Don't demo without discovery first!

Sitting through a product demo without having first met the sales team to discuss your situation and specific needs can be excruciatingly painful. If you're dealing with a "show up and throw up" sales team more often than not you spend the session looking forward to it's end or thinking of a reason to cut it short.

If you're the sales team guilty of this you must look at it from the client's perspective. They don't care all that much about the cool features and doohickeys. They have a specific problem that you came to address. If you can't get to the point quickly you will loose their interest and likely gain their quiet resentment.

Conducting a discovery interview with a client before the demo is crucial for the sales team because it allows them to understand the client's needs, challenges, and goals in order to provide a tailored solution. A discovery session helps the sales team to:

1. Build rapport with the client: The discovery interview provides an opportunity to establish a relationship with the client, build trust and understand their needs.
2. Gather information: You can gather important information about the client's current situation, requirements, and expectations, which will inform the solution you offer.
3. Identify pain points: The discovery interview can help you identify the client's pain points and understand what challenges they face, allowing them to provide a solution that addresses these challenges.
4. Align the solution with the client's goals: You can use the information gathered during the discovery interview to align the solution with the client's goals and ensure that it meets their specific needs.
5. Stand out from the competition: By taking the time to understand the client's needs and provide a tailored solution, you can differentiate yourself from the competition and demonstrate your expertise and value.

It is often not possible to get time on busy calendars in order to conduct the discovery which is where the more agile and versatile sales teams shine. If I don't get a chance to conduct a discovery meeting beforehand, I take the first ten minutes of the demo session to conduct a quick one. I come prepared with a variety of scenarios and pick the one that at least comes closest to their situation. As with all demos, I periodically stop to ask if it is on track and addressing their needs. If not I stop what I'm doing and ask more discovery questions.

An inexperienced demo presenter feels pressure to show off all the great features of the platform whether it aligns to the client needs or not. Demo time is valuable, so pausing to ask if you are on track will enable you to use the remaining time effectively, and will engage the client which will refocus their attention.

Conducting a discovery interview is important because it helps the consultant or salesperson understand the client's needs, tailor their solution, and build a relationship with the client. This increases the chances of closing the deal and creating a satisfied customer.