Keep your audience engaged. You need to establish an emotional connection with the person you’re pitching. It’s fine to offer data to sell your product or service, but all the facts and figures won’t mean anything if you’ve lost their interest. Keep your presentation focused and interesting and involve your audience whenever possible.
Disclose the details. When asked a direct question from your audience, provide a direct, honest answer. If you sidestep the issue or omit facts, your credibility will suffer once the truth is uncovered (and it usually is). Answer every question or concern to the best of your ability and save yourself the embarrassment of a lost sale due to an omission of facts.
Don’t act desperate. If you beg, grovel or appear that you’ll do whatever it takes to close the deal, you’ll appear weak in the eyes of your potential customer. You need to create an air of superiority and status, while building intrigue. Act as if you – not they – are the “prize.”
Build suspense. In order to create and keep a captive audience, you’ve got to build an element of suspense into your presentation. You can accomplish this by adding a bit of tension through the ending of your “story.” Take your audience on a journey just to the point where they want to hear more.
Be the “expert.” Fight the urge to quote the words of your mentors or other great business leaders from times past. This is sure to lower your status and credibility. Position yourself as an “expert” in your field, above all others.
