Most Demos Suck. Here’s How to Make them Better.

Imagine this: You're an AE at an innovative SaaS company, and you’ve just secured a demo with a massive enterprise that would be your biggest client yet. You've spent hours prepping and you’re confident your product will impress and win them over. As the demo begins, you launch into a detailed overview, showcasing every feature and functionality with polished slides and a rehearsed script.

But as the minutes tick on, you start to notice disinterest. The decision-maker is looking at his watch, one participant is checking emails, and another is whispering to a colleague. By the time you finish, the energy in the room has evaporated. The questions are few and polite, but you can sense the opportunity slipping away. You wrap up the demo, knowing deep down that you missed the mark, and the deal is likely lost.

I’ve been in the situation I just outlined more times than I’m willing to admit, and, in this week’s newsletter, I want to discuss a few of the painful, practical lessons I’ve learned along the way.

First among them: effective demos aren’t just about presenting features. They’re about telling a compelling story that resonates with your buyer. They need to address the specific needs and challenges, demonstrate the unique advantages of your product, and leave a lasting impression. Poorly executed demos often do the opposite. They bore the audience with generic overviews, fail to highlight differentiators, and neglect to engage participants meaningfully.

Over the next few pages, I want to explore why most demos fail and how to make them better. We’ll get into the common mistakes that undermine demo effectiveness and provide actionable strategies for crafting demos that captivate and convert. Let’s dive in.

The Four Cardinal Sins of a Bad Demo

Even the most promising product demos can fall flat if they succumb to common pitfalls. In this section, we'll explore the four cardinal sins that can derail your demo and leave your audience disengaged and unconvinced. By understanding and avoiding these mistakes, we’ll set the stage for a more impactful and persuasive presentation.

1. Focusing on the wrong content

• Offering a 30,000-foot view: When a demo starts with a broad, high-level overview, it can disengage buyers who are seeking detailed insights and specific value propositions. Buyers come into a demo with specific questions about the product in mind, and high-level overviews are more suited for websites or initial pitches. Starting a demo with “here’s a 30,000-foot view” can prompt buyers to mentally check out.
• Overemphasizing table-stakes functionality: Basic functionalities that competitors also offer should be acknowledged but not dwelled upon. Spending too much time on these can lead buyers to see your product as undifferentiated and start considering cheaper alternatives. Devoting a large portion of the demo to features like role-based views or basic forecasting will make buyers think your product is minimally different from competitors’, and expect you to instead compete on price.

2. Failing to engage your audience

• Not involving all participants in the conversation: Engagement is crucial for a successful demo. Not addressing all participants can lead to missed opportunities for interaction and feedback and make the demo feel one-sided. Ignoring quieter attendees can result in missed insights and less engagement from key decision-makers. Ensuring everyone feels included by addressing them by name and asking for their input keeps the demo dynamic and informative. A good demo should feel like a conversation, not a lecture.
• Not asking engaging questions or seeking feedback: Showing features without inviting feedback or questions leads to a lecture. On the other hand, asking good questions helps gauge interest, clarify points of confusion, and demonstrate your understanding of the buyer’s needs. Asking, “Any questions?” often results in silence. Instead, try, “What was running through your mind as I was sharing that?” to encourage more thoughtful responses.

3. Not balancing content?

• Showing too much or showing too little: Striking the right balance between demonstrating enough to intrigue and not overwhelming the buyer with unnecessary details is key. Overselling and overloading the demo with every possible feature can lead to perceptions of being too complex or expensive, while underselling and showing too few features can make your solution seem inadequate.

4. Not focusing on differentiators

• Not categorizing demo content effectively: Without clearly distinguishing between basic, table-stakes functionalities, comparative differentiators, and unique differentiators, buyers will struggle to see what sets your product apart. Spending most of the demo on table stakes, leaving little time to highlight unique differentiators, causes buyers to view your product as similar to competitors, driving decisions based on cost.
• Ignoring the need to differentiate early: Failing to emphasize what makes your product unique right from the start can result in losing the buyer’s interest. Highlighting differentiators early and often ensures they are top of mind throughout the demo. Starting with generic features and saving unique aspects for later can result in buyers forming an initial impression that your product is no different from others.

A Strategic Framework for Kickass Demos

Crafting a kickass demo requires more than just showcasing features–it demands a strategic approach. In this section, we'll introduce a framework that will help you structure your demo for maximum impact and provide a roadmap for delivering demos that captivate and convert.

1. Start with a strong foundation

• Begin with a "what we heard" slide to review their priorities and challenges: Start your demo by showing that you’ve been listening. Use a “what we heard” slide to summarize the prospect’s priorities, challenges, and desired outcomes, using their exact words. This not only reinforces that you understand their needs but also sets the stage for how your solution addresses these specific points. Asking, “Has anything changed since we last spoke?” can also ensure you are on the same page and make any necessary adjustments.
• Outline the demo content and its relevance with a "what we'll show" slide: After establishing what you’ve heard, transition to a “what we’ll show” slide. Outline the main topics and features you’ll cover and explicitly connect them to the prospect’s priorities. This roadmap keeps your audience focused and helps them understand the relevance of each part of your demo. Clearly stating, “Here’s what we’re going to show today as it relates to your priority of [specific need],” can capture and maintain their interest.

2. Showcase your product's value

• Help buyers envision your solution in their environment: Rather than offering a generic product tour, tailor the demo to show exactly how your product fits into the buyer’s existing processes and environment. Use real-world scenarios that reflect their specific context to make it easier for them to visualize using your product.
• Share outcomes through relatable success stories: Instead of relying solely on statistics, weave in compelling stories that highlight how similar customers achieved success with your product. Stories about real people turning increased productivity into tangible benefits, like promotions, can be far more engaging and memorable than abstract percentages.
• Expose a bigger problem and tie differentiators to it: Expand the buyer’s thinking by exposing a larger issue they may not have fully considered. For example, link forecasting concerns to broader challenges like getting leadership attention on critical deals. Then, tie your product’s unique differentiators to solving this bigger problem. By doing this, you help them see beyond basic needs and understand the deeper value your solution offers.

3. Differentiate your product

• Categorize demo content into table stakes, comparative differentiators, and unique differentiators: Organize your demo content into three categories: table stakes (basic functionalities everyone offers), comparative differentiators (features many competitors have but you do better), and unique differentiators (capabilities only your product offers). This structure helps buyers easily understand and compare your product’s value against others.
• Spend 75% of the demo on differentiators: Focus the majority of your demo on what makes your product stand out. By dedicating the large majority of the demo to your comparative and unique differentiators, you ensure that your key advantages are front and center, making it clear why your solution is superior.
• Explicitly call out your biggest differentiator and its significance: Don’t leave it up to the buyer to deduce your product’s unique strengths. Clearly state your biggest differentiator, explain why it matters, and how it addresses the buyer’s specific needs. For instance, saying, “If there’s one thing you remember from this demo, let it be this: [differentiator] is crucial because [reason],” ensures they understand and remember your product’s standout feature.

Practical Tactics for a Kickass Demo

With a solid strategic framework in place, it's time to dive into the practical tactics that will bring your demo to life. In this section, we'll explore specific techniques for tailoring your language, fostering active participation, and guiding your buyer through the next steps. These actionable insights will help you create an engaging and interactive demo experience that leaves a lasting impression.

1. Tailor the language and content

• Use the customer's exact words to reflect their priorities and problems: Review your discovery notes and incorporate the exact phrases and terminology the customer used to describe their challenges and goals. This personalization shows that you have been listening and understand their specific situation, making your demo more relatable and impactful.
• Understand their current process before showing features for better context: Before diving into your product’s features, ask the prospect to walk you through their current processes. This allows you to tailor your demonstration to directly address their pain points and highlight how your solution can improve their workflow. For example, saying, “Can you walk me through your process for [specific task]?” provides context and makes the comparison more meaningful.

2. Foster active participation

• Involve everyone on the call by engaging participants by name: To ensure that all attendees are engaged, periodically call on individuals by name to get their perspectives or ask questions. This tactic keeps everyone attentive and involved. For example, “Jill, curious to hear your thoughts on this feature. How does it compare to your current process?”
• Ask thought-provoking questions after showing features to gauge interest: Instead of asking, “Any questions?” which often leads to silence, ask more engaging questions like, “What was running through your mind as I was sharing that?” or “How do you see this fitting into your current workflow?” Turning off screen sharing when asking these questions can also make the conversation feel more personal and interactive.

3. Guide the buyer through next steps

• Recommend clear next steps, such as a feature deep-dive, mutual action plan, or pricing discussion: Towards the end of the demo, clearly outline the next steps and explain their value–for instance, “I recommend we schedule a follow-up session to dive deeper into Feature X and discuss how it can specifically benefit your team.” Providing a clear roadmap helps maintain momentum and keeps the sales process moving forward.
• Outline next steps visually with a timeline slide: Use a timeline slide to visually represent the next steps in the process. This could include scoping calls, executive alignment meetings, and proposal reviews with dates associated with each activity. This visual aid helps ensure everyone is on the same page and understands the path forward. Ask for their feedback with, “Does this timeline align with your evaluation process?”
• Lock in the next meeting on the calendar before concluding: Before ending the demo, secure the next meeting date to avoid the back-and-forth of scheduling via email. Politely ask, “Would you mind if we quickly pull up our calendars and lock in a time for our next call?” This approach shows respect for their time and keeps the sales process on track.

Measuring and Improving Demos

A great demo is never finished–it's an ongoing process of refinement and improvement. In this section, we'll discuss how to measure the effectiveness of your demos and continuously optimize your approach. By seeking feedback, assessing engagement, and adapting your strategy based on insights gained, you can ensure that your demos only get better over time, driving increased sales success and win rates.

Get feedback and assess engagement

Ask if anything was missed or if there are any remaining questions: At the end of your demo, take a moment to ask the audience if there was anything they expected to see that wasn’t covered. This ensures that all their needs are addressed and shows that you value their input. A simple question like, “Is there anything you were hoping to see today that we didn’t cover?” can uncover unmet expectations and provide a chance to address them before concluding.

Request a demo rating to understand their interest and address hesitations: Encourage honest feedback by asking the audience to rate the demo on a scale of 1 to 10. This provides immediate insight into how well your presentation was received and helps identify any areas of concern. For example, you could say, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you think our solution meets your needs?” This direct feedback allows you to gauge interest levels and address any hesitations on the spot.

Continuously refine

Analyze feedback and demo ratings to identify areas for improvement: Use the feedback and ratings you receive to continuously improve your demo approach. Look for patterns in the feedback to identify common areas where the demo may be falling short. For instance, if multiple buyers mention that a particular feature was confusing, you can refine how you present that feature in future demos. Regularly reviewing this feedback helps you stay responsive to buyer needs and enhance the effectiveness of your presentations.

Adapt your demo strategy based on insights gained from successful and unsuccessful demos: Learn from both your wins and losses. Analyze successful demos to understand what resonated with buyers and replicate those elements. Conversely, review unsuccessful demos to pinpoint what didn’t work and make necessary adjustments. This iterative process ensures that your demo strategy evolves and improves over time. Incorporate new techniques and strategies that have proven effective, and be willing to experiment with different approaches to find what works best for your audience.

Putting It All Together

Delivering effective demos is both an art and a science. By understanding and addressing the common pitfalls you can transform them. Here’s a brief recap of how to do it:

• Start strong: Begin with a “what we heard” slide to show you understand the prospect’s needs, followed by a “what we'll show” slide to outline the demo’s relevance.
• Showcase value: Help buyers envision your solution in their environment, share relatable success stories, and expose bigger problems that your product uniquely solves.
• Showcase differentiation: Categorize your content into table stakes, comparative differentiators, and unique differentiators, spending most of your time on what sets you apart.
• Engage the audience: Tailor your language, involve all participants, and foster active participation through engaging questions and direct involvement.
• Discuss next steps: Recommend clear next steps, visually outline the process, and secure follow-up meetings before concluding the demo.
• Measure and improve: Seek feedback, assess engagement, and continuously refine your approach based on insights from successful and unsuccessful demos.