What makes sales presentations effective – a buyer‐seller perspective
Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing
ISSN: 0885-8624
Article publication date: 27 January 2012
Abstract
Purpose
This exploratory research aims to examine the commonalities and differences in how buyers and sellers perceive and characterize an effective sales presentation in an attempt to present issues/themes that may help start a dialogue into the theoretical underpinnings of effective sales presentations.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper consists of a qualitative study involving both salespeople and buyers.
Findings
The study uncovers three common themes of an effective sales presentation – knowledge, adaptability, and trust – but exposes a gap between buyer and seller expectations and perspectives of these themes.
Practical implications
The findings provide insight for business‐to‐business (B2B) salespeople and managers as to what buyers and sellers consider characteristic of an effective sales presentation.
Originality/value
By focusing on how the two main parties to an exchange – the buyer and seller – define what makes an effective sales presentation, this paper adds knowledge to the area of B2B sales research.
Keywords
Citation
Cicala, J.E., Smith, R.K. and Bush, A.J. (2012), "What makes sales presentations effective – a buyer‐seller perspective", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 27 No. 2, pp. 78-88. https://doi.org/10.1108/08858621211196958
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited