How do you know when it’s time to start your presentation?

How do you know when it’s time to start your actual sales presentation? Wouldn’t it be nice if there was specific time such as 12 minutes into the conversation? You could set a timer on your phone to vibrate in your pocket when it’s time to move into the presentation. If only it were that simple. But it’s not.

We’re selling our wares to people. And no matter how much scientific knowledge we have about human beings, no two selling situations will be identical. Therefore, we have to feel our way along during some of the stages of the sales process. With experience, you’ll get to where you make the transition intuitively. But until then, it’s wise to use a mental checklist of what needs to be accomplished before you’ll have enough information to proceed.

Here’s a list of what I recommend. It’s time to move into your presentation when:

• You’ve established a comfortable level of rapport with the potential artists.
• Your artists have told you about their basic needs regarding our product(s).
• You have discovered that you’re speaking with artists who can make ownership decisions.
• The funds are available for a purchase to be made today.
• You know which your artists are most concerned about: value or price of distribution.

If you jump into your presentation before gaining this knowledge you may end up presenting a product or solution that’s just not right for the buyer.