Sales Training Tip-Why Audience Interaction is Best

In my recent post of Your Opening Says Everything I mentioned the value of being inclusive with your audience. In other posts I have written about the value of
Drawing Your Audience In. You may be thinking Why or saying Mertz, I hate your opening, it's lame! Here's the reason-Studies have shown that your audience or committee, forget 90% of your talk after two days! Ouch-You can hardly believe that you paid me $6,500 a day to coach your executive team on that huge contract and the committee won't remember 90% of it after two days.

What they will remember is significant interaction they had with you. Audiences today want an experience and not an event. That's why it's so critical to do your homework before your major sales presentation. For example, if you have found out that a committee member is very sensitive to cost over runs-use it to your advantage. For example: "Joe, in our conversation you mentioned that your last project was over budget by five million dollars. Here are the practices we have in place to ensure you will not have a repeat experience." Chances are pretty good that Joe will be impressed by your listening skills and your solution to his problem.

And one more thing-You may recall I recounted a very lame sales presentation that a friend of mine attended, called Is This Your Sales Presentation? Had the financial advisors gone to each member of the front row and introduced themselves they would have had a more inclusive and productive sales presentation.

Next time you are presenting try it-Introduce yourself to the front row, one by one, remember a few names and mention them in your presentation-It is Magic!!

Steve Mertz
Significant Audience Interaction Planner!

Tags: Sales Presentation Opening, Interactions, Engaging Audiences, Opening Techniques.