Chapter 09 – Strengthening the Presentation
CHAPTER 9
STRENGTHENING THE PRESENTATION
Outline of Chapter
I. Characteristics of a strong presentation
A. Keeps the buyer’s attention
II. How to strengthen the presentation
A. Verbal tools
1. Word pictures and stories
2. Humor
B. Visual tools
1. Graphics and Charts
2. Model, samples, and gifts
C. Product demonstrations
D. Handouts
E. Written proposals
1. RFP process
III. Value-Analysis: Quantifying the solution
1. Customer Value Proposition
2. Cost-benefit analysis
IV. Dealing with the jitters
V. Selling Yourself
VI. Summary
Chapter 09 – Strengthening the Presentation
Teaching Suggestions
(an alternative would be to use the PowerPoint slides provided with the text)
1. The most effective way to teach this material is to provide lots of actual examples and samples of
communication aids for the students to see. Then, when you begin describing a tool, you can pass
2. Start off with a short exercise to demonstrate that people often forget if they just hear a
presentation. For example, have three people leave the room. Tell a rather detailed story or
3. Emphasize reasons why strengthening the presentation is important. Talk about the ways one
would strengthen the presentation for buyers with various social styles (Exercise 9-1).
4. Briefly talk about verbal communication tools (stories, word pictures, humor). Then go over the
various visual communication tools (e.g., charts, graphs, models, samples, brochures, photos,
5. Talk about testimonials. Show the class an example and ask them what their reaction is toward
6. Demonstrate the use of some form of electronic media. For example, say “Consumer products
salespeople often show an upcoming ad to convince the buyer that the seller’s firm is committed
7. Discuss the “Thinking it Through” from the text:
“You turn the lights down for a PowerPoint® computer slide presentation. A few minutes later,
you start to panic when your eye catches an unusual jerking movement made by a buyer…she’s
falling asleep! What do you do now?”
Chapter 09 – Strengthening the Presentation
8. Briefly go over hints for developing and using visual aids.
10. Discuss written proposals. The best way to do this is to show the class an actual proposal and
then critique it.
11. Note that one method of improving communication is to offer solid proof for an assertion of cost
12. Summarize what you’ve covered:
• Importance of strengthening communication
Chapter 09 – Strengthening the Presentation
Suggested Answers for Ethics Problems
1. Men tend to respond more to jokes involving sexual innuendo than women do. Assume this
statement is true for a male buyer you are going to call on next Tuesday. You learn that he loves
jokes with a sexual bent. Is there any reason you should avoid using a joke with a sexual theme
when calling on him?
There can be many reasons to avoid such behavior. For example, some salespeople consider such
2. Is encouraging buyers to order a large quantity so they can get a better quantity discount always
a good idea? Why or why not?
Not always. Sometimes they don’t have room for the inventory. Sometimes they can’t afford to
Suggested Answers to Questions and Problems
1. Assume you plan a demonstration to prove some of the claims you have made for a new riding
lawn mower. How would the demonstration be different for each of these three individuals: a
person who is very concerned about the environment, an economy-minded person, and a safety—
minded person?
2. How could you demonstrate the following products?
a. A new Wilson basketball to a high school coach.
b. The strength of a new fiberglass stepladder to an industrial construction contractor.
Chapter 09 – Strengthening the Presentation
c. A line of stay-sharp cutlery sets to a chef at a five star restaurant.
3. Which communication tools would you use to provide solid proof for the following concerns
expressed by prospects?
a. I don’t think that type of carpet would sell well in a store like ours.
Testimonials from others who felt the same way, but had great sales. Or market research data
showing sales or estimated demand. Might also have sales data for a previous product that was
purchased by this buyer, but for which s/he had doubts that it would sell.
4. This chapter generally accepts the use of PowerPoint presentations as a positive, useful tool for
salespeople. Are there any times when the use of PowerPoint could actually be detrimental to
communication effectiveness? Explain.
5. Which communication tools would you use to communicate the following facts?
a. We have been in business for over 10 years.
A set of pictures or a video tape.
Chapter 09 – Strengthening the Presentation
6. Assume that you are selling a complete line of canoes and kayaks to a large outfitter to replace
all of their current units. The total costs will be $125,000. You expect that repairs will drop by
$25,000 a year over the next ten year. At the outfitter’s cost of capital, the discounted cash
inflows have a value today of $215,000. Use this information to calculate the following:
a. Return on investment.
ROI = Net profits (or savings)/investment
7. Are there any retail situations for which return on space is not a big deal? How about situations
where return on space would be extremely important?
Chapter 09 – Strengthening the Presentation
8. In Building Partnerships 9-1 you read how the salesperson varied his presentation depending on
the customer’s job title. Using the various methods described in this chapter, exactly how would
you suggest strengthening the presentation to an engineer as described in Building Partnerships
9.1.
Chapter 09 – Strengthening the Presentation
Suggested Answers to Case Problems
Case 9-1: Zadro Inc. (Part A)
1. Describe how you would use the communication tools described in this chapter to sell the
Programmable UV Sanitizing Wand to Target. Target would then resell to their consumers. Make
any assumptions necessary.
Students should come up with lots of different suggestions. Some good ones include:
• A word story that shows how the new tool helped insure fun for someone on vacation.
2. Develop a short (five-minute) slide show that you can use to introduce the product to potential
buyers at a retailer trade show.
Case 9-2: Miller Lite
1. What should the salesperson do at this point?
2. What will be the repercussions of your answer to question 1?
This answer was provided by the actual salesperson:
Chapter 09 – Strengthening the Presentation
End of Chapter Role Play
For the Instructor
In this role play, they are simply presenting to the same buyer from the previous chapter. If you
assigned creating visual aids as part of this chapter, then after the role play you can ask them
what aids they used and what aids they found they lacked. Also discuss how they used them. Did
the buyers find these aids helpful? What did the observers observe? What seems to be the biggest
challenges?
Chapter 09 – Strengthening the Presentation
EXERCISE 9-1 STRENGTHENING THE PRESENTATION FOR DIFFERENT PERSONALITY
TYPES
It is important to strengthen the presentation through the use of charts, catalogs, brochures, pictures, ads,
2. A snow removal service, calling on the safety manager for a large industrial plant.
4. A new line of non-allergenic cosmetics, calling on the buyer of a grocery store chain.
1. Shop several stores for a bicycle, an air bed, a smoke alarm, a home computer, a car, or some
2. Suggest ways to improve the demonstration.
Chapter 09 – Strengthening the Presentation
EXERCISE 9-3 COLLECTING JUNK MAIL
Collect five pieces of junk mail (any direct mail). Evaluate the cover letters. Are these good sales
letters, based on the material in the text book? Do you see any patterns in how they are written? Use the
following outline to format your thoughts.
Style of envelope:
Attention-Getters and openers:
Use of special colors and formats:
Presentation of features and benefits:
Making the offer (the close):
Any special incentives:
Any other unusual features: