How to Make a Solution Selling Presentation [Closing Deals]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- Mar 28
- 6 min read
Our client Vikas asked us a question while we were working on their solution selling presentation:
"How do we make sure the audience actually believes our solution is what they need?"
Our Creative Director answered without hesitation: "By making them feel the pain of their problem first, then showing them why your solution is the only way out."
As a presentation design agency, we work on countless solution selling presentations throughout the year, and we’ve observed a common challenge: most of them focus too much on the product and not enough on the problem.
The result? A room full of people nodding politely but not truly convinced. The difference between a solution selling presentation that lands deals and one that just “sounds good” comes down to one thing: how well you make the audience feel their own pain before handing them the cure.
The Biggest Mistake in Solution Selling Presentations
Most sales teams think a solution selling presentation is about showcasing their product’s features. They walk in, flash a deck full of bullet points, and expect clients to be amazed. Spoiler alert: they aren’t.
We’ve seen it happen. A presenter starts with a slide titled “About Us”, moves on to “Our Services”, and then launches into a deep dive of product features. Meanwhile, the audience is mentally checking emails, wondering what’s for lunch, or, worst case, already looking at competitors.
The problem? They skipped the part where the audience actually cares.
Solution selling isn’t about selling a product. It’s about selling the need for that product. If the audience doesn’t feel the problem, they won’t care about the solution.
Think about it like this: If you walk into a doctor’s office feeling fine, and the doctor starts listing treatments, would you care? No. But if you walked in with excruciating pain and the doctor told you exactly what’s causing it and how to fix it? Now you’re all ears.
The same applies to solution selling presentations. The audience needs to feel the pain first. Your job isn’t just to present the solution; it’s to make them realize they need one.
How to Make a Solution Selling Presentation That Closes Deals
1. Start With the Problem—Make Them Feel It
If your audience doesn’t feel the weight of the problem, they won’t care about the solution. This means you don’t just state the problem—you make them experience it.
Instead of saying, "Businesses struggle with inefficient operations," say, "Every month, businesses lose thousands of dollars because of operational inefficiencies they don’t even realize they have. Teams are overworked, customers are frustrated, and deadlines slip through the cracks—all because systems don’t talk to each other."
See the difference? One is a generic statement. The other paints a picture that people can feel.
A few ways to drive this home:
Use data – Numbers don’t lie. Show how much money, time, or effort businesses lose because of the problem.
Tell a story – Instead of a generic problem statement, introduce a character. “Meet Sarah, a COO who spends half her week fixing mistakes that shouldn’t exist.” Make it relatable.
Ask painful questions – Questions force people to reflect. “How much time does your team waste each week on manual work? How many deals do you lose because of slow processes?”
Your goal? Get the audience nodding in agreement, recognizing themselves in the problem. Once they do, they’re ready to listen.
2. Agitate the Problem—Show Why It’s Worse Than They Think
If you stop at just stating the problem, you’re missing a crucial step. You have to agitate the problem. Meaning: make them realize it’s bigger, deeper, and more urgent than they assumed.
Most businesses live with problems because they don’t realize how much damage they’re causing. They think inefficiencies are just part of the process. They assume lost deals are normal. They believe manual work is just how it’s always been done.
Your job is to shatter that belief.
For example:
Instead of saying, "Manual processes slow businesses down," say, "Every minute wasted on manual processes isn’t just lost time—it’s lost revenue, lost customers, and lost competitive edge. Companies that don’t fix this are already being outpaced by competitors who have."
Instead of saying, "Employee turnover is a challenge," say, "Every time an employee leaves, you’re not just losing a person. You’re losing months of training, institutional knowledge, and the trust they built with clients. And replacing them? That’s tens of thousands of dollars in hiring and onboarding costs."
See what’s happening? You’re making the audience realize the problem is worse than they thought. And the more they feel that, the more desperate they are for a solution.
3. Introduce the Solution—But Make It The Inevitable Next Step
Now that your audience is feeling the pain, you introduce your solution. But here’s where most people go wrong—they present the solution too early or too aggressively.
Your audience shouldn’t feel like you’re selling. They should feel like your solution is the natural next step. The key? Position it as the only logical way forward.
Here’s how:
Bridge the gap – “If these problems sound familiar, you’re not alone. But what if there was a way to eliminate them without adding more complexity?”
Make it feel inevitable – “Companies that solve this problem don’t just survive; they thrive. The best ones use [your solution].”
Connect the dots – “Here’s how our solution directly solves the exact problems we just discussed.”
The transition should feel seamless. By this point, they should already be looking for a solution. You’re just giving them one.
4. Show Proof—People Believe What They See, Not What You Say
Nobody trusts claims without proof. You can say your solution is the best all day long, but unless you show it, it won’t matter. This is where most presentations fail—they assume people will take their word for it.
They won’t.
Here’s how you make them believe:
Case studies – Show a real client who had the same problem, used your solution, and saw actual results. Make it specific: “Company X reduced operational costs by 32% in six months.”
Before-and-after scenarios – Walk them through what life looks like before using your solution vs. after. Show the transformation.
Live demos – If possible, don’t just talk about your solution—show it in action. A quick demo can be 10x more powerful than a slide.
Testimonials from credible sources – If industry leaders or well-known companies trust you, highlight that. Social proof builds credibility fast.
The more tangible proof you provide, the more your audience starts seeing your solution as the answer.
5. Remove Objections Before They Even Happen
Even if your audience is interested, their brain is already coming up with reasons why they can’t buy. Your job is to pre-emptively remove those objections before they derail the conversation.
Common objections and how to handle them:
“We already have a system in place.” → “That’s exactly why we built our solution to integrate seamlessly with existing systems. No major changes needed.”
“It sounds expensive.” → “What’s expensive is continuing to lose money on inefficiencies. Our clients typically see an ROI within X months.”
“We don’t have time to implement something new.” → “That’s why we designed it to be implemented in [timeframe], with minimal effort from your team.”
“How do we know this will work for us?” → “Here’s how companies just like yours have successfully implemented it and seen results.”
Anticipating objections and addressing them upfront makes your solution feel like the obvious choice, not a risky gamble.
6. End With a Clear, No-Brainer Next Step
Most presentations end with something vague like “Let’s discuss next steps” or “Reach out if you have questions.” That’s weak.
If you’ve done everything right up to this point, your audience is ready to act. But they need direction.
Your call to action should be:
Specific – Instead of “Let’s talk”, say “Let’s book a 15-minute call to map out how this fits your needs.”
Urgent – Instead of “Whenever you’re ready,” say “We’re onboarding new clients this quarter. Let’s lock in your spot.”
Low friction – Instead of “Schedule a full demo,” say “Join a quick walkthrough where we show you exactly how it works.”
People won’t take action unless it’s clear and easy. Make it impossible to ignore.
Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?
If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.