The Role of Sales in Great Demos

Regarding the role of sales in demos, here’s what NOT to do:

1.       Nothing.

2.       Way too much.

Let me elaborate…

Sales people have a specific and carefully choreographed role in demos when following the Great Demo! methodology.  Here are some of the key ideas for face-to-face demos:

0.       Before the demo:  ensure that sufficient Discovery information has been uncovered and communicated to the balance of the team (e.g., presales person), along with the other pre-demo information on players, timing, location, etc.

1.       Introductions:  Sales should ask the Three Questions (What is your name?  What is your job title?  What would you like to accomplish in our demo today?).

2.       Situation Slides:  Sales should present the Situation Slide(s). 

3.       Illustrations:  Not required, but desired – the best sales people can competently (and confidently) present Illustrations.  This also enables them to deliver Vision Generation demos, as well.

4.       Questions:  Sales should field and park questions, as appropriate.  (They should also be tracking what was asked and answered, so that they can be properly prepared for the Final Summary).

5.       Intermediate Summaries:  Sales should be ready to deliver summaries after each major “chunk”.

6.       Rescues:  Sales should be prepared to “rescue” the presales person, when needed (e.g., bugs, crashes, getting “lost in the weeds”, etc.).

7.       Final Summary:  The sales person should deliver the final summary, including a review of the questions asked, answers provided, and any action items to be pursued (for both the vendor and the customer).

For comparison (and amusement), here is a longer list of what NOT to do:

0.       Before the demo:  communicate little or no information to the balance of the team (e.g., presales person).

1.       Introductions of the vendor’s team, but nothing about the customer.

2.       Any corporate overview presentation that is longer than 1 slide or 1 minute.

3.       Sitting in the back of the room, doing email or texting.

4.       Not paying attention or being “present”.

5.       Piling on (adding an additional answer to every question already answered by someone else).  For a really amusing experience, get two sales people who naturally “pile on” in a demo and watch them try to out-do the other.  Great fun, if you have no desire to win the business…