presentations I have seen follow this format in some capacity. What makes mine unique is the use of “NLP” and “Enneagrams”.)
1st appointment (After the cold call/prospecting)
1-Warm Up (1st level questions)
I always spend a small amount of time when I first walk in just getting to know that person. Ask 1st level questions. My goal is to find commonality.
2-Intent Statement: Ben Duffy
Just a statement that sets the tone as to what I am there for and what I want to accomplish before the end of the meeting. Also, I do what is called a “Ben Duffy” Just a statement tied into the intent statement that lowers the customers tension/wall. This type of statement was invented by a salesman named Ben Duffy. He found he was able to have more influence over his customers when he let them know what the expectations were of the presentation, and that he wouldn’t strong-arm them into buying. By doing this, he was able to get the customer to relax and concentrate on the presentation instead of thinking about how he/she was going to get out of having to make a decision. At this point I am not worried about urgency or getting a “Yes/No answer today” agreement. I will build urgency in my discovery and tie it into the presentation.
3-Discovery (2nd and 3rd level questions)
I want to ask 2nd level questions then transition into 3rd level based on what I find out on the 2nd level. Also, I will identify their personality type so I can “sell them the way they want to be sold” These questions are obviously developed based on industry.
4-The Presentation (The body of the company’s presentation)
Along with giving the company presentation, I take what I learned in discovery about their personality type, and buying “motives/criteria” and mold those “hot buttons” into the presentation. Making them the focal points as to why they need my product or service. I do not change the presentation my company wants me to do. I enhance it with what I now know about my customer and how he/she makes decisions.
5-Close or Set Another Appointment
My intention here is to ask to get a “commitment of action” pending on that industries sales cycle. If it is designed as a one-stop close, I require an answer. (I don’t accept, “I have to think about it”) If it is a longer sales cycle, I set a second meeting with a definitive agenda/goal agreed on by both parties, and a definitive date and time. (I don’t accept “I’ll look at my calendar and call you”)