Demos that FAIL. Demos that SELL

Welcome to the 15th edition of Sales for a Better World.

In this edition, you will find the proper steps to make your demo stand out and sell.

• In less than 5 minutes, you will learn 4 things you shouldn't do and how to fix them

Let′s Deep dive! ????????

Demos that FAIL

? 1) Offer a "30,000-foot view"

If your buyers wanted a high-level overview, they'd visit your website.

? 2) Spend 80% of the time on "table-stakes" functionality

Your competition offers all of your basic functionality.

Your buyer has seen it.

Time spent here is time your buyer spends thinking, “This is the same as the competition - I wonder if it’s cheaper.”

? 3) Don′t balance: showing too little of your solution vs. showing too much.

• If you simply meet buyer requirements, you’ll lose to a lower cost competitor.
• If you sell more than they need, you’ll lose for being too fancy.

Your prospect is saying “it’s too expensive” because your demo is too expansive”.

? 4) Assuming you’ve shown everything the prospect wanted to see rather than asking.

Demos that SELL

?1) Help your buyer envision your solution in their environment

Less "product tour." More "here's how you'll use our product."

? 2) Share outcomes through stories, not stats

No one cares about "37% more productivity."

They do love to hear stories about someone like them turning more productivity into a promotion.

? 3) Don’t oversell basic features.

With an example of a forecast tool

“Role-based views for forecasting is something you’ll need to be successful. Everyone in our space offers it. Just wanted you to know we did as well.”

If you act proud of basic functionality you’ll look silly. Label it, show it, move on.

? 4) Expose a bigger problem

“Companies worried about forecasting accurately should be equally or more worried about getting leadership attention on the right deals. “

? 5) Tie differentiators to the bigger problem

"If all you want is to roll-up forecasting in complex hierarchies you’ll do fine with anyone in our space. You’d save a lot of money by going with the cheapest solution.

Let me walk you through why companies that started with ‘I need a tool to help me forecast accurately’ are ending with ‘I need to forecast accurately while increasing win rates across our most critical deals.’”

? 6) Use Comparative differentiators (many do this, but we do it best):

Sounds like, “You’ve likely seen something similar from our competitors. Here’s why our approach is different and why that difference matters for you.”

? 7) Use Unique differentiators (only we do this):

Sounds like, “No one else does this - here’s why we chose this approach and how it helps people like you.”

? 8) Ask the group at the Final of the Demo

“Is there anything you did not see today that you were hoping to see?”

Not everyone will be vocal in the demo.

Get the quieter folks to open up. Call them by name to hear their thoughts.

? 9) Use the 10 min Rule:

• Don’t end the call without walking through and getting feedback on next steps.

Show a timeline slide outlining next steps. Make it visual instead of just verbal.?

See if it aligns with their expectations and have them provide their feedback.

• Never end a demo (or any meeting for that matter) without locking in the next step on the calendar .?

Stop chasing. Lock in the next step ??

TL;DR:

?? The first thing you demo should fulfill 3 conditions:

1. Something that will ‘wow’ them?
2. Solve one of their biggest problems
3. Something your competitors don't do

?? Most reps spend 80% of their demo on table stakes functionality.

This drowns out the differentiators, and your buyer thinks you are the same as the competition. Lowest cost will win.

?? To drive more engaging demos, spend 80% of your demo on differentiators.

To drive better-understood demos, help your buyer categorize what you show to make it easier to compare to the competition.?

It’ll help you avoid the “you’re too expensive” objection, and help justify your cost.

?? To use differentiators use this framework:

1. Check the box with your basic stuff.
2. Expand your buyer’s requirements with a bigger problem.
3. Differentiate your solution by solving the bigger problem better than your competition.
4. Win more deals

That’s it for this week.

Cheers ??

Cristina

PS. Catch up on past issues here.

?? Work with Cristina

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1. Work with me 1:1 → help people and companies navigate the new digital world of work in enterprise selling. Book a strategic consulting call here.
2. I help startup founders from 0 to $30M ARR build revenue growth through GTM advisory, consulting and fractional sales leadership. Let's work together, send me a DM.