What are the most effective ways to make your software demos memorable?

2 things will lead to powerful, memorable demos. 1) Storytelling 2) Visuals Your buyers will remember the stories and real results from similar companies and what it did for their business. They will also remember a powerful visual depicting how you solve a problem or why your solution is best for them. Make sure both are baked in to each demo.

Some of my colleagues have mixed feelings as to whether a demo should be tailored or not, as there are some processes that are fairly common to most businesses in particular industries. I find that when I have made an effort to take into account slight nuances in processes or even to simply bring in customer specific samples it has really gone a long way to winning an opportunity. In some instances where a demo has multiple role players I create user accounts with the names specific members of the demo audience, based on the roles that they play in their business. It goes a long way to show that you have taken the time to understand their business and the relevant role players critical to the success of the process.

One thing I've found helpful is to discover in advance what the competition offering is. The almost obvious, but often neglected, thing to do then is to emphasize the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) of your product in the demo instead of the nice-to-have features or the generic features all competitors have anyway.

Specific, Interactive, Multimedia Specific – Make it unique to the opportunity. Interactive – Get your audience involved. Multimedia – Use everything!

When I joined my current role about 11 years ago, in my first demo, I had my script ready, I practiced the flow of demo and as soon as meeting started, I rattled on. Both the client and I knew that it didn't go well. next time, in a similar setting, I was accompanied by my manager and he spent a lot of time asking the right questions about key business requirements, pain points etc and then he tailored the demo and this time, clients loved it. In a product demo, whether you are a pre-sales person or not, without asking the discovery question, straight away going on to a demo is like attempting to answer a question without properly reading it in an exam setting.

Yes! Who doesn’t love a story ..young, old or in between? Wrapping a story around a demo, a product or a service absolutely makes it come to life and make it real for your customer or consumer to comprehend and grasp. Just gave this example last week about MTV storytellers (yes dating myself) about the story of how some of the best songs came about straight from the artist, it’s magic! . Craft your story, practice it, enhance it, listen to how others talk about your product and weave in some anecdotes…oh and show some passion! You won’t be sorry!

I agree that the most important aspect of a demo is the story that you tell. There is almost nothing more boring that a feature by feature look at an application. Engaging with your audience requires giving them a frame and a red line to follow. Showing them what benefits they will gain from your product makes them feel it was not a waste of their time to listen to you. The best demo folks (I am thinking of you, @John Lenker, tell a compelling story and ask questions along the way to ensure that folks are not dropping off.

There's a reason why storytelling helps people remember what you say more so than just shooting facts and numbers at people - because a good story is emotional, and we're emotional beings. It could be a personal story relating to the product or service, or the story of how the founder(s) decided to launch what you're selling. It will always make the meeting or call more enjoyable for both sides. And the more you tell stories, the better you'll become. Critical for sales success.

This is the framework I've used for years: The 5 C's of story telling - it's magical. Context: Start with creating context about the situation that your prospect can recognize Catalyst: Introduce an event that needs to be solved urgently Complication: Give some constraints that make the situation even harder to solve Change: showcase how this exact problem can be solved fast – this is where your product power comes alive. Don’t wonder off. Remember – fast can actually have a positive shock effect Consequence: summarize the outcomes – the impact created, and the gains achieved

Personally, I disagree on using specific technical language as it is AI and ML. Rather than getting rid of these words what I like to do is presenting what the outcome is and then relating to what AI and ML is actually doing for the outcome. F.e. once I was presenting a probable outcome of a student in a particular class based on their grades and several demographics while the AI and ML was technical it didn't take long to show them how a linear regression worked, how each factor affected the outcome and how reliable was the given outcome. As a consultant, I don't like surprising my customers, so over simplifying is also an issue.

Some points from my experience: 1) Understanding the core client challenge that the software will solve is key. 2) speaking to the right audience (not necessarily the tech audience) 3) if feasible, usually better to have multiple demos with smaller teams from the client, instead of one demo session with large groups. Easier to tailor the message of each demo.

Your SaaS might have a myriad of different features, but the important thing is to focus on which feature solves their biggest problem. That's why effective questioning is so important, because it's only through these questions that you uncover the prospect's true pain points. Too many founders rush straight into the demo, without having asked the right questions. As a result their demos, become un-engaging product walk-throughs.

In my experience in software sales and consulting, a demo represents an opportunity to address the unasked questions in the client's mind. It serves as a chance to instill greater confidence in the client regarding their business objectives. The demo should be presented in a way that showcases how the solutions can alleviate their pain points and provide distinct advantages. Above all, trust plays a pivotal role in winning business. Therefore, demos are the ideal means to gain the trust of clients.

By understanding that customers are not just buying a product but a solution to a problem or a means to improve their current state, sales professionals can elevate their pitches from technical jargon to compelling narratives. This shift is not just about selling a product; it's about crafting a story of transformation, where the customer is the protagonist and the product is the enabler of positive change. In a world saturated with options, this approach becomes a powerful differentiator. It's a reminder that in the art of sales, the story of value resonates far more profoundly than a mere recitation of specifications.

To add to this, don't blindly throw your question into the crowd like a wedding bouquet - AIM ?? - Target the right person to get the best answer & avoid a hanging silence. - Improve engagement & confidence by referencing previous statements (or lack thereof) - Predict points of interest for selected participants and validate as you go This is difficult unless you understand exactly who you are talking to. Remember that the things you ask prospective end-users won't tell you much about concerns of the implementation lead. Key decision making factors vary hugely between stakeholders. Your questions should be as targeted as your demo.

Yes, questions are crucial for sales success. By asking the right questions before jumping into the demo, you will gain valuable insight on your prospect's pain points. This information will inform which functionalities to focus on in the actual demo. People buy solutions to their problems. That is why it is important to build the pain with Implied Questions. Implied Questions get your prospect to think about what would happen if they don't address these pains, e.g: “What would an outage of live pricing data have on your trading department?”, “How could stale data affect your investments?”, “What worries you most about not having an accurate overview of your portfolios in once place?”

Timely follow-up after the meeting and demo is what sets star salespeople apart from the rest. The reason for this is because it demonstrates how trustworthy and professional you are. Would you do business with someone who failed to do what they promised when you met them in person?

Someone rightly said, if you don't follow up after the demo, you are working for your competitors. You have already done the hard work! It could be a straight yes or no question or it can be an assumptive close, something must be asked.

Forget the word ‘demo’ and replace it with ‘Proof of Value.’ And this is about three simple things: 1 - Showcasing how you solve their biggest problem, not more, not less 2 - Exceeding their expectations in the way you do that 3 - Minimize the time you have to use the software

Start with the end. Show the desired outcome first. Then “do it” with the fewest number of clicks possible (the fast route). Before “doing it again”, with more explanation (the scenic route). Summarise after every execution and you’re on to a winner. Might just be a Great Demo! S/O to Peter Cohen.