What to Include in a Killer Sales Presentation

It’s a given that your sales presentation should have a professional aesthetic that matches your branding. But aside from the looks and the benefits, what else do you need to include?

We’ve designed (and given!) countless sales presentations, here’s what we’ve learned has the most success when it comes to closing the deal.

The Background

Every business is different, as is every presenter. Know that the presentation you develop for one prospect won’t be the same one you develop for another. Using a template will save you time, but plan to do your homework for every new presentation you schedule.

The Homework

Your sales presentation is about offering the right solution to your prospect, at the right price. It’s about making a connection with the prospect so they’re convinced that only you can solve their problem.

Before you start putting together your sales deck know who your potential customers are and what their main pain points are. Then be prepared to get specific.

How is your audience going to digest the information you present? Will this be a video call? An in-person meeting? Will they be viewing your presentation in person on a big screen or remotely on their computer?

And, most importantly, how will you solve their particular problem? Why are you a better choice than your competition?

Anticipate their questions so you can answer them before they’re asked.

Once you have these jumping off points, you can build your slides and the create the talking points for the presentation.

The Presentation

You only have a few seconds to really grab your audience’s attention during a sales presentation. Chances are, you’re not the only potential solution they’re hearing from so you need to focus on really standing out from the crowd.

This is what a standard slide deck might look like:

Cover slide. The cover image sets the tone for your presentation—you don't want to dive right into the content—and is a great opportunity to start your deck off on the right foot.

Your intro. Start with a quick introduction, but don’t feel like you need to give a full bio—after all, if they’re sitting in on your presentation they are already aware of you and your brand.

Their problem. Quickly dive into your audience’s pain points, so you can establish some rapport—you know where they’re coming from.

What doesn’t work. Acknowledge that the prospect has attempted solutions, but explain why they’re not working and why it’s so important to resolve the problem.

Your solution. Now it’s time to wow the audience with your solution to their challenge. Spell it out for them—exactly how does your solution address the core problem and all its components?
Demonstrate. If applicable, use some time to demonstrate—live—how your solution works. Use metrics and specific examples (from your prospect, if possible) to really drive the demo home.

Timeline. Your audience has a problem that they want to be solved sooner rather than later. Show what the timeline will look like if they were to sign on the dotted line today.

Closing. A quick summary of your solution will keep your product or service top-of-mind well after the presentation. Be sure to ask if they have questions and to thank your audience for their time.

We’ve found that with a little bit of prep work and organization, a killer presentation is just a slide template away.

Need help designing the perfect sales deck? Lightboard can help! We’ve designed hundreds of presentations. Learn more at lightboard.io.