The big sales presentation is coming. You are going up in front of the board, the owners, the C-Suite Executives. Yup, the big wigs and we want them to be blown away by our presentation!
You are pumped and somewhat nervous but that is okay because you have prepared and practised… you know exactly what you are going to do, how you are going to do it and what you are going to say. But do you?

We all want to come across as professional as we can, to bolster our reputation and our sales. We want to exemplify the fact that we are the expert in our field, knowledgeable about our product or service, and most importantly, impress upon them that we are the ‘go-to’ person in our industry. We want them to fully and completely get our message, so they buy-buy-buy and buy again!!
Although we think we are set, ready for the ‘win’, there are three things that we must avoid during our presentation to ensure the effectiveness of our presentation:

1.DO NOT USE JARGON/BIG WORDS:

One of the biggest mistakes we can make is to use big words or jargon. Sure, we want to look ‘professional’ but using big words will often undermine our intention to impress. When speaking, it is suggested we use Grade 4 language. Why? If you are using vocabulary that the receivers do not understand, their minds will wander as they try to put the word in different contexts to determine its meaning. While they are busy thinking about what the big word means, they are totally missing out on any further points you could be making. Overall, using big words, compromises the full message you are trying to deliver.

2.DO NOT USE ACRONYMS:

The same can be said of Acronyms. Do not assume that everyone in the room will understand what ABC or XYZ stands for. Take the time instead to use the full descriptor. Better to ensure everyone has a full understanding of the content you are trying to deliver, rather than leaving your audience confused and frustrated because they have no idea what you are talking about or referring to.

3.DO NOT SPEED UP:

When we are nervous, we tend to speed up the delivery of our presentation. Instead, make a conscious effort to slow it down. This has two benefits; it allows you to gather your thoughts (who knows, some brilliance that you hadn’t thought of before might pop into your brain, helping to add your presentation) or more importantly, it allows the receiver to process what you have just said. Again, this will ensure your customers are getting the full understanding and intent of your message.

The benefit of improving the effectiveness of your delivery will result in improved comprehension. You will impress them far more by providing a strong clear message that is easily understood versus using a lot of big words or jargon that can easily sidetrack your presentation message and efforts. And a well understood presentation will often lead to improved credibility and of course, increased sales.