Category Archives: closing

Are you making this common mistake in your presentation?

September 20, 2019 Julie Hansen Leave a comment

Too many sales presentations start out strong, only to run out of gas at the end. Making this common mistake in your presentation leaves buyers uninspired, unmotivated, and unlikely to take next steps. Your closing is second only in importance to your opening, yet it is often the least planned out part of a presentation. An effective presentation close doesn’t happen by chance. It takes planning and practice. But as the final impression you make on your prospect, it’s well worth investing the time and effort. 5 ways to avoid making this common mistake in your presentation: Know your ending: This seems obvious, I know. But the truth is many presenters aren’t 100% certain where they’re going to end. This leads to needless repetition, stopping at a weak point or just sort of trailing off… Know exactly what your last line is. Nail it. Put a period on it and Read More

closing, Presentation tips

Does Your Presentation Have One of These Bad Movie Endings?

July 17, 2017 Julie Hansen Leave a comment

Have you ever sat through a good movie, only to leave disappointed or confused by a bad ending? Like a movie, a presentation can build up a lot of good will, only to tear it all down in those final few moments. Some endings seem to go on forever, Lord of the Rings style, or leave your audience with more questions than they started with (No Country for Old Men or Inception anyone?) Whether they’re poorly constructed or executed, bad presentation endings leave a bad taste in the mouths of prospects and can undo all your hard work. Luckily, bad presentation endings – like bad movies – can be avoided. 4 Bad Presentations Endings Here are four bad presentation endings – movie style – I see presenters making and how to make sure they don’t happen to you. Note, movie SPOILERS ahead! 1. The Never-ending Ending Example: Lord of the Read More

closing

6 Keys to Closing the Sale with a Great Call-to-Action

November 30, 2016 Julie Hansen Leave a comment

Not every pitch or presentation ends in a signed contract. However you must ask for some next step, otherwise you have just invested a lot of time and energy delivering an informative talk. With so many deals ending in “no decision” today, you can’t afford to waffle when it comes to this critical step in moving your sale forward! Unfortunately, many salespeople leave money on the table by delivering a vague call-to-action, or too often, no next steps at all. Successful salespeople know precisely want they want their prospect to do at the end of their pitch. It doesn’t pay to be shy in this regard, or to assume the next step is obvious. By applying the following keys to your call-to-action, you will greatly increase your chances of success. The 6 Keys to a Great Call-to-Action: Keep it simple. Many times salespeople offer next steps that are too complicated Read More

closing

5 Ways to Close your Presentation with an Encore

April 21, 2014 Julie Hansen Leave a comment

Can you imagine an experienced performer like Justin Timberlake ending his performance by singing a few random notes before looking blankly at his audience and announcing, “Well, I guess that’s all I have” ? Not likely. Professional performers strategically plan how they close their set to leave their audience clamoring for an encore in order to influence cd, t-shirt and future ticket sales. Yet too many experienced sales professionals leave their closing to chance, not realizing how much influence it has on the outcome of the sale. The Whimper Close and Other Bad Presentation Closings: A typical sales presentation closes in one of three ways. See if you recognize yourself in one of these examples: The Surprise Ending: “Oh! I guess that was the end of the deck!” The Speed Freak Ending: “That’s it. Thanks very much.” The Whimper Close: “So that’s my presentation. Hopefully you liked some of the things Read More