How you present yourself is a crucial part of building relationships in any business. As a salesperson, it’s even more important, as building a quick rapport with customers can lead to effective sales. Whether you’re selling a new electric vehicle (EV) or a used diesel, personal presentation is an essential part of the sale.
Here are five strategies to improve your presentation to make better impressions on customers.
1. Remember the Pillars of Effective Speaking
Naturally, your speech is a central part of your presentation, especially when you’re trying to make a sale. There are three main areas of effective speaking to remember:
- The words you say
- How you say them
- How you reinforce them with nonverbal communication
First, focus on word choice. You should adapt this depending on your customer’s level of knowledge about cars, matching them to use words they understand. Try to use warm, friendly language, too, remaining conversational while avoiding too much slang, which seems unprofessional.
Keep your tone of voice calm and bright, regardless of your customer’s tone. Try not to talk too quickly or slowly, too, to aid understanding.
2. Mind Your Body Language
Nonverbal communication is so crucial it deserves its own section. What your body language says is sometimes even more impactful than the words you say, so pay attention to how you move. Adopt an upright posture, avoid crossing your arms and always face the customer with your whole body to give them your full attention.
Eye contact is another important part of nonverbal communication. Most people prefer eye contact to last just over three seconds, so look people in the eye, but not for extended periods.
3. Pay Attention to Dress and Hygiene
How you look also plays a significant role in your personal presentation. If you’re selling an EV but look like you just got off the couch at home, your customer probably won’t listen to you. Dress well, with clean, tidy clothes, but don’t overdress. You want to appear professional but not intimidating.
Your hygiene is a big part of this. Your smile is one of the first things people notice, so remember to brush and floss daily. You should also make sure your hair is well-groomed and your skin is clean, but avoid using too much fragrance.
4. Be Passionate
Remember that your audience will tend to match your energy unconsciously. If you’re excited and happy, it will influence them to be the same. If you seem bored, they won’t want to be there, either. Make sure you speak with passion to excite them about the sale.
When selling an EV, talk about how their features impress you or how you love their positive environmental impact. If you’re selling a sports car, get excited about its speed and performance. If the customer sees that you’re passionate about what you do, you’ll be more convincing.
5. Always Have Backup Plans
You should go into every sale with a plan for how to approach it. Remember, though, that people and situations can be unpredictable. Create at least two backup plans for when things don’t go the way you expected them.
If a customer doesn’t respond how you thought they would and you stand there trying to think of what to say, it will look unprofessional. If you can quickly redirect the conversation or offer something new, you’ll have a better chance at saving the sale. Since it can be hard to think of these on the spot, plan contingency strategies ahead of time.
Better Presentation Can Help You Sell Anything
Improving personal presentation will improve how customers see you. You’ll make a positive impression faster, leading to higher sales.
These five steps can help anyone improve their presentation. No matter the context, adopting these practices will make you seem more professional, trustworthy and friendly, appealing to any audience.
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