In-person sales presentations can be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re meeting with a prospect you’ve only briefly spoken with. It can be difficult to appear confident and conceal any anxiety you may be feeling. But Jeff Hoffman, writing for HubSpot says that there are a few simple ways to boost your confidence in such meetings.
Get There Early
Few things are more frazzling than being in a hurry, especially if, God forbid, you’re running late. Any confidence you had in your presentation will be overcome by your panic at just making it to the meeting location on time. Get to where you’re going early. It’ll give you peace of mind to know that you’ll have a few extra minutes to adjust to your surroundings and go over your presentation once or twice in your head before meeting with the prospect.
Request a Tour
If you show up early and your prospect is also ready ahead of time, ask for a tour of their office space. You’ll get to know the space better and it will give you an opportunity to talk with the prospect before the meeting starts. You’ll also get a better idea of how things are run in this particular business and you may even spot a few things hanging up or on display that can spark some small talk, and therefore, help you get to know the prospect on a more personal level. Personal knowledge can help you feel more comfortable talking to that person and that comfort will shine through during your presentation.
Aim for Smaller Meetings
It’s bad enough trying to win over one or a handful of prospects, but a whole room full of them? The idea of that many eyes on you can raise your heart rate and it will also be more difficult to include all attendees in conversation and answer all of their questions. If you can, aim for a smaller group to present to in order to get more one-on-one interactions.