First or last presentation meeting

Say, you're given a chance to present a quoting to a prospect. Would you  prefer to have the first presentation or the last?

Some common logic argues that the last presentation has the biggest chance to be accepted by the prospect. However, I believe that the first one has bigger chances if it was a really good one. The other presentations will not only have to be good but to excel in each and every point that the first presentation made. If only one point was not reached, the presentation will be considered bad.

Any thoughts?

The same question goes of course for job interviews and the like.

A question doesn't hurt
Wednesday, June 9, 2004

first make sure that you have the best presentation. when you have that you won't ask this questions as you know that your presentation matters more than where are you in the queue.

  
Wednesday, June 9, 2004

If I recon my psychology class correctly when you can make such a choice the answer is:  it depends on the time period between presentation and decision time.

The first impression stays in mind for a longer time but the last is freshest. So if the period is long  - couple of days, it is better for you to be first. If it is short - couple of hours or so it is good to be the last one presenting.

I may be wrong so please google on that :)

Making the best presentation does not hurt too.

read-only mode disabled
Wednesday, June 9, 2004

Stay away from powerpoint.

obvious
Wednesday, June 9, 2004

Do you get to sit through the other presentations? If so, then it's a slam-dunk - you want to go last, so you can learn from the others.

Philo

Philo
Wednesday, June 9, 2004

Thanks for the answers.

Philo, unfortunately, we won't sit through the other presentations. We don't even know who the competitors are.

BTW, we are doing what we can to deliver the best presentation, but being given the chance to choose the presentation time, we want to do the best here, too.

obvious: What alternatives to power point do you  propose? What's the problem with power point?

A question doesn't hurt
Wednesday, June 9, 2004

There's nothing wrong with PowerPoint. Just don't live in it or abuse it. It's great for presenting visual data, but if we're talking about a software demo, then you should just have a few slides about the software then spend most of your time in the demo.

Philo

Philo
Wednesday, June 9, 2004

Go third. Seriously. They wont let themselves get too exited by the first, since they have no reference yet. The second will still feel early days, but by the third they will feel they have enough comparison to genuinly get exited about a brilliant proposal. From that pooint on you can loose "contender" anymore, you had a chance to set the stage for your strongest points, and the remaining entries will face direct competition with the playing field slightly tilted in your favor.

Just me (Sir to you)
Wednesday, June 9, 2004

I've read in a few places that when making competitive presentations, it's good to go on the second day of a 5-day stretch, or whatever equivalent fraction of the way through.  If you go too early, the clients have nothing to compare you to, and will be more likely to dismiss you.  If you go too late, the clients are ready to get it all overwith, and you're much less likely to get their full attention.

Greg Hurlman
Wednesday, June 9, 2004

it depends on the time between you and your competitors give the presentation and the decision being taken. If it an immediate decision go last.

Prakash S
Wednesday, June 9, 2004

From my understanding, the biggest thing is to be in the "first column". That means when the person makes a spreadsheet to compare by, your company's product is in the first column. So they key is to understand exactly why they need the product, whatever, so that you can target your presentation for those pain points.

Generally if you aren't in the first column, you are in a world of pain, unless your product just outshines every one else completely.

When we have interviewed candidates, the ordering of the interview has not made a difference.  We've hired the last candidate just as often as the first just as often as the ones in the middle.

CF
Wednesday, June 9, 2004

Arrange to go last. Get an ally or plant in the decision team. Have them feed you all of the strengths and weaknessos of the other competitors. Prepare for all the attendees pet questions and have ready answers.

If you haven't done this already, you've probably lost. The A vendor who is going to win the business already has. You are there to bring the price down and cover the ass of the people making the decision.

MilesArcher
Thursday, June 10, 2004

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