In today’s competitive market, having a powerful Business to Business (B2B) sales deck can be the difference between closing large business deals or losing potential clients. This is because B2B sales pitch decks allow you to use the power of both visual and text content to impress and convince your prospects. However, they’re effective only if you understand, create, and use them correctly.
So, we will now explore the importance of a compelling B2B sales deck, its key components, and best design practices to help you make an unbeatable B2B sales deck that will boost your sales exponentially!
What is a B2B sales deck?
A sales deck is a visual aid used to accompany a sales pitch or demo. It tells the story of your company through visuals and also supports your explanation of the product or service being promoted with attractive and informative visuals and text. The B2B sales deck is the type of sales deck that is meant for a business audience, and it is used when your customers are other businesses.
Source: iStock Photo
It is typically in the form of a brief slide show or online website created using Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, or web design tools. Here are the key elements a B2B sales deck includes-
1. Cover Slide– The cover slide is the first impression of your sales deck, featuring your company logo, presentation title, and a visually appealing design.
2. Elevator Pitch– The elevator pitch is a concise, 30-second to 1-minute summary of your product or service, highlighting its unique value proposition.
3. Story Narrative– The story narrative is a compelling account of your client’s journey with your product or service. It should showcase how your solution addresses their pain points, the transformation they experienced, and the positive outcomes.
4. Proof– Proof elements, such as statistics, testimonials, and case studies, provide credible evidence of your product or service’s effectiveness.
5. Call to Action (CTA)– The call to action is the final slide that prompts the audience to take the next step in the sales process. This may include scheduling a demo, signing up for a trial, or contacting a sales representative for more information.
Why use a B2B Sales Deck?
I’ve found that businesses often need more persuasion than general customers since the funds and responsibility involved are much higher. And this is where a B2B sales deck comes in to save the day. How?
B2B sales decks offer key pointers and informative visuals that effectively showcase your products or services while also demonstrating your deep understanding of your prospect’s needs and desires.
An effective sales deck leverages the attractiveness, quick understandability, and convincing power of visual presentations to captivate your audience and establish your credibility with them. Naturally, this goes on to boost your lead generation and sales.
Components of an Effective B2B Sales Deck
Here are some components that you need to put together to create an effective B2B sales deck that shows B2B clients that you mean business-
1. Thorough Customer Research– Understanding your customer’s needs and pain points is crucial for creating a B2B sales deck that resonates with them. Conduct thorough research before building your sales deck to ensure it addresses their specific concerns.
2. An Engaging Storyline– Crafting a compelling storyline throughout your B2B sales deck can help hold your audience’s interest and make your message memorable. In fact, good storytelling can boost retention by 60-70%! Remember to pick around three benefits to focus on and weave them into a conversational narrative for the best impact.
3. Branded Visual Content– A visually appealing B2B sales deck can make a lasting impression on your audience. Use branded visual content with very little text to make your presentation more digestible and impactful.
4. Varying Content for Live vs. Online Presentations– Given the increasing preference for online video meetings and mobile websites, it’s essential to adapt your B2B sales deck for different presentation formats. Tailor your content and delivery based on whether you’re presenting in person or online.
5. Customization and Visual Content– Personalize your B2B sales deck to resonate with your audience, and use informative visuals to support your key messages. This will make your presentation more impactful and easier to understand.
Tips for creating the best B2B sales deck
Crafting your best B2B sales presentation is a process of experimenting and refining, but there are some fundamental tips that you must keep in mind-
1. Customize and personalize your sales deck to meet different requirement types.
2. Keep the audience hooked by building your storyline throughout the presentation.
3. Use branded visual content without excessive text.
4. Vary your content for live vs. online presentations.
5. Research your customers thoroughly before making your sales deck.
6. Pick three benefits to focus on.
7. Keep the slides neat and clutter-free
8. Use a sales presentation template if you are not sure where to start.
9. Stay within 12 pages in your sales pitch deck.
10. If your deck is online, you must make it interactive. Include polls, votes, or word clouds that the prospects can actively participate in.
Example
A powerful sales deck applies a storytelling approach to highlight product features and benefits while addressing the paint points. It also provides social proof with customer testimonials and ratings. Here is a hypothetical sample of an online sales deck for a PR agency that demonstrates these points in action-
https://www.storydoc.com/preview/8011fa118d5708e6/620fcd28e888bf000a1258ee/1646217966842
The Bottom Line
Are you still unsure if your presentation has the makings of a great sales deck? Just ask these essential questions that effective sales decks always address to transform prospects into clients, and make sure your pitch answers them clearly:
1. Why should a buyer abandon the current status quo and start using your brand’s product or service?
2. Why should they embrace this change immediately rather than later on?
3. Why should the buyer invest their hard-earned money into you and your company specifically instead of alternatives?
By thinking like a buyer and answering all these objections through storytelling, you’ll be able to create a sales deck that engages prospects, showcases your company’s strengths, and ultimately leads to more sales. Yes, creating the best sales deck takes significant time and effort, but it will pay off by taking your lead generation and sales to new heights!
