The secret to creating a sales deck that closes more deals is a fully flushed out and compelling story. If a prospect does not know why your product or service is different, then you are stuck in the pack with no competitive advantage.
Storytelling is a powerful marketing technique that can be very helpful when it comes to a sales pitch deck.
Facts tell the information, but stories sell. According to research, 92% of consumers want brands to make ads that feel like a story. The storytelling should connect with your audience to create interest in your brand.
Stories and story telling make the sales process easier in the following ways:
An influential story will have three sections:
Setup is the opening of the story where you begin to draw them in. Have you ever...? Do you know much about....? These questions can offer the opening statement. Your next goal is to place the audience in the scene, you want them to feel and relate to the character. The character can be a customer that your brand has helped.
Struggle is the problem that the character is facing. You want to give real observed values, time, and money numbers can emphasize this. The goal is to have them feel the stress of the problem and why the problem matters. The deck paints a clear picture as to what happens if a solution is not found.
Solution is the product or service that will solve the problem. All prospects want proof that you can help them with this solution. This is where you add the data and facts to back up the story and establish expertise and authority. The data and fact placement is where most brands fail in their decks. Many decks lead with too many statistics before the audience is ready. When in fact it is better to leave that until after you tell the beginning and middle of the story to bring context.
Long paragraphs and walls of text are not going to create interest. The copy needs to be concise and to the point. Stick to shorter sentences and lists to introduce key concepts.
Use the white space to help your message stand out more. White space refers to the negative space around objects and text.
Social proof is critical in the final buy-in. Share testimonials and case studies from customers who have had incredible results.
Incorporate your brand fonts and colors. This will help create brand awareness and maintain brand consistency.
The visual elements should enhance your story and facts. Elements such as charts and graphs are a real way to show statistics.
The images need to match your industry and branding, otherwise your deck will look amateur.
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After creating the sales deck and sending it out, monitor how the deck is performing. The drop-off rate is the best way to see how the sales deck is perceived. A drop-off report will show the percentage of prospects who lose interest before the last slide. As a presenter, you can feel the drop-off particularly in face to face, zoom presentations, or with prolonged silence in phone calls.
Turning your sales deck into a story is a great way to demonstrate your solution while creating an emotional connection with your brand. Think like the customer, address their immediate concerns, and overcome potential objections.
A strong sales pitch deck will increase your close rates and revenue. You can also use your pitch deck to quickly train new people on best practices.