Being the best doesn't mean you will win.

In reading this article from the Sydney Morning Herald blog I was reminded of a few recent conversations with clients - about how to present to a group of buyers. The bottom line is that the best service or product doesn't always win the sale.

In one case my client presented to a buying team (a committee). The presentation was mainly a summary of the written proposal. Pretty boring!

When you are presenting, you are selling. And when you are selling you must make efforts to discover what the prospect is really looking for. In the case of the group presentation you really should know (or at least have some idea) about what the concerns are for the individuals you are presenting to.

You need to win over the individuals - give them a reason to want your service.

To find out the sort of information you need, you may do one or both of:

1. Ask around before the presentation. Find out who will be there. See if you can have a brief chat about their major issues, or requirements. Or ask their colleague for some insights.
   
2. Structure your presentation so you ask some questions at the beginning, and then get around to covering those specific areas of interest during your presentation.

If your business hangs on the success of presenting to groups, make sure you know what the 'hot spots' are for your clients business overall - as well as for the individuals that will influence the purchasing decision.