You’re creating a sales demo. What are the most important things to consider?

Creating a sales demo requires careful consideration of several key factors to ensure its effectiveness in showcasing your product or service and persuading potential customers. Here are the most important things to consider when creating a sales demo: Understand Your Audience Focus on Benefits, Not Features Keep it Concise and Relevant Tell a Compelling Story Demonstrate Real-World Use Cases Interactivity and Engagement Show, Don't Just Tell Common Objections Customize and Personalize Follow-Up and Support By considering these factors and crafting a well-planned and engaging sales demo, you can effectively showcase your product or service and drive positive outcomes in your sales efforts.

Understanding your audience is paramount before diving into crafting a sales demo. Identifying their pain points and expectations allows for tailored demos that resonate. Leverage tools like buyer personas and surveys to glean insights, and prepare probing questions to uncover challenges and motivations during the demo. It's all about addressing their specific needs and objections head-on.

Know if your audience is more business, technical, or both. Find out what competitive products they are using, and work-in the strengths of your product against theirs into the demo. Try to keep the flow like a comfortable guided tour of the product while hitting value props that matter most to the prospective client.

Creating a successful sales demo requires careful planning and execution to effectively showcase your product or service. Understand who you're presenting to and tailor your demo to their needs, challenges, and interests. Research their industry, company, and individual roles to ensure relevance.Determine who the key decision-makers are within the organization. Know their roles, responsibilities, and influence in the decision-making process. Tailor your messaging to resonate with each decision-maker's priorities and concerns.If you're presenting to a diverse audience, segment them based on factors such as job roles, seniority, or departmental interests. Customize your demo content and approach to address the specific needs.

One of the biggest things to pick up on fast is if you are presenting to a technical or non-technical audience (or even both!). If so, it might make sense to have two demo flows (and a blended flow if it is a mixed audience), one for the technical audience and one for the non-technical audience as well as using language that will resonate with both. Failing to calibrate for audience can lead to a suboptimal demo/confusion on how the audience can be a hero with your solution.

The value proposition is a concise statement that communicates the unique benefits and value that a product or service provides to its target audience. It answers the question, "Why should customers choose your product or service over alternatives?"Clearly articulate the specific benefits or outcomes that customers can expect from using your product or service.Provide evidence or proof points that support your claims and demonstrate the credibility and reliability of your offering.

Your value proposition is the core message of your sales demo. It outlines how your product/service solves your audience's problem, its benefits, and why it's superior to alternatives. Make it clear, concise, and compelling. Introduce it early to grab attention, and reinforce it throughout with evidence like testimonials, case studies, or statistics.

Storytelling is a powerful technique to make your sales demo more engaging, emotional, and memorable. Use it to create a narrative that connects your audience's problem, your solution, and your value proposition. Incorporate real scenarios, customer success stories, or product features into your storytelling. This approach helps you build a connection with your audience, evoke their emotions, and inspire action.

Visuals are crucial in your sales demo. They help illustrate your points, demonstrate your product/service, and capture your audience's attention. However, it's essential to optimize your images to make them clear, relevant, and appealing. Avoid overloading your slides or screens with too much text, images, or animations. Additionally, use consistent fonts, colors, and styles to maintain a professional and cohesive appearance. Don't forget to test your visuals before your demo to ensure they function properly and smoothly.

Absolutely, refining your delivery is paramount for the success of your sales demo. Confidence, enthusiasm, and persuasion are key elements to focus on. Practice your demo multiple times, preferably in front of a colleague or friend, to solicit feedback and refine your performance. Additionally, anticipate potential questions, objections, or technical issues that may arise during your demo. Utilize positive body language, maintain eye contact, and modulate your voice effectively to communicate with your audience persuasively. With a polished delivery, you can captivate your audience and drive home your message convincingly.