Demo Don’t: Rampaging Pronouns!

 

I was watching a demo today and heard the vendor use a pile of personal pronouns in their delivery: Multiple and mixed uses of “I, me, we, you, them, they, us, she, her, he, and him…” 

 

I could also see the audience getting more and more confused. It was very hard to tell who was doing what to whom!

 

There is only one pronoun that should be used by the vendor in a demo: “You.” It’s all about the prospect!

 

(Some people use “we,” but it is important to keep the problem and the responsibility for the solution, along with its benefits, squarely on the prospect’s shoulders: It’s “You!”

 

Additionally, while I know I’ve come across formal studies of the effectiveness of using “you,” I don’t have any at hand and would love to see a reference or two!)

 

The moral? Avoid “Rampaging Pronouns” in your demos!

One Picture = One Great Software Screen = ??

 

If one picture is worth 1000 words, then one great software screen is worth 1000 mouse clicks!

Demo Caffeine!

 

“Ready to transform your demos from "show up and throw up" to decisive deal catalysts?”

 

I joined Tom Pisello the “ROI Guy” and April Morley of the Enterprise Value Collective for this well-brewed discussion on their fabulous Value Coffee Podcast:

 

(Minutes:Seconds into the recording)

0:00     Introductions.

1:30     What do buyers expect when they click the “Book a Demo” button?

3:00     Flipping the script on traditional, boring overview demos.

5:45     Avoiding “Buying It Back.”

7:00     An interesting and important aspect of human attention and retention.

9:00     Meeting expectations…

10:00   The recipe for Vision Generation Demos.

13:00   The segue into discovery!

13:30   Tom’s version as an alternative, yet similar approach.

14:45   The reasons for No Decision outcomes.

15:30   Identifying Critical Business Issues.

16:00   The importance of tangible value.

16:45   The importance of Critical Dates/Compelling Events.

18:00   The book that should have been written first: Doing Discovery!

19:00   Identifying outcomes and associated value.

20:15   Uncovering Deltas.

21:30   Attaching the value to the software screens.

22:00   Sales-presales teaming.

23:00   An amusing analogy for demos.

24:00   An example of team play during the demo.

24:30   Defined roles…

25:30   Leveraging the Primacy-Recency effect.

27:45   Two words to avoid in demos…

 

Play the recording at 1.5x speed to get the full effect of the caffeine and enjoy!

Demo Do: Take a Page from Recipes

Ever notice how nearly every recipe online opens with an image of the completed dish, the end result? And ever notice how they don’t start by showing the ingredients or the steps?

 

Why do you think they do this?

 

It’s because one of the most effective ways to entice people to explore a recipe is to show them the completed product. If it looks delicious, we are much more likely to give it a try!

 

(Of course, if it doesn’t look good, we are much less likely to follow it! And, if there is no photo at all, like some old cookbooks, we probably won’t even read the recipe…)

 

The same principle applies to software demos: Audiences want to see the end result first. Then, if the result looks (ahem) appetizing, they may want to learn how it works and the steps involved.

 

I first discovered this principle around 1999 when I was a prospect on the receiving end of vendors’ demos. The idea evolved into a practice and then the full Great Demo! methodology, subsequently validated in studies of tens of thousands of demos.

 

Great Demo! continues to advance, improving win rates while offering elegant and effective solutions to painful “overview” demos (by applying Vision Generation demos), reducing No Decision outcomes (through efficient pre-demo discovery), increasing retention via compelling storytelling techniques, and many more practices.

 

For some delicious bite-sized appetizer ideas, explore the blog and articles on the Resources pages at GreatDemo.com. For a richer dining experience, consume the Doing Discovery and Great Demo! books (both available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and Audiobook formats). And for a complete hands-on experience to improve your demo and discovery skills, enroll in a Great Demo! or Doing Discovery Public or company-specific Workshop!

 

Bon appétit!

Demo Don’t: Don’t Bury the Lede!

Definition of lede:

1. The introductory section of a news story that is intended to entice the reader to read the full story.

Would you ever read a news story starting from the bottom? Or the middle?

 

Nope.

 

Then why do so many demos ignore this practical guidance and start with “how to set things up,” or drag you through “a day in the life,” or slog you through the vendor’s entire workflow?

 

And why do so many demos “save the best for last?”

 

Why indeed? Here’s what I hear:

 

-       “We’ve always done our demos this way…”

-       “We were taught to do it like that…”

-       “That’s our ‘Gold Demo’ approach…!”

-       “Marketing gave us the demo script...”

-       “Sales says to do it that way…”

 

Do any of these responses make it right? Nope.

 

Instead, consider a validated approach for success: “Do the Last Thing First!”

 

Start your demos with the “Wow!” screens that entice the viewer to engage. You’ll find a bite-sized intro in this article and the full instructions in the Third Edition of Great Demo!

 

Don’t bury the lede in your demos!

How Bad Is the Pain? Is It Critical?

 

Sales teams are taught to uncover “pain,” but the presence of pain may be insufficient to drive a sales opportunity forward. This is why we differentiate between “pain” and a Critical Business Issue. It’s also the difference between an opportunity that results in a No Decision outcome vs moves forward with a purchase!

 

People (and prospects) are often willing to live with pain, sometimes forever! But pain that is sufficiently painful and impacts an organization’s and individual’s goals and objectives has a much higher likelihood of getting addressed. That pain is causing a Critical Business Issue.

 

Here are some examples of pain vs Critical Business Issues:

 

You’ve cut yourself and you are bleeding. Is bad enough that you need to head to the hospital?

 

-       If not, it’s (literally!) just a pain (Problems/Reasons, in Great Demo! Situation Slides). A bandage should take care of it.

-       If yes, it’s a Critical Business Issue (your life may be at stake if you keep bleeding!).

 

Similarly, you have a pain in your abdomen that’s been bothering you for a week. Is it bad enough that you should see a doctor?

 

-       If not, it’s (again literally!) just a pain and you’ll try to ignore it.

-       If yes, it’s a Critical Business Issue as your health is likely at stake!

 

You’re outside, it’s very cold, and you are underdressed for the conditions. Do you need to put on more clothing?

 

-       If not, it’s just cold for now and you’ll warm up once you get back inside.

-       If yes, it’s a Critical Business Issue because you may be freezing to death!

 

Similarly, you’re outside, it’s very cold, and while most of your body is well-insulated your hands are exposed. Do you need to get some gloves?

 

-       If not, it’s your hands can tolerate it for now and you’ll wrap them around a hot chocolate once you are done.

-       If yes, it’s a Critical Business Issue since your fingers are turning frightening shades of blue!

 

You are a salesperson and are considering doing some cold-calling, which you hate to do! Do you pick up the phone or hold off for another time?

 

-       If you are making your numbers (quota), you choose to hold off. You’ve got enough inbound leads to work for the present.

-       If achieving your quota is at risk, it’s a Critical Business Issue, and you sigh deeply, but start dialing!

 

You are a salesperson and just received a massive RFP which takes hours to complete, and you know that success rates are low. Do you start filling it out?

 

-       If you are making your numbers (quota), you leave it in your Inbox, but ignore it otherwise. You’ve got enough opportunities in your pipeline for now.

-       If you are not making your numbers, it’s a Critical Business Issue, and you sigh very deeply and start the response!

 

You are a sales manager, concerned about this quarter’s forecast. You have reps that “sandbag,” (who understate the probability of their opportunities closing, so that they can look like heroes when the business comes in) and you have reps that suffer from “Happy Ears” (whose optimistic forecasted opportunities often end in No Decision outcomes and never close). What do you do?

 

-       If you are confident that enough opportunities will close by quarter end, then you make some notes about “need to coach these guys” but do nothing.

-       If you feel that your forecast is at risk, it’s a Critical Business Issue and you schedule time with each rep to review their opportunities (and you check their definitions of “pain” to see if they have tied their prospects’ pains to real Critical Business Issues!).

 

Learn more about the differences between simple “pain” and Critical Business Issues in Doing Discovery: What you learn may directly impact your ability to achieve your objectives (and head to “President’s Club”)!

 

There are also articles on the Resources pages at GreatDemo.com that provide more insights:

 

-       Uncovering Critical Business Issues – What, Why, and How

-       Avoiding No Decision Outcomes

Regional vs International English: Be Aware!

 

A while ago I was delivering a Great Demo! Workshop in Europe to an international audience and during our first break, a woman came up to me and asked me to:

 

1.     Slow down a bit and

2.     Be more careful with my choice of words.

 

This was a great reminder and humbling. When presenting to non-native and non-U.S. English speakers I work hard to slow down my delivery and try to use “internationally” understood English words and phrases, while avoiding U.S.-specific colloquialisms. I believe I generally do a good job, but it was clear I could do better!

 

It can be challenging for non-native-English audiences to work in English. It can be confusing, at minimum, and very tiring overall! Accordingly, U.S. folks presenting to international audiences need to be aware of their word and phrase choices (and vice versa).

 

Here are some examples of colloquialisms that might cause confusion. How many of these have you heard or used?

 

-       “The cat’s out of the bag.”

-       “That dog don’t hunt.”

-       “It was wicked.”

-       “Piece of cake.”

-       “That’s just putting lipstick on a pig.”

-       “Break a leg.”

-       “Hit it out of the park.”

-       “Out of left field.”

-       “That’s the minor leagues.”

-       “Monday morning quarterback.”

-       “The whole nine yards.”

-       “It fell through the cracks.”

-       “We threw him under the bus.” 

-       “Off kilter.”

-       “Out of whack.”

 

(What others should be added to this list?)

 

Now, contemplate the challenges faced by your prospects in discovery conversations and demos when peppered with these U.S.-specific phrases.  

 

One of our top priorities in doing discovery and delivering demos is clarity of communication. We should take the guidance from my Workshop participant and:

 

1.     Slow down.

2.     Choose words and word phrases that are as international-English as possible…!

 

Interestingly, it cuts both ways. Just as U.S.-based phrases can be confusing to non-U.S. audiences, other international regionalisms can be equally puzzling. Here are some UK-based examples followed by a rough U.S. translation):

 

-       “Let’s table that.” (The U.S. translates this as the opposite of what other English-speaking countries mean!)

-       “Cover off.” (Completed.)

-       “Football.” (Soccer, the beautiful game.)

-       “Thongs.” (Flip flops, zories, clam diggers…)

-       “Entrée.” (Appetizer.)

-       “Chips and crisps.” (French fries and chips.)

-       “Rubber.” (Eraser.)

-       “Storey.” (Floor.)

-       “First floor.” (Second floor.)

 

Winston Churchill (or George Bernard Shaw or Oscar Wilde) famously remarked that the U.S. and the UK “are two countries separated by a common language.”

 

Even within the U.S. meanings change regionally. For example:

 

-       “Wicked” – ask someone from Boston.

-       “Sugar” – as in “Give me some sugar…!”

-       “Pasty” – pale or delicious?

-       “Dressing” vs “stuffing.”

-       “Fix” – repair vs about to…

-       “Dope” – don’t even get me started on this…!

-       “Pop” vs “soda.”

-       “Shopping cart” vs “carriage” vs “buggy” (vs “trolley” in the UK).

-        “Puppy chow” – a U.S. Midwest human food item.

-       “Ugly” – unpleasant looking vs rude or unkind.

-       “Awesome” – can mean absolutely anything …!

 

The moral? Be aware of your audience and use “International” English when appropriate.

A Clever Way to Identify Critical Business Issues – Before the Call!

  

A recent Great Demo! Workshop graduate asked, “How can we find relevant Critical Business Issues (CBIs) for prospects with job titles that are unfamiliar to us?”

 

Excellent question! This can happen frequently for new sales team members and when moving into new markets, new verticals, or when launching new products.

 

Try searching online for a job description for that specific job title and industry. What you find often provides wonderful information on that job title’s likely top-level challenges and, therefore, their likely CBIs.

 

Additionally, the descriptions of the role and responsibilities provide good material for discovery discussions of “Problems/Reasons.” This same information can help populate Situation Slides for Vision Generation demos, as well!

 

For example, you’ve been asked to present to a “Manager, Financial Analyst” in a large banking organization. A quick search using “manager financial analyst banking job description” yields several excellent overviews, including:

 

“A Financial Analyst, or Accounting Analyst, studies a company’s financial data to give advice for guiding business investments and overall financial strategy. Their duties include predicting the return on investment for different stocks and business ventures, writing financial reports and collecting industry research to inform decision making.

 

Financial Analysts gather data to understand the trends affecting a specific type of product, geographical region or industry to help their clients make important investment decisions. They often have the following responsibilities:

 

-       Analyze financial data and provide forecasting support.

-       Prepare reports and projections based on financial data.

-       Recommend individual and collections of investments, also known as portfolios.

-       Evaluate current and previous financial data.

-       Study business and economic trends.

-       Determine a company’s value by examining its financial statements.”

 

(Thanks, Indeed!)

 

Based on this example, a good CBI starting point might be, “Deliver accurate and timely reports on yearly growth, return on assets, return on equity and earnings per share.”

 

It’s all out there on the web, apparently…!

 

You can learn more about the use of CBIs and Vision Generation Demos in the Third Edition of Great Demo!