2. Setting the Stage
I am not a “marketeer” or a salesperson
This is the view from the “other side of the table”
◦ This presentation includes: What your prospect thinks
when you do these things
This list is not in any particular order
◦ But #1 and #10 probably gets you fired
This perspective has been developed over 30+
years of dealing with consultants and software
vendors
3. 1. Confidential slides from
another client
Red flag anyone?
Once saw a consultant from a top 4
consulting firm use content from my
company at a trade show
◦ Without permission…
What your prospect thinks:
For new vendors: If we hire them, will
they violate our intellectual property as
well? Probably.
For existing vendors: Call Legal
4. 2. Show screen shots instead of
a demonstration
Anyone can take a picture, show me
what your product can do
This is especially applicable to software
products; be prepared to do a demo
What your prospect thinks:
“Marketecture”; this may not even be a
real product
If they can’t demo, it probably doesn’t
work as advertised
5. 3. Claims about features that
don’t exist yet
“Can your product do x?”
◦ “Yes”
“Please demonstrate x” (See Fail #2)
◦ “Well… this version can’t do x”
“What version of your product does?”
◦ “Well… that feature is on our roadmap”
What your prospect thinks:
If we sign a contract with these folks it
only gets worse
Next!
6. 4. Read the slides
You may not realize it, but most of the
people in the room can read
If you want to put them to sleep this will
help
What your prospect thinks:
I wonder what’s on Facebook
7. 5. Look at the slides instead of
your customer
Hey, we’re over here, that presentation
isn’t buying anything
What your prospect thinks:
I wonder what’s on Facebook
8. 7. Have an inconsistent theme
Working on that “worst” impression are
you?
Watch for:
◦ Inconsistent logo, colors, formatting
What your prospect thinks:
You worked really hard on this for us
didn’t you…
Is this train wreck over yet?
9. 8. Mispeel a word
Or correctly spelled word incorrectly used
◦ The spellchecker doesn’t check to see if you
make sense
We get it, you’re in a rush
What your prospect thinks:
You didn’t care enough to proofread
Oh we’re that important
10. 9. Have a “flat” presentation
The 90’s called, they want their
template back
Sure, you’re an engineer
◦ Your presentation doesn’t have to be as monotonous
as your voice
A little drop shadow or bevel never hurt anyone
bevel
◦ But don’t overdue the animations and the whizzbang
either!
What your prospect thinks:
I wonder what’s on Facebook
Zzzzz…..
11. 10. Forget to turn off email /
instant message
“And that’s why you should buy Are you still
meeting with
our product…” those idiots?
Those little messages appears appear in
the lower right-hand corner, over your
presentation
What your prospect thinks:
Next…
12. I want you to be successful
If I asked you to present, chances are I
thought your product had a shot at
helping us
As a presenter I plan for 5x times
preparation to presentation length
◦ For a 30 minute presentation, that’s 2.5 hours
of prep after the content is created
◦ This rule of thumb is for an experienced
presenter
◦ Are you experienced? No? Better get to work
