You've got plenty on your plate already without having to spend an excessive amount of time trying to build a field marketing sales presentation with software you haven't quite mastered. While presentation software can definitely turn a boring sales pitch into an exciting, intriguing and successful presentation, you'll face frustration and disappointment if you don't know enough to take full advantage of the software.

Sales presentation software education and training helps ensure a solid return on your investment. Consider several advantages of a structured training program for presentation software:

1. Training lets you fully exploit the capabilities of software, like 3D presentation software, you purchase.

2. The faster you master presentation programs through training, the quicker you build your presentation, the more time you have to rehearse and tweak your presentation.

3. Getting proper training on a presentation program results in less wasted time struggling with software so you have more time to focus on other critical tasks.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider a business presentation software company that relies on a single method of training

If you're comfortable with and/or can afford the type of training offered for a particular presentation program, don't shy away from a company that only offers one way to train.

I recommend: Ontra Presentations makes onsite training available to customers buying its multimedia presentation software Ontra Presenter. The company only offers on-site training, because it believes it's the most effective way to get users the information they need to quickly start building presentations. Choose one of the presentation software products from Wildform, and you'll receive training through tutorials via the Internet.

Check out companies offering multiple training methods for business presentations software

Options for training on new business or marketing presentation software let you choose the format right for you and your employees as well as the price range that fits your budget.

I recommend: Sant Corp offers implementation, tutorials, white papers and private consulting services when you purchase one of their sales presentation software packages. You'll find different options for training with a Corel product like Corel WordPerfect Office X4– Professional Edition. Besides performing functions you'd expect from business software, you can also use it to create powerful presentations. To receive training on the Corel software you purchase, find a Corel training partner near you or take advantage of training videos with step-by-step instructions, project-based books and courseware. If searching for sales presentation software tools compatible with your existing PowerPoint program, check out the SmartDraw software for your sales and/or marketing presentation graphics. Through its Learning Center, the company offers online tutorials, certification as a SmartDraw expert and free eCourses to users.

Contact companies that offer training for different types of presentation programs

Software changes and updates occur all the time, and some companies focus on helping presentation software users get the most out of the software they've chosen.

I recommend: LearningCraft focuses on online marketing training. Choose from its self-paced, online courses that incorporate workshops, lectures and training modules for Flash presentation software and PowerPoint. If you need hands-on, face-to-face Flash presentation software training, visit the Multimedia Resource Group website. It offers three different Flash training programs at its Sunnyvale, CA, location. Check out the training offered by Training Objectives, an eLearning resource company, for software like Adobe Presenter and Flash. The company offers classroom training or onsite programs for your convenience, and it also maintains an eLearning Library of online courses.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  PowerPoint software remains a favorite for presentations. If you choose PowerPoint but don't have time for lots of training before your next presentation, build your slides with one of the templates you can select from the PowerPoint menu. It's pretty user friendly, and you'll experience less frustration than trying to build your PowerPoint presentation from scratch.

If you've watched a corporate presentation in the last few years, you know that the days of static slide shows are over. PowerPoint software created a new era of sales presentation software when it first hit the market 20 years ago. These days, multimedia presentation software and add-ins are must-haves for the business world, and sales presentations in particular.

Learning how to create dynamic presentations can take a little time for a newcomer or a seasoned marketing professional. Thankfully, marketing presentation software and some essential extras are just a mouse click away, and so are many sources of help and training. Take the following steps, and you're well on your way to dynamic, captivating presentations that will seal the deal:

1. Brush up on public speaking skills before you put too much energy into learning advanced PowerPoint presentation techniques—Flash Player won't help your presentations if you can't engage your audience.

2. Research all the latest technological tricks recommended by the experts—fancy slide transitions may be a moot point if what your sales presentations really needs are video clips.

3. Practice using your new tools until you can recover quickly from a misstep or technical difficulty.

Action Steps
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Compare your PowerPoint program to other options and choose the right fit

PowerPoint presentation software has evolved to meet the changing needs of business professionals. If you need 3D presentation software or Web based sales presentation software, however, explore less-prominent software names that might better meet your needs. Most all business presentation software is available in a free trial download. Choose at least 3 programs to compare, and download the free trials.

I recommend: Build test presentations using Sant Corporation's Presentation Builder demo, Ontra Presentations software trial download, and SellFolio's business presentation programs.

Improve your business presentation software with the latest add-ins

If you've just downloaded a new presentation program, you may not need to add much to give your creations pizzazz. Older versions of Microsoft's PowerPoint program, for example, may need Flash presentation software or 3D presentation software.

I recommend: Instant Effects offers OfficeFX add-ins for PowerPoint software, but you'd need to purchase OfficeFX software to reap all the benefits of these extras. If money's a concern, add value to your PowerPoint with some free downloads from Indezine's links page.

Dress up your presentations with industry-specific graphics

No matter what field sales presentation software you decide to use, don't settle for the graphics that come with the package. You can create, edit and find shared graphics tailored to your current presentation using a complementary graphics program that you can either purchase or download for free.

I recommend: You can try out SmartDraw's free download, but the program will cost you. SofoTex keeps a directory of free graphics software downloads. Just make sure the software you choose will work with your presentation program.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Create your own presentation templates by recording macros in your business presentations software. It's a custom solution, but you won't spend extra on pre-built templates that aren't exactly what you need.
• •  Record your field marketing sales presentation, complete with video, audio, transitions and extras, using your presentation program. You can then create Web based sales presentations and custom CDs for pre-sales and training purposes. They make a nice addition to your portfolio, as well.

Sales presentations allow you to present your company to interested customers and clients. However, business professionals are busy today, so you don't get much time to make a great sales impression. In a competitive world, you need to pull together a sales presentation that stands out. Sales presentation software helps you craft a professional, attractive presentation when you are pitching your product or service to clients and customers. However, choosing the right software is important, and it is much easier to select the right software for your needs if you hone your sales presentation key terms. A few basic terms can help you focus on those software features that can help you make your sales presentation a success.

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Sales presentation

A sales presentation is a meeting or showing that allows a sales person to explain the attributes or benefits of a product to a group of clients or customers. Most often, today's sales presentations include software and computer technology that allows for sophisticated slide shows and multimedia demonstrations.

I recommend: Toolbox.com provides a useful guide, explaining what a sales presentation is and describing the various parts of a sales presentation.

PowerPoint

PowerPoint is one of the leading presentation software programs, used widely for sales presentations. This program is created by Microsoft.

I recommend: The Department of Computer Science at The University of Rhode Island has a useful and detailed definition of PowerPoint, as well as explanations of all the relevant parts of the program.

Presentation software transitions

Most presentation software programs create slide shows of your presentation, and transitions are the split-second effects that change how your slides appear to move on the screen to make way for new slides. There are many styles of transitions-you can choose to have your slides fade out, slide out of sight, shatter or simply disappear from the screen.

I recommend: CrystalGraphics explains what transitions are and shows the many types of transitions that are available.

Presentation templates

Presentation software templates are pre-created files that software users can change. Templates are designed to make creating sales presentations easier, even if you are not very familiar with software programs. With a template, you simply open a file and add your own presentation information. The template takes care of the formatting and appearance of your presentation.

I recommend: MightyCoach.com offers a tutorial about PowerPoint templates that includes an in-depth look at what templates are and how they work.

Presentation decks

Presentation decks are files that collect each of your individual presentation slides as a group. Decks are what allow you to collect and organize your marketing presentation.

I recommend: Microsoft has a useful guide about presentation decks, complete with screen captures.

WYSIWYG

WYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get and it refers to a software program that makes it very simple to edit your final product, because the program shows you what your final product will look like as you add content. Many sales presentation software titles are designed in this way, so that, as you build your presentation, you are seeing what your final presentation will look like on the screen.

I recommend: ATPM has a detailed article about the history and the use of WYSIWYG programs.

Opening PowerPoint software and following the instructions can lead anyone to a basic, unimpressive sales presentation. Knowing the basics may have gotten your foot in the door, but getting expert instructions and advice in the business software arena is essential for advancement and good reviews.

Once you have ironed out the details of your business presentations, software know-how is your next step. Luckily, there are plenty of online sources that offer instructional information for software packages and online tutorials that won't cost you a thing. When in the process of looking for sales presentation software for beginners, remember the following:

1. PowerPoint presentation software is popular with many companies, so getting familiar with this program and how to create presentations in it will work in your favor.

2. Cutting edge sales presentations include more than text and clip art, so look into multimedia software options.

3. Professionally made templates or ideas from sales marketing software experts can help you create a stunning presentation.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get familiar with PowerPoint presentation software

The PowerPoint program is an easy first step in business presentation software. The Microsoft PowerPoint software is fairly easy to use, but when you need to create a proposal or presentation, you need to know how to make it look professional.

I recommend: Microsoft Office Online has an informative video clip that lays out step-by-step how to add to a basic PowerPoint presentation in order to create a better sales presentation. Get online PowerPoint tutorials, along with other software program tutorials, from VTC.

Find easy-to-use multimedia presentation software

When looking for sales presentation software for promote your business, there are two important things for beginners to keep in mind: cost and capabilities. Look for software programs that are free or offer free demos and make sure you can create presentations that fit your unique specifications.

I recommend: ScreenBird can create free, simple business presentation programs, which can include videos, music, images and text altogether. Download a free demo of Flair offered by Wildform. It is a multimedia software that is compatible with Flash presentation software, but claims to be simpler and easier to use.

Seek out business presentation software professionals

If you are in a bind and need a professional presentation put together quickly, look for companies that create presentations for you or who can supply downloadable presentation templates to use. You will impress your boss and clients with a professional presentation, and get great ideas to create your next presentation on your own.

I recommend: If you would like sales presentation professionals to help you with a sales presentation or would like to start with PowerPoint presentation templates, seek out the services of ProPoint Graphics. 123PPT.com has advice and articles from presentation software professionals and has a variety of free PowerPoint software templates and graphics to use in your sales presentations.