A prospect reported:
“We told the vendors over 90% of orders came via phone
and need to be completed in 45 seconds.
One vendor decided to show all the different ways
to access features and the different options for creating orders.
They spent 5 minutes creating an order as they did all this.
Our response:
'This is too complicated for us;
we'll never get an order done in 45 seconds.’”
(Thanks, Ted!)
Moral: Execute ALL demo pathways using the fewest number of clicks!
Just “Do It” – Great Demo!
Sadly, not enough!
Most focus on the least important idea:
how the software works.
And they ignore
what problems need to be addressed,
why it is important, and the
value of making the change.
Use these attributes and assess -
Setting Context:
Who is this for (who should watch it and why)?
Problem Identification:
What problems are being addressed (or need to be addressed)?
Solution Presentation:
What solutions are offered?
Value Communication:
What is the tangible value of making the change?
Length:
Is the length consistent with the objective of the demo?
(E.g., Vision Generation vs Technical Proof vs Training)
Call to Action:
What do you want your prospect to do?
Simplicity:
Does it communicate a message that can be easily retold?
Clarity:
Is it easy to understand?
Engagement:
Are prospects focusing on the demo or multi-tasking?
And here are resources to help improve your automated demos:
Reading:
https://greatdemo.com/automated-demos-best-practices-specific-guidance/
Self-paced online training:
https://demoboost.com/courses/great-demo-playbook
Hands-on workshops for individuals and teams:
Paul Pearce PPearce@GreatDemo.com (Americas)
Natasja Bax NBax@GreatDemo.com (EMEA)
I just saw an offer for a 3-minute “MasterClass”
I’m amused.
The MasterClass overflows with content
Briming with compelling analogies and stories
Bursting with intriguing data
Flooded with nuance.
Lifting people swiftly
From novice to advanced beginner
To competency
To proficiency
To expert
And to mastery in no time!
(Well, 3 minutes, but they could have shaved away a full minute
Without sacrificing the quality of the offering!)
And their 1-minute “DeepDive”
and their 7-second “OverView”
will be similarly informative beyond compare!
“Ugh – I learned it the hard way. This would have saved me five years!”
“I didn’t realize what I was doing was a bad habit until now!”
“I’ve been doing discovery and demos for over ten years, but this story really opened my eyes.”
“I’m buying copies for my entire team.”
“I just used one of your stories to win a deal!”
Suspending Disbelief: A Collection of Sales, Presales, and Marketing Stories (and Lessons Learned) delivers thirty-five engaging and humorous very short stories about sales, presales, marketing, and customer success experiences.
Each bitesize story is easily consumed and enjoyed in just a few minutes, and shares a valuable, long-lasting lesson learned – that could save you years!
Here’s what more people are saying:
- “Every one of these bonbons of wisdom were educational and entertaining at the same time.”
- “They are amusing! Shorter, digestible nuggets with a clean take-away/moral.”
- “Gentle reminders of important lessons in a way that’s impossible to forget.”
- “Fun, relatable tales that reinforce all the best practices.”
- “‘A Prospects Tale,’ should be required annual reading.”
The book is now available in paperback and Kindle versions here: https://tinyurl.com/yc7rsrmy
A very good sales methodology trainer shared this wonderful story.
She said:
“There were two vendors competing for a prospect’s business,
a very large opportunity.
Both vendors were evenly matched feature for feature,
But one salesperson had a critical advantage: deep experience!
She decided to set a trap…
She knew that her competitor invited prospects to their headquarters
for a day of Executive Briefing Center meetings.
A nice catered lunch was always included,
and occasionally dinner, as well, at a local restaurant.
Before the prospect embarked on the trip to the competitor’s headquarters,
she said, ‘I know our competition will be inviting you to visit them
and I want to ask you NOT to be swayed by how they treat you…’
She continued, ‘They may pay for a private jet and when you arrive,
they should have a limo waiting for you at the airport.
They’ll probably book a suite for you at the finest hotel in the city.
They’ll likely pick you up in the morning from your hotel in a limo
and after the day’s meetings, they may take you to the
best restaurant in the city for a sumptuous meal.
And, of course, your return trip should include the limo back to the airport
and a private jet back home.
This is how they have treated other very important prospects.
I want you to promise that you’ll not let this experience
influence your decision…’ she said.
And the prospect promised accordingly.
The day of the trip to the competitor’s headquarters came and
the prospect arrived at the airport, went to the airline counter
and was given a coach seat in the middle of the plane.
The prospect assumed that there ‘must have been a hiccup.’
Arriving at the destination, the prospect looked for a limo,
but nope, no limo, so the prospect took an Uber to the hotel.
Arriving, the prospect was surprised to find the lodging was
A standard room in an uninspiring ‘chain’ hotel.
The next morning the prospect looked for a limo,
but had to take an Uber to the competitor’s headquarters.
After the full day of meetings, the prospect was ready
for a nice evening meal, but there was no such plan.
The competitor’s staff went home at the end of the meetings,
leaving the prospect heading back to the hotel in yet another Uber.
As for dinner, the sad prospect ate alone in the hotel restaurant.
You can probably guess the key elements of the return journey:
no limo, no private jet. Just another Uber ride and, sadly,
the dreaded middle-seat in coach on the return flight.
The salesperson contacted the prospect after the trip
and asked how it went.
The prospect said, ‘I was really disappointed!
Nothing in the travel arrangements was as I expected –
it was a very discouraging experience.
I’m concerned that that they will treat me the same way
as a customer, so I’m giving the business to you.’”
Trap set and sprung!
PS – I wouldn’t do this myself, but the story was instructive,
offering a good lesson on how setting and managing expectations
can impact a sale.
And here are three resources for ETHICAL customer-facing practices:
Suspending Disbelief:
Doing Discovery
https://www.amazon.com/Doing-Discovery-Important-Enablement-Processes/dp/B0B8RJK4C2/
Great Demo! Third Edition:
