“It’s easier to learn than unlearn…!”
Imagine you’ve just hired a new group of presales folks, or you are running an internal presales academy…
Traditionally, one of the first things you have them learn is the standard end-to-end demo, often referred to as the “Bronze” or “Gold” demo. The good news is that they typically learn everything about the product this way.
The bad news is that they are set up to regurgitate that same boring, long, linear, traditional Harbor Tour demo when presenting to your prospects. They are “victims of momentum.”
Let’s contemplate flipping the script on this approach and explore a new model!
Start by providing your new team members with real-life discovery info collected from your prospect executives who became customers. Have the new folks digest that info and then ask them what they would show in a demo to one of these executives as a new prospect. This sets the stage for presenting crisp, focused demos, right from the very beginning!
Next, teach them how to demo the capabilities that match the discovery information. These demos will be short and directly to the point!
Once they have demos for executives under their belts, go one level down and give them discovery info from prospect middle managers who also became customers. Discuss and help them prepare focused demos for this group. These demos will most likely go a bit longer and deeper than those for the execs. Practice as necessary.
Who’s next? Discovery and demos for prospect staff members who, once again, became customers. These demos will get much more detailed and will likely focus on specific workflows.
Finally, provide discovery information from prospect system administrators (who also became customers) and challenge your developing team to present demos for this prospect subset.
Your team will ultimately learn everything they need to know about your product(s), and they’ll have a fabulous focus on what’s most important to each prospect cadre.
What’s the impact of this approach?
- Your team is delightfully aligned to your prospects’ interests.
- Your team doesn’t have to unlearn demo practices, which can be harder than learning things the right way first!
- Onboarding time may be reduced, perhaps substantially, since everything that is being learned is relevant; no time is wasted on capabilities and workflows that aren’t used.
An additional bonus is the wonderful anchoring effect that takes place. Your new team “anchors” on two key practices:
1. Working from discovery to demo as the right way to operate, and
2. That short and sweet delivery is the norm, and longer demos are less optimal!
What about your “key differentiators?” Well, if these capabilities haven’t been in demand by your existing customers, then they aren’t positive differentiators! Conversely, if they are included in the discovery notes coming from real prospects, then you are in alignment with reality!
Thoughts? Please let me know if you are already doing this now (and the results) or the outcomes if you try this approach with an upcoming group of new hires!
“You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way.”
– Michael Jordan
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