Sales Presentation Tips: Presenting to a Committee

I recently had an opportunity to view 8 presentations given to Venture Capitalists. These were all small businesses seeking capital for expansion. Here are some observations of mistakes that my readers of the blog would never do:

1. In one ten minute presentation there were over 25 PowerPoint slides-not one of the slides enhanced the presentation.
2. Presenters were reading the slides to the committee.
3. The type on the slides was to small for anyone to read-had their been information that would have enhanced the presentation.
4. Presenters turning their back to the audience and going to the screen to point out information on a slide-Never turn your back to the audience and spend $2 for a pointer!
5. Presenters "waffling" on their opening-they wasted the first two minutes getting to the point.
6. Not clearly presenting the problem and the solution.
7. Not clearly defining the "exit strategy" for potential investors.
8. Not clearly identifying the use of the money they hoped to raise.
9. No humor and no audience interaction-You can do both of these very effectively, even in a ten minute presentation.

Based on what I saw last week in Denver, there are not enough readers of the Sales Presentation Training blog. Make the world a better place and forward this blog address to someone in your organization or association. Otherwise, you may be in the audience one day when they commit these fatal 9 sins of Sales Presentations :-)

Steve Mertz
My Readers Would Never Commit These Sins!