Is your sales pitch or presentation focused on the potential client and their needs? Or is your presentation all about you, your service, or your product? Not making your presentation client-centric is one big mistake that can make all the difference. Here are a few ways for you to switch that focus in the right direction.

Know the Market Your Prospect Is a Part of

Having a solution that can benefit any kind of business is no excuse not to know more about the market your potential client is in. Knowing the market allows you to tailor your presentation even more. It also allows you to talk about the prospect's place in that market.

This allows you to keep the spotlight on the prospect. It also lends you a certain amount of added authority. You can speak on challenges faced by others in that market, including the prospect's competitors.

Do Research to Identify Specific Challenges

Your presentation should not sound like it's meant for everybody. You need to identify very specific challenges that your potential client must deal with. The more you can drill down to a particular challenge the prospect faces, the better. Even better if you can identify multiple challenges that you or your service can solve.

If you're not sure how to research a potential client, all you really have to do is ask. Start with some online searches, call up the business, and request a phone interview. If the prospect is interested in your pitch, don't stay silent until the day of your presentation. Ask questions that will help you cater your presentation to the prospect's needs.

• What are the biggest challenges you currently face?
• What challenges does your market face?
• What kind of solutions have you tried in the past or currently?
• What kind of budget do you think you need to overcome these challenges?

Even during the presentation, if the prospect has questions, try to drill deeper to find the underlying cause of their concerns.

Remember that your presentation isn't about you; it's about your prospect. This is the distinction between designing a cookie-cutter presentation and creating one that speaks to a potential client's explicit needs.

Make Sure Your Presentation Reflects the Prospect's Needs

It's easy to put a bunch of charts and graphs into a presentation. Put information specific to the prospect's business into your presentation instead. Remember this is all about shining a light on them, not on you or your service.

Of course there should be something about you in there, but keep in mind you're offering them a solution to their challenges. Work with a company like Imprezzing for creative presentation designs and use these tips to show clients that you know intimately what those challenges are, and then you can show them how your service can overcome them.