First read How to Structure a Speech or Presentation for an understanding of how to approach your speech or presentation structure.
Introduction – Frame the customer ‘need’ that the product, service, or idea addresses
If you’ve been charged with giving a sales presentation, chances are you already know what to do here. Your introduction needs to create a gap for your product to fill. Show your audience that they need the product – that’s your hook. Then promise to solve the problem you’ve described with your product, idea or service.
Act 1 – Describe the need in more detail
Set the scene by talking in more detail about the need you’re addressing. How is the problem you’re solving affecting people or businesses now? Identify the problems your audience cares about and stress those – then promise (if you can!) that your product solves that problem.
Act 2 – Describe how your solution addresses the need
Introduce your product and talk about it in terms of the problems you’ve set out. Link each feature (and only choose those features that are most relevant to today’s audience) to a problem you have identified, and a benefit, like so:
“The wheelmax 2000 wheels are four times thicker than industry average [feature], so punctures are reduced by 45% [problem]. Now off-road mountain bikers can have more of the fun, and none of the hassle [benefit] of punctures in the middle of their best-ever journey.”
Act 3 – Prove the benefits of buying in to your solution
It’s time for evidence. Provide facts, stats and case studies that back you up and relate directly to your audience, and the problems you spent the first act studying.
Conclusion – Get agreement on a next step
Summarise your argument, and spell out exactly what you want to happen next. Open up for conversation, so that you can come to an agreement.
5 More Speech Structures
To read more:
Speech Structure – The Progress Report
Speech Structure – The Strategy Recommendation
Speech Structure – The Justification of a Decision
Speech Structure – The Training or Teaching Presentation
Speech Structure – The Bad News Presentation
Or download:
Our handy free publication ‘Six Speech Structures – the most common business presentations made easy’ gives you a breakdown of how to structure the six most common speeches in business.
