Sales Interview Question

A friend of mine is interviewing for a new sales job.  Today he received the following instructions for his upcoming interview:

Instructions to Candidates for Sales Presentation

Assignment:  Select a product or service you know well or have sold before.  The product need not be related to our product or industry.  It is best to select a topic that enables you to demonstrate strong product knowledge and confidence.

Prepare a 15-minute presentation intended to educate and convince prospective customers about the benefits of using your product/service.

As part of our selection process, you will deliver your presentation to an audience of 2-3 members of the Senior Sales Management Team, who will play the role of your prospective customers.

Note:  Please come ready to present.  You will not have time to prepare for this during your visit.

Objective:  This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your skill at presenting product or service information in small group settings.  You will be assessed on your performance in six dimensions:

1. Builds rapport and engages others
2. Demonstrates product knowledge and personal confidence
3. Educates the customer
4. Presents in a focused and succinct manner
5. Effectively handles objections
6. Conveys a professional image

Try to close the deal.

Guidelines: 

Your presentation cannot exceed 15 minutes, so carefully select and narrow your topic.   Your presentation will conclude at 15 minutes, whether you are finished or not.  There is no separate Question and Answer period, so you will want to build some time for this into your presentation.  Seek opportunities for give-and-take with your customers rather than a straight presentation.

At a minimum, please provide your audience an agenda for your presentation.  You may use a product sample if demonstration is necessary to your presentation.  You may also prepare and use up to two handouts (e.g., related notes or charts) if you wish.  Other materials, such as flipcharts or professionally printed brochures, are not allowed.

You may NOT use Power Point presentations.