Your product demo is one of the most critical elements of your B2B SaaS sales strategy. Done right, an effective demo educates prospects, builds credibility, and moves deals forward. Done wrong, a poor demo confuses buyers, fails to address their key concerns, and can stop the sales process dead in its tracks.
Start by determining the specific goals and objectives for your demo. Do you want to educate new prospects about your offering? Overcome objections from hesitant buyers? Excite customers about new features?
Next, identify who will be attending the demo and their roles. Tailor the content and messaging to match their level of knowledge and address their unique concerns. A demo for executives should focus on business outcomes and ROI, while a demo for end users should spotlight functionality and key features.
With a clear purpose and understanding of your audience, you can craft a compelling demo experience that resonates with the specific people in the virtual room. Achieve your goals by speaking directly to their needs and priorities.
Selecting the ideal presenter for your product demo is essential. The person leading the demo should be an expert in your solution and able to articulate its value clearly. They need to think on their feet, address questions confidently, and build rapport and trust with prospects.
For technical products, an engineer or solutions architect may be a good choice. They can speak in-depth to capabilities and implementation details. For business-focused solutions, a sales rep or customer success manager may be better suited to lead the demo and discuss business outcomes.
No matter who presents, be sure they are well-trained, experienced in delivering demos, and able to represent your company and product in the best possible light. The presenter makes a huge impact on how your demo and solution are perceived. Choose wisely for the best results.
An effective demo highlights how your solution solves the specific problems and challenges faced by your prospects. Open your demo by discussing their key pain points, needs, and priorities. Show exactly how your software addresses those issues and the benefits they can expect.
For example, if speaking with a VP of Sales, focus on how your solution can increase revenue, improve sales productivity, and provide actionable insights. For an IT Director, discuss how you strengthen security, reduce tech overhead, and drive operational efficiency. Hone in on the outcomes that matter most to your audience.
Discussing pain points upfront helps ensure you are focused on what really matters to your prospects. It also builds credibility by demonstrating your understanding of their unique situation and needs. Focusing the demo on addressing their challenges will keep them engaged and eager to learn more about your solution.
One of the most compelling parts of a product demo is discussing how current customers found success. Share case studies, stories, and examples of clients similar to your prospect who achieved meaningful results. Discuss the specific problems they faced, how your solution helped, and the outcomes and ROI they experienced.
Customer stories build confidence that your product can deliver real value. They provide social proof and help prospects envision the impact your solution could have on their own organization. While features and functionality are important, success stories bring your capabilities to life and demonstrate the experience prospects can expect as customers.
Come prepared to share relevant stories, statistics, and examples for the specific audience in your demo. Have a few case studies highlighting clients in their industry or facing comparable challenges. Discuss the benefits and wins those customers realized from your solution. Success stories are incredibly persuasive and help turn prospects into believers and buyers.
Once you've ended your demo, create an interactive self-driving demo for your champion so they can socialize internally. The same story you said can now be delivered by your champion across the entire company. All of our sales calls end with a Lancey powered leave-behind demo to socialize internally.
End your product demo by outlining exactly what happens next in the sales process. Walk prospects through the specific steps to purchase and implement your solution. Discuss timelines, requirements, costs, and resources needed to become a customer and get started.
Explaining next steps achieves a few important goals:
End your demo on a high note by outlining how simple you make the process of purchasing and getting started with your solution. Issue a strong CTA and prompt interested prospects to take action and engage further. Discussing next steps is a key part of moving your demo audience into customers.
While an experiential product demo is important, you also need to keep it concise. A long, drawn out presentation will lose your audience and fail to convey a clear message. Focus on the essential elements of your solution and the specific capabilities that will resonate most with your prospects.
Some tips for a concise yet impactful demo include:
A concise yet compelling product demo focuses in on the most powerful and important elements of your solution. It conveys key benefits and outcomes as clearly and memorably as possible within a limited time frame. By keeping your demo targeted and avoiding unnecessary tangents, you make the biggest impact possible and leave prospects eager to learn more.
Following the 7 commandments of product demos will help you craft an experience that resonates with your audience and fuels your sales pipeline. Define your purpose and understand your audience. Choose a presenter able to articulate your value. Focus on pain points and share success stories. Explain next steps and make it experiential. Keep it concise yet impactful.
With practice and persistence, you can master the art of delivering a killer product demo. Track key metrics and get feedback to continuously improve your demos and conversion rates over time. An amazing demo is one of the most powerful tools in your sales arsenal. When done well, it educates buyers on how you can change their world for the better and moves them closer to becoming customers.
