Pre-answering Questions?

I read a recent post from a training firm suggesting that demo presenters should pre-answer questions that the audience has not asked – and (even worse) suggested that the presenter introduce the questions themselves rhetorically so that the answers can be delivered.

Gack.

Please do this if:

-        You want to take away the possibility of a two-way conversation and turn the session into a fire-hose delivery of features and functions (frankly frightening).

-        You want to “Buy It Back” by introducing features that your customer doesn’t feel they need (and don’t want to pay for).

-        You want to elongate the demo from a crisp focused session into a (much) longer, indistinct seminar.

-        You want to encourage audience members to take you into the weeds.

-        You want the high-ranking folks to leave early (and before you’ve gotten to the “best stuff”).

-        You want your demo to sound like most other traditional demos…

Note:  When should these issues/questions/capabilities be introduced?  Everyone say it together, “In Discovery!”