Agents: The One-Step Presentation Method

Written by Posted On Friday, 18 October 2013 10:51

What you are selling will determine the number of steps to your sales and presentation process. If you are selling long distance services, for example, you probably are selling a product with a one-step process. The product or service you are selling, how complex the sale is, how easy it is for your prospect to understand the benefits, and the cost investment will be significant factors in whether you use a one or two-step presentation process.

A one-step process is characterized as the opportunity to close the sale of the product or service you are selling on the first call. You are shifting from the initial prospecting call, through qualifying, to the presentation, and then closing for the order. This all takes place on one call (most of the time) if a sale is going to be made. Common products and services that usually have one-call closes are long distance, cable television, office supplies, and internet connections. All of these products and services are recognizable to most consumers, so they can be one-call closes.

You are in the process of gathering information in the first segment of your sales call. You can only move on once you have enough information that you are confident you can segway to making recommendations based on your findings of their needs, wants, and desires.

When you hear them talking about a need and the fact that they need to take action on that, they are beginning to open the door for your presentation. They also might speak in terms of the results they desire and expect from you through what you are selling. This is also a solid sign that they are listening to the presentation. When they talk about the results they will acquire from your product or service, you have arrived. Now is the time to begin your presentation.

There are questions you can ask to continue and speed up the process of going from questioning to presentation. These questions include:

  • Have you been considering a change?
  • What are the specific reasons that are causing you to be evaluating a change?
  • Is this a recent consideration, or have you been thinking about it for some time?
  • If there was a solution to this problem we are talking about, how valuable would that be to you?

Now, before you leap at the chance to move into presentation mode, I caution you to take just 30 seconds to a minute to confirm what you discovered. It's easy to get excited as a salesperson when you have a prospect leaning your way.

If we pause and confirm our research, we will avoid the big mistake of misunderstanding them. We want to repeat their concepts and key words and confirm out understanding of the prospect's unique situation. Not only does it confirm in your mind that you got it right, the prospect is also able to hear that he communicated well. He might find out he didn't or that it was off target. You could use a bridging script like:

"Bob, so I am confident I know what your needs and wants are, let me summarize our discussion thus far..."
"Bob, to be certain we are on the same page, let me paraphrase what we have talked about thus far..."
"Bob, let me make sure I understand and we are working together on this. You want..."

I firmly believe in a planned presentation model. You must pre-plan and know your products or services benefits. You must have a key understanding of why a prospect should buy your product or service. You must know clearly what's in it for them.

Here is an example of a reliable delivery method:

  1. Questioning for needs and wants
  2. Determining the authority and ability to buy
  3. Delivering the benefits
  4. Confirming the benefits are what they want
  5. Call to action... closing

One of the best ways to test your delivery method is to break your sales performance down to a series of numbers. If you know the numbers, you can improve your performance. For example, if you make ten presentations and only one of them results in a sale, but other salespeople are making ten presentations and making four sales, you have a problem with your presentation.

Sometimes, you get into the presentation, and you are pressed for time, your prospect is pressed for time, or they just aren't ready. The prospect not being ready could be because the decision timeframe is too far off; they don't see what you see; they are more deliberate in their decision process than you first anticipated; there is another person who has equal or more clout in the decision than your prospect does. These are common barriers that could hit you in mid-presentation.

My advice is: when in doubt, take the fall-back position. Don't press on to complete the presentation. I really believe you only have one really good opportunity. It's as if you are a gymnast at the Olympics. You only have one opportunity to stick the dismount. The dismount in sales is the full presentation followed by the close. If they aren't ready, you won't be able to stick the close.

I would rather set up a second presentation than have no chance on the dismount. I can easily turn a one-step presentation into a two-step one if it raises my odds of the close. I can use scripts like:

"Bob, just so you know, I typically meet with the client twice. The first meeting is to determine your goals and objectives, and the second one is to review my recommendations."
"Bob, in order to provide you with the best service, I usually go back to my office and prepare my analysis of your situation, and we will talk again in a few days for a short meeting. Would Thursday or Friday later this week work for you?"

This fall-back gives you a chance to collect the other decision makers if needed, align with a better timeframe, create solutions for their concerns, and even have your sales manager help you if needed.

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Dirk Zeller

Dirk Zeller is a sought out speaker, celebrated author and CEO of Real Estate Champions. His company trains more than 350,000 Agents worldwide each year through live events, online training, self-study programs, and newsletters. The Real Estate community has embraced and praised his six best-selling books; Your First Year in Real Estate, Success as a Real Estate Agent for Dummies®, The Champion Real Estate Agent, The Champion Real Estate Team, Telephone Sales for Dummies®, Successful Time Management for Dummies®, and over 300 articles in print. To learn more regarding this article, please visit www.realestatechampions.com.

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