Episode #17: Presenting Our Sales Materials

If we are presenting a brochure, flyer, price list, hard copy slide deck or any other typical collateral item, then we should adopt best practice for greatest success. Have two copies always, one for you to read and one for the client, unless you are a genius of reading upside down (which by the way seems to include all Japanese!).

At the start, put your copy to the side for later if you need it and turn the client’s copy around to face them. Then proceed to physically control the page changes of the document.

Don’t just hand it over, if you can avoid it. You want to walk them through the pages, under your strict supervision. There is usually a lot of information involved and we only want to draw attention to the key points. We don’t receive unlimited buyer time, so we have to plan well. You don’t want them flicking through the pages at the back and you are still explaining something up the front

By the way, don’t place any collateral pieces in view of the client at the start of the meeting. Keep them unseen on the chair next to you or in your bag. Why? We want to spend the first part of the meeting asking solid questions to uncover their needs. Don’t distract the buyer from answering your questions – this is vital to understanding their business and their needs.

As we hear their answers we set off a chain reaction. We mentally scan the solution library in our brain and start lining up products for them. The details will be in a brochure or a flyer etc., but by showing them at the start we will distract the client. It also implies I am here to sell you something. What is our mantra? Everyone loves to buy but nobody wants to be sold. Keep the sales materials out of sight, until you absolutely know what you will need.

Also, at the beginning, we don’t know which materials to show to them, because we don’t know which is the best solution for their needs. Are they after blue or pink? There is no point in going to great depths to describe your unmatchable, unbeatable, best blue in the universe, a prince amongst blues, if they only want to buy pink. After the questioning phase is completed, when we know what they need, then and only then, do we can grab our materials and guide them through the detail.

If we hand over the sales materials at the start, they will be reading something on page five and you will still be focused on page one. If you allow this to happen, control of the sales conversation has been lost. The salesperson’s key job is to keep control of the sale’s talk direction, from beginning to end. If you can’t do that, then selling is going to be a tough employ for you.

After placing the document in front of them, facing them, pick up your nice pen and use it to show them where to look. There are many distractions on any single page, so we need to keep the show on the road and them focused on the key items. Our pen is our navigator.

When we need to make a strong point, we should back it up by using eye contact. The problem is their eyes are glued to the page in front of them, so that they are not even looking at us anymore. To get their eyes off the page, to make eye contact with us, simply raise the pen to your own eye height and their gaze will soon join yours.

Know where the items of most interest in your materials are located, based on what you heard earlier and skip pages that are not as relevant. Do not go through the whole thing, from beginning to end. You want them focused only on the most relevant and interesting elements of your presentation. Also you have to narrows things down, because you just don’t have that much time available to you.

Slide Decks

Regarding the preparation of slide decks, this is a very specific “visual” topic and so please go to our You Tube Channel. We have a comprehensive video tutorial of all the nitty gritty detail of what works best. To access the video, please go to our YouTube Channel, “Dale Carnegie Training Japan”.

In the playlists, there is a section called “How to Become Really Excellent At Presentations”. Scroll down to find the video titled “How to Use Powerpoint etc., (Properly) When Presenting”.

This takes you through colours, fonts, layout, graphs, tables, photos - everything you need to know in one place.

Many Japanese presenters are at world champion level at getting this type of thing wrong. Everything and the kitchen sink is thrown up on the one screen, with garish colours and disparate fonts. Usually it is a total mess.

Don’t make this your template to try and blend in. The country of zen has not managed to apply any such minimalist concepts to what goes up on a screen. The basic rule is “less is more” with presentations on screen.

Proposal Documents

It is extremely rare that we wrap up a deal at the first meeting in Japan. Usually, we come back with our solution and pricing. There are many favoured standard styles for presenting proposals for clients, so it is impossible to go through all of those.

However, in general because of their risk aversion, most Japanese buyers have a tremendous desire for detail. Let me share with you an insight about this preference for above average levels of information supply.

When I was student here in the late 1970s, I attended an international symposium on Sino-Japanese relations. One of the Japanese academics was relaying a story about the introduction of zen into Japan from China. One of the zen stories used a well and a bucket as a metaphor for a spiritual point of instruction. In the Chinese version, the key point was the allegory not the detail of the equipment being used

In the Japanese version of this story, great attention was placed on the dimensions of the well, the bucket, the winding mechanism, the construction of the rope etc. I have never forgotten that insight and it has played out as a truism here in Japan. I have found it is almost impossible to give the Japanese buyer too much detail. I am not suggesting you should, but just be aware there is a hunger here for data.

As flagged, this is part of their risk aversion preference. By having more and more detail, they can reduce the possibility of a mistake or a failure. They will suck up as much detail as they can get out of you.

It doesn’t mean you should give them so much detail, because it diffuses their concentration on the key things we want them focused on. Remember, we should never sell past the sale. However, bear in mind that the demand for detail and data from the buyer is always going to be super strong. Probably way past what you may be used to.

The proposal should reflect the information captured during the sales interview. Outline what you believe is the issue facing the client based on what they told you. Warning! Before proceeding any further, it is critical to check that you have clearly understood their needs.

If this is incorrect, then the rest of the document is immediately headed for the trashcan. Assuming that is not the case and having laid that understanding out, now suggest your solution.

Depending on your preference, you can present the content in this way:

Expected Result-Problem-Solution

or

Problem-Solution-Expected Result.

At the solution point though, go into some substantial detail.

Where possible try not to just send the proposal document by email. Present it yourself, because what may be clear to you, may not be so clear to the buyer. We often assume knowledge that they don’t have and so key points can be missed. Sometimes buyers will say “just email me the proposal”. Resist this idea with every fibre in your body and get over there and present it instead. Mention you have something you must “show them” and explain that is why you can’t just send it.

Often they will be the internal advocate for what we are selling, so we want them to have the power of persuasion on our behalf. Always present the proposal in person for clarity and so you can answer any questions or correct any misunderstandings.

Action Steps

1. Control the reading flow of the presentation document
2. Use you pen as the navigator through written materials
3. Only show the materials after you have had your questions answered and know what they want
4. Before putting together your slide deck watch the video “How to Use Powerpoint etc., (Properly) When Presenting”.
5. Always present your proposal in person
6. Expect the Japanese will want a lot more detail than you may be used to putting in your proposal document
7. Present your solution in this order: Expected Result-Problem-Solution or Problem-Solution-Expected Result.

Engaged employees are self-motivated. The self-motivated are inspired. Inspired staff grow your business but are you inspiring them? We teach leaders and organisations how to inspire their people. Want to know how we do that? Contact me at greg.story@dalecarnegie.com

If you enjoy these articles, then head over to www.japan.dalecarnegie.com and check out our "Free Stuff" offerings - whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs. Take a look at our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules.

About The Author

Dr. Greg Story: President, Dale Carnegie Training Japan

In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development. Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making and become a 30 year veteran of Japan.

A committed lifelong learner, through his published articles in the American, British and European Chamber journals, his videos and podcast “THE Leadership Japan Series”, he is a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. Dr. Story is a popular keynote speaker, executive coach and trainer.

Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate and is currently a 6th Dan. Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.