How to present to

DESIGN SPECIFIERS
TECHNIQUES TO ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE
&
THE TRUTH BEHIND COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

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 How to present to
DESIGN SPECIFIERS
TECHNIQUES TO ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE
& THE TRUTH BEHIND COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
Success in selling your product depends not only on the quality of your product
but also on how well your product is presented to your target audience, in this
case architects and those influencing the design of a project.
This audience in particular values a well prepared presentation, delivered in
a professional setting showcasing materials and products that are relevant
to them. Architects and design specifiers are creative by nature and want to
feel inspired. Their expectation for and appreciation of a polished, informative
and engaging presentation is especially high.
Unfortunately, many product presentations are given by sales representatives
who have not received any real training in public speaking, consequently
limiting their ability to give a powerful presentation and effectively showcase
their products.
As a product supplier your main objective should be to enlighten, to inspire,
to challenge and to excite your audi ence by providing them with a
solution to their problems through visual imagery, tactile experiences and
most importantly through people skills.
Having attended numerous product presentations and spoken with both
suppliers and designers, BCI Academy and AIS have seen some of the best
and worst in the industry. When it comes to product presentations for design
specifiers, here are our top three tips to really engage with your audience:
1. Use Samples
Architects are tactile people who want to
touch, feel and see. They are creative and
want to be inspired, so samples are a great
way to engage them. Make sure however that
these are used to support your presentation,
not to be the presentation. They should not
distract but instead support your overall
message. Make sure they are good quality
and relevant.
2. Know your products
You should know your product inside & out
more than just whats in your catalogue. Know
your product not only from the specification
side but also how it is manufactured, how it
is installed, and how it works in relation to the
local industry and competes in the market.
3. Know who you are
presenting to
Do your homework to find out what projects the
architects focus on (BCI LeadManager or AIS
website can both help with this) so you dont
waste your or their time on irrelevant products
that do not relate to their project portfolio.
There is no excuse for not being prepared
on this, as its all about creatingapoint of
difference.

Its important that the supplier looks at the company website and focuses
their attention directly on our firm and what we do as a business.
Definitely doing your homework is paramount.
- Associate Architect at Peddle Thorp

 To Enlighten, Inspire, Challenge and Excite your audience, why not consider
one or two of these topics and incorporate them into your presentations:

ats happening HERO

Wh - Perhaps focus on
your most popular
- Speak on a global scale product and what
with environmentally product makes it so good
friendly products Current trends
G l o b a ll y specifically in the industry

Installation tips New

& Innovative
Topics to consider when products
PRESENTING

Common Manufacturing
Challenges process
- Why is your product
Lessons learnt manufactured in a certain
way?
from previous projects
dont skip over problems you have faced,
use these as a positive to show how they
were overcome and what came from that
Common Misconception written by
Sarah Findlay
3. Maintain eye contact
When we are relaxed, comfortable

squashed
and confident we actually look away
often. It should be no different when
presenting. Looking away gives
us time to access information and
Here is what BCI Academy sees as the 10 most
think, especially when asked tough
common misconceptions when presenting, which
you should stop believing NOW: questions.

4. Dont move your hands.

Whilst moving your hands excessively may distract from your
words, if this is natural to you its not a bad thing when presenting.
It is important to
be relaxed, comfortable
and confident, so dont
2. Imagine the audience naked
over think this. Often we
Really? If anything that makes things worse, and
use our hands naturally
you will get distracted! Not a technique worth
to emphasise.
mastering.
1. Confident presenters dont get nervous

Of course they do, but nerves are not bad. They

mean you care. Confident people are nervous
5. Speak louder
often, but have simply learnt to overcome their
nerves while talking. If you are nervous dont Many people talk far too loud when public speaking. The audience
be afraid to have notes with you, and perhaps then has the impression of being talked at. Speak loud enough for the
get feedback from a colleague whilst practising person who is furthest from you to comfortably hear you as if you are
having a conversation with them alone. You will know they can hear you
from the look on their face.

6. Speak slower.
Whilst it is important to be understood, slowing
down language is not the way to achieve it. Use
your normal broad range of speaking speeds
when you present.The good thing is, as soon
as you feel comfortable in the room your will do
this naturally without thinking.
yah! Yes.
7. Use formal language.
Changing your language to be more formal than
you usually do really isnt needed and creating it will
actually use a lot of unnecessary brain power. Your
normal business based language will do.
8. Put a lot of content on PowerPoint
PowerPoint slides that say everything - say nothing. Less is more. If the PowerPoint
is saying it all then what value do you have to add? If you are concerned about
remembering what you planned to say and require aprompt, learn to use the
Presenter View on PowerPoint. In this way you can see your notes and the slides
while the audience will only see the slides.
9. Give a detailed
overview of your Lastly, never forget that your presentations
company are only as good as the follow-up you do
afterwards. Ride the success of a great
You can say a
few sentences so presentation by following up afterwards and
people are aware of ensuring that you are actively building a
what you do but you need to be concise on this. You are there to long-term relationship with your audience.
solve their problems so spend more time on that than telling your Werecommend following up within 24-48
audience your history.
hours of your presentations strike while the
irons hot!
To learn more about how to present successfully
to architects and design specifiers, attend our
10. Bring lots of Presentation Skills Masterclass and well help
samples you make sure youre putting your best foot
forward each and every time.
As mentioned earlier Click here to find out more about this course
samples are a great way For opportunities to get in front of the right
to help your audience audience, take a look at BCIs Technology
visualise your product. Briefings in Indonesia and the Philippines,
However you need to make specialising in holding a range of face-to-face
sure you only bring in those events with architects on a regular basis. Click
that are relevant to projects the company is working on,
here for more information on Indonesian
and perhaps focus on just one hero product.
events. Click here for more information on
Philippines events.
 EDITORIAL TEAM

CONTENT WRITTER GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Sarah Findlay Ms. Pia Marie Tandog
s.findlay@bciaustralia.com p.tandog@bciasia.com