How To Make Your Next Sales Presentation Rock

It’s not easy being part of a digital agency. A lot of the hard work is in the sales presentation as you reach out to possible new clients. And it’s kind of different for digital agencies too because a presentation to gain new business relies on a lot more than just numbers.

Sure, data and numbers are important, because they prove ROI potential. But digital agencies are unique in that a lot of the work they do can be tailored to the needs of the client.

There is no one-size-fits-all here, and it’s up to you and your sales presentation to convey the bespoke nature of what you can achieve for clients.

Not all prospects are the same

This is so true with digital agencies and the clients they are trying to woo. Compared to other industries, preparing a presentation to clients as a digital agency means that the research needs to be incredibly rigorous before you start the pitch. This is because, on the whole, your prospects will be in a different place in their marketing journey when compared to each other.

The differences can be huge. If it’s a prospect that doesn’t have any real social media presence, they probably won’t know the basics of social media and how it works. So the data that you intend to present as part of the sales pitch could be way out of their experience. This will not help your cause.

At the same time, more experienced prospects may need a deeper view. You can talk deep metrics with these guys where you couldn’t talk about engagement with the first prospect.

This all needs to be carefully worked through. Your team need to know where the prospect is coming from because only then can you claim to be able to provide a bespoke digital marketing package.

They need something

This is something fundamental to all sales presentations but is perhaps even more relevant to those delivered by creatives. It is so easy to fall into the trap of delivering a presentation that talks all about the agency and how amazing it is. This is agency centered and will not bring you worthwhile results.

Your presentation should focus on the results you bring, but also how they are relevant to the prospect. By all means, discuss creatives, engagement and reach, but set this into a context where your prospect knows how all of that is relevant to them.

If you have carried out research, you will know what the pain points are for the prospect. By showing them solutions that speak directly to their needs, you are communicating more authentically. The beauty of digital agency work is that there are always a ton of factors for success. This allows you to pitch directly to what the client is all about.

To give an example, imagine that the prospect is a medium sized business, and they want to convert social traffic into leads. This requires a very distinct strategy, involving work on the content developed and the optimisation of landing pages so that they do a very specific job. If that same client just wanted more social engagement, the content and the strategy overall would be significantly different.

If you are presenting and you find yourself waxing lyrical about how amazing your agency is, focus on what you can do for the client and you’ll see them become a lot more interested in what you have to say.

Be honest. It makes you different

It can be easy to try and cover all bases in your presentation, but it doesn’t make sense. If the prospect wanted a digital agency that can do everything, then that makes the agency quite bland. Every agency has to stand out in the field, and if you can focus on one key aspect that you deliver on and which differentiates you from competitors, you’re being authentic.

Not too good on Twitter? Tell them. If they want Twitter, make it clear that you will focus on it (assuming you agree on it being relevant of course) but that the work will take a little longer. You’re better on Instagram and you’ve had massive success on that platform for clients. This is just one example but it pays to be upfront as soon as possible. This is because clients will feel you are straight and to the point. Transparency builds trust.

Grab credibility with data

As you will probably be aware, businesses need profit. It forms the lifeblood of what they do. By showing that you can deliver results through the clear presentation of data, you are helping decision makers move towards hiring your agency.

Beware of not explaining data, or of having anything on display that is inaccurate. The prospect needs to know that you are totally in control of what you do. And they need to be able to see a common sense progression from a client hiring you to the realisation of those numbers. Chances are, the prospect is no fool, and they will want to see accurate and recent (not to mention relevant) data as close to the start of the presentation as possible. It sets your agency up as an expert.

The price thing

What we are about to share with you may be something different than what you expected when you read the subheading. No, we’re not suggesting you undercut competitors.

Instead, we are suggesting that you do one of two things (or perhaps even both). Take a look at your competitors and see what they’re offering. Then make the price of your similar offerings higher. It’s as simple as that.

This automatically makes you different, and while it may deter some prospects from taking you on, it will most likely bring you more business. You are pricing yourself highly because of your expertise.

The other strategy in the pricing area is to, once again, after looking at what your competitors offer, put together packages that show real value. Bundling up what you offer and then fixing the price so it is reasonable makes you a real choice, distinct from competitors.

Consider not showing past work

This is a bonus strategy, and can only really be carried off if your agency has a lot to be confident about. Think about not actually showing your past work. It makes your agency seem very sure of itself if you don’t keep trawling through past glories. In other words, not showing your greatest hits makes you more viable as an agency. You don’t have to show off.

If this seems too risky, take the other approach which is to carefully ensure you only show past work that is super relevant to the prospect. This shows you’ve done your homework and that you have a clear idea of what you can achieve with the prospect’s brand.

Either way, you are showing confidence and care for the prospect and their brand.

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