best presentation tips sales

10 Best Sales Presentations To Inspire Your Sales Deck [+ 5 Tips]

Published: August 17, 2022

While many salespeople focus on making their sales decks flashy, fun, and exciting, they do little to ensure that their presentations address the prospect's top concerns and offer an irresistible solution.

As a result, many presentations are met with wishy-washy responses that drag along the sales process and waste valuable time.

What does a great sales deck look like? We'll take a look at some of the best, and provide tips for creating your own stellar sales deck and presentation.

What is a sales deck?

A sales deck is a slide presentation (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote, etc.) used to supplement a sales pitch. The sales pitch, given by a salesperson to a prospect, often includes an overview of the product or service, offers a value proposition and solution for the prospect, and includes examples of success stories from other clients.

The primary purpose of a sales deck and presentation is to introduce a solution (ie, your pitch ) that ultimately leads the prospect to purchase from your company.

If you've done everything right during the discovery process — digging deep into your prospect's challenges and understanding exactly what they need — only to get a noncommittal response, then your presentation needs some major adjusting.

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Sales Deck vs Pitch Deck

A sales deck is a pitch meant to convince a prospect to make a purchase by showcasing your product features, benefits, and value proposition.

A pitch deck , on the other hand, is usually created for investors who want to learn more about your company, vision, products, financials, and target audience. Think of the pitch deck more like a synthesized version of your business plan.

Ready to see some sales deck examples? Here are a few of the best, in no particular order.

Sales Deck Examples

• UpstartWorks
• Attention Media
• Leadgeeks.io

1. Leadnomics Sales Deck by Katya Kovalenko

Leadnomics has done something few companies successfully do in presentations: Showcase their brand identity.

The internet marketing agency hired a designer to create a sales deck that reflected their sleek, techie brand.

So while prospects learn about Leadnomics and what it offers, they can also get a peek into what it represents as a brand.

2. UpstartWorks Sales Deck by BrightCarbon

This slide deck for UpstartWorks starts with an image of the road to success, followed by a value proposition and a list of benefits buyers can enjoy from working with the company. They provide an overview of what they deliver to customers, who their clients are, and the results their customer base has seen.

The sales deck touches on all the key points a sales presentation should cover. And when it includes graphics and logos, they are clearly organized and not cluttered.

3. QS Sales Deck by BrightCarbon

QS , a platform that ranks colleges and universities, effectively uses icons and visuals throughout its sales deck to communicate its messages. At just a few slides, this is one of the shortest sales decks featured on this list.

If you’re going to make your sales deck short, make sure the information you include gets straight to the point, and be sure to front-load the most important information.

In terms of content, QS showcases its features, value proposition, and client impact.

4. Attention Media Sales Deck by Slides

Attention Media , a B2B creative agency, hired a presentation design agency to create a sales deck that features statistics and reasons businesses should work with them.

Key figures and messages are either in a bold, large, or bright font to make them stand out from the rest of the text.

While their slide deck is on the shorter side (the typical presentation is around 10 to 15 slides ), they include intriguing visuals and statistics that grab attention and keep viewers interested.

5. Freshworks Sales Deck by BrightCarbon

Freshworks is a B2B software platform that promises an all-in-one package for businesses. Its sales deck emphasizes simple text and organization. The problem and solution are introduced using graphics, which makes the text easier for readers to prioritize.

They include a dedicated slide to their mobile app, one of the product’s key differentiators and most salient benefits. The following slides provide a step-by-step walkthrough of how customers are onboarded and what they can expect on a regular basis.

Since the slides aren’t text-heavy, the salesperson can easily elaborate and answer any questions the prospect might have.

6. Soraa Sales Deck by BrightCarbon

Soraa , a lighting company, starts its sales deck with a visually appealing table of contents that contains three items: “Quality of light,” “Simply perfect light,” and “Why Soraa?”

The brand then dives into what its prospects care about most: How the light will look in their spaces and how they can apply Soraa’s offerings to their specific use case. It sprinkles in the benefits of using Soraaa as a lighting supplier. And it does this all while maintaining its strong branding.

7. Planetly Sales Deck by OCHI Design

The first thing Planetly does in its sales presentation is present an eye-catching statistic about customers wanting more eco-friendly brands. Then, they present the reasons behind that data.

The deck doesn't overwhelm prospects with too much text, opting for more graphics and visuals instead. It introduces a hard-hitting stat about the problem their prospect is facing, engages them by asking a question, and provides a solution to the issue.

The slide deck continues to outline specific product details and what sets the solution apart from others, ultimately leading to a slide that represents the expected outcome for the prospect.

8. MEOM Sales Deck by Katya Kovalenko

What you’ll first notice when scrolling through MEOM's sales deck is that it’s straightforward and easy to scan.

The brand kept it simple with their deck, making it easier for consumers to take in the information. Too often, companies overload their decks with information, and by the end of the presentation, consumers can’t remember anything.

On every slide, MEOM has one main message with supporting information in smaller font. In addition, the brand incorporates a detailed look at one of its staff members — a powerful tool when trying to attract consumers.

9. Leadgeeks.io Sales Deck by Paweł Mikołajek

Sometimes, the best way to explain a concept is through a series of process maps and timelines. In this sales deck, Leadgeeks.io takes this approach to explain its product process and onboarding process.

This method helps consumers visualize how this software will help them reach their goals and how they can adopt it at their business.

10. Accern Sales Deck by Katya Kovalenko

Similar to Leadnomics, software company Accern puts its branding at the forefront of the sales deck.

In addition to the use of design to make the sales deck stand out, Accern also highlights customer case studies in its deck, another form of social proof that shows the success other customers have found with this tool.

Each of these presentations provides a general overview of the products, problems, and solutions, and they can easily be tailored and customized to each prospective company. A custom presentation not only piques the prospect's interest but also increases the likelihood that they'll buy from you.

Curious as to how you can word your presentation during your meeting with prospects? Below, we go over the best examples we’ve seen so far.

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Example Sales Presentation

While there are plenty of videos online on how to deliver a sales presentation, there aren’t quite as many live sales presentations to watch.

That’s because sales presentations are delivered in the privacy of a meeting between the sales rep and the prospect, and are often not recorded with the intention of sharing online.

As a sales rep, though, you have an excellent resource for inspiration: explainer videos. Companies publish explainer videos to pitch their products to qualified leads. (Sound familiar?) Use the below examples to hone your own pitch to buyers, and pay close attention to the structure of each video.

This explainer video for Leadjet starts with an urgent problem: Finding leads on LinkedIn and moving them to a CRM loses valuable time and minimizes lead opportunities. Leadjet then presents its product as the solution.

The video jumps into the benefits users can enjoy, such as synchronizing conversations over both your CRM and LinkedIn, keeping the lead status updated, and adding custom details. In this video, Leadjet follows the ideal sales presentation structure: problem, solution, and benefits.

2. Node Influencer App

The Node influencer app allows small business owners to connect with influencers on social media. It starts its video with a simple question: “Looking to promote your brand with social influencers?” The presentation effectively identifies and addresses the target market before pitching the product to viewers.

This presentation is more tutorial-based, making it ideal inspiration if you’re creating a sales deck for someone who’s closer to making a decision. People most often want to see actionable demos when they’re ready to choose a provider.

This explainer video from Upsend, a former customer service software, begins with a problem: Most customers want instant responses to their queries, but customer service systems can be expensive for new companies. Enter Upsend.

The presenter addresses the target market — startups and small businesses — while assuaging their concerns about budget. In addition, it covers the most important features of the platform and the end result for the user. If Upsend were still available, this would be a product a new business would immediately want to add to their tech stack.

4. Algoplanner

Within a few seconds of the start of this presentation, Algoplanner drives home the critical urgency of adopting a supply chain software. It uses a scary number to pull your attention, citing a possible “loss of millions of dollars” if you fail to adopt the right tool.

It then introduces its product with a breakdown of what the software can do for users. Plus, it provides powerful stats to back up its claims, including that users can reduce automation development costs by 80%. The call to action at the end is powerful and simple, telling viewers to schedule a demo.

Sales Deck Presentation Tips

Ready for your presentation? Sticking to these five simple sales presentation guidelines, recommended by Marc Wayshak , will help you blow your competition away while dramatically increasing your chances of closing the sale.

1. Lead with solutions.

Have you ever met with a prospect who was excited about your product or service – and used your presentation to keep on selling? This is called over-selling, and it's the leading cause of death for sales presentations.

When you start your presentation, first lead with solutions. Don't talk about the benefits of your product's features or tell the prospect how great your company is.

Simply dive into how you're going to solve the deepest frustration your prospect is facing right now.

2. Incorporate case studies.

Once you've addressed the specific solutions you can provide to the prospect, it's time to add some color to your presentation.

Turn your sales presentation into an engaging story by sharing case studies of similar prospects and the results they've achieved with your help.

This step is important for building trust and credibility with the prospect. At the same time, case studies bring your solutions to life in the real world, making your presentation more engaging.

3. Ask for feedback throughout.

Most presentations are a one-way monologue by the salesperson. This approach is boring – and it's certainly no way to connect with a prospect.

Instead, ask short questions throughout your presentation like "Does that make sense?" or "Can you see how this would work for you?" Asking for feedback periodically ensures your prospect stays on the same page.

4. Welcome interruptions.

If you want to close more sales, you have to care about what your prospect is thinking throughout your presentation.

Any interruption is the perfect opportunity to find out. Whenever a prospect interrupts you – either with a verbal remark or subtle shift in their facial expression or posture – stop immediately.

Acknowledge the interruption, and welcome the opportunity to explore it with the prospect. Never ignore signals just to stay on a roll and conclude your point. Invite prospects to ask their questions or share their concerns.

The opportunity to respond to those concerns is always more valuable than whatever you were about to say.

5. Wrap it up quickly.

Your presentation should be ASAP: as short as possible.

It's natural for salespeople to get excited about what they have to share, but this causes most of them to ramble on for far too long.

Prospects only care about themselves and their challenges. Present the information they'll be interested in and nothing more.

Practice your next sales presentation with a colleague or friend and ask for their honest feedback on its length.

Sales Deck Template

Ready to start creating your own sales deck? Get started with these free templates .

It includes ten Powerpoint templates, each with a different focus.

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How to find a sales deck template.

Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Here are additional resources to find a sales deck.

This presentation platform allows you to pick from hundreds of templates and fully customize the template you choose. The best part? It’s free and offers premium packages for teams who want analytics, multiple users, and live video collaboration.

On this graphic design platform, you can search through countless presentation templates and customize them. Canva also offers extensive collaboration features, such as file sharing and commenting.

Get Inspired With These Sales Presentations

When delivering a sales presentation to a prospect, you can do so with the knowledge that thousands and millions of others have been in the same position as you. Luckily, we can see their work online to guide our sales deck creation process. Use these decks to structure your own, and you’ll be well on the road to closing more deals and exceeding your quota.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in April 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

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23 Foolproof Sales Presentation Tips to Help You Close More Deals

Table of contents

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If you want to see what Databox can do for you, click here .

Are you intimidated by sales presentations and not sure how to best prepare for them?

Should you talk formally or informally? Should you talk about your product, or not talk about your product at all? What are the best practices to ensure every sales presentation results in, well, sales?

You’re not alone. 

Nearly 57% of B2B prospects and customers feel that their sales teams are not prepared for the first meeting.

While sales presentations can seem intimidating the first few times you participate in them, once you get the hang of them and create an efficient, thorough process, you’ll be able to glide through them a lot easier and a lot more successfully.

In this guide, we’re going to discuss,

• What is a sales presentation?
• 6 types of sales pitches and presentations.
• What should be included in a sales presentation?
• 23 sales presentations tips to help you close more deals

So let’s dive right in.

What is a Sales Presentation?

A sales presentation is similar to an in-depth sales pitch where companies promote a product\service they’re trying to sell to potential clients.

However, it’s usually more complicated and comprehensive than a regular sales pitch. There are multiple PowerPoint presentations involved , meetings, and lots of prior prep time to ensure you’re hitting all the right persuasion notes. 

Related : 12 Most Helpful Sales Report Templates for Teams

6 Types of Sales Pitches and Presentations

Contrary to popular opinion, a full sales presentation is not always necessary or even appropriate. Different situations call for different types of sales presentations and different approaches to selling your product\service.

There are several important sales presentations and pitches that all sales representatives and companies should be well versed in. Let’s take a closer look.

• The one-word pitch
• The social media pitch
• The elevator pitch
• A full-blown sales presentation
• Written sales presentations

Related : 42 Free Sales Dashboard Templates For Tracking & Improving Sales Performance

The One Word Pitch 

Can you boil down your brand’s value proposition to one word? Just like Google’s one word is ‘Search’ and Barack Obama’s was ‘Hope’, what’s your brand’s one-word pitch?

The Social Media Pitch

Sales reps using social selling are 50% more likely to meet or exceed their sales quota. 

With over 3.5 billion social media users worldwide, companies need to have a concrete, pithy sales pitch for their social media profiles. One that not only instantly tells your social media followers and potential customers what your brand is all about but can also withstand the test of ever-changing algorithms. 

An elevator pitch is a quick speech that instantly tells your potential clients what your brand’s all about and what solutions you offer.

It works especially well when you’re not formally trying to close deals, such as during networking events and similar functions. It can also be used during cold calls. 

A Full-Blown Sales Presentation

A full sales presentation usually happens in a meeting room with 1 or several clients and includes PowerPoint presentations slides , sales decks, handouts, and a fully prepped team. It also requires a value-heavy pitch, solutions your company is offering, and so on. 

Written Sales Presentations

68% of B2B businesses use landing pages to garner a new sales lead for future conversion. 

Written sales presentations, like landing pages, are getting really popular in this digital-first world. A high-converting written sales presentation usually starts with addressing the problem and presenting its solution, and outlining the benefits of the brand’s product\service. And the best sales pages have several complimentary graphics accompanying the text, as well. 

Webinars are sales presentations conducted via the internet. Usually conducted in real-time, it gives interested prospects the opportunity to get their questions answered on the spot, and similarly, it helps brands persuade prospects to convert.

What Should Be Included In a Sales Presentation?

An effective sales presentation should focus more on the benefits and solutions it offers, instead of its product\service’s features. 

After all, 88% of executive buyers want a conversation, not a presentation

Your sales presentations should also consist of:

• Testimonials from previous clients and customers
• Data, like graphs, charts, quotes, backing up your claims
• Customized content targeted to your prospective client
• A call to action, which usually includes next steps for the clients

Related : SMART Sales Goal Examples from 30+ Sales Professionals

23 Sales Presentation Tips to Help You Close More Deals

Now we’re on the most exciting part – tips and tricks to close more sales deals. To help you ace your next sales presentations, we asked 42 sales pro their best sales presentation tips. 

And here’s what they said.

Express your interest in working together

• Give hard copies of the sales presentation 

Leverage stories

Encourage questions, highlight case studies, make data a part of your presentation, outline your value proposition, follow up with your prospect, prepare yourself and your team, highlight client’s goals.

• Incorporate videos

Drive the no’s

• Don’t hard sell

Prime your prospects before selling

Solve your prospects problems, wear your confidence.

• Personalize it for your client

Know their competitors

Keep it succinct.

• Make it conversational
• Sell your brand, not your product

Demonstrate your product\service

End with a clear cta.

Related : The 37 Sales KPIs Every Sales Leader Should Be Measuring

PRO TIP: How to Set SMART Goals for Your Sales Team’s Performance

To decide which goals meet the SMART criteria, sales managers need to look at sales analytics for their teams and monitor sales KPIs, for example:

• Average Time to Close Deal
• New Deals Amount
• Number of Customers
• Average Revenue per New Customer

Based on these metrics, and in light of other revenue-based and activity-based goals, you can identify and set desired goals for future performance, but how to get this information?

Now you can benefit from the experience of our sales experts, who have put together a great Databox template showing an overview of your sales team’s performance. It’s simple to implement and start using as a standalone dashboard or in sales reports, and best of all, it’s free!

You can easily set it up in just a few clicks – no coding required.

To set up this Sales Analytics Overview Dashboard , follow these 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Get the template 

Step 2: Connect your HubSpot account with Databox. 

Step 3: Watch your dashboard populate in seconds.

“Too often we just assume that, of course, the leads or prospects we’re reaching out to, or following up with, know that of course, we want their business. 

We don’t explicitly tell them, though, and that can be a very powerful thing to do. Something as simple as: ‘I’m really hoping to have the opportunity to work with you ,’ can make a big difference. It’s worked for me!” Explains Linda Pophal of Strategic Communications .

Give hard copies of the sales presentation

Dustin Singer of Dustin Buys Houses shares, “One of our most effective sales presentation techniques for increasing conversions is on top of giving an excellent presentation, we leave the client with a print presentation. This presentation goes into detail about who we are, what we do, how we can help them, the steps and process of working with us, and what next steps would be if they decide to work with us. 

This also includes their offer price, and terms and details of the proposed contract along with all of our contact information. It allows us to leave our sales presentation with them, so if they don’t convert over the initial meeting, we impress them with important information for the client to refer to as we work them through the sales funnel. 

We’ve received feedback about how our print presentations presented us as more professional than our competitors, and they felt more comfortable with working with us because of it.”

You can also turn that hard copy into an engagement exercise for your prospects. 

As Jeff Brandeis of Brandeis Training Solutions explains, “When presenting remotely, we typically provide a PDF that has incomplete sentences. We encourage people to fill in the blanks. People remember things when they write things down. Providing them a template to fill in separates our presentation from others.”

“Tell a story. No one wants to listen to stats on every slide. And your prospects can see right through your ‘visualize success’ ideas.

Instead, include a narrative with characters, setting, and plot. Make sure your prospects can empathize with the character. THEY need to be the hero—not you.” Says TJ Kelly of FreeDrumlineBeats.com .

Bradley Keys of PatchMD explains why stories work so well. “Stories give us an emotional connection, and it will be more effective if it is relatable to their situation. Share stories about how your products worked successfully for your clients. It is one of the leading sales strategies to help you improve your presentation and close deals. Statistics are useful, but make sure that it is not overwhelming – they are easily forgotten. Learn to play emotions when presenting as it helps to become more personal.” Shares Keys.

Nathan Binford of MarketChorus explains the benefits of using The Challenger Sale, a sales presentation methodology based on selling through constructive tension. 

“Learn and use a sales presentation methodology like The Challenger Sale to craft a compelling narrative every time you build a pitch. I’m a big fan of The Challenger Sale specifically because it forces you to ‘walk in your prospect’s shoes’ and emphasizes the importance of shocking your audience out of status quo thinking and into a receptive state.” Says Binford.

Luke Smith of We Buy Property In Kentucky recommends, “After your presentation, allow questions to be asked. As the customer or client gets the answers that meet their needs (for us – they layout terms they need for us to buy their house), I will say, “It sounds like we have a rough outline for a deal. What would you like to happen now?”

More often than not, they ask me about signing a contract to get everything started. This has allowed me to close numerous deals without the awkward transition to the close. The buyer is closing me rather than me pulling them to the closing table.”

The best way to encourage questions is by adopting the 60-second rule.

“To be more effective during a sales presentation, you must consider this — the 60-second rule. It’s simple; all you have to do is NEVER speak without entertaining questions or interruption for more than a minute.

Ditch your monologue and stop bombarding your audience with information. If you have been talking for more than 60 seconds without any interruption, it is most likely that your audience is no longer interested.

Keep in mind to engage with your audience throughout your presentation. Try to incorporate open-ended questions within your presentation to keep it conversational.

It’s easy to keep talking but always pay close attention to when to stop. By following this tip, you will increase your chances of securing deals.” Explains Dan Nolan of Camping Console .

“Drown your prospect in successful case studies for businesses like theirs. That’s my number one sales presentation tactic. It should be so obvious that you’ve done the work before, you’ve transformed situations from bad to great, and you’re certain you can do the same for them if they buy. 

For example, if you’re a B2B sales organization with a software company on the call, show them three case studies of the work you’ve done for other software companies. By doing you, their confidence rises and the doubt. that so often stops a sale, goes away.” Shares Brian Robben of Robben Media .

Brandon Amoroso of electrIQ marketing shares his experience of closing sales deals by highlighting success stories. Amoroso says, “Demonstrating our success rate at the end of a presentation through different case studies has helped our company demonstrate our knowledge in the marketing field.

We showcase studies that resemble the potential client and show them some of the ways we will carry out duties if they choose to partner with us. In doing this, we reassure them that they will be diligent with our time, communicate with them constantly, and work towards getting similar or greater results than those shown in the case study.”

Catriona Jasica of Top Vouchers Code agrees and believes success stories are essential to closing deals. 

“It takes real skills for the salespeople to be efficient enough and close a deal through their presentation. One of them is sticking to your success stories.

Sharing the statistics is surely vital to show your company’s growth, but your attendees are most likely to forget those figures. What will stick to their minds are the success stories you share in the presentation.

Let them know about your product and how it has worked wonders for your company and helped it flourish. Think of a compelling story, present it, and build an emotional connection with the clients. This undoubtedly helps you outstandingly to close the deal in the end.” Says Jasica.

Growth Hackers ’ Jonathan Aufray agrees and adds, “To increase your probability of closing a deal, you want to show your prospect how your solution helped similar people/companies in their industry. Showing them a case study on what you implemented, achieved, and accomplished for another client is definitely one of the best sales presentation techniques out there.”

David Garcia of ScoutLogic believes data is as important as success stories to seal the deal. “The most effective sales presentation technique that increases your chances of closing a deal is a quantitative analysis demonstrating the economic benefits of your solution. If you are running an enterprise sales cycle, by that point, you should understand the client’s pain points, the client’s personal win, and should be able to articulate the unique economic value only your solution will bring.” 

Trenton Erker of Clarity Online advises sales presenters to “Know the numbers in your industry and theirs. It’s compelling, authoritative, and adds to your charisma, your product/service, your company, your industry, everything. People trust industry authorities. They’ll also know you care.”

Susanne Pope of Whiterock Locators agrees with the two and says, “Including succinct and relevant data to drive your point across is one of the most effective presentation techniques that will increase your probability of closing a deal.

Anyone can make bold claims, but having the data to back up those claims will drive the nail in the coffin, so to speak. It’s also important that the data you’re presenting is clearly communicated in its relevance to the goods/services you’re pitching.

If you have data that the audience cannot make sense of, your odds of closing lessen. You also want to ensure you don’t overload your audience with data. The most critical data sets will do, but always be prepared to present more data should someone in the audience ask for it.”

Greg Taft, a Realtor , shares, “I would say the one item that gets me the most traction both from my pitch books from my private equity career and in my listing presentations to clients selling their homes is a strong value proposition.

The value proposition needs to be tangible and measurable. It is hard to put a number on intellectual property or intangible assets, but you have to. As an example, you can talk to a home seller about selling their home, but why are you the right agent for them?

You have to show that you are better than average, whether that be your homes are selling for more than they are worth, or your full marketing package is selling homes x days faster, etc. If you are just average, they will just shop for the cheapest rather than the most value.”

“Fundamentals win championships, and the same goes for sales professionals when they’re working to gain a new client. If there was one piece of advice I’d bestow upon someone new to the sales profession, it would be to follow up with your prospect . 

48% of salespeople never follow up with a prospect. Only 25% of salespeople make a second contact. Those alarming numbers, especially considering that 80% of sales are made between the fifth to twelfth contact. So if there was one technique that will increase your close rate on a macro scale, it would have to be to follow up with your prospect.” Explains Evan Donahue of JMJ Phillip .

Related : 36 Practical Tips for Writing A Great Sales Follow Up Email

When asked the most important sales presentation tip that helps close more deals, Nathan Bliss of Kinsta says,

“Prepare. There is no replacement for being prepared to go into a discovery or demo call. Know all that you can about that potential customer and their business. Make some assumptions about what you think might be important to them based on your experience, but test those assumptions with effective questioning while you are on the call.”

“I always state the potential client’s goals before I go into anything. They’ve told me what they want to achieve in a pre-call, but I reiterate that in my words, while I also hint at how we’ll get there by way of our services. Then I ask them, ‘Are we in agreement?’

If we don’t establish that agreement before I start the rest of the presentation, we can run into many swings and misses during the rest of the presentation.

That question helps me understand that my pitch is spot on, or tells me if I need to pivot some of my discussion points or commentary that are coming in the next several slides.” Shares Tracy Beach of Portent .

Incorporate videos 

“One unique and effective technique I use to help me close more deals is creating asynchronous video content, also known as recorded video, video messages, screen shares, or video voicemail.

By using a free screen-share or recording tool like Vidyard, you can turn your bland ol’ slide presentation into an interactive video that explains all the details that the recipient needs to hear.

Instead of the old methods of sharing PDF’s and hoping your customer champion will sell your pitch internally (which can become a risky game of telephone), instead, turn that PDF or presentation into an interactive video and send it via email (or any other channel) to your recipient.

This ensures that your message is heard the way you intended it to be heard. It also gives the recipient a simple way to float the video around to the decision-makers within their organization so they can get buy-in to push deals across the line. Think about using asynchronous videos to explain proposals, quotes, customer stories, demos, etc. Video works!” Says Jacob Fernandes of Vidyard .

Deepak Shukla of Pearl Lemon Sales agrees and adds, “A growing trend in sales and marketing is Explanation Videos. Expounding on your product’s value in a down-to-earth, relatable way helps build personal connections with potential clients.

It also prevents user bounce rates and increases your SEO ranking – meaning your client finds you easier and is more likely to stay on your page. All of these things contribute to vastly improving your chances of closing that sale!”

“I have found asking questions to drive the ‘No’ instead of the ‘Yes’ leads to more sales. By asking questions, the prospect has to answer ‘No’ opens up the door to get the ‘Yes’ at the close.

The ‘No’ questions are designed to get the prospect to tell you where they are coming up short or items they are missing. Asking these questions and actually listening will give you the upper hand when going through your sales conversation by letting you know their pain points without asking the standard ‘Yes’ questions.

So switch the way you direct your conversations from the ‘Yes’ questions to the ‘No’ questions, and you will see more success at the closing.” Explains Eric Bergman of Serendipit Consulting

Don’t hard-sell

Boxroom Office ’s Neil Roach believes that hard selling never works in a sales presentation. 

Roach says, “People know when they’re being sold to. Instead, your focus should be on solving whatever problem that person has and the most affordable way for them.

Far too many salespeople are trained to go in hard and basically talk the prospect into submission.

That approach shows a lack of finesse and a real lack of understanding of human psychology. Basically, it’s the path to most resistance, by its very nature.

The salespeople I’ve trained always focus on what the customer needs but rarely what the customer wants. If, for example, a customer wants a $1,000 smartphone, you should ask them what they need it for? If it’s “…just for calls and texts,” guide them to something more affordable.

That will cause one of two outcomes.

• 1. The customer will either buy the $1,000 phone on the spot because they know you’re not trying to strongarm them.
• 2. They’ll buy the cheaper phone, but tell everyone they meet how helpful you were and didn’t try to push the sale on them.

Either way, your business, and your reputation, and your sales figures will benefit.”

Lauren Shroll of Outside The Box opines, “When you work from specific questions and comments that put pressure on that meeting to convert, your leads who are not specifically in that small percentage of users ready to convert at the time of the call, are going to be turned off to a conversation that is already primed for someone who wants to buy.

Your ideal sales conversation should prime the user to buy, both at the time of the call and in future retargeting, by including invitations.

This means that you are inviting the user to share their concerns, preview the product, opt-in to email updates, and effectively gear the user to feel that it’s a perfect fit for their specific needs.

This is the case even if they are converting in the next 12-24 months. Your conversation should aim to make the user feel that they are comfortable making a purchase decision, but not necessarily focused on the present moment.”

And did this strategy work for her? 

Shroll shares her experience and adds, “Using this approach has helped massively with one of the software companies I work alongside.

Even in the midst of a pandemic, we have enrolled three major clients in a program that equated to several hundred users.

The reason? We primed the sales call toward “continuing the conversation” to fit our leads at any stage of their buying journey.

A conversation that started as a sales call twelve months ago turned into a neatly closed deal in the most uncertain of times to achieve an amazing return on investment.

If you do include a quote in your story, please let me know when it’s published so that I can promote it across social media channels.”

“The most effective sales presentations that help us close deals all follow one formula: Educate the prospect on a pain that they have, leverage data that is unique to them to support the pain point, then solve the problem.

If you are using a sales deck, it should follow this framework without talking about your own product until the solution section.

If you are doing a live demo, you should break this same approach into sections based on the solution you are providing.

And every solution should first be teed up by education, specific pain for the client, then solution.

Following the formula in every presentation is the key to closing.” Says Zach Rego of Unstack .

Samantha Kohn of AutoVerify recommends taking a customer-in approach in your sales presentations. “You can increase your probability of closing a deal by taking a customer-in approach (rather than a product-out approach) in your sales presentations.

Instead of starting by explaining how great your product is, consider beginning with a discussion of the pain-points your customers are trying to solve.”

Osiris Parikh of Lilius says one of the most important sales techniques is to tailor solutions to the needs of a prospective client. Parikh explains, “Asking questions and showing genuine interest in helping them, rather than seeming like a robot reading from a script, allows for greater rapport and ultimately better solutions aligned to their situation. The chances of a sale only increase from there.”

Lynell Ross of Education Advocates agrees with them and gives some practical tips. “Stress how your product or service will make your customer’s life easier.

Most customers are stressed out and have a million things on their plate. Just as important as the money they’ll save by going with you or the upgrade in quality they’ll achieve is the ease with which they’ll do it.

Even if not relevant to your product or service’s substantive qualities, stress the importance of how your company or service will remove work and time from the customer’s plate, streamline their processes, and make them more efficient.

Reference the type of lift similarly positioned customers have experienced, and use data for that where available.”

“When presenting pitches to potential clients, confidence is everything because you are what you’re selling. How you handle yourself is as important as the presentation itself.” Says Jolene Caufield of Healthy Howard .

And the best way to do that is by showing your stuff. 

Adam Smartschan of Altitude Marketing explains, “Do your research and present it in an attractive fashion. The more you show you know your stuff, the more a prospect will be willing to work with you.

Don’t just tell them their competitors are doing it better. Show them what their competitors are doing, and explain why – then tell them how you’ll help them win.”

Richard Latimer of Veritas Homebuyers explains what works best for him in sales presentations. “The best presentation technique that I employ frequently is physical cues. This includes my posture, use of hands, eye contact, and tone of voice.

Having an upright yet relaxed posture helps make your counterpart feel at ease, using your hands helps illustrate your meanings, eye contact promotes trust, and your tone of voice should guide your counterpart through the presentation.” Shares Latimer.

Paige Arnof-Fenn of Mavens & Moguls also shares her experience and says, “Before a sales pitch I always take a few deep breaths and remind myself I know this topic well, I try to make eye contact with at least a few people in the room as I speak and share stories from my experience to make my points.

I also try to smile a lot. That usually helps me relax and get started, and once I start talking, I am usually good to go.

I have presented successfully virtually, too, via video, online, and phone. With social distancing video presentations are a popular reality now and should be treated just as important as face to face meetings.”

Personalize it for the client

“One important tip is to personalize your sales presentation for your customer.

Most presentations are all about the company presenting them, which is quite backward since the prospect really doesn’t care about you (sorry). They care about their business and their own goals.

In some cases, your audience will connect the dots between the solution you offer and the problems they have, but it’s much more effective to do your research ahead of time and connect those dots between your customer’s unique problem and your proposed solution inside of the presentation.” Recommends Spencer Smith of IRC Sales Solutions .

Syed Irfan Ajmal who is a Growth Marketing Consultant at Physicians Thrive , says personalization of any sales presentation is actually easier than it looks. 

He shared a sales presentation example that helped him to win a 5-figure marketing contract. He shares the following:

• “1. Provide a forecast (traffic, leads, revenue) based on existing keyword rankings data of the client.

This visual example shows how the client stands to earn $49K to $99K per month by applying only 2 simple SEO/Content-Marketing strategies. 

• 2. Provide a comparison (in simple tabular format) of the client with the top 3-5 of their key competitors.
• 3. Provide specific content ideas (personalized for the client’s niche) that they can employ to attract more backlinks.

This visual example shows the specific ideas meant for a company working in the Household Industry. ”

Knowing your client’s competitors, what’s working for them and what’s not can easily make or break your sales pitch. 

Lenny Liebmann says, “I do research on my prospective client’s competitors. I make sure to include a passing reference to one or more of those competitors in my press. That way, the client gets the sense that I really understand their market and their challenges — as opposed to just peddling them something based on some sort of questionably universal value proposition.”

Digital Debut ’s Deniz Doganay also recommends keeping a close eye on your prospect’s competitors. “Actually, take the time to look at leading competitors of your potential client and point out the things they are doing well and what you plan to do to best them. Be very transparent in your company processes and policies as well, so the client knows exactly what to expect when entering an agreement with you.” Advises Doganay.

Mike Charles of Lookout Lofts believes short and to-the-point presentations are always better. “The 9-minute rule! Keeping your presentation to 9 minutes or less is a great rule of thumb to follow for keeping your audience engaged. If you are using slides, do not spend more than 2-3 minutes on each slide. This number is based on research that has shown audiences start to lose their attention around minute 11.”

Make it conversational 

Edwin Rubio of Vapor Empire says, “The more conversational of a pitch, the less of a sales presentation it will feel like. Everything will come more naturally by having an open dialogue because you are building the trust and rapport that many need to feel engaged and comfortable with making a purchase.” 

Melanie Musson of CarInsuranceCompanies.net agrees with Rubio and adds, “Think about the presentation as a conversation. Keep the client engaged and actively involved in the dialogue. If you do the presentation as a monologue, you’ll risk losing their attention.”

Sell your brand, not just the product

“I could write paragraphs about this. I witnessed first-hand how a sales process when well executed, will allow you to position a very normal product as the best in class. It’s all in selling on the brand and the solution.

Presentations that focus on the features and what features will do to you are losing presentations, in my opinion.

In our internal training process, we have a whole day about ‘Establishing Mastery’. Sales peeps and engineers have to establish mastery right after positioning the brand. You position the brand by talking about your internal values, how you run your business, what your vision is. And yes, this is no BS cause what you’re doing here is establishing trust with the company in front of you that you will be able to solve any problem that arises just because you are running a good business.

And that’s the key; customers should be buying the brand and not the product. First-hand. Now, of course, your product should be a real, reliable, and sustainable product that lives up to the expectations.

Once trust in the brand is established, then you dive into establishing mastery by showcasing that you know the ins and outs of the industry you are solving problems for, you understand actual use cases.

Always pull examples about current clients you have that are similar to the prospects you’re speaking to. This helps with social proofing as well as indicating to the prospect that you’ve been there, done that.” Explains Bob Sabra of Hovi .

Quincy Smith of Mira advises businesses always to show how their product\service works during a presentation to close more deals. 

“I’ve had great success by demonstrating the tools we use to complete whatever project it is we’re pitching. For example, when we show clients SEO tools and how we actually have search data on what terms they could be targeting, most of them have no idea that type of information was out there!

Experience and reputation will get you pretty far, but if you can give a little over-the-shoulder look at how you will perform your job, then you can really stand out!” Says Smith.

Alexandra Zamolo of Beekeeper believes the same and adds, “It’s always best to showcase exactly how the product or software will actually work in the exact manner in which the potential customer intends to make use of it. While most examples are great to illustrate features, a demo with more customization to the user’s exact needs will always provide better results.”

And don’t waste all your hard work by not having a clear, targeted Call to Action at the end of your presentation. 

“Every presentation or post should end with a ‘Call to Action’. The action could be anything from scheduling a meeting to submitting a query/feedback or anything else you feel is appropriate. It is important because, after the sales presentation, people are influenced. So before giving them some more time to think, it is better to involve them in some action!” Explains Adam Rowles of Inbound Marketing Agency .

Wrapping up

Sales presentations are an essential part of scaling your business. There’s no escaping them. So embrace them and try to incorporate all these tips into your next sales presentations.

As Mudassir Ahmed of Blogging Explained sums up all of them and says, “Spend less time talking about your company profile. And talk about R.O.I, how your prospect will see a return on their investment with your deal. But don’t go way deeper, awakening their logical nerves by which critical debates could happen.

Give a glimpse and value touch by adding your customers’ success stories or even case studies. You make sure to get the prospect to see himself/herself in your story and talk about the value they would get. That’s probably called human-centric marketing, where you invoke prospects’ senses with an emotion.

It also helps budget-hesitant prospects to get clear insights about their investment and ROI and make a positive decision about the deal.

Do your research and be ready to impress the prospect with this factor. The key is to be conversational rather than presentational.”

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Blog Marketing 15 Sales Presentation Examples to Drive Sales

15 Sales Presentation Examples to Drive Sales

Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Oct 31, 2023

A sales presentation is not merely a brief introduction to a product or service. It’s a meticulously constructed sales pitch tailored to showcase the unique features and key elements of what’s being offered and to resonate deeply with the prospective customers. 

But what stands out in the best sales presentation is their ability to weave an engaging story, integrating customer testimonials, success stories and sales performances to maintain the audience’s attention span and to persuade them to take action. 

The right tools, like those provided by Venngage presentation Maker and its sales presentation templates , can greatly aid in this endeavor. The aim is to have a presentation memorable enough that it lingers in the minds of potential clients long after the pitch. 

Its ultimate aim is not just to inform but to persuasively secure the audience’s commitment.

Click to jump ahead:

6 Sales presentation examples

What to include and how to create a sales presentation, sales presentation vs pitch deck.

• Final thoughts

A sales presentation can be the differentiating factor that turns a potential client into a loyal customer. The manner in which a brand or individual presents their value proposition, product, or service can significantly impact the buying decisions of their audience.

Hence, drawing inspiration from various sales presentation examples can be an instrumental step in crafting the perfect pitch.

Let’s explore a few examples of sales presentations that cater to different needs and can be highly effective when used in the right context.

Clean sales presentation examples

The concept of a “clean” sales presentation reflects more than just its visual aesthetic; it captures an ethos of straightforward, concise and effective communication. A clean presentation offers a professional and efficient way to present your sales pitch, making it especially favorable for brands or individuals looking to be perceived as trustworthy and reliable.

Every slide in such a presentation is meticulously designed to be aesthetically pleasing, balancing visuals and text in a manner that complements rather than competes.

Its visual appeal is undeniably a draw, but the real power of a clean sales presentation lies in its ability to be engaging enough to hold your audience’s attention. By minimizing distractions, the message you’re trying to convey becomes the focal point. This ensures that your audience remains engaged, absorbing the key points without being overwhelmed.

A clean design also lends itself well to integrating various elements such as graphs, charts and images, ensuring they’re presented in a clear and cohesive manner. In a business environment where attention spans are continually challenged, a clean presentation stands as an oasis of clarity, ensuring that your audience walks away with a clear understanding of what you offer and why it matters to them.

Minimalist sales presentation examples

Minimalism, as a design and communication philosophy, revolves around the principle of ‘less is more’. It’s a bold statement in restraint and purpose. In the context of sales presentations, a minimalist approach can be incredibly powerful.

It ensures that your content, stripped of any unnecessary embellishments, remains at the forefront. The primary objective is to let the core message shine, ensuring that every slide, every graphic and every word serves a precise purpose.

This design aesthetic brings with it a sense of sophistication and crispness that can be a potent tool in capturing your audience’s attention. There’s an inherent elegance in simplicity which can elevate your presentation, making it memorable.

But beyond just the visual appeal, the minimalist design is strategic. With fewer elements on a slide, the audience can focus more intently on the message, leading to better retention and engagement. It’s a brilliant way to ensure that your message doesn’t just reach your audience, but truly resonates with them.

Every slide is crafted to ensure that the audience’s focus never wavers from the central narrative, making it an excellent choice for brands or individuals seeking to create a profound impact with their pitches.

Simple sales presentation examples

A simple sales presentation provides a clear and unobstructed pathway to your main message, ensuring that the audience’s focus remains undivided. Perfect for highlighting key information, it ensures that your products or services are front and center, unobscured by excessive design elements or verbose content.

But the beauty of a simple design is in its flexibility. With platforms like Venngage , you have the freedom to customize it according to your brand voice and identity. Whether it’s adjusting text sizes, incorporating vibrant colors or selecting standout photos or icons from expansive free stock libraries, the power to enhance and personalize your presentation lies at your fingertips.

Creating your ideal design becomes a seamless process, ensuring that while the presentation remains simple, it is every bit as effective and captivating.

Professional sales presentation example

A professional sales presentation is meticulously crafted, reflecting the brand’s guidelines, voice and core values. It goes beyond just key features or product benefits; it encapsulates the brand’s ethos, presenting a cohesive narrative that resonates deeply with its target audience.

For sales professionals, it’s more than just a slide deck; it’s an embodiment of the brand’s identity, from the great cover image to the clear call to action at its conclusion.

These presentations are tailored to address potential pain points, include sales performances, and present solutions in a compelling and engaging story format. 

Integrating elements like customer success stories and key insights, ensuring that the presentation is not just good, but memorable.

Sales performance sales presentation example

A company’s sales performance presentation is vital to evaluate, refine and boost their sales process. It’s more than just numbers on a slide deck; it’s a comprehensive look into the effectiveness of sales campaigns, strategies and the sales team as a whole.

This type of sales presentation provides key insights into what’s working, what isn’t and where there’s potential for growth.

It’s an invaluable tool for sales professionals, often serving as a roadmap guiding future sales pitches and marketing campaigns.

An effective sales performance presentation might begin with a compelling cover slide, reflecting the brand’s identity, followed by a brief introduction to set the context. From there, it delves into specifics: from the sales metrics, customer feedback and more.

Ultimately, this presentation is a call to action for the sales team, ensuring they are equipped with the best tools, strategies and knowledge to convert prospective customers into paying ones, driving more deals and growing the business.

Testimonial-based sales presentation examples

Leveraging the voices of satisfied customers, a testimonial-based sales presentation seamlessly blends social proof with the brand’s value proposition. It’s a testament to the real-world impact of a product or service, often making it one of the most effective sales presentation examples. 

By centering on customer testimonials, it taps into the compelling stories of those who have experienced firsthand the benefits of what’s being offered.

As the presentation unfolds, the audience is introduced to various customer’s stories, each underscoring the product’s unique features or addressing potential pain points.

These success stories serve dual purposes: they not only captivate the audience’s attention but also preemptively handle sales objections by showcasing how other customers overcame similar challenges.

Sales professionals can further augment the presentation with key insights derived from these testimonials, tailoring their sales pitch to resonate deeply with their potential clients.

Creating a good sales presentation is like putting together a puzzle. Each piece needs to fit just right for the whole picture to make sense. 

So, what are these pieces and how do you put them together? 

Here, I’ll break down the must-have parts of a sales presentation and give you simple steps to build one. 

What to include in a sales presentation?

With so much information to convey and a limited time to engage your audience in your sales presentation, where do you start?

Here, we’re going to explore the essential components of a successful sales presentation, ensuring you craft a compelling narrative that resonates with your prospects.

• A captivating opening slide: First impressions matter. Start with a great cover image or slide that grabs your audience’s attention instantly. Your opening should set the tone, making prospects curious about what’s to come.
• Data-driven slides: Incorporate key points using charts, graphs, infographics and quotes. Instead of flooding your slides with redundant information, use them as a tool to visually represent data. Metrics from your sales dashboard or third-party sources can be particularly illuminating.
• Social proof through testimonials: Weave in testimonials and case studies from satisfied customers. These success stories, especially from those in the same industry as your prospects, act as powerful endorsements, bolstering the credibility of your claims.
• Competitive context: Being proactive is the hallmark of savvy sales professionals. Address how your product or service fares against competitors, presenting a comparative analysis. 
• Customized content: While using a foundational slide deck can be helpful, personalizing your presentation for each meeting can make all the difference. Whether it’s integrating the prospect’s brand colors, industry-specific data or referencing a past interaction, tailored content makes your audience feel acknowledged.
• Clear path to the future: End by offering a glimpse into the next steps. This can include a direct call to action or an overview of the onboarding process. Highlight the unique value your company brings post-sale, such as exceptional training or standout customer support.
• Keep it simple: Remember, simplicity is key. Avoid overcrowding your slides with excessive text. Visual data should take center stage, aiding in comprehension and retention. 

Related: 120+ Presentation Ideas, Topics & Example

How to create a sales presentation? 

Crafting a good sales presentation is an art that blends structure, content and design. 

A successful sales presentation not only tells but also sells, capturing the audience’s attention while conveying the main message effectively. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure that your sales deck becomes a winning sales presentation.

1. Find out your ideal audience

The first step to any effective sales pitch is understanding your audience. Are you presenting to prospective customers, potential clients or an internet marketing agency? Recognize their pain points, buying process and interests to craft a message that resonates. This understanding ensures that your presentation is memorable and speaks directly to their unique needs.

2. Pick a platform to Use

Depending on your target audience and the complexity of your sales literature, you might opt for Venngage presentation maker, PowerPoint templates, Google Slides or any tools that you are comfortable with. Choose a tool that complements your brand identity and aids in keeping your audience’s attention span engaged.

3. Write the ‘About Us’ section

Here’s where you build trust. Give a brief introduction about your organization, its values and achievements. Highlight key elements that set you apart, be it a compelling story of your brand’s inception, a lucrative deal you managed to seal, or an instance where an internet marketing agency hired you for their needs.

4. Present facts and data

Dive deep into sales performance metrics, client satisfaction scores and feedback. Use charts, graphs and infographics to visually represent these facts. Testimonials and customer success stories provide that added layer of social proof. By showcasing concrete examples, like a customer’s story or feedback, you give your audience solid reasons to trust your product or service.

5. Finish with a memorable conclusion & CTA

Now that you’ve laid out all the information, conclude with a bang. Reiterate the value proposition and key insights you want your audience to remember. Perhaps share a compelling marketing campaign or a unique feature of your offering.

End with a clear call to action, directing your prospects on what to do next, whether it’s downloading further assistance material, getting in touch for more deals or moving further down the sales funnel .

Related: 8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips]

Sales presentation and the pitch deck may seem similar at first glance but their goals, focuses, and best-use scenarios differ considerably. Here’s a succinct breakdown of the two:

Sales Presentation:

• What is it? An in-depth dialogue designed to persuade potential clients to make a purchase.
• Focuses on: Brand identity, social proof, detailed product features, addressing customer pain points, and guiding to the buying process.
• Best for: Detailed interactions, longer meetings and thorough discussions with potential customers.
• Example: A sales rep detailing a marketing campaign to a potential client.

Pitch Deck:

• What is it? Pitch deck is a presentation to help potential investors learn more about your business. The main goal isn’t to secure funding but to pique interest for a follow-up meeting.
• Focuses on: Brand voice, key features, growth potential and an intriguing idea that captures the investor’s interest.
• Best for: Initial investor meetings, quick pitches, showcasing company potential.
• Example: A startup introducing its unique value proposition and growth trajectory to prospective investors.

Shared traits: Both aim to create interest and engagement with the audience. The primary difference lies in the intent and the audience: one is for selling a product/service and the other is for igniting investor interest.

Related: How to Create an Effective Pitch Deck Design [+Examples]

Final thoughts 

Sales presentations are the heart and soul of many businesses. They are the bridge between a potential customer’s needs and the solution your product or service offers. The examples provided—from clean, minimalist to professional styles—offer a spectrum of how you can approach your next sales presentation.

Remember, it’s not just about the aesthetics or the data; it’s about the narrative, the story you tell, and the connection you establish. And while sales presentations and pitch decks have their distinct purposes, the objective remains consistent: to engage, persuade and drive action.

If you’re gearing up for your next sales presentation, don’t start from scratch. Utilize Venngage presentation Maker and explore our comprehensive collection of sales presentation templates .

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Top 21 Sales Presentation Tips & Ideas From Experts

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Sales presentations are persuasive meetings designed to explain the value of your product or service and convince prospects to take the next step in your sales process. By properly preparing for the presentation, strengthening your presenting skills, and following some key best practices, you'll find it easier to win over your prospects. We've compiled sales experts' unique and creative sales presentation tips that have brought them the most success in their careers.

• Tips for Preparing Your Sales Presentation: Read more below.
• Tips for Giving Your Sales Presentation: Read more below.
• Tips for Closing Your Sales Presentation: Read more below.

For a professionally-designed sales presentation deck, check out Fiverr, a marketplace of experts offering sales presentation design services starting at just five dollars . There, you'll find gig-based design packages for sales presentations created in PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote and more. Check out the top sales presentation design options today:

Tips for Preparing Your Sales Presentation

When getting your sales presentation ready for your prospect, there are some tips and tricks to help set yourself up for success. Learn from the pros how to properly prepare for a sales presentation.

Joseph Schulman

Institutional Sales, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.

Set an Agenda Like a Leader

"Having an agenda allows you to have a solid sequential flow to your presentation in any line of business, and it is clearly evident that when you have an agenda planned out before a meeting, you are more confident in what you are trying to convey to whomever is sitting across from you at the table — or in recent events, whomever is in the Zoom. I like to over-prepare for meetings because you never know if you will be given another opportunity, so you want to make every chance you get your absolute best version of yourself."

— Joseph Schulman, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.

Lorie Carson

Founder & Marketing Manager, Real People Finder

Keep Your Sales Deck Light on Text

" Keep your sales deck light on text to avoid people getting bored. Short, captivating bullet points will do just fine. Rehearse your sales presentation often to gain more confidence in your ability to present with few words on the screen. When you can say your sales pitch confidently, you'll be able to make an impact on your attendees."

— Lorie Carson, Real People Finder

Gerrid Smith

Chief Marketing Officer, Joy Organics

Add Images Instead of Text

"What's the quickest method to turn a prospect off? Reading a slideshow. Create slides that support your sales message without drawing attention away from you. Because the human brain processes pictures 60,000 times quicker than words, infographics, charts, and short movies are far more effective in conveying your message."

— Gerrid Smith, Joy Organics

If you're looking for an engaging and well-designed sales presentation, check out the top freelance designers on Fiverr, a marketplace of gig-based experts. There you'll find pre-set sales presentation design packages for PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote, and more. Prices start at five dollars :

Chris Gadek

Vice President of Growth, AdQuick

Tell a Story With Your Presentation

"Stories are a powerful presentation tool to create an emotional resonance with your product and your brand. Every story has a hero, a conflict, and a resolution. And having a similar framework in your sales presentation will tell a story that builds tension and holds interest. Use cases are prime storytelling material as they paint a picture of how your customers achieve success through your solution. Sharing a relevant customer use case in your presentation also provides the kind of social proof that encourages leads to take action."

— Chris Gadek, AdQuick

Jason McMahon

Digital Strategist, Bambrick

Personalize the Presentation

"Content that is personalized for your intended audience is found in the most effective sales presentations. There are a few easy rules to follow to reduce the amount of time it takes to personalize a presentation for a specific meeting. The first one is to only customize a few slides at a time, usually the first few in your deck. You should also concentrate on a few popular methods for incorporating buyer-specific information into your sales presentation. You can provide information unique to the buyer's function or industry-specific data. You might add data gathered during your sales cycle's needs assessment or discovery phase. Finally, before the meeting, make sure you have a system in place for personalizing the presentation. Too many salespeople get right into their pitch without giving personalization any attention."

— Jason McMahon, Bambrick

Ryan Cartwright

Head of Sales, Spacelift

Use Transition Slides to Build Anticipation

" You should always add the transition to the text on a slide. Transition helps in hiding the complete picture from the viewer. It takes them to the conclusion step by step — keeping them interested in listening to you in anticipation of the next point. For example, if you have multiple points on the slide, showing them one by one will keep the focus on the conversation on the recently visible point. This way, the viewer will not get distracted by all the text on the slide."

— Ryan Cartwright, Spacelift

SEO Expert, First Page Digital

Practice, Practice, Practice

"Practicing your presentation will help you stay on track and avoid wandering off topic. Make a list of the key points you want your audience to take away from your presentation. Taking notes during the meeting will help you recall what your prospect is searching for — certain items they refer to can help you improve your presentation."

— Shane Liuw, First Page Digital

Susan Carin

Marketing Manager, Drsono

Share Your Sales Deck With Attendees

"You might think that sending out a customer the deck before a call is like disclosing whodunnit on the cover of a murder story. No person's going to pay attention to the rest of the book, right? Wrong.  If your deck is engaging, prospects will want to enter it with you, even if they know the bottom line. If you wish to see how closely your customer took note of your deck, start your call with, 'Based on the information in the deck I sent, where should we begin?' Do not stress if they did not examine it — they'll just inform you to take it from the top. Absolutely nothing's lost other than their opportunity to delve into a deeper conversation faster. That's what you want: a top-tier discussion, immediately. You can enter into one much quicker if your buyer has seen your deck and is ready to speak about it. "

— Susan Carin, Drsono

Business Development Executive & Co-Founder, YardsNearMe

Express Your Desire to Create a Partnership

" Practice expressing the need to build a partnership in your sales presentation. This is the most crucial step in the whole strategic planning process because this step involves thorough research. You need to analyze the company's risks beforehand and build an anticipation model by demonstrating strategic partnering."

— Alex Haley, YardsNearMe

Tips for Giving Your Sales Presentation

When giving your sales presentation, experienced sales professionals suggest taking certain actions to get your point across and sell your product effectively. Read the expert tips below.

Daniel Foley

Marketing & SEO Specialist, Scooter.guide

Showcase Your Industry Knowledge & Expertise

"Begin the discussion by asking questions about day-to-day activities and objectives. Use the replies to develop your narrative by asking specific questions that demonstrate your expertise in their organization and industry. Then, during your presentation, refer back to the issues raised by the prospect and emphasize how you, as a trusted advisor, can assist."

— Daniel Foley, Scooter.guide

David Floyd

Owner, ThePestInformer

Analyze Their Main Problem In Depth

" You may have a habit of launching right into your pitch at the outset of a meeting. Of course, you've done your study and have a meeting scheduled with this prospect, so you're ready. However, learning about your prospect does not end when the presentation begins. So start by asking some questions to find or confirm pain areas and better understand the problems your prospect may be facing. If you've already had a comprehensive talk, confirming what you know and asking if there's anything else you should know demonstrates that you care about the prospect and appreciate their time enough to pay attention to the details."

— David Floyd, ThePestInformer

Padmaja Santhanam

Growth Manager, FirstPrinciples

Make a Strong Introductory Pitch

"Start the presentation with a solid introductory pitch. It helps organize your thoughts and present your ideas in a streamlined and persuasive way. Be passionate about your product or service, but ensure to keep emotions in check. Be prepared to answer any questions your potential buyers may have and consider using facts and figures to support your argument or points of view. Showcase how your product or service can benefit the people in the room and offer ways they can get started using it right away."

— Padmaja Santhanam, FirstPrinciples

Werner Jorgensen

Sales & Marketing Manager, Heatxperts

Be Engaging & Flexible While Presenting

"Do not speak monotonously or make people feel as if you have a memorized speech. Although it is a good idea to practice your presentation beforehand, do not memorize it word for word. It will be a serious turn-off for the audience and will reflect poorly on your creativity. While giving a sales presentation, be calm and prepared. Even if you are giving the same presentation to 30 different people, make it new every time."

— Werner Jorgensen, Heatxperts

Sumeer Kaur

Founder & CEO, Lashkaraa

Be Authentic During the Presentation

"Stay true to who you are during a sales presentation. People can read through anything that isn't 100% genuine, so don't pretend to be who you think they are looking for; instead, be exactly who you are. If you are analytical and data-driven, focus on that strength. If you are innovative, creative, and passionate, lead with that. Know what you are selling and why, then approach it in your unique way, and focus on why you believe in it. People are buying not just the product or service but into you as the seller, so be authentic."

— Sumeer Kaur, Lashkaraa

Digital Marketing Consultant & Founder, johntorres.com

Use Success Stories in the Presentation

"Use storytelling to help your audience relate to your sales pitch. We all yearn to belong. But we prefer to associate it with success stories. The more successful the salesperson's story is, the more the audience feel endeared to them — and the brands/products they're associated with."

— Jon Torres, johntorres.com

Jenna Carson

Financial Partner, Money Lucid

Add a Big Moment in the Middle

"Have a 'WOW' moment in the middle of the presentation, as people's minds start to lose focus. This is a great way to realign people's attention towards you. A 'WOW' moment could be a great statistic, or some service you offer that they weren't expecting and matches their needs. Following this big mid-presentation moment, reduce the amount of text on your presentation as a way to keep up momentum and stop people from getting bored."

— Jenna Carson, Money Lucid

Greg Cammarata

Account Executive, demandDrive

Ask Open-Ended Questions Throughout

"I ask prospects questions throughout our call/presentation to see if what I’m saying aligns with what they are looking for. If you’re consultative and politely direct, I believe objections will also reveal themselves throughout the conversation."

— Greg Cammarata, demandDrive

Founder & Managing Partner, Funnel Clarity

Get Audience Reactions

" Ask your audience for reactions about every 10 minutes of presentation time. Avoid asking ‘Do you have any questions?’ That is a conversation killer. Ask instead, ‘What have you found most intriguing?' "

— Tom Snyder, Funnel Clarity

Jeff Johnson

Acquisition & Sales Manager, Simple Homebuyers

Demonstrate the Solution In Action

"The best sales presentation tip is demonstrating the solution in action. It allows the audience member to assess the functionality of your product/service in a real-world context. This strategy would allow an individual to build an interpersonal connection with the audience members, leading them to make a favorable buying decision. A solution-oriented demonstration helps individuals visualize how the product would make their lives easier."

— Jeff Johnson, Simple Homebuyers

Tips for Closing Your Sales Presentation

After giving your sales presentation, follow these expert tips to help wrap up the conversation and get the prospect to agree to next steps, such as receiving a business proposal .

Connor Buckley

Account Executive, Salesforce

Search for Objections After Presenting

"Open-ended questions are absolutely critical for uncovering a prospect's pain by getting them to open up about current processes and ‘unload’ rather than simply say yes or no. Asking ‘How do you envision yourself using this solution?’ is going to lead to a much stronger discovery than ‘Is this something your team would find useful?’ Pair this with mirroring/labeling and you can really get someone to open up about what their needs or objections are."

— Connor Buckley, Salesforce

Co-Founder, RevenueGeeks

Follow Up After the Presentation

"Follow up on your presentation and ask for feedback. Try to time this no more than three to five days after you presented the presentation in question. Following up on your presentations allows you to steer prospects toward making a purchase. If you ask for honest feedback, it can also help you find areas where you need to change in order to be more successful."

— Adam Wood, RevenueGeeks

Bottom Line: Sales Presentation Tips

The sales presentation can make or break your deal. If you spend the time you have with your prospects touting your features or client list, you could bore them and unintentionally send them to the competition. Instead, spend 80% of your time talking about them, their needs, their problems, and their potential future, and try the expert tips that you believe will help you keep your prospects engaged and interested so you can successfully  nurture your leads  to deal close.

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How to Smash Your Next Sales Presentation [15 Tips and Tricks]

We all know that sales presentations are a love-it-or-hate-it part of B2B sales .

You might consider yourself a natural presenter, and love slaving over PowerPoint, thriving on every moment of the experience.

Others? Dread it like a trip to the dentist.

Luckily building and delivering an effective and truly great sales presentation is something that can be taught.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to smash your next sales presentation. From must-have slides to sales presentation tips and examples, you’ll find out all it takes to captivate your prospects and close deals.

Let’s start with the basics:

What is a sales presentation?

At its simplest, a sales presentation is a collection of slides that tells a story through visual elements and text.

Teamed with a salesperson’s narration (either in person or via video), its aim is to convey a product or service’s value proposition, and ultimately convert potential clients into paying customers.

A successful sales presentation will resonate with your prospect – linking in with their current needs and challenges, and positioning your company as the ideal solution. Here’s a great structure for one:

Knowing this formula will put you ahead of some of the competition, but how do you make sure you beat them all ?

What slides make up a good sales presentation?

1) The cover slide

Too many reps make the mistake of creating a generic cover slide for their sales deck. Our view? This is a big waste of valuable real estate.

Come on, this is where you make your first impression. You want to reel your prospect IN.

Whilst it might not be a clincher on its own, it can start to get across your main point: the value of your product.

Let’s go with an example.

You’ve immediately suggested some of the benefits and value your software offers before you’ve even reached the first “real” slide of your PowerPoint presentation.

So, now you have your prospect’s attention. Nice work – now it’s time to build on that.

2) The context slide

The context slide: where you set the stage with information on the trends and pressure points that are spurring change in your prospect’s market.

It’s all about setting your prospect up, hinting at the pain points you’ll touch on next. Build tension, and in turn, interest.

Your context slide might include the following snippets:

• Work is becoming increasingly remote and dispersed.
• Collaboration occurs across countries and continents.
• As the pace of work increases and competition rises, slowing down is not an option if you want to succeed.

3) The problem slides

Next, you’ll want to dedicate a few slides of your sales presentation to covering the problem, or a key pain point.

You’ll need more than one slide to do this because problems – especially big, business-critical ones – are complex and interconnected.

What’s more, prospects don’t always see the full range or depth of the problems they’re experiencing – it’s all too easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day, isn’t it?

According to the principle of loss aversion , people will work twice as hard to avoid loss as they will to gain a benefit. So, by painting a clear picture of the problems your prospect faces (and will continue to face in the future), you can motivate them to seek a solution.

Example time:

Let’s examine this through the lens of our fictional company, Projector.

Sure, your prospect knows they don’t currently have dedicated project management software. They might know it’s difficult for their teams and departments to keep tabs on work or communicate on progress, but have they considered anything like:

• How this impacts productivity
• How many hours their team loses every week, month, and year due to low productivity
• Connecting the dots between low productivity and less revenue
• How needless meetings and excessive communication apps can actually make things worse

You get the idea.

4. The “enviable future” slide

Cool, so you’ve hit them where it hurts (their pain points), the next step is to portray how it could be if the problem no longer existed.

From there, provide solutions to prove this is actually possible. Something like this…

Projector enables:

• Centralized communication to eliminate unnecessary video calls, email threads, and text messages
• A visual way to monitor progress and identify bottlenecks, so nothing slows you down
• A single source of truth for all of your resources and deliverables, so you never need to go searching for the latest version
• Customizable workflows to meet the needs of any project

The secret is to instill a true sense of longing for all of these benefits. This can help secure the ultimate buying decision.

5) The bridge slide

Next up in your sales pitch is the bridge slide. This slide provides the path to a problem-less world, and how your solution can get them there.

The bridge slide is a great opportunity to include the first touch of social proof, because people (and businesses) often copy how others behave – especially if they see proof of positive results.

In sales, it means demonstrating that someone relevant to your prospect (like a close competitor or a category leader they respect) has gotten real value from your solution. The implication is that:

• Your prospect could too
• If they don’t, they’ll be missing out on a real competitive advantage

This comes to life through a customer quote, stat, full case study, or all of the above on how a customer improved a business metric while using your solution.

See what we did there?

6) The solution slides

Like the problem slides, you’ll want to include more than one slide dedicated to describing the solution in your sales presentation.

The first of your solution slides should give a brief, clear explanation of what your product or service does.

This likely won’t be the first time your prospect is hearing about your offering, so there’s no need to cover every single detail. Try to boil down your product or service – as it relates to your prospect’s unique needs – into one to three clear sentences , and include a few visuals of your product in action where you can.

The next of the solution slides should focus on the value your offering will bring to the prospect. Make sure your value proposition ties directly back to the “enviable future” you previously outlined, so it’s clear your offering is the key.

Once again, social proof – like testimonials and customer stories with results from clients – can really lift these slides and grab your prospects attention.

“Projector helped my team cut back on 70% of emails and eliminated the need for weekly team sync meetings. Now everyone’s status and progress is clearly visible to the whole team on Projector’s platform.”

“With full visibility into our marketing campaign budgets, we can quickly reallocate spend and optimize our campaigns. This quarter alone, we’ve increased inbound leads by 200%!”

Those are some pretty compelling stats (even if it is a fictitious company).

7) The closing slide

You’ll want to end your deck on a short slide with a powerful statement that helps ignite a sense of urgency in your prospect.

Like we said before, visuals of your solution’s success will always make an impact; a nice little upward trending graph or a video testimonial of a loyal customer, perhaps.

If your final slide touches on both the emotional impact of resolving the pain point and the potential business gains, you’ve hit the mark. Not only will your prospect want to stop losing out on productivity, revenue, or whatever else they’re losing, they’ll want to reap the benefits of your great offering.

Powerful sales presentation templates to learn from

Explanations are good, and fictional decks are nice, but we all know learning by example is the best way to gain new skills.

You can find examples of sales presentation decks and PowerPoint templates scattered all over the web, but below we’ve sorted the wheat from the chaff just for you.

Get ready to borrow from the best:

• 21 incredible sales deck examples guaranteed to get buy-in
• 9 incredible sales presentation examples that succeed
• 10 best sales presentation to inspire your sales deck

6 sales presentation tips to help you crush your pitch

After you’ve crafted your narrative, built your slide deck, and got your design looking slick, it’s time to practice delivery.

The way you deliver your sales pitch is key to your prospect’s engagement, understanding, and their interest in continuing the process.

Here are six tips to help you communicate best.

1) Don’t talk for too long

There’s no specific winning length for a sales presentation, but data suggest that keeping under 10 minutes is smart.

According to a study from Gong (which analyzed 121,828 web-based sales meetings), successful presentations in intro meetings lasted on average 9.1 minutes . The unsuccessful presentation? 11.4 minutes .

This mirrors neuroscience research which found that human attention begins to wander when a listener hears a single voice for 10 minutes.

It’s actually why Apple doesn’t let its keynote presentations run for more than 10 minutes without introducing a change (like a switch to video, a demo, or just a new speaker).

2) Rely on data and insights

Now, we might be biased, but this one is really important. ☝️

If you want to drive a business decision, you need to prove there’s a problem, and what the impact of the solution would be – all using real numbers.

A sprinkle of competitor analysis , a measure of revenue forecasting ( if they close a deal with you), and a dash of ‘what could be’ goodness is the magic recipe.

If you’re able to confidently recall some persuasive, meaningful figures and drop them in where relevant, you could be in for the win.

3) Clearly illustrate the problems

The challenges you’re describing might be big, messy, and complex. But your sales presentation and pitch needs to be concise and digestible. Don’t overload slides with text.

Choose the most relevant information and illustrate it in a logical, clear way.

When crafting your problem slides and thinking about how to deliver the information, keep the following pointers in mind:

• Use numbers and data to back it up : As mentioned, data is key. Connect each main problem to tangible losses, like revenue, human capital costs, customer churn, etc.
• Focus on the strongest (most painful) points: Your goal is to distill a web of problems into a few core examples.
• Paint a telling picture: Think charts, graphs, stats, and images.

4) Personalize it

Even the most pixel-perfect PowerPoint presentation won’t get you anywhere if it looks like you’re just going through the motions.

What we mean is: your sales presentation needs to feel like it’s been specially crafted with them in mind – even if you know the majority of it stays the same from week to week.

Dropping in meaningful insights about their business is a great way to do this. These could relate to their own performance in the marketplace, to their competitors’ performance, or to an opportunity you’ve spotted for them.

Ideally you’ll be telling them something about their business that they don’t already know, and guess what? Your product can help them to exploit, navigate, or overcome it.

A tool like Similarweb Sales Intelligence can generate attention-grabbing and compelling data like that. It helps to inform any sales conversation you have, thanks to traffic and engagement data on over 100 million companies worldwide.

The Sales Intelligence Insights Generator allows you and your sales team to automatically find “insight nuggets” to either include on slides or incorporate into your dialogue. This is the secret to a consultative selling approach, which we won’t shut up about (and for good reason).

With an effortless way to source the freshest data tailored to your specific audience, building and delivering a successful sales presentation can become your most powerful selling strategy yet.

5) Welcome interruptions

It’s easy to get fixated on landing your key points while presenting. So fixated, in fact, that you don’t give your prospect a chance to get a word in.

Encourage your prospect to speak up with questions or comments throughout the presentation. Make this clear at the start, and keep an eye out for any hints through body language that suggests a question or observation is brewing.

A sales presentation that feels more like a dialogue will be far more effective and memorable. Here’s why:

️ People like to talk: When you give your prospects a chance to get their two cents in, you’ll make them happy – and will help them to remember the conversation more fondly.

✍️ You can learn along the way : If your prospect says something super interesting and relevant, you can use that information to tailor and refine your presentation on the fly (and maybe use it in your next pitch).

⚡ It helps keep their mind engaged: As mentioned, when people take turns speaking, their brains automatically reset – and that makes it easier to have longer conversations, instead of listening to one long monologue.

What’s more, interruptions also help relieve you of some of the pressure of talking non-stop. Win-win.

6) Be confident

If you typically hate delivering a sales pitch, then you might be rolling your eyes at this tip. We know it can be hard to just ‘become confident’ if that’s not how you really feel.

But there are things you can do that really will boost your confidence, helping you deliver a better presentation:

• Prepare : Get to know your slide deck back to front, memorizing all the numbers and stats you need to highlight.
• Practice your script : But also anticipate where questions or comments might come up.
• Listen to successful presentations: Make the most of your company’s recording software or find successful pitches on YouTube, and try to analyze what made these meetings, pitches, or persuasive presentations succeed.
• Make sure you’re super-familiar with your product: If you don’t fully understand your product, you’ll have a hard time getting someone else to. Practice presenting to a colleague to identify the holes in your own understanding as you speak.

How do you do a sales presentation?

Two good tips are to keep it short and tell a story.

What should a sales presentation include?

Include an introduction and presentation of the problem or pain point, before getting to the solution (hint hint, your product).

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Selling to Executives: 10 Essential Sales Presentation Tips (Sales Deck Ideas Included!)

• February 1, 2021

The Executive Suite is considered one of the most challenging (and important) groups in an organization to sell to.

It can be tough to get their attention, and once you do, giving a sales presentation to this experienced audience can also be tough.

So how do you make sure your sales presentation is what stands out amid their sea of competing priorities? In this article, I’ll share some essential sales presentation tips to help you nail your next presentation.

As a CMO, I usually receive over 80 calls or messages per day from people looking to sell something to my organization — meaning I’ve seen my fair share of ill-prepared sales presentations.

Over the last two decades, I have presented to boards of directors,  pitched to executives , and given keynotes at conferences. Some have been received with great enthusiasm, while others have fallen completely flat, but all have provided lessons learned.

Table of Contents

What should a sales presentation include, 10 sales presentation tips for selling to executives, sales presentation styles, sales deck ideas, your turn: what are your best sales presentation tips.

A well-planned sales presentation should tell a compelling and believable story. It must call to attention your proposition while also aligning with your audience’s needs and wants. As a good salesperson, you should get their point across as accurately and concisely as possible.

A sales presentation example identifies the problem but also provides solutions. It is crucial to make the audience or prospect understand the problem, not just by telling them. The idea is to connect with the audience and fully immerse them in the process such that they connect with the problem on their own.

A good sales presentation should also follow the rules of logic and flow seamlessly. As a salesperson, you should be able to transition from one point to the next. The trick is to start with the outcome first, then work your way forward from there. Start with the big reveal, then gradually work the conversation from there.

Here are my top sales presentation tips for selling to executives and, ultimately, closing more deals.

• Be confident.
• Make sure your presentation fails the Airport Test.
• Look and sound the part.
• Don’t assume they know what you do.
• Don’t assume they care what you do.
• Leverage neuroscience.
• Write out your “clicks.”
• Break expectations.
• Own your presentation.
• Anticipate (and embrace) the unexpected.

1. Be confident

The most effective sales presentation is one that you can deliver confidently. There’s nothing worse than sitting through a bland presentation, especially in sales, where low energy is often associated with low confidence.

For better or for worse, it’s better to be confident than competent when selling to executives, so make sure you’re really comfortable with the material you’re presenting.

A good confidence check is to try telling your story without slides. If you can’t tell the story without slides, then you can’t tell the story. Remember, your slide deck is there as a tool to enhance you, not vice versa.

2. Make sure your presentation fails “the airport test”

Let’s say you accidentally left a copy of your printed presentation at the gate in the airport. If I were to walk over, go through the deck and have no trouble interpreting what you’re trying to say, your presentation isn’t a presentation, it’s a report.

A sales presentation is meant to be seen and experienced through the lens of the presenter, not read like a report by the audience.

Sales presentations need a presenter, reports don’t. So, be mindful of how much content you’re putting on your slides and make your presence a necessary component of the presentation.

Related:  Create a Sales Deck That Doesn’t Read Like a Report

3. Look (and sound) the part

What are you wearing? How do you sound? What perceptions are you creating with your appearance and delivery? When selling to executives, it matters!

If you are selling medical devices in a highly technical field, is your audience expecting someone in a lab coat and using words that most people need to look up in a dictionary? Sales presentation success is all about meeting the expectations of the audience — from appearances to your voice and tone.

Use language that your prospects can understand, something they’re familiar with. It’s an excellent way to build trust with your audience. For more tips on how to use language to your advantage,  read this article .

One way to overcome this is to partner with another presenter. Switching presenters not only allows you to leverage a subject matter expert to ensure you resonate with each person in the room, but it also helps to combat viewer fatigue and reinvigorate the audience.

Even better, create a conversation throughout your presentation, engaging your co-presenters and the room on a consistent basis.

4. Never assume the audience knows what you do

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve witnessed this, and it’s painful every single time. A salesperson will be part-way through a presentation when someone in the audience will interrupt and say, “Hold on a sec. This sounds great, but can you remind me what it is you do again?”

We tend to assume that the person we’re presenting to knows what we do. But here’s the thing: Your audience leaves your meeting and moves on with their lives.

I promise you that they’re not spending much time reflecting on what your company does or what you have said to them in the past. Besides, many of them will hear from other competitors in the space and it’s easy to forget who said what.

So, do yourself (and everyone else in the room) a favor and offer a quick overview of your company at the start.

5. Never assume the audience cares what you do

Building off of my previous point, the audience may not know what you do, and they often don’t care what you do. All they really care about is this: What’s the mutually agreed-upon problem? And how are you going to help them solve it?

When selling to executives (or anyone, for that matter), before you dive into the meat of your presentation, make sure you’ve been really clear about the agenda, goal, and topics you’re going to be covering.

Then stop talking and check-in.

Make sure everyone is on board with hearing what you’ve prepared. Throughout the presentation, pay close attention to audio and visual cues for audience engagement. It is especially important to regularly check in with executives because we will quickly disengage if we feel the meeting is no longer of value.

Not in-person? Leverage video conferencing software and voice intelligence software that can help showcase sentiment. Get our best sales tool recommendations here .

While being able to set the goals and read the room is important, the best reps by far do one thing better than the rest — pre-call prep.

They don’t treat every sales presentation the same. They know who is in the room, what they know, who is on their side, and what the goals are. And they know how to tailor their presentation and sell to the executives in the room. When selling to executives, this is vital.

6. Blind them with neuroscience

Want to become a better presenter? Do some research on neuroscience. Our understanding of the human brain has improved so much in recent years that some of the best presenters out there have developed formulas for how they connect with their audience.

Take Apple for example . No Apple presenter speaks for more than 10 minutes straight. They use minimal slides and pause frequently. All of this is designed to overcome the short attention spans of the audience and to ensure each portion of the presentation has the maximum impact possible.

How can you bring Apple’s presentation tips into your own presentations?

• Keep things changing.
• Don’t let the presentation get into a routine where your audience can zone out.
• And introduce other speakers early and often.

7. Write out your “clicks”

The best sales presentations flow naturally. One of the most common mistakes I’ve seen is when a presenter treats every slide as a brand new adventure.

The Information Gap theory says that our mind always wants to fill the gap between existing knowledge and new information. I use verbal transitions as a way to make my slides flow and help an audience to understand how it’s all linked together.

To prepare for transitions between slides and ideas, I write out *CLICK* in the speaker’s notes of the presentation whenever I plan to advance a slide. It helps make the transitions really smooth.

I may pose a question on one slide, click, and have the answer populated on the next to create curiosity and hold attention. There’s no mystery to what’s coming or how I plan to get there.

8. Don’t be afraid to speak right to left

Everyone has expectations of presentations. Break them. In doing so you can not only help drive engagement but also show that you are in control of the presentation and drive the slides.

For example, data points.

Most people expect them to go top to bottom, or left to right:

Change it. Talk about your middle point first and in doing so, the room’s attention will turn to you rather than reading the slides.

Another way to shake up a presentation is to simply step away from your slides.

One of my favorite things to witness is when a sales rep walks over to a whiteboard and begins to map out their story. They are not only able to control the room, but also show that they have the expertise and confidence to tell their story without slides.

9. Be the owner of your presentation

This seems obvious because you’re the one presenting, but make sure to take the lead and own what you’re delivering.

Here are a few specific sales presentation tips for owning your delivery:

Tell the audience what’s important and what to focus on. Don’t put things on your slides that you’re not prepared to discuss or that you’re not comfortable talking about. If it’s on the slide, it’s fair game for conversation, so be careful.

Stop apologizing. When you say “sorry” a lot, you convey the opposite of confidence. For example, instead of saying, “Sorry, we’re having tech issues,” try, “We’ll get started in a couple of minutes.”

Don’t think, know. Saying “I think” makes you sound like you don’t know what you’re talking about. The person who “thinks” this software is a good fit for you doesn’t make you feel particularly reassured. Either know and be sure or tell the audience that you’ll find out and get back to them.

GTTFP, or get to the freaking point. Some background information can be helpful, but ultimately be very clear about the message you need to deliver — and then deliver it. Once you’ve made your point, move on.

10. Anticipate and embrace the unexpected

My final sales presentation tip is to fully embrace the room.

Sales presentations are meant to build engagement with the audience, and hopefully, get agreement to continue the conversation or make a decision. This means that things rarely go exactly as planned. You will have questions, objections, comments, and delays.

It should be a miracle if you make it through your slides. In fact, with executives, if you make it through your slides, it probably means the room was not fully engaged.

To make sure that I have time to address everything, I always try to anticipate responses and prepare for them ahead of time. If I know there is going to be a challenge, I confront it early on, sometimes even starting the presentation with it.

By the time you get to an executive, they typically have the final say and are looking at these meetings as an evaluation of risk. So confront and settle any risks or objections early. Be confident, don’t hide anything.

These are sales presentation ideas adopted by the speaker during the sales pitch. Different sales personnel use different presentation styles. Below are some examples of sales presentation techniques.

1. The visual style

The visual style uses PowerPoint slides to complement the sales pitch. This sales presentation technique is excellent for a large audience as it keeps them engaged. It’s also perfect for salespeople who have many essential talking points. A famous Visual style presenter is  Steve Jobs , one of the co-founders of Apple.

2. Freeform Style

The Freeform technique doesn’t use slides. It relies on the presenter’s ability to illustrate their points as clearly as possible within a short period. It works best for sales professionals who know their talking points by heart and are pressed for time.

3. Connector style

In this sales presentation example, the presenter relies on the audience through free-form question and answer sessions. Presenters who use this style encourage the audience’s reaction and feedback to their content. This type of speaking allows your listeners to connect with you while also allowing a dialogue-oriented presentation instead of a one-sided one.

A great example of a connector style presenter is  Connie Dieken , the founder of The Dieken Group, which specializes in executive coaching and consulting.

A sales deck is a slide presentation, PowerPoint,  Keynote , etc., that is used to supplement a sales presentation. It consists of a product overview, a sales proposition, and a solution for the prospect. Examples include:

1. LeadCrunch sales deck

The LeadCrunch sales deck features statistics and charts that showcase how a business can optimize its sales and marketing efforts. Here, the presenter uses various features such as bold, italics, and different colors to make critical terms and numbers stand out.

2. Richter sales deck

The Richter Sales Deck  follows a systematic approach: the problem, value proposition, and finally, the solution. The salesperson introduces the problem, followed by what they can deliver to the prospect. The best part of the Ritcher sales deck is, it covers all the core areas a salesperson should include in a precise and methodical approach.

3. Relink sales deck

The  Relink Sales Deck is the perfect tool for describing how machine learning and Artificial Intelligence impact various industries. Its focal point is how HR is affected by these technological advancements. The sales deck’s main features include use of large fonts and icons as well as consistent color schemes.

Giving a sales presentation to an experienced audience can be challenging. Here are a couple of sales presentation ideas to remember. Be confident. A good confidence check is to try to tell your story without slides.

Another crucial sales presentation technique is to look and sound the part. What you wear and how you sound all play a vital role in creating the kind of perception you want from your audience. Create a conversation throughout your presentation and consistently engage the room.

While making a sales presentation, it is important to always keep in mind that the audience neither knows nor cares what you do. Do yourself a favor and give a quick overview of your company at the beginning—also, keenly lookout for audio and visual cues for audience engagement.

Don’t be afraid to speak right to left. This shows you are in control of the presentation and drives the slides. Own your presentation. Guide the audience to the critical bits while getting to the point. Be clear and concise with your message.

After sharing what I’ve learned from giving countless presentations and selling to executives, I hope these tips keep cringe-worthy presentations out of your future and help you close more deals.

But we’d like to hear from you!

What are your best sales presentation tips? What are your best tips for selling to executives? Share your ideas in the comments.

Keith Messick

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9 sales presentation tips that great salespeople swear by.

• Stick’s 200+ interviews of top sales and marketing pros
• Using the top sales presentation examples, here’s what we learned:

Part One: How to Build a Powerful Sales Presentation

Sales Story = Change + Pain + Gain + Proof.

1. Start with change.

2 . Show them their pain.

3. Share a glimpse of the gain.

4. Provide proof.

• Showing value (“ Similar Company X was like you, but then they achieved these results” )
• Showing volume (“ 10,000+ companies have joined”)

Part Two: How to Deliver Your Sales Presentation

“Take the same product and present it directly to the prospect by talking about it and then take that same product and present it using visual aids.

You will find that, not only do you close a higher percentage of prospects, but they will actually pay more money for the same product.”

1. Replace text with visuals.

“Human PSE is truly Olympian. Tests performed years ago showed that people could remember more than 2500 pictures with at least 90 percent accuracy several days post-exposure, even though subjects saw each picture for about 10 seconds. Accuracy rates a year later still hovered around 63 percent….

Sprinkled throughout these experiments were comparisons with other forms of communication, usually text or oral presentations. The usual result was PSE demolishes them both.”

2. Keep it to 9 minutes.

3. Author your own content.

Part three: following up after your sales presentation, 1. turn discovery into custom content..

2. Build your champion’s buying guide for them.

3. Build it in their brand.

Conclusion: The Ultimate Sales Presentation

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The Most Effective Sales Presentation Tips & Techniques

Selling is difficult, but sales presentations can help. This article demystifies the art of creating a winning sales presentation that connects with your customers and increases your revenue.

Dag Hendrik Lerdal

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Selling is difficult, but one of the most effective tools sales reps have in their back pocket is the sales presentation. When done right, it’s the key to landing more deals and generating higher revenue for your business. 

However, it takes more than throwing together a couple of PowerPoint slides and calling it a day. It requires compelling content and engaging delivery to close the deal. 

In this article, we will demystify the art of creating a winning sales presentation that connects with your customers and ultimately drives more sales. 

Understanding Sales Presentations

Before we get into what makes a sales presentation “good,” let’s first make sure we’re on the same page about what a sales presentation is. At its core, a sales presentation is a meeting between your sales team and the key stakeholders of your target client company. 

The ultimate goal is to convince them that your product/service is the best solution for their business needs. This means you need a clear understanding of their business challenges, solutions, and goals. 

What sets a sales presentation apart from a typical sales pitch is the scope and resource requirement.

Sales presentations are usually geared toward going after big-ticket deals and generally have multiple stakeholders that will have the final say. Also, sales presentations will often have a product/service demo so the target customer can see your offering in action.

With so much on the line and so much to gain, a sales presentation also requires more time, money, and effort in preparing and planning to make sure everything goes smoothly.

What Makes a Winning Sales Presentation?

Beyond the speech and visuals, there are five core components that elevate a sales presentation from “nay” to “yay.” These five elements include:

1. Doing Your Homework

Knowledge is power, and it’s even more true when it comes to creating a sales presentation that actually closes deals. You need to clearly understand what challenges and pain points concern your prospects. Then, you can tailor your sales presentation to present how your solution adds value and helps them address these issues.

It requires you to do extensive research into your target company and their industry:

• What unique challenges do they face?
• What are some issues they might have to deal with later?
• How can you help them become more competitive?

By digging deep, you can provide a custom solution that can ultimately get them on board.

2. Telling a Story

Use the art of storytelling to your advantage. Stories are a great tool for helping your prospects visualize and internalize how your solution will work for them. Of course, that doesn’t mean you need to be Stephen King – you can rely on anecdotes from real clients.

However, make sure to keep your story concise and focus on the key points. Showing the real-world potential of your offering carries more weight and helps your prospect see its value.

I love this breakdown by Consultant’s Mind:  

3. Highlighting the Value Proposition

Yes, your product has X awesome features and can do this and that. But honestly, your prospect doesn’t care about those. They want to hear what your product can do for them. 

How is it going to solve their problems? How will it make their life easier?

That’s what you want the core of your sales presentation to answer. It doesn’t need to be overly complicated, either. 

You can simply say, “[Product X] will help [Company A] solve [Pain Point 1] and [Pain Point 2] by doing [Benefit 1], [Benefit 2], and [Benefit 3].”

4. Providing Credibility in Your Sales Presentation

Of course, you can’t just say, “X will do Y,” without having proof to back up your claim. That’s where social proof and data come into play.

Leverage past happy clients to give testimonials to show your product/service provides tangible benefits.

You can also use research data such as statistics, quotes from experts, and product comparisons to give your presentation more weight. For example, saying “X can cut downtime by X%” is more actionable than “Y saves you time.”

5. Including a CTA

Finally, your sales presentation needs a call to action. A CTA pushes the prospect to make the next move by telling them what they should do. It can be contacting you for more info, signing up for a demo, making a purchase, and anything similar. 

The goal is to make sure the prospect has a clear idea of what they need to do to move things forward.

13 Effective Sales Presentation Tips & Techniques

Now, let’s move into the meat and potatoes of this article: 13 actionable tips and tricks you can implement into your next sales presentation.

1. Presenting with Confidence in Sales

In the sales world, confidence speaks volumes. No one wants to be stuck dealing with a boring presentation. Plus, when your voice is shaky, and you’re stumbling over words, it puts you and your company in a bad light.

So, how do you deliver your presentation confidently? The key is being well-prepared and knowing your stuff. You need to know your sales material and product like the back of your hand. We recommend practicing your sales presentation as much as you can. 

If you want to test yourself, do your presentation without using any of your slides. If you can do that, then you can be confident you can knock it out of the park when it’s go-time. 

2. The Five-Second Rule

While sales presentations are considerably longer than a typical sales pitch, the five-second rule still applies. In the digital age, where attention is a commodity, you have around five seconds to capture your target’s attention.

That means the first few words of your presentation need to be impactful. Try opening up with a shocking industry stat like, “Did you know X costs businesses like yours millions every year?”

Whatever you do, remember to make it relevant to your prospect and their goals or challenges. Once you have them on the hook, you can then guide them to the key aspects of your presentation and how your offering is the right fit for them.

3. Leverage Technology like SlideDog in Your Sales Presentations

Gone are the days of boring PowerPoints and WordArt. Take advantage of tools like SlideDog to kick your sales presentation into high gear. 

With SlideDog , you can combine all of your sales materials and assets into a powerful, engaging presentation to really wow your prospects.

SlideDog is especially helpful when you need to hop between slides and other assets like your website or SaaS product during the presentation. It’s also great when there are multiple sales reps that need to speak because you can seamlessly swap between their presentation media.

Try SlideDog today for free on Windows and turn your presentations into multimedia experiences!

4. Make Sure You Sound, Look, and Act the Part During Your Sales Presentation

Depending on your prospect, your attire, jargon, and attitude needs to match what your audience will expect.

If you’re dealing with CEOs, CFOs, and other executives, then business wear and a professional tone is probably the right choice. If you’re presenting to tech bros in a more casual environment, then your presentation should reflect that. 

When you take this approach, it builds trust and shows that you truly understand them and their industry.

Of course, you don’t need to do it all yourself. Rely on your teammates and their expertise in different areas to create a presentation that connects with each individual in your audience.

As an added bonus, swapping between presenters keeps things fresh and engaging for the audience. 

5. Learn to Handle Objections

Objection handling is a core skill every salesperson needs to learn. There are common objections that pop up, regardless of what you’re selling. 

Typically, prospects have objections that fall into one of four categories:

• Urgency/time

Your goal is to understand your prospect’s reasons for their objections and respond accordingly. 

By using past objections from clients and a deep understanding of the industry, you can frame your sales presentation to pre-emptively address these concerns. Just check out this example from Smartwriter :

6. Physically Demo Your Product/Service

Actions speak louder than words, and you should apply this principle to your sales presentation. Providing physical demonstrations gives your audience a real-world example of what your product can do, and they can more easily envision themselves using it.

Plus, it adds a bit of interactivity to your presentation. It also gives your audience a chance to ask pertinent questions during the demo. This is also a great place to throw in examples of how your product/service has helped previous and current clients.

If you have a tablet or other devices you can share with your audience, it’s an opportunity for them to get hands-on experience with your offering.

7. Make Your Presentation Flow

Your presentation needs a logical and seamless flow as you transition between slides and key points.

First, verbal transitions are a must – in fact, I just used two examples with “first” and “in fact.”  There are a plethora of transitions you probably learned in school, such as “conversely,” “furthermore,” and “therefore,” to name a few. 

However, more advanced transition strategies involve using your body language, speech cadence, emphasis, visual aids, and questions to make it easier for prospects to follow along and understand how everything connects together.

8. Ensure Key Decision-Makers & Stakeholders are Involved

The last thing you want to hear after giving a kickass presentation is, “Let me speak with the district manager and get back to you.”

Make sure the key stakeholders and the person who can say “yes” are at your sales presentation.

On that same note, you want all of them to get hands-on experience with your product/service. Get them involved because when they can picture in their mind how easy your product is to use or how it resolves their issues, it makes it much easier for them to sign off on it. 

9. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for the Deal

After you’ve given your stellar presentation and the customer understands how and why your product benefits them, simply ask them if they are ready to move forward. 

There are many different approaches you can take when asking for a sale. You can use FOMO or “fear of missing out,” which plays on the prospect’s emotion of missing out on a good deal or letting their competition get ahead.

Or you can use an analytical approach where you lay out the pros and cons of your solution. Another method is sweetening the deal with a now-or-never discount or freebie.

There are a ton of different close tactics you can use, so find one that will work best for this particular prospect.

9. Don’t Take the First No for the Final Answer

The best salespeople know that it takes two, three, or more tries to close a deal. If you’ve tried to close the deal and got hit with an objection (see tip 5), then give a thoughtful response and follow up with your attempt to close the deal again.

You might need to wait a while. In this case, work on building your relationship and rapport with the prospect.

That way, when they are ready to pull the trigger, you and your product will be the first solution that comes to mind.

10. Keep Your Presentation Tight and Concise

You don’t want to waste your audience’s time, especially when speaking to executives. Make sure your presentation gets straight to the point. Every word, slide, and media should have a clear point and reason for being there. Even your pauses need to be impactful and poignant.

That’s where practicing and rehearsing your presentation is paramount. You can better control the tempo when you know your presentation inside and out. Create an outline and write out the key points you want your prospects to understand.

In your initial meeting and setting up the presentation time, take notes so you have a clear understanding of what your prospects need to know.

11. Own Your Presentation

You need to take the lead and exude confidence during your presentation. Yes, that sounds like a no-brainer since you’re the one giving the presentation.

You don’t want to say “sorry” or “I apologize,” even if it’s warranted. 

For example, if your slides aren’t showing properly, don’t say, “I’m sorry for the technical issues.”

Instead, you say, “I will be starting the presentation shortly.” 

Another point to keep in mind is to stay away from the ums and uhs in your speech. Not only is it unprofessional, but it gives the impression that you aren’t confident in what you have to say.

Finally, don’t tell your audience what you “think”; tell them what you know. You know your product will solve their problems. You know what benefits your service has to offer.

12. Leave a Lasting Impression

Make your presentation memorable. That doesn’t mean you should expect your audience to remember every minute detail. However, there are things you can do to make sure the key points stay in their mind long after your presentation is over.

One tactic is to use repetition. The details, benefits, and solutions you want them to retain should be mentioned 3 or more times. When Steve Jobs introduced the iPad 2, his presentation repeated the idea of “thinner, faster, lighter.”

Another strategy is the visual aids you use throughout your presentation that revolve around your key points. People hold images in their minds more easily than complex ideas.

Finally, you can use text formatting in your slides to highlight what you want your audience to walk away with. This includes bullet points or bolding and underlining keywords that make those pop out.

13. Expect (and Prepare for) the Unexpected

Lastly, our last tip is to understand that you can’t prepare for every eventuality – but you give yourself a better chance for success by expecting and respecting the unexpected. 

There might be technical issues. You might get asked tough questions you aren’t ready for. However, the best presenters roll with the punch and come out swinging.

If you take to heart all of the previous tips, you will be ready to face any challenges that pop up during your presentation.

Wrapping up

Sales presentations can be difficult to master, but when you get them right, they unlock a treasure trove of opportunity.  Remember, a successful presentation starts well before you’re in the room, with your slides behind you and your prospects in front.

Be confident, do your research, and take advantage of tools like SlideDog to elevate your presentation to the next level.

And with these tips and techniques in your arsenal, you’re ready to have a successful and fruitful quarter. Happy presenting!

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7 Amazing Sales Presentation Examples (And How to Make Them Your Own)

7 Types of Slides to Include In Your Sales Presentation

Inside the mind of your prospect: change is hard, before-after-bridge: the only formula you need to create a persuasive sales presentation, facebook — how smiles and simplicity make you more memorable, contently — how to build a strong bridge, brick by brick, yesware — how to go above and beyond with your benefits, uber — how to cater your content for readers quick to scan, dealtap — how to use leading questions to your advantage, zuora — how to win over your prospects by feeding them dots, linkedin sales navigator — how to create excitement with color, how to make a sales pitch in 4 straightforward steps, 7 embarrassing pitfalls to avoid in your presentation, over to you.

A brilliant sales presentation has a number of things going for it.

Being product-centered isn’t one of them. Or simply focusing on your sales pitch won’t do the trick.

So what can you do to make your offer compelling?

From different types of slides to persuasive techniques and visuals, we’ve got you covered.

Below, we look at data-backed strategies, examples, and easy steps to build your own sales presentations in minutes.

• Title slide: Company name, topic, tagline
• The “Before” picture: No more than three slides with relevant statistics and graphics.
• The “After” picture: How life looks with your product. Use happy faces.
• Company introduction: Who you are and what you do (as it applies to them).
• The “Bridge” slide: Short outcome statements with icons in circles.
• Social proof slides: Customer logos with the mission statement on one slide. Pull quote on another.
• “We’re here for you” slide: Include a call-to-action and contact information.

Many sales presentations fall flat because they ignore this universal psychological bias: People overvalue the benefits of what they have over what they’re missing.

Harvard Business School professor John T. Gourville calls this the “ 9x Effect .” Left unchecked, it can be disastrous for your business.

According to Gourville, “It’s not enough for a new product simply to be better. Unless the gains far outweigh the losses, customers will not adopt it.”

The good news: You can influence how prospects perceive these gains and losses. One of the best ways to prove value is to contrast life before and after your product.

Luckily, there’s a three-step formula for that.

• Before → Here’s your world…
• After → Imagine what it would be like if…
• Bridge → Here’s how to get there.

Start with a vivid description of the pain, present an enviable world where that problem doesn’t exist, then explain how to get there using your tool.

It’s super simple, and it works for cold emails , drip campaigns , and sales discovery decks. Basically anywhere you need to get people excited about what you have to say.

In fact, a lot of companies are already using this formula to great success. The methods used in the sales presentation examples below will help you do the same.

We’re all drawn to happiness. A study at Harvard tells us that emotion is contagious .

You’ll notice that the “Before” (pre-Digital Age) pictures in Facebook’s slides all display neutral faces. But the cover slide that introduces Facebook and the “After” slides have smiling faces on them.

This is important. The placement of those graphics is an intentional persuasion technique.

Studies by psychologists show that we register smiles faster than any other expression. All it takes is 500 milliseconds (1/20th of a second). And when participants in a study were asked to recall expressions, they consistently remembered happy faces over neutral ones.

What to do about it : Add a happy stock photo to your intro and “After” slides, and keep people in “Before” slides to neutral expressions.

Here are some further techniques used during the sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Use Simple Graphics

Use simple graphics to convey meaning without text.

Example: Slide 2 is a picture of a consumer’s hand holding an iPhone — something we can all relate to.

Why It Works: Pictures are more effective than words — it’s called  Picture Superiority . In presentations, pictures help you create connections with your audience. Instead of spoon-feeding them everything word for word, you let them interpret. This builds trust.

Tactic #2: Use Icons

Use icons to show statistics you’re comparing instead of listing them out.

Example: Slide 18 uses people icons to emphasize how small 38 out of 100 people is compared to 89 out of 100.

Why It Works:  We process visuals 60,000 times faster than text.

Tactic #3: Include Statistics

Include statistics that tie real success to the benefits you mention.

Example: “71% lift driving visits to retailer title pages” (Slide 26).

Why It Works:  Precise details prove that you are telling the truth.

Just like how you can’t drive from Marin County to San Francisco without the Golden Gate, you can’t connect a “Before” to an “After” without a bridge.

Add the mission statement of your company — something Contently does from Slide 1 of their deck. Having a logo-filled Customers slide isn’t unusual for sales presentations, but Contently goes one step further by showing you exactly what they do for these companies.

They then drive home the Before-After-Bridge Formula further with case studies:

Before : Customer’s needs when they came on

After: What your company accomplished for them

Bridge : How they got there (specific actions and outcomes)

Here are some other tactics we pulled from the sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Use Graphics/Diagrams

Use graphics, Venn diagrams, and/or equations to drive home your “Before” picture.

Why It Works:  According to a Cornell study , graphs and equations have persuasive power. They “signal a scientific basis for claims, which grants them greater credibility.”

Tactic #2: Keep Slides That Have Bullets to a Minimum

Keep slides that have bullets to a minimum. No more than one in every five slides.

Why It Works:  According to an experiment by the International Journal of Business Communication , “Subjects exposed to a graphic representation paid significantly more attention to , agreed more with, and better recalled the strategy than did subjects who saw a (textually identical) bulleted list.”

Tactic #3: Use Visual Examples

Follow up your descriptions with visual examples.

Example: After stating “15000+ vetted, ready to work journalists searchable by location, topical experience, and social media influence” on Slide 8, Contently shows what this looks like firsthand on slides 9 and 10.

Why It Works:  The same reason why prospects clamor for demos and car buyers ask for test drives. You’re never truly convinced until you see something for yourself.

Which is more effective for you?

This statement — “On average, Yesware customers save ten hours per week” — or this image:

The graphic shows you what that 10 hours looks like for prospects vs. customers. It also calls out a pain that the product removes: data entry.

Visuals are more effective every time. They fuel retention of a presentation from 10% to 65% .

But it’s not as easy as just including a graphic. You need to keep the design clean.

Can you feel it?

Clutter provokes anxiety and stress because it bombards our minds with excessive visual stimuli, causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren’t important.

Here’s a tip from Yesware’s Graphic Designer, Ginelle DeAntonis:

“Customer logos won’t all necessarily have the same dimensions, but keep them the same size visually so that they all have the same importance. You should also disperse colors throughout, so that you don’t for example end up with a bunch of blue logos next to each other. Organize them in a way that’s easy for the eye, because in the end it’s a lot of information at once.”

Here are more tactics to inspire sales presentation ideas:

Tactic #1: Personalize Your Final Slide

Personalize your final slide with your contact information and a headline that drives emotion.

Example: Our Mid-Market Team Lead Kyle includes his phone number and email address with “We’re Here For You”

Why It Works: These small details show your audience that:

• This is about giving them the end picture, not making a sale
• The end of the presentation doesn’t mean the end of the conversation
• Questions are welcomed

Tactic #2: Pair Outcome Statements With Icons in Circles

Example: Slide 4 does this with seven different “After” outcomes.

Why It Works:  We already know why pictures work, but circles have power , too. They imply completeness, infiniteness, and harmony.

Tactic #3: Include Specific Success Metrics

Don’t just list who you work with; include specific success metrics that hit home what you’ve done for them.

Example: 35% New Business Growth for Boomtrain; 30% Higher Reply Rates for Dyn.

Why It Works:  Social proof drives action. It’s why we wait in lines at restaurants and put ourselves on waitlists for sold-out items.

People can only focus for eight seconds at a time. (Sadly, goldfish have one second on us.)

This means you need to cut to the chase fast.

Uber’s headlines in Slides 2-9 tailor the “After” picture to specific pain points. As a result, there’s no need to explicitly state a “Before.”

Slides 11-13 then continue touching on “Before” problems tangentially with customer quotes:

So instead of self-touting benefits, the brand steps aside to let consumers hear from their peers — something that sways 92% of consumers .

Leading questions may be banned from the courtroom, but they aren’t in the boardroom.

DealTap’s slides ask viewers to choose between two scenarios over and over. Each has an obvious winner:

Ever heard of the Focusing Effect?

It’s part of what makes us tick as humans and what makes this design move effective. We focus on one thing and then ignore the rest. Here, DealTap puts the magnifying glass on paperwork vs. automated transactions.

Easy choice.

Sure, DealTap’s platform might have complexities that rival paperwork, but we don’t think about that. We’re looking at the pile of work one the left and the simpler, single interface on the right.

Here are some other tactics to use in your own sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Tell a Story

Tell a story that flows from one slide to the next.

Example: Here’s the story DealTap tells from slides 4 to 8: “Transactions are complicated” → “Expectations on all sides” → “Too many disconnected tools” → “Slow and error prone process” → “However, there’s an opportunity.

Why It Works:   Storytelling in sales with a clear beginning and end (or in this case, a “Before” and “After”) trigger a trust hormone called Oxytocin.

Tactic #2: This vs. That

If it’s hard to separate out one “Before” and “After” vision with your product or service because you offer many dissimilar benefits, consider a “This vs. That” theme for each.

Why It Works:  It breaks up your points into simple decisions and sets you up to win emotional reactions from your audience with stock photos.

Remember how satisfying it was to play connect the dots? Forming a bigger picture out of disconnected circles.

That’s what you need to make your audience do.

Zuora tells a story by:

• Laying out the reality (the “Before” part of the Before-After-Bridge formula).
• Asking you a question that you want to answer (the “After”)
• Giving you hints to help you connect the dots
• Showing you the common thread (the “Bridge”)

You can achieve this by founding your sales presentation on your audience’s intuitions. Set them up with the closely-set “dots,” then let them make the connection.

Here are more tactical sales presentation ideas to steal for your own use:

Tactic #1: Use Logos and Testimonials

Use logos and  testimonial pull-quotes for your highest-profile customers to strengthen your sales presentation.

Example: Slides 21 to 23 include customer quotes from Schneider Electric, Financial Times, and Box.

Why It Works: It’s called  social proof . Prospects value other people’s opinions and trust reputable sources more than you.

Tactic #2: Include White Space

Pad your images with white space.

Example: Slide 17 includes two simple graphics on a white background to drive home an important concept.

Why It Works:  White space creates separation, balance, and attracts the audience’s eyes to the main focus: your image.

Tactic #3: Incorporate Hard Data

Incorporate hard data with a memorable background to make your data stand out.

Example: Slide 5 includes statistics with a backdrop that stands out. The number and exciting title (‘A Global Phenomenon’) are the main focuses of the slide.

Why It Works:  Vivid backdrops are proven to be memorable and help your audience take away important numbers or data.

Psychology tells us that seeing colors can set our mood .

The color red is proven to increase the pulse and heart rate. Beyond that, it’s associated with being active, aggressive, and outspoken. LinkedIn Sales Navigator uses red on slides to draw attention to main points:

You can use hues in your own slides to guide your audience’s emotions. Green gives peace; grey adds a sense of calm; blue breeds trust. See more here .

Tip: You can grab free photos from Creative Commons and then set them to black & white and add a colored filter on top using a (also free) tool like Canva . Here’s the sizing for your image:

Caveat: Check with your marketing team first to see if you have a specific color palette or brand guidelines to follow.

Here are some other takeaways from LinkedIn’s sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Include a CTA on Final Slide

Include one clear call-to-action on your final slide.

Example: Slide 9 has a “Learn More” CTA button.

Why It Works:  According to the Paradox of Choice , the more options you give, the less likely they are to act.

Step One : Ask marketing for your company’s style guide (color, logo, and font style).

Step Two: Answer these questions to outline the “Before → After → Bridge” formula for your sales pitch :

• What are your ICP’s pain points?
• What end picture resonates with them?
• How does your company come into play?

Step Three: Ask account management/marketing which customers you can mention in your slides (plus where to access any case studies for pull quotes).

Step Four:  Download photos from Creative Commons . Remember: Graphics > Text. Use Canva to edit on your own — free and fast.

What are the sales presentation strategies that work best for your industry and customers? Tweet us:  @Yesware .

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10 Sales Pitch Examples, Templates And Tips

• 22 minute read

Giving a sales pitch well is definitely challenging. The presenter needs to create a picture of how their product improves a customer’s life while keeping it short, engaging, and customized for that specific person.

So, how can a salesperson highlight the benefits for the customer in a brief yet engaging presentation 🤔? Creating a short and concise sales pitch that provides all the required information in less than 5 minutes. 

In this article, we will discuss a sales pitch, its importance, and key elements. We will also discuss how to start a sales pitch, 10 sales pitch examples, and the best practices of a sales pitch. 

🔽Let’s get started. 

🔑 KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Focus on the key benefits of the product/service and give a clear call to action to keep the sales pitch short and concise, ideally 1-3 minutes.
• Customize the pitch based on the target audience and find out what problems your solution can solve for them.
• Show how your solution is better than competitors by highlighting the unique value proposition and strong points that differentiate you.
• Clearly explain your solution and how it addresses customer issues/problems. Illustrate step-by-step how it will fix their difficulties.
• When pitching, display enthusiasm and passion for the product. This can influence customers and help your pitch stand out.
• Engage with the customer through storytelling, questions, and discussion. Don’t just lecture – involve them to keep the interaction more interesting.

Table of Contents

What is a Sales Pitch?

A sales pitch is when a salesperson tries to introduce a product or service to potential new or existing customers and convince them to buy it. Another name for a sales pitch is a “ sales presentation .” A salesperson briefly shows how a solution could help prospective buyers.

The length and detail of a sales pitch can vary depending on the audience. It may include information about the product, paperwork, diagrams, or other ads.

However, keeping it short is better. One to three minutes is plenty of time to outline the main benefits and catch their interest. Your pitch should also make clear how your product could help people and earn them money.

Importance of Sales Pitch

Whether you like them or not, sales pitches help you not miss out on chances to make sales. When talking to a potential customer, the worst thing is being unsure what to say. Therefore, you must know the importance of sales pitch, such as:

• They help you understand your thoughts and give you a starting point for any sales discussion.
• It keeps your company message consistent. Consistency builds trust and stronger, longer customer loyalty.
• You save time and money because the more times a pitch is reused, the more productive your sales team can be. Reps can work faster if they don’t have to create pitches each time.

What are the Key Elements of a Good Sales Pitch?

A good sales pitch is very important for transforming your prospects into loyal customers . Here are some of the key elements of a good sales pitch:

Learn about your customers

It’s essential to understand who will buy your product before your pitch. Find out what problems or needs they have that your product could solve. Think about the types of people who would want it most. 

If you don’t know how they will benefit from it, they won’t want to buy it. Therefore, be ready to point out specifics about your product that help with what your customers want or need. 

Show why you are better

No matter what product you have, someone else probably offers something similar. Point out the main thing that sets your product apart from competitors. Explain how you are better than other choices.

Find your unique benefit or strength. Highlight what really makes you stand out from similar offerings. Making it clear how you can do something better than others gives potential customers a good reason to choose you.

Provide solutions

Clearly explain how your product or service solves problems. Be specific about how it meets customers’ needs. Solutions are vital to include in a sales pitch.

Lay out precisely what your solution is. How does it address issues that customers face? Make sure to illustrate step-by-step how it fixes their difficulties. Customers want to know the answer you provide. If you don’t present the solution, they won’t understand why they should choose you.

Show enthusiasm and feelings

Display how excited and devoted you are to the product. Emotions spread easily, so bring energy to your pitch ! If you aren’t passionate about it, why would a customer care?

Let your passion shine through in how you present. Getting animated shows potential buyers how much you believe in what you’re promoting. When people see how pumped you are about it, that enthusiasm can rub off on them, too. That dedication can influence someone still on the fence about a purchase.

Call them to act

Don’t finish your pitch simply with “Thanks.” Work to fully engage people emotionally. Build a strong connection so they feel ready to become buyers right then or want to contact you later.

Your goal is to persuade them to take action . Whether they buy on the spot or want to learn more, get them to commit to their next step before leaving. Seal the deal by specifically inviting them to purchase or setting up a follow-up meeting.

How to Start a Sales Pitch?

Understanding how to start a sales pitch is very important. Remember these tips when you pitch your product to your next potential client. 

Keep it short

Your sales pitch should be short and sweet . It needs to get to the point without any filler or extra words. It should be kept brief, simple, and condensed. Don’t waste time on unnecessary details. Cut out anything that doesn’t directly support your central message.

Use simple language

When building your sales pitch, use clear and simple language that is easy to understand. Carefully pick your words. Organize what you say so it flows well . Put your strongest points first to hook people in, then logically follow with other important information.

Show benefits

Communicate in ways that help customers visualize benefits. Craft your words to seem memorable and intriguing without being salesy . Show how you or your product offers something special. Help listeners imagine qualities like never before, but do it gently through creative language instead of hard sales tactics. 

Master your pitch

Have your outline completely memorized. Practice your material enough that your pitch flows seamlessly. Rehearse your pitch over and over. Get your script memorized down pat. Then, tweak it for each new customer as needed.

Focus on your target audience

Make your sales pitch aimed at a particular target customer or group. Your pitch needs to be focused to leave an impression. Customize it based on who you’ll present to . Creating a general pitch for everyone doesn’t pack as big an impact as one customized for intended listeners.

Use conversational tone

When pitching, use a friendly, casual tone, like you’re just chatting with someone. While professional, don’t be too stiff or proper. Loosen up and connect on a personal level. Be warm, likable, and sincere. Engage with your audience and show your energy/excitement for the topic.

10 Best Sales Pitch Examples And Templates

Take a look at these 10 different kinds of sales pitch and some of their examples:

Phone Sales Pitch

A phone sales pitch is a conversation you have with potential buyers. Giving a sales pitch on the phone is tougher than in person since you don’t see the person. It’s easier for them to ignore you, too. But you can still make a phone pitch work if you do some things. 

Introduce yourself clearly so they know who’s calling. Tell them why you called; don’t beat around the bush. Ask if they have time to chat real quick before diving in.

Here is an example of a Phone Sales Pitch:

“Hi [name], it’s [your name] from [company].

I looked into [their company] and wanted to ask about [common customer problems].

At [company], we help people with [top benefits]. Does this sound like it could help with [problems]?

If they say yes, Great! Now I want to [next steps like a demo].

If they have doubts, I get it. Would it be okay if I emailed you some info for you to check out later? Then, I can follow up tomorrow to answer any other questions.

If they say to email, Thanks, I’ll send that over and check back in. My email will explain what we do, and I hope we can keep talking.

If they say no more contact, That’s no problem. Thanks for your time anyway. Is there anyone else I should talk to at your company about this?”

Elevator Sales Pitch

An elevator pitch is a short description of yourself and what your business offers. It can be a chance to make a real connection that could help you later. It may not lead to an immediate sale, but you should always be ready to give a short pitch about your business if a chance arises.

Most people have given an elevator pitch before without realizing it. You might do a short pitch in many different situations, like job interviews or new business opportunities. So, preparing what you’ll say is essential for promoting yourself and your company.

Here is an example of an Elevator Sales Pitch:

Introduction: “Hi, my name is [your name], and I’m a [your job title] at [your company]. It’s nice to meet you!”

Problem: “I know your company works in [industry], so I thought maybe you might want to know that [problem] – and the statistic is [statistic].”

Solution: You know that struggle with [problem your company solves]? At [your company name], we’ve found a great way to solve exactly that by [solution in simpler terms].

Unique Value Proposition: And believe it or not, we’re the only ones who offer [value proposition in a benefit-oriented way].

Call to Action: I truly think this could be a game-changer for you. Are you available for a brief chat this week to discuss it further?

Email Sales Pitch

Email sales pitch means sending emails to potential customers. With cold emails, do your homework first. Personalize it by using their name correctly. Compliment recent achievements they achieved. Find problems your product solves. Relate those issues to them specifically.

In the email, keep connecting it back to their needs. Explain clearly how you can help. Don’t hide that it’s a sales pitch, but don’t oversell either. As long as you show true value, they’ll look past that it’s technically selling.

Here is an example of an Email Sales Pitch:

My name is Jenna, and I work at XYZ Growth. We help companies increase natural website traffic, also known as organic traffic.

I know you’re busy, so I’ll tell you briefly about the good things we offer and why our clients trust us with their marketing. Our SEO experts always know the latest search engine trends, rules, and best practices, so you don’t have to worry.

We make personalized plans for each company based on their unique needs and goals. We also regularly send you reports and stats to see how your website traffic grows naturally.

If this sounds good, let me know if you want me to explain our services more or set up a meeting.

Talk to you soon,

Voicemail Sales Pitch

A sales voicemail script is pretty straightforward – some sentences written beforehand help a salesperson leave a perfect voicemail message. The goal is to make the message good enough that the person calls you back.

Most phone sales calls don’t go according to plan. 80% percent of sales calls go to voicemail. That’s why you always need a voicemail sales pitch ready if the person you’re trying to sell to doesn’t answer. 

Here is an example of a Voicemail Sales Pitch:

“Hi! My name is Alex, and I work at [your company name]. I’m trying to reach the person in charge of health insurance at your company. 

Can you please have that person call me back at 767-555-2423? I’d like to talk about how we can improve health insurance for the employees where you work. We can collaborate so insurance issues aren’t as confusing or difficult.

I hope the right person calls me back to discuss some options. Thanks, and have a great day!”

Video Sales Pitch

A video sales letter takes the most important parts of any other sales pitch and turns them into a video. They can be used in different ways, such as on websites, special pages for offers on websites, social media, or sent directly to potential customers. 

The significant advantage of doing a video sales letter is that videos allow you to tell an engaging story about your product or service in a way other methods can’t. Adding visuals, narration, and music lets you grab the attention of the person you’re trying to sell to.

A video is the best way to sell a difficult product, and we couldn’t help but include the Squatty Potty example. This is because it solves a problem people don’t know about and isn’t easy to discuss.

In the Squatty Potty video , the video starts with something weird – a unicorn pooping rainbow ice cream! This gets your attention right away.

Then, a funny knight character tells the story. Within 15 seconds, it mentions the problem—not being able to go to the bathroom. It shows more problems that could happen if not fixed.

It introduces the solution—the Squatty Potty—in one minute. Graphics explain how it works and why it helps. Then, it tells where to buy it (CTA). The video is funny, but that’s not why it did so well, selling over $15 million worth. 

It kept you interested with the story while explaining the problem, solution, and reasons to buy it – which is how sales should work. The funny video made explaining all that more fun to watch and pay attention to.

Social Media Sales Pitch

Social media sales pitches are custom messages sent to potential customers on platforms like LinkedIn. This is often called social selling. Regular sales pitches can be more straightforward, just trying to make a deal. 

Social media pitches try to create connections and trust with potential customers by sharing valuable and applicable information. The goal is to get your name out there and drive sales by matching what you offer with what interests and helps the potential customers.

Here is an example of a Social Media Sales Pitch:

“Hi Ashley,

I saw that you and Catherine are connected. She uses our service for her business. Using our tools helped Catherine’s company publish more blog posts. They increased the number of blog posts they make each month by 20%.

I know you manage a blog, too. Our solution could help you and your team share more blog posts each month, just like it did for Christina.

Would you like me to explain how our service works in more detail?

– Lily”

Investor Sales Pitch 

Investor sales pitch means pitching your business to potential investors. You found an investor that might be a good fit and made your first contact. Now it’s time to give your presentation. Hopefully, before the meeting, you have already learned much about the investors and how they work. 

Your job now is to start building a good relationship with them. You should begin by getting on the same page and making a connection. Investors need to feel confident that their money will be handled by people who can handle it. While they learned some things about you when you first reached out, they’ll want to learn more about you during your presentation.

For example, as a business leader, do you have the right qualities, such as determination, motivation, and drive, to succeed and make your investment money?

Take a look at this Investor Sales Pitch example for distinction software:

My name is Tom McKaskill, and I’m the President of Distinction Software. We make software that helps companies manage their supply chain better.

Our product suite helps optimize how companies deal with customer demands, warehouse inventory, shipping, factory production ability, and raw material inventory. 

Our product is one of only a few fully finished and tested supply chain optimization programs worldwide. Companies increasingly demand these programs, and extensive software companies are also interested in making them.

We plan to sell our business to a large global software company. This would give them a product they could start making money with immediately using customers they already have. It would also give them a big advantage over competitors in the future. We estimate selling for about $60 million.

We need $2 million to translate the software into different languages and countries. We must also do more testing with clients and write manuals and training materials to release it worldwide.

Deck Sales Pitch

A sales deck is a PowerPoint or slideshow you use when sharing details about your business or product. The slides help steer people through what you’re trying to say during your sales presentation.

Deck sales pitches are made to look nice so your pitch stands out compared to others. It also gives the person a good experience learning about your product or company. But you don’t need to be a famous artist to design your deck. Websites like Piktochart and Canva let you make good-looking decks for free.

Example of the deck sales pitch:

CallTools Sales Deck from Larry Greller

The sales deck for CallTools shows that you don’t need design skills to make an effective sales presentation. While it uses generic stock photos instead of their own, you could swap them out for photos of your team and products so clients can relate more to your business.

Why does their deck work well? Besides the stock photos, the CallTools presentation is good because it gets its point across to the audience simply and straightforwardly. The sales slides focus on what makes their tool different from others in their industry. 

Highlighting unique features helps the product stand out from the competition. Even without fancy graphics, the deck successfully communicates what matters most – showing why a customer should choose CallTools.

Pain Point Sales Pitch

Finding what problems your potential customers are dealing with is essentially the pain point sales pitch.

Thinking about struggles, annoying problems, and feeling stressed might not be fun. Who wants to keep talking about stuff that’s not working well? It doesn’t sound very fun to keep going over and over everything wrong, right? But if you own a business, started a company, or provide services, pain is actually really important. 

When it comes to what makes people buy from you or say no thanks, their problems are a big factor. Figuring out your potential customers’ issues will help convince them to choose your solution. Addressing their pain points is crucial to making the sale.

Here is a Pain Point Sales Pitch example:

I’m calling because our product could help with the problems you mentioned at last month’s trade show. I remember you said your company wastes a lot of time entering orders by hand. It takes forever, and it’s easy to mess up.

Our sales software makes the whole process much easier. With just a few clicks, your sales representatives can add new orders, customer information, and customized invoices. All the information is stored online, so anyone on your team can access it from any device.

It connects with your accounting software, so there’s no more re-entering orders or trying to match everything up later. With us, your numbers will always be right, and you’ll save hours each week.

Doesn’t that sound better than your messy system now? I’d like to do a quick demonstration to show how it works. Let me know if you have 15 minutes free next week for a call. Talking through a real example could help you see how much easier it will make your life!

Hope to hear back from you,

[Your Name]

Follow Up Sales Pitch

You have finished the first step if you have already written and sent sales introduction emails. Now it’s time for the harder part: the sales follow-up email. We call this the harder part because research shows that 80% of sales need atleast five follow ups . 

So, follow-up emails are really important for people who are just hearing about you for the first time, making them more interested or ready to buy. Most leads must be followed up with a few times before purchasing. The follow-up emails turn cold leads who know nothing about you yet into warmer leads who know more and are closer to purchasing.

Here is a Follow-up Sales Pitch example:

Hello [first name],

I know how important [issue they mentioned] is for your business. Since we talked last week at the [name of event], I want to tell you about the good things about [product name].

[Product name] lets bosses and workers [main good things about the product]!

We hope to work with your company in the future. Please let me know if you want to learn more about [product name].

[Your name]

Sales Pitch Best Practices 

Without the correct practices, a sales pitch is just a boring monologue no one wants to hear. Thus, follow these practices to level up your sales pitch:

Focus on engaging with customers

Your sales pitch should feel like a back-and-forth discussion, not just you talking at people. Customers will usually ask questions, so use this as an opportunity to include them in the conversation.

Pay close attention to what they say instead of just talking non-stop about your product. Then, show precisely how your solution could help with something they brought up. Engaging them keeps them interested.

Share a story to build a connection

Telling an engaging story about your company and product supports your points. It can quickly spark a customer’s interest in learning more.

If you share the story smoothly, you will form a stronger bond with the customer. Customers often relate successful stories to their own lives, which gives them more motivation to purchase.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Don’t just ask yes or no questions. Ask questions that require more explanation. This helps you get to know the customer better and keeps them involved in your talk. Learning about them enables you to customize what you say.

Asking open questions also makes them think. You can ask how they would use the product or what problems are most important to fix. Getting input from them as you talk builds an interactive discussion, not just a lecture.

Use Positive Body Language

Smile and look at the person when you present. Use your hand gestures to point at your visuals or emphasize key points. Stand facing them so they know you want to include them. These small actions help people trust and pay attention to you.

Others are encouraged to feel the same way when you seem happy and excited. Control your tone, face, and movements to appear friendly and engaged. Confidence shows through nonverbals better than words alone.

Provide Supplemental Materials

Offer extras like brochures, reports, or videos for them to take. This allows them to recall your main points later. Leaving behind details helps buyers decide by themselves later, too. The more people think of your idea independently, the more likely they will consider becoming customers.

Materials with your company’s contact also make it easy to get back in touch. Good extras reinforce the perfect solution is available if they want it. Dual-purpose giveaways work as a resource and a reminder of the options you present.

Final Thoughts

No one enjoys feeling pressured or tricked during a sales interaction. So, we should forget about thinking of salespeople as super smooth talkers. Instead of seeing potential buyers as targets, consider them individuals to whom you can offer real assistance.

While there are many tactics for pitching someone, the most essential thing is to show your value . Discover the customer’s problems, understand their challenges, and find solutions. If you succeed in helping overcome issues, prospects will view you as a helpful partner rather than just another vendor. Showing you care about customers, not just money, builds trust that results in long-term business partnerships.

How long should a sales pitch be?

The best sales reps should be able to quickly explain what their company does and how it can help customers. Ideally, they can cover the main things about their business and the advantages of working with them in under 1-2 minutes.

How to do a sales pitch in an interview?

To present an effective sales pitch, focus on what makes you different: Your sales presentation should show what makes you or your company special compared to others. Discuss your strengths, talents, and past work and explain how they could help this customer.

How to make a cold call sales pitch?

Follow these steps to make a cold call sales pitch:

• Start with your name. If you’re unsure how to start a call with someone you don’t know, say who you are first. 
• Be honest about why you called. 
• See how they’re doing. 
• Tell them the reason you’re contacting them.
• Explain why your call matters.
• Say you’re glad they answered.
• Ask for their assistance.
• Thank them for taking the time to speak with you.

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The Best Memorial Day Mattress Sales, According To Our Deals Editors

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Memorial Day won’t arrive until May 27, but there are already some early deals emerging. This month’s holiday weekend is a great time to score discounts on big-ticket items like patio furniture, appliances and mattresses. Speaking of which, there are already some early Memorial Day mattress sales worth browsing—you just have to know where to look.

We've rounded up the best early Memorial Day mattress sales on our editors' top-rated models.

Many mattress brands host sales throughout the year, but that doesn’t make these prices any less enticing. The current assortment of discounts will save you hundreds on a new bed—like $712 off the Helix Midnight Luxe (our sleep editors’ pick for the best mattress overall). That said, you are likely to see better discounts over Memorial Day weekend itself. So if you want to score the absolute lowest price possible, you’re better off waiting a couple more weeks to shop. But if you need to replace your mattress ASAP, here are the best early Memorial Day mattress sales and deals happening now.

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• Helix : Save 25% sitewide or use code MEMDAY30 to save 30% on Luxe and Elite models.
• Nectar : New customers can shop the Memorial Day sale to save up to 40% sitewide.
• DreamCloud : First-time shoppers can save up to 50% sitewide right now.
• Leesa : Score 25% off Leesa’s mattresses today and get two free pillows.
• Saatva : Save up to $600 on your Saatva mattress this week.
• WinkBeds : Enter your email to save $300 on a WinkBeds mattress.
• Cocoon By Sealy : Save 35% on all of its cooling mattresses and get a bedding bundle.
• Plank : Save 25% sitewide with code MEMORIAL25 during Plank’s sale.
• Brooklyn Bedding : Use code MEMORIAL25 to save 25% sitewide .
• Nolah : Save up to 35% during its Early Access Memorial Day Sale.

Early Memorial Day Mattress Sales: What Our Sleep Editors Recommend Buying

Our pick for the best mattress overall, helix midnight luxe (queen).

We recently named the Helix Midnight Luxe the best mattress overall . The pillow-top design is a great option for side and combination sleepers. Forbes Vetted sleep editor McKenzie Dillion says, “The Midnight Luxe’s plush pillow top was the first thing that stood out to me when I tested the mattress. It gives the bed a soft feel that cradles the joints without being too cushy.”

Our Pick For The Best Mattress For Side Sleepers

Nectar premier mattress (queen).

Back or side sleepers looking for a memory foam bed should check out this Nectar model. Its pressure relief, motion isolation and edge support impressed our testers. (Their pro tip: Consider upgrading to the hybrid model if you’re a hot sleeper.)

Our Pick For The Best Medium-Firm Mattress

The dreamcloud premier rest hybrid (queen).

Sleep editor Bridget Chapman says, “I think the Premier Rest hits that sweet spot of not being too soft nor too firm. It has a very luxurious, plush feel that’s slightly softer than the other two DreamCloud models.” She also calls out the bed’s responsiveness as a good feature for sleepers with mobility issues.

Our Pick For The Best Hybrid Mattress

Leesa sapira hybrid mattress (queen).

The Leesa Sapira has been our pick for the best hybrid mattress for a few years now. Supportive and cooling, it’s a great memory foam mattress that can accommodate a variety of sleep styles. Chapman says she found the medium-firm Leesa Sapira Chill to be perfectly balanced. “I felt comfortable back, side and stomach sleeping on it, and it was easy to move around on,” she explains.

Our Pick For The Best Memory Foam Mattress

Winkbeds gravitylux mattress (queen).

Our testers loved this mattress for its balance of support and comfort. Dillon says, “It’s the best of both worlds: pressure relieving like memory foam but without the sinkage.” It comes in three firmness levels. We recommend soft for side sleepers, medium for back and combination sleepers, and firm for stomach sleepers.

Our Pick For The Best Firm Mattress

Plank firm mattress (queen).

If you’re looking for a supportive and firm bed, our sleep editors recommend this Plank mattress. The flippable foam design lets you choose between two firmness levels and it’s one of few mattresses recommended by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

Our Pick For The Best Affordable Mattress

Cocoon By Sealy

Cocoon Chill Mattress (Queen)

If budget is one of your top priorities, our sleep editors suggest checking out this Cocoon mattress. Besides coming in just under $700, “the Cocoon Chill provides all the features people love about memory foam, from its pressure-relieving feel to its motion isolating abilities, without retaining heat,” Dillon says.

Our Pick For The Best Cooling Mattress

Brooklyn Bedding

Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress (Queen)

Hot sleepers may find some relief from this cooling Brooklyn Bedding mattress, which uses gel-infused memory foam to draw heat away from the body. The breathable hybrid design comes in three firmness levels and offers good edge support. As a hot sleeper herself, Chapman wrote a dedicated review of the Aurora Luxe .

Our Pick For The Best Latex Mattress

Avocado green mattress (queen).

Made from organic latex, this Avocado model is a great option if you’re looking for an eco-friendly bed. It comes in three firmness levels, and Dillon recommends the standard model for back and stomach sleepers. She notes that the pillow top design might be too firm for some side sleepers, so consider opting for the box-top variation if that’s your preferred way to sleep.

Our Pick For The Best Mattress For Back Pain

Saatva rx mattress (queen).

We think folks who suffer from chronic back pain and joint conditions will get the best support from the Saatva Rx. Forbes Vetted contributor Alison Barretta says, “As someone with mild scoliosis and episodes of lower back pain, it feels like the Saatva Rx was made for me.”

Our Pick For The Best Hybrid Mattress Made In The USA

Nolah evolution 15-inch mattress.

Want a domestically produced hybrid mattress? Chapman recommends the Nolah Evolution mattress, which she says feels like a plush 5-star hotel bed. The brand offers the 15-inch-thick design in three firmness levels: plush, luxury firm and firm, so you’re bound to find an option to suit your preferences.

When Is Memorial Day 2024?

Memorial Day 2024 falls on Monday, May 27. That said, you’re likely to see Memorial Day mattress sales running throughout the entire month of May.

Is Memorial Day A Good Time To Buy A Mattress?

Holiday weekends are a great time to score a discounted mattress, Memorial Day included. You’re likely to find the absolute best prices closer to the holiday, but some retailers are already offering good deals right now. We’ll continue updating this list as more promotions go live.

When Will Memorial Day Mattress Sales Start?

As we mentioned above, some early Memorial Day mattress sales have already started—though they’re mostly being referred to as spring sales at the moment. You can expect Memorial Day-specific mattress sales to go live in early May, but the best offers likely won’t drop until the week surrounding the holiday itself. We expect some of the best discounts to go live around May 20.

Which Holiday Is The Best Time To Buy A Mattress?

Holiday weekends like Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day typically bring about similar discounts, with many retailers offering between 20 and 50% off their beds. Black Friday and Cyber Monday usually bring the absolute lowest prices of the year—you’ll generally see popular mattresses marked down by at least 35%.

Tips For Shopping This Year’s Memorial Day Mattress Sales

During major sale weekends, it can be tempting to blindly opt for the largest discount you can find, or splurge on a luxurious item you don’t really need based on an enticing markdown. Here are some strategies our deals editors recommend using to ensure that you end up with the best deal for you.

Settle On A Budget Before Browsing

Avoid buyer’s remorse by deciding on the maximum amount you’re willing to spend before you start shopping. That way, you’ll be able to narrow down your options from the get-go and you’ll be less likely to overspend. There are plenty of good mattresses for less than $1,000 , and one of our picks costs just $399 for a queen.

Go In With A Mattress Type In Mind

There will be hundreds of mattress deals available over the holiday weekend, so knowing what type of bed you’re looking can make browsing the discounts feel less overwhelming. Here’s a quick breakdown of the most common mattress types:

• Memory foam: These all-foam beds excel at pressure relief, but the material can be polarizing. Its body-contouring effect can make some people feel claustrophobic and foam can trap heat—though proprietary cooling materials have come a long way. See our list of the best memory foam mattresses .
• Hybrid: Combining a supportive coil base with foam comfort levels on top, hybrids are a popular choice. If you’re not sure which type of bed to purchase, this crowd-pleasing style is a pretty safe bet. See our list of the best hybrid mattresses .
• Innerspring: This traditional style of bed features a coil base and typically runs firm. These are ideal for people who prefer extra support. See our list of the best innerspring mattresses .
• Latex: Offering a similar feel to memory foam, latex is a naturally-derived material that’s great for eco-conscious consumers. Although pricey, this luxury-level material is also known for its longevity, making it worth the investment. See our list of the best latex mattresses .

Do Some Price History Research

Our deals team only recommends discounts that we believe are genuinely good offers, but if you want some additional peace of mind that you’re getting a solid deal, consider doing some price history research. Check out some Black Friday and Presidents’ Day mattress sale roundups to get an idea of what prices your desired bed has gone on sale for in the past. Some brands offer consistent discounts for months on end, so doing a bit of research will help you figure out whether a model’s Memorial Day price is actually lower than usual.

Take Advantage Of Trial Periods

Mattresses are expensive, and buying one online can feel like a bit of a gamble. Look for an option with a robust trial period—and an uncomplicated return policy—for a bit of peace of mind. Many brands offer at least a 30-day trial period, but some offer up to 365 days which is a safer bet.

More Memorial Day Sales To Shop Right Now:

Memorial Day mattress sales aren’t the only early promotions that have gone live. Here, check out the best offers we’ve spotted on furniture, appliances and more.

• Memorial Day Sales
• Memorial Day Furniture Sales
• Memorial Day Appliance Sales
• Memorial Day Patio Furniture Sales

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What to buy (and skip) this Memorial Day, according to experts

For many, Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. You may be planning a barbecue , picnic or trip to the beach , but don’t forget to make time for shopping, too. Dozens of brands and retailers host Memorial Day sales during the holiday weekend, many of which have already begun. To ensure you save the most money while shopping, it's important to identify which product categories typically offer the best savings opportunities and which you might be better off skipping. We talked to experts about what to buy during Memorial Day sales, what to hold off on and how to stretch your budget.

SKIP AHEAD What to buy during Memorial Day sales | What to skip during Memorial Day sales | When do Memorial Day sales start? | What stores are open on Memorial Day? | Expert shopping tips

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What to buy during memorial day sales.

Memorial Day — Monday, May 27, 2024 — is known for sales on big-ticket items like furniture and household appliances. Think small appliances like vacuums , steam cleaners , air fryers and toaster ovens , as well as large appliances like washing machines , dishwashers and refrigerators . You’ll also see lots of deals on mattresses and bedding , as well as gardening supplies , says Shannon Dwyer, a shopping expert at RetailMeNot . Since Memorial Day is typically when people gather with friends and family, many stores offer discounted food and beverages, making the long weekend a great time to save on groceries .

Brands and retailers tend to use Memorial Day sales to clear out last season’s inventory and make room for next season’s new products, says Adam Davis, a managing director on the Wells Fargo Retail Finance marketing team. Because of this, some of the steepest discounts are on electronics from previous generations, older mattress models and spring clothing and footwear. “Retailers want to sell spring items at much steeper discounts since they’ll have the entire summer season to sell summer merchandise when it’s in high demand,” he says.

What to skip during Memorial Day sales

Memorial Day may kickstart summer, but it’s the worst time to buy summer apparel and home goods, including outdoor patio furniture and grills , experts told us. “If you’re patient, outdoor items and summer clothing will be available at deeper discounts in August and September. That’s when retailers make room for the next major selling season’s merchandise, including fall and holiday products,” says Davis. “It’s a seasonal cycle and retailers typically want to sell in-season merchandise with limited promotions.” That said, don’t shop for school supplies just yet, if possible. Prices will drop for related items like backpacks and lunchboxes toward the end of the summer.

Also, consider waiting to purchase the latest technology and electronics, says Dwyer. You’ll see them on sale during Memorial Day, but brands offer better deals on laptops and gaming consoles , such as Amazon Prime Day in July.

When do Memorial Day sales start?

You can start shopping Memorial Day sales right now, but big retailers typically offer the best prices in the week before the holiday and during the three-day weekend.

When do Memorial Day sales end? 

Most Memorial Day sales end on Monday, May 27, says Davis. A handful of retailers extend their sales into the following week. However, they usually don’t announce extended offerings until the day after the holiday, and sometimes the sales aren’t as strong. For example, a brand may offer 45% off sitewide over Memorial Day weekend but 25% off select items the following week. Ultimately, your best bet is to shop before Memorial Day ends — that ensures you can take advantage of the best prices and browse the fullest inventory. 

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Are there better deals in stores or online during memorial day.

You’ll see many of the same Memorial Day sales in stores and online, so where you shop comes down to personal preference, says Davis. “For example, some people may prefer an in-store experience for appliances and furniture unless they’ve done their homework in advance and know exactly what they want,” he says.

If you’re shopping online, make sure you factor in shipping costs before you check out, says Dwyer. Delivery fees add up, and there may be an extra charge for large items like furniture or mattresses. Many stores offer buy online and pickup in-store options, which can help you avoid high shipping fees, so keep that in mind.

Expert shopping tips: How to make the most of Memorial Day sales

Signing up for email lists or SMS programs is the best way to stay updated about your favorite brands’ and retailers’ Memorial Day sales, says Dwywer. They use these platforms to contact shoppers quickly; some offer exclusive discount codes. Also, sign up for loyalty programs like Amazon Prime , Walmart Plus and Target Circle if you’re interested in taking advantage of member-exclusive deals, and compare prices on items across similar retailers to ensure you’re getting the lowest price. If you’re paying with a credit card — especially if you’re making larger purchases — consider which one to use to maximize your spending.

What stores are open on Memorial Day?

Since Memorial Day is recognized as a U.S. federal holiday, some retailers may be closed for in-store shopping or have limited hours. Many big-box retailers like Target , Walmart , Best Buy , Home Depot , Lowe’s , and Kohl’s keep their doors open for shoppers on Memorial Day, as do pharmacies and grocery stores like CVS , Rite Aid and Sam's Club . But hours vary by location, so check a store’s website before leaving home if you plan on visiting in person during the holiday weekend.

Meet our experts

At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and experience. We also ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Adam Davis is a managing director on the Wells Fargo Retail Finance marketing team. 
• Shannon Dwyer is a shopping expert at RetailMeNot , a deal-finding and cashback website.

Why trust NBC Select?

Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor at NBC Select who writes about sales and deals, including articles on Amazon Prime Day , Black Friday , Cyber Monday and Memorial Day. For this article, she interviewed two experts about what to shop during Memorial Day and what sales to skip.

Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance , tech and tools , wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor for Select on NBC News.