In today’s economy, it’s the memorable experiences that capture the minds, hearts, and dollars of the consumer. We enjoy experiences such as being transported to another world in a visit to a Disney theme park, a renaissance festival, or simply to dinner in a theme restaurant like any one of the 24 Rainforrest Cafes. Yet our sales calls and solution presentations continue to be routine and lack value-added experiences. In my last post, I discussed how you can make your sales calls more of an experience and more memorable. In this post, I want to provide some examples of how salespeople have made their solution presentations a more engaging, persuasive, and personalized experience and one that won the business.
You want to create an experience that will remain in the mind of the customer after the presentation is over. Presenting with a theme and making the customer situation into a story with a happy ending will differentiate you from your competitors.
Mission Impossible Movie Theme Delivers a Solution Order
One salesperson I interviewed for my book on corporate events told me the story of how he successfully presented his latest proposal. The client was a fan of the Tom Cruise Mission Impossible movies, so the salesperson decided to deliver the proposal based on that theme. The experience began with a brown envelope marked Top Secret delivered to each principal scheduled to attend the presentation. It contained the invitation, a “passport” , and a name badge with a code name.
On the day of the presentation, the analyst and two assistants arrived thirty minutes early to set up the conference room. They hung a large clock, large charts of the financials and growth predictions, a list of the code names for all of the company and sales team members, and the agenda as a mission plan. Around the room were elements such as fake dynamite, magnifying glasses, and a table with beverages and cookies shaped to represent the theme. Two sales team members were stationed at the door to ensure no one entered before the appointed time. At the agreed hour, the attendees entered the room. Then the sales person appeared with a briefcase handcuffed to his arm. The analyst opened it and handed the salesperson the flash drive with the presentation and the top-secret envelopes with the handout to the client attendees. Everyone stayed in character as they presented the proposal and requested the order. The response from the customer was one of delight and a signed order. It is important to note that the content of the presentation was precise, and the solution was worthy of the business.
Simulated TV Report Wins the Sale
My next example is a favorite. Two sales reps on a team joined together to deliver the presentation as a TV newscast. They captured the image of one of the Washington DC TV newsrooms and projected it at one end of the demonstration room. One sales rep played the role of the studio reporter with the newsroom as the backdrop. The other sales rep played the role of a field reporter several feet away at the solution. The newsroom reporter delivered the background of the company current situation. Then he cut to the field reporter for breaking news. He explained how the sales person’s solution had saved the client company from disaster and put them on the road to increased revenue and profits. The customer attendees loved the presentation and signed the order. The executive VP of the salesperson’s company heard all of the laughter and applause in the next room. So, she joined them in the conference room when she finished her conference call. She too applauded the reps for creativity and excellence in their presentation of the business case.
Theme Wins Presenter Industry Recognition and a Trip to Hawaii
Another example is my Hawaiian themed presentation to request funding for a revolutionary way to deliver sales training. I had been playing a computer game with my granddaughter that required the player to use the Internet or a reference book to look up information if it is unknown to the player. The object of the game was to solve a crime somewhere in the world. I thought why not make learning fun and create a game for salespeople to learn skills and product facts. At the time, there was a contest for employees at my manger’s level to win recognition and a trip to Hawaii. My teammate and I decorated the conference room in a Hawaiian theme. I baked a themed cake and served beverages matched to the theme. My manager and her assistant were so surprised when they arrived for the presentation. I presented the concept and suggested she would win the trip to Hawaii for this creative change to training. She loved the idea and we gained approval for the funds for the project. The game was a huge success in the US and was translated for European and South American sales reps. It won a top industry award and my manager sent me to Hawaii as she felt I had earned the award.
Other Opportunities for Customer Experiences
As I mentioned in my last blog post, an open house or a learning event can also become an experience. The theme does not have to be as complex as the above discussed themes, but they can be opportunities to make the event memorable and fun. For example, my partner and I created a learning event with an Orient Express Theme. Each module was a stop on the journey and we displayed each location on title slide as well as a representative icon in the corner of each slide. At the start of each module, we delivered small gifts to the attendees such as a tiny suitcase filled with mints, a pen from a European hotel (kindly supplied by the hotel), Turkish candy, and small Chinese take-out boxes filled with Sticky Notes. Our break-time offered cookies shaped like the historic places or things on the route such as the Eiffel Tower and a Venetian mask. I have met the attendees at recent trade shows and they still remember the fun we had at the learning event. Be creative and make each event an experience your customer will remember.
Engage Your Customer
Get and keep your customer engaged. Typical sales calls are lectures that provide information about the salesperson and the company. Customers can easily drift into thoughts of pressing projects, budgets, or other concerns if they are not engaged. It takes time and effort to plan a sales call that is not just a show and tell meeting. However, planning an interactive experience in which they have to do something or prepare something is valuable. If you sell something to be consumed then perhaps make a blind taste test part of the call. I often assigned part of the agenda to my customers. I would take delight seeing them scurrying around the day before the meeting to complete their responsibilities. They enjoyed the interactivity and owned the solutions we created together.
Create new experiences for 2019
As you plan your 2019 calls and events, think of new ways that you can add themes and interactivity. Customers love to be part of the fun, especially if it is linked to a personal interest. You will enjoy the planning and you will gain an advantage over the competition. When it is an experience rather than a lecture, your memory will linger in the mind of the customer.
Look for more posts on sales, storytelling, and streamlining your business. Watch for our upcoming learning event on Presentations and Storytelling for Business.
May 2019 be filled with memorable events for you!
Phyllis & John
About the Authors
Phyllis Mikolaitis and her partner John Switzer are sales coaches and training developers, each with over 30 years’ global experience. They are dedicated to taking you beyond the typical “how to” courses to the heart of persuasion techniques incorporating insights and stories to win the sale. Visit www.salestrainingsolutions.com where you can learn more about sales skills and the power of business storytelling to increase sales.