Online meetings will remain the norm for a while yet. Conducting an online sales conversation requires adapted skills from a salesperson. The sales tools will also have to be adapted. How does an online presentation differ from another presentation? Should the story be built up differently or the PowerPoint be designed differently?

You will probably have noticed yourself that when you follow an online meeting or presentation, it is harder to stay attentive than in a physical meeting or presentation. For many people, the attention span in an online presentation is a good deal shorter. You will have to take this into account when giving an online presentation. Certainly if it is a sales conversation.

We share the 5 most important points of attention for the build-up and graphic design of an online sales presentation:

1) To-the-point with a powerful storyline

Make sure that in the build-up of your presentation you get to the core message quickly. Also limit the small talk in an online sales conversation. It takes away time and attention from your concrete objective. So start strong and immediately indicate where you want to go. In that way you immediately grab your conversation partner's attention. After your core message you can supplement and reinforce it with your project approach and your company's/service's/product's USPs (unique selling proposition). One or two cases/achievements to prove your story and close with a powerful summary.

In an online meeting, the importance of what you have to tell is a good deal greater than in a physical conversation. You cannot make a weak story or presentation good with a strong personality to make the 'click'.

2) Not too long, not too many slides

In a physical presentation you as a salesperson always have direct contact with your conversation partner. You can look at him/her and your presentation supports your story. Your conversation partner also receives both combined signals which, in the best case, support and reinforce each other. In an online presentation this is different. If your conversation partner looks at your slides (via screen sharing) then they do not see you or see you very small. So give a short but powerful presentation and then go back to conversation mode as quickly as possible so that you can look at each other. In 20-25 slides you should be able to tell your story. So make the right choice beforehand about what exactly you wish to achieve with the online presentation and therefore what you show.

3) Strong, visual & graphic elements

Convince with strong images and graphic elements that support your story. It is not only nicer but also a good deal clearer. After all, your presentation takes up only part of your conversation partner's screen. So put as little text as possible on the slides. And make sure attention is constantly drawn by a slide that builds up with new elements. If your conversation partner has to read a slide during your presentation, you immediately lose their attention. Build up your slide with clicks, strong and clear images and original icons or graphic elements.

4) Interactive presentation

Make sure you can navigate in your presentation so that you can respond quickly to a question or remark. Compare it to a website. By adding interactive elements to your presentation, you can go to another part of your presentation with one or a few clicks. That way you do not have to quickly switch to another presentation for a particular question, for example. Via 'screen sharing' that often goes wrong. Because you have interactive possibilities, it may be that your PowerPoint has more slides than you ultimately show during the presentation. But it does offer the possibility to make a sidestep when one has to be made.

5) Concrete closing & handout

An online sales conversation ends much more abruptly than a physical conversation. You miss the small talk before and after your conversation. The walk to and from the exit. So make sure you close as concretely as possible. Preferably with drawing up a quotation. Or you can send on a concise version of your presentation immediately after your meeting. This is of course never the full PowerPoint file, but a selection of a few important slides gathered in a PDF document. Also do not send this during the meeting but afterwards. That way you can briefly summarise the meeting in an email and enclose your PDF document. You are also sure that your conversation partner has your contact details. In that way you immediately compensate for not having been able to hand over a business card.

Best of luck with your next sales conversation!

Interested in a powerful online sales presentation?

We quickly provide you with a powerful online (sales) presentation for a fixed price.

1. online kick-off meeting to look at and reinforce the storyline together
2. storyboard & design proposal
3. worked-out presentation of up to 25 slides, strongly built graphically
4. online coaching to use the presentation effectively

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