Why A B2B Presentation Is Still A Powerful B2B Sales Tool In 2023
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Marketing is hard…
There’s no shortage of ways to attract new business, especially with the evolution of new technologies. Your sales toolkit needs to be pretty robust in order to capitalize. Your lead nurturing process needs to be on point, and once you have their attention, you need to deliver that knockout punch.
So why are we talking about a B2B presentation being the secret weapon when there are literally hundreds of ways to attract new business?
It’s because marketing solutions for businesses is an entirely different ball game than direct to the general public. In this article, we explore the critical value a B2B presentation has when it comes to landing new business.
So, What Is A B2B Sales Presentation?
A B2B or Business to Business presentation is a series of slides that are strategically woven together to identify you or your business and to communicate your purpose. B2B presentations have historically taken place in person, but due to recent cultural events are often delivered virtually.
Why It's So Important To Have A B2B Presentation?
It’s pretty simple really, your B2B presentation is where you seal the deal. You utilize different marketing strategies to impact your target audience at different stages of the funnel. If a prospect is interested in what you are offering, you’ll need to convince them you are the right choice. That’s where your sales/marketing presentation can be extremely powerful.
A well constructed pitch deck can help your potential customer visualize what it would be like to partner with you. Remember, your competition are vying for this business too, so crafting the right story and making the right impression is critical, and a B2B presentation can help you do that.
With a product as trusted as Johnson’s, we needed to design a presentation that was just as soft around the edges. Using soft colors and gentle imagery helped bring Johnson’s baby line to the next level.
6 Slides Your B2B Presentation Has To Include
Regardless of your industry, below are the six slides your sales presentation must have to swing the balance in your favour:
1) An Agenda/Overview Of The Presentation.
Within your first one to three slides you should have an overview of your entire presentation. Showing structure and organization goes a long way with making that initial impression.
2) An Introduction To You And Your Company.
Arrogance aside, let them know who they are dealing with!
The story of your brand can make all the difference when it comes to making that final decision. Not all business deals are made on the experience of your company or the clients you have worked with. Use this as your opportunity to let them know why you do what you do!
3) Address The Current State Or Problem.
Address the pain points that they are dealing with. You need those on the other end of the presentation to feel comfortable that you can relate to them and truly understand the issues they face. If they feel you get it, you’re on the right track to winning this business.
Thorough research is advised. Fail to plan, plan to fail.
4) Why You Should Choose Us (How You'll Solve The Problem)
This is where you actively sell yourself as much as humanly possible! After understanding the issues your prospects face, this is where you provide solutions. This slide should focus on key points, such as:
- Your Experience, Because You’ve Done This Before!
- Satisfied Clients You’ve Worked With
- Why You’re Different From The Competition
- The Values You Stand For
- How Easy It Is To Work With You
There is no right or wrong to put on this slide, it just needs to contain the value you bring to the table. Keep it in point form on your slide, because this is where human interaction and a showing of confidence and passion shines through.
Meet The Team They'll Be Working With
Potential customers will feel more comfortable when they know the team that will be working on their project. It’s an easy and cost-effective way to give your business an accessible front. Keep it simple, but include their picture, bios, and, credentials without adding too much text.
Presentation Overview And What's Next
You want this business to become a new client at the end of your B2B sales presentation. Providing an overview gives you that final opportunity to refresh their memories of what they’ve just experienced. It also gives you one last chance to leave a lasting impression.
Focusing on what’s next and defining clear next steps will help you show your prospect that you are in control. This isn’t your first rodeo so you should know how this goes by now.
How Do I Ensure My B2B Presentation Provides The Right Value Proposition
Great question!
Attention spans are becoming shorter, which makes it harder to know if you’ve left a lasting impression on your potential client.
Keep it short, keep it sweet and focus on the following points:
Understand The Wants And Needs Of Who You Are Presenting To
As mentioned previously, be prepared. View the situation as if it were your own. Fully immerse yourself in the challenges that they face, and put yourself into their shoes. This may help you connect with your prospect beyond the presentation. If you have personal experience to draw from, use it!
Then disconnect from the situation and put your solutions provider hat on. Look objectively and provide a solution to the challenge, but also for the person who is dealing with the challenge.
Highlight What Makes You Different
At the risk of sounding obvious, you simply have to differentiate yourself from the competition. It might be your experience, your story, your connection to who you are pitching to, or something even more unique. Don’t just be “Another Business”, investing time and effort into your presentation will set you up to succeed.
Also, it really does help to have a well-designed, visually appealing presentation that is easy to navigate. Industry-leading presentations start with a call to the Geeks!
Have Custom Presentations At The Ready
Don’t be that company that uses the same old slides for every presentation…
Customize your content to connect with who you are presenting to. Believe us when we say, it really does make a difference. It makes businesses feel like you’re taking this seriously and you’ve done your homework.
Don’t worry, using the same customized template works!
Build Credibility With Case Studies & Relevant Work Examples
You want to stand out, and one significant way you can do so is by building credibility. Through your custom presentation slides, you can show any relevant work examples that highlight the difference you can make. It may be industry-specific, project-specific or you’ve solved this exact challenge several times over.
Either way, your B2B presentation needs to show that you know your onions!
Always, Always Follow Up In A Reasonable Timeframe
A great impression can turn into a bad one if you don’t follow up afterward within a reasonable timeframe. A simple message goes a long way and by following up, you are continuing to show your interest. Make sure you have a next steps slide and follow through on your statements. Just don’t hound your prospect, no one likes a pest.
Do Presentations Stack Up Against Other B2B Sales Tools?
It needs to be understood that there isn’t one single tool or strategy that will help you achieve success. Everything you do has a role to play when it comes to generating new clients and new business.
What presentations do is give you the opportunity to provide more information. Your other marketing efforts have got interested parties in front of you, now it’s time to deliver that knockout punch with your presentation.
So, do they stack up to other B2B Sales tools? Absolutely, because a lead isn’t worth much if you can’t sell to them.
Our Thoughts On Having A Presentation For Your Next Sales Pitch
Having the opportunity to present your product/service offering face to face (In person or virtual) requires a sales pitch deck. It’s an essential tool to have in your sales arsenal, PERIOD!
You’ll have the opportunity to showcase your business in a way that advertising and marketing just cannot achieve. Bring them in the door with B2B Marketing, manage them with B2B CRM tools, but sell them with a B2B presentation.
Looking For Outstanding Presentation Design Help?
Are you overwhelmed on where to start? Do you need a presentation design service that is trusted by fortune 500 companies?
You‘re in the right place!
Reach out to us for a quote on your next presentation and any questions you might have!
