What is Presentation Software?
Why a great presentation software is crucial to the success of organization
Any experienced salesperson knows that words can only get you so far. You can articulate the features and benefits of your product or service to perfection. But eventually, the prospect will want to see it for themselves.
This is especially true in the world of software. Where users spend hours navigating apps, sites, and programs as part of their daily responsibilities.
According to research gathered by 3M (known for their invention of the Post-It Note) visuals are processed by the human brain 60,000 TIMES FASTER than text.
Presentations can truly make or break a prospect’s experience with your brand. A great presentation is engaging and conveys value through visuals. And it helps prospects visualize themselves as beneficiaries of your product or service.
What is presentation software?
A presentation software (sometimes called a presentation program) is a digital tool. It utilizes sequences of graphics, text, audio, and video to accompany a spoken presentation. These sequences, often called slides, are consolidated in virtual files called “slide decks.”
Presentation software across the web vary greatly in their capabilities, but they must offer at least three essential features:
- A text editor with custom formatting
- A means of inserting, editing, and resizing digital graphic
- A slideshow system for displaying these visuals sequentially
Some presentation programs, like Microsoft PowerPoint, must be downloaded onto a computer’s hard drive before they can be used. Others, like Google Slides and Prezi, can be accessed from an internet browser.
Why is a Good Presentation Software Important?
Oftentimes, if a prospect agrees to view a presentation, you’ve at least piqued their interest.
You’ve likely spent some time on the phone or exchanged a few emails. Perhaps the prospect has visited your website a couple times. They’re likely not sold on you and actively forming their opinion of your brand.
This is why it’s imperative that your first presentation is a slam dunk. When a prospect sees you, your brand, and your product on display, you want them to leave excited for the benefits you can offer them.
A great presentation software gives you the tools and functionality you need to create a winning presentation. And create it quickly and easily.
In addition to usability, below are more benefits a good presentation software can bring to your organization.
Consolidation of information
A great slide deck combined with quality content is often one of the best single sources of sales information in your company.
Most sales decks contain a complete pitch all the way from pain point identification to feature/benefit pairings. Testimonials, best practices, and case studies are often scattered throughout.
This means you have a single file you can hand off to new sales reps for training. Or, if you need to pull a testimonial from a happy customer, you can find it in the slide deck. This one-stop shop for valuable sales information is made possible by a good presentation software.
Mobility for reps on the go
If your sales reps are doing a lot of physical site visits, having a mobile sales presentation that they can carry around in their pockets is a whole lot easier than lugging around a laptop. Almost every modern presentation software offers robust mobile functionality.
Having the consolidated information mentioned in the last point available at all times is a powerful asset for the rep doing on-site visits or demos.
For an example of how impactful a mobile presentation can be, check THE REAL PROBLEM OF HUMANITYj as it pertains to technology by Tristan Harris.
Consistency across the team
Most presentation solutions allow for the creation of custom templates. This, combined with a “master slide deck” means that you can ensure greater alignment across your sales reps. This, with a CONTENT MANAGEMENT PLATFORM, means your content is version-controlled and up-to-date. Which is important as its being presented to prospects.
Rapid content personalization
Let’s say you’re about to hop on a presentation call with a prospect. Right before the call, you receive an email from him letting you know his boss will be on the call as well. As it turns out, she’s particularly interested in one specific feature of your product.
With a great presentation tool, you can edit slides immediately (often from your mobile device, if needed). You can also delete, append, or customize information. This allows you to quickly tailor your messaging and visuals to fit the needs of a particular prospect or market segment.
Firsthand feedback from prospects
There are a lot of advantages of making sales presentations a two-way conversation as opposed to a monologue. Even if you can’t meet in person, real-time verbal feedback from prospects is incredibly valuable information.
A good sales rep will listen closely for clues that certain slides are holding the attention of the audience. These are moments that likely deserve to be highlighted or more deeply articulated.
A great presentation software will allow you to add slides, write copy, and format visuals immediately after the prospect hangs up. All while the information is fresh in the presenter’s mind. That way you can elevate their points of interest.
Thus, an easy-to-use presentation software is key to a sales team’s ability to quickly iterate on and improve effective content.