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“You need to give a features and benefits presentation!” Have you ever been given this advice? I know I have! Countless sales gurus told me this when I first began selling.
I’d start by explaining a feature of my product, such as “My product is made of titanium,” and then I would relate the benefit of that feature, as in “Because it’s titanium it’s super strong and will last three times longer than the competition while weighing half as much!” Classic feature-benefit presentation. This sales approach was first developed in 1887—and it hasn’t changed much since them.
At the time, it was a revolutionary sales approach. And while the feature and benefit approach to selling was effective for many decades—maybe even a century—it’s time to acknowledge that this approach is outdated today. Prospects expect you to use this approach, and it’s perceived as boring and uninspiring. Why? Because it’s all about you, not them.
It’s time to toss the features and benefits presentation and start using the case study presentation instead. In this video, I’m going to show you the must-know keys to any great case study presentation.
VIDEO SUMMARY
1. People want results and stories, not features and benefits.
By sharing case studies that relate to your prospects’ situations, you’re showing that you really understand what’s going on. You also get the opportunity to share past results without being sales-y. A case study is basically a fancy way of telling your prospects stories of other clients that you’ve had that were similar. It doesn’t have to be complex. It can actually be formulaic and relatable to your prospect.
2. Create four to six different case studies for different types of presentations.
Most organizations have a few different types of ideal clients. Let’s say that you have two really distinct types of clients. That means you should have at least two case studies for each type of client. A total of, let’s say, four case studies to get started. This doesn’t have to be laborious or take that much time. Instead, just dig into your client list and create a list of your top few success stories. These should be organizations or people that you really helped accomplish something special. By the way, don’t feel like you have to use the company’s name. It’s not a necessity. What matters most is what we will focus on next.
3. Be sure to really focus on the challenges and results.
The most important part of any case study is the list of challenges that your past clients have faced. Briefly describe what you did for those clients, and explain the results they accomplished as a result of working with you. By breaking down each case study this way, you now have a compelling story to tell during your presentation. Any presentation shouldn’t need more than two case studies—but they create a powerful flow to lead the prospect through that presentation. Remember, the result you share should be specific. Give real numbers, like, “Increased revenue by 24%” or, “Decreased employee turnover by 31%” or, “Increased customer retention by 11%.”
4. Relate the case studies to your prospect’s situation.
Now that you have your case studies, it’s time to use them in your presentation and relate them to your prospect’s current situation. It might sound like this: “George, let me share with you an example of another client that had a similar set of issues to you. They were dealing with X, Y, and Z. Much like we’re discussing with you, we came in and developed ABC. As a result of that work, they were able to increase top-line revenues by 12% and profits by 18% in the first year.”
