Here are seven presentation rules that will keep prospects in their seats.

• Rule 1: K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Your presentation needs to be easy to follow and understood. Don’t clutter it up with too many words or examples.
• Rule 2: K.I.F.P. (Keep It Fast Paced). Prospects will get bored if you spend too much time on non-essentials. Keep the presentation interesting and moving.
• Rule 3: Use “wow” facts and statistics. You want the prospects to think, “Wow! I didn’t know that.” Factual information at the beginning of your presentation creates a sense of credibility that will lead to sales.
• Rule 4: Build in opportunities for stories. Well-told stories increase recall by another 26% over making a point without a story to illustrate it.
• Rule 5. Keep your presentation curiosity-driven. Unfold the information in a way that keeps your prospects curious. Try to give them a fact first, and then follow it with an explanation.
• Rule 6: Be confident but not obnoxious. Develop a rapport with everyone but pretend you’re speaking to one person at a time.
• Rule 7: Focus on them, not on you. Everyone’s favorite topic of conversation is him or herself. Try to think of the prospect’s needs and how you can meet them. If you concentrate on your prospects and remain focused on their needs and how you can help them, you’ll become a top producer.

Adapted from The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes, a corporate trainer and business growth expert. His clients include Pacific Bell, NBC, Citibank, Warner Bros., GNC, Wells Fargo and Merrill Lynch.

Tags: effective sales presentations, K.I.F.P., K.I.S.S., presentation, rules