How to present to DESIGN SPECIFIERS. An article by:

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1 How to present to DESIGN SPECIFIERS TECHNIQUES TO ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE & THE TRUTH BEHIND COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS An article by:

2 How to present to DESIGN SPECIFIERS TECHNIQUES TO ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE & THE TRUTH BEHIND COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS Success in selling your product depends not only on the quality of your product but also on how well your product is presented to your target audience, in this case architects and those influencing the design of a project. This audience in particular values a well prepared presentation, delivered in a professional setting showcasing materials and products that are relevant to them. Architects and design specifiers are creative by nature and want to feel inspired. Their expectation for and appreciation of a polished, informative and engaging presentation is especially high. Unfortunately, many product presentations are given by sales representatives who have not received any real training in public speaking, consequently limiting their ability to give a powerful presentation and effectively showcase their products. As a product supplier your main objective should be to enlighten, to inspire, to challenge and to excite your audi ence by providing them with a solution to their problems through visual imagery, tactile experiences and most importantly through people skills. Having attended numerous product presentations and spoken with both suppliers and designers, BCI Academy and AIS have seen some of the best and worst in the industry. When it comes to product presentations for design specifiers, here are our top three tips to really engage with your audience:

3 Use Samples Know your products Know who you are presenting to Architects are tactile people who want to touch, feel and see. They are creative and want to be inspired, so samples are a great way to engage them. Make sure however that these are used to support your presentation, not to be the presentation. They should not distract but instead support your overall message. Make sure they are good quality and relevant. You should know your product inside & out more than just what s in your catalogue. Know your product not only from the specification side but also how it is manufactured, how it is installed, and how it works in relation to the local industry and competes in the market. Do your homework to find out what projects the architects focus on (BCI LeadManager or AIS website can both help with this) so you don t waste your or their time on irrelevant products that do not relate to their project portfolio. There is no excuse for not being prepared on this, as it s all about creating a point of difference.

4 It s important that the supplier looks at the company website and focuses their attention directly on our firm and what we do as a business. Definitely doing your homework is paramount. - Associate Architect at Peddle Thorp

5 To Enlighten, Inspire, Challenge and Excite your audience, why not consider one or two of these topics and incorporate them into your presentations: What s happening G lly loba - Speak on a global scale with environmentally friendly products specifically HERO product - Perhaps focus on your most popular product and what makes it so good Current trends in the industry Installation tips Topics to consider when PRESENTING New & Innovative products Common Challenges Manufacturing process Lessons learnt from previous projects don t skip over problems you have faced, use these as a positive to show how they were overcome and what came from that - Why is your product manufactured in a certain way?

6 Common Misconception squashed Here is what BCI Academy sees as the 10 most common misconceptions when presenting, which you should stop believing NOW: written by Sarah Findlay 3. Maintain eye contact When we are relaxed, comfortable and confident we actually look away often. It should be no different when presenting. Looking away gives us time to access information and think, especially when asked tough questions. 1. Confident presenters don t get nervous Of course they do, but nerves are not bad. They mean you care. Confident people are nervous often, but have simply learnt to overcome their nerves while talking. If you are nervous don t be afraid to have notes with you, and perhaps get feedback from a colleague whilst practising 2. Imagine the audience naked Really? If anything that makes things worse, and you will get distracted! Not a technique worth mastering. 4. Don t move your hands. Whilst moving your hands excessively may distract from your words, if this is natural to you it s not a bad thing when presenting. It is important to be relaxed, comfortable and confident, so don t over think this. Often we use our hands naturally to emphasise. 5. Speak louder Many people talk far too loud when public speaking. The audience then has the impression of being talked at. Speak loud enough for the person who is furthest from you to comfortably hear you as if you are having a conversation with them alone. You will know they can hear you from the look on their face.

7 8. Put a lot of content on PowerPoint PowerPoint slides that say everything - say nothing. Less is more. If the PowerPoint is saying it all then what value do you have to add? If you are concerned about remembering what you planned to say and require a prompt, learn to use the Presenter View on PowerPoint. In this way you can see your notes and the slides while the audience will only see the slides. 6. Speak slower. Whilst it is important to be understood, slowing down language is not the way to achieve it. Use your normal broad range of speaking speeds when you present.the good thing is, as soon as you feel comfortable in the room your will do this naturally without thinking. yah! 7. Use formal language. Yes. Changing your language to be more formal than you usually do really isn t needed and creating it will actually use a lot of unnecessary brain power. Your normal business based language will do. 9. Give a detailed overview of your company You can say a few sentences so people are aware of what you do but you need to be concise on this. You are there to solve their problems so spend more time on that than telling your audience your history. 10. Bring lots of samples As mentioned earlier samples are a great way to help your audience visualise your product. However you need to make sure you only bring in those that are relevant to projects the company is working on, and perhaps focus on just one hero product. Lastly, never forget that your presentations are only as good as the follow-up you do afterwards. Ride the success of a great presentation by following up afterwards and ensuring that you are actively building a long-term relationship with your audience. We recommend following up within hours of your presentations strike while the iron s hot! To learn more about how to present successfully to architects and design specifiers, attend our Presentation Skills Masterclass and we ll help you make sure you re putting your best foot forward each and every time. Click here to find out more about this course For opportunities to get in front of the right audience, take a look at BCI s Technology Briefings in Indonesia and the Philippines, specialising in holding a range of face-to-face events with architects on a regular basis. Click here for more information on Indonesian events. Click here for more information on Philippines events.

8 EDITORIAL TEAM CONTENT WRITTER Sarah Findlay GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ms. Pia Marie Tandog