Stuart

A: I would be happy to. Essentially, there are 7 Steps to any sales presentation:

1. Research and Preparation: The more you know about who you are selling to, the easier your job will be. Before going in, to the extent possible, learn what you can about the company, who their competitors are, and what their needs are. Why do they need what your franchise sells? What is in it for them?

Once you have a pretty good idea about what you are offering and why they may want it, put your presentation together. If it's a PowerPoint, create it, and then practice it. If it's a handout, ditto.

2. The Intro: One key to a successful sale is creating rapport quickly with the customer. Smile. Be yourself. Find common ground. Be friendly.

3. Ask Questions: The purpose of asking question is to gather information, relay your understanding of their business, figure out their needs, and discover whatever obstacles may be in the way. So ask open-ended questions that elicit explanatory answers. Be empathetic. Use their answers to tailor your presentation.

4. The Presentation: The question they are asking themselves is, "what is in this for us?" so your presentation better answer that question. Stress the benefits of your product or service, not its features. That is, someone buys a drill first and foremost because they have a need for a hole. The benefit for them is that they get their hole; that the drill comes in yellow is a feature they think about down the road. So explain why your franchise solves whatever their "hole" is, and be sure to address their constraints, priorities, and situation.

Your presentation should help them understand the superiority of your product and franchise, how the product or service will help them, why it may save or make them money, and so on. Get them excited -- car sales people (who know a thing or two about selling) get you to take a test-drive. References from current clients also help a lot, as do newspaper or magazine articles about your business. They establish credibility.

Be friendly, be relaxed, be your best self.

5. Questions and Obstacles: Near the end of your presentation, ask for questions. If there are objections, they may actually be a way to offer additional, helpful information. Be flexible and listen to objections, deal with them, and if possible, turn them around. That is, use the objection to explain why buying solves a bigger problem.

6. The Close: Ideally, all objections have been dealt with by this point. Ask for a sale. You may want to avoid, however, questions calling for a yes/no answer such as: "So do we have a deal?" Instead, try open-ended questions assuming the sale, such as "So should I deliver it next Wednesday or Thursday?"

7. Follow-Up: Whether you made the sale or not, following up will help with the next sale.

About Steve Strauss

Steven D. Strauss is one of the world's leading experts on entrepreneurship. A lawyer, author, and public speaker, his latest book is The Big Idea: How Business Innovators Get Great Ideas to Market. Steve's columns regularly appear on USA Today.com, Workz.com, Bizland.com, and Staples.com, among others. You can sign up today for his free newsletter, "Small Business Success Secrets!" at his business web site - www.MrAllBiz.com.