How to analyse your audience (prospect) before a sales presentation?

Delivering a good B2B sales presentation is no easy task. A lot is at stake and that's why you need to prepare well. But you cannot deliver the exact same pitch to each and every client. When you schedule a meeting with a prospect, take out time and modify the sales presentation to suit this prospects' needs. Here is how you do it. Here is how you analyse your audience (prospect):

• Who is the audience of my sales presentation? What is her role and designation within the company?
• In what ways is she different from the last prospect I pitched to?
• What does my audience expect from my sales presentation?
• What does my audience already know about the product/solution and my company? Is she an experienced person or a new joinee?
• How will my prospect evaluate my sales pitch?
• What are the toughest questions she might ask?
• Who are all the decision makers for the client? Is she a decision maker?
• What do I want her (my audience) to feel? What is my emotional sales pitch?
• How much time does she have for me? (presentation + questions and answers)
• What is in it for her? How much is at stakes? What if this deal goes through? What if she chooses a bad vendor/service provider?
• How big or important is this deal for the company and for the client?

Answering these questions before you start making/editing your sales presentation will help you well. Every prospect is slightly different and hence every sales pitch should also be slightly customized.

Want to add to this list? Leave your questions in the comments below.