Everything You Need to Know about Sales Demos

Will your prospects buy your product without knowing the ins and outs? 
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Around 70% of consumers prefer to purchase services and products from the brands they know! So, the answer to the question is a Big No!
Then, how can you present your product that makes it slide into your prospect's pocket?

That's where the sales demo comes in. Sales demos help your prospect visualize your solution and its benefits to them. 
But, how can you do them effectively? 

What are the essential steps needed for a successful sales demo? 

That's the sole purpose of this article. Let's dive in.

What Is a Sales Demo? 

A demo is just what it sounds like - a presentation of your product. Not only must the salesperson demonstrate the value of their product or service, but they also create a compelling case for why you should choose them over their competitors. 

Sales demos are performed online via a meeting that lets the sales rep and the user interact and understand your product's value. 

Moreover, a sales demonstration's ultimate goal is to showcase your product's value and importance and close the deal. 

A product demo and a sales demo, are they the same? 

No. Both involve showcasing the features of your product. But, a product demo is for existing users who have already invested in your development, and a sales demo is for prospects unfamiliar with it. 

Tips to Give a Successful Sales Demo

Sales demonstrations can make or break the decision of your prospects. So, giving the best and a reason to invest in your product is crucial. 

But how can you create a successful sales demo and crack the deal?

Here are some points that will help you along;

Be Short and crisp 

Would you listen to a pitch that extends for hours? 

A strict no. That's how your prospects feel when you keep explaining everything from logging in to creating an account.  

This means that your prospect's attention span is likely limited. Make sure to offer concise and specific information to capture the most positive response from them. Your hot lead will be somewhat overwhelmed if you give them too much information at once. 

Thus, keep your sales demo short, crisp, and solely focused on value. 

Have a clear agenda 

After the introductory pleasantries, it's time to get right down to business. 

Set up your sales demo agenda and stick to it! 

Inform the prospect about what you will be covering and explain how it is relevant to their problem. Start with a clear introduction, allow yourself a spotlight or two, and end on a solid call to action. 

Focus on solving pains 

Present your solution as a vehicle to alleviate the pain points they've discussed with you on a discovery call. 

Discuss how your ideas solve their specific problems and address how your thoughts can help solve them. Use specific concepts or phrases that describe their pain points.

Understand the pain points your customers face and develop a clear insight into how resolving them could potentially make lives easier. Then communicate what that 'new perspective' might mean for them. By doing so, you can work together toward agreeing on an outcome.

Make it a conversation over a demo sales

When you start communicating in a robotic tone, prospects won't listen to you! 

Of course, you must speak about your product, but don't forget to make them humanised. 

To avoid getting off the wrong foot, ensure you're approachable, trustworthy, and accurate at the beginning of the call. At this stage, you and your potential client probably don't know each other very well.

Engage them by building a connection based on the common ground, then use this to encourage them through the sales demo. 

Let the prospects ask questions

Try to keep the sales demonstration as interactive as possible. Let your prospects ask questions or interact with them before moving from one part to another. 

Even though you have a separate Q&A section at the end of the presentation, let them ask questions. And sometimes, the question itself can be a deal-breaker.

So, lead your sales demo more as a healthy conversation than a sales pitch to increase the probability of closing the deal. 

Have clear next steps 

After talking over the details of your "demo call," you should discuss what to do next. What is their schedule like, who will they be reporting to, and by when? 

Will you close the deal or move them to the next part of the selling cycle? 

A good demo call will bring you closer to the final transaction, but especially in more significant deals, this lone step rarely holds up either. So make sure you know what's coming next when the timing comes calling!

Sales Demo Best Practices Organizations Must Know

You can make your sales demo more interactive and fruitful by following established practices. Here are some of them that will help you nail your sales demo; 

Personalization 

Personalize the sales demo that syncs with the needs of your prospects. Your demo will vary depending on what's most relevant to their business and situation. 

But, make sure your demo is tailored and customized to their needs with only the essential information they need. To narrow down features that matter more than others, show how they can impact your prospects negatively or positively.

Explain what you are doing 

This might seem obvious, but when you're having a call with a prospect, it's essential to stop and explain the reasons behind each step of your sales process. 

When you know your product or service inside out, it can be easy to begin talking too quickly. Because it seems so obvious that you may miss vital information necessary for the prospect to understand how they could find value in what you are trying to sell them. The product is the same, whether you are selling it or not - tonality matters!

Don't complicate 

Few things bother people more than being fed information that wastes their time. Before you launch into a full-length demo, be sure to serve your presentation in appetizer-sized portions by spotlighting only the features most relevant to your audience and their situation. 

How to Prepare For Your Sales Demo

You might think a successful demo requires the perfect pitch and plenty of facts. But the truth is that even the best presentations begin with a dedication to the essential steps below; 

• Set up a discovery call to uncover pain points, build rapport, and identify key decision-makers.
• When making a sale, no one wants to delay, so don't make your prospects wait for long periods when you're trying to schedule a call or meeting with them. Don't leave any room for error; if you have to reschedule it to stay on time, then do it!
• Create a solid agenda and stick to it.
• Ensure that you have all the pain points on your agenda and focus on solving those pain points with your product. 
• Focus on that one main feature that solves your prospects' pains and highlights them.
• Don't repeat anything that you have addressed before. It will paint you as a hesitant person. 
• Address any crucial questions your prospects have at the end of the meeting. 
• Plan next steps, and if needed, plan the number of follow-ups. 

Things To Do During a Sales Demo 

Whether you are selling a hardware or software product, these are the things you should do during a sales demo.

Be prepared

You don't want to miss this opportunity by not having enough information on hand or being caught off guard by a potential customer's question. Be organized, know what questions they will likely ask (and prepare answers for them!). 

Provide background

Tell your prospect why you are the best option. How much experience do you have in the industry? What is unique about your product or service? What do you need to offer that satisfies their needs? 

Be clear and concise, providing a simple and easy-to-follow background on what your product does and how it will benefit them.

Make sure they are getting value

The most important thing you can do during a sales demo is ensured they walk away with something valuable. Set specific goals for yourself at the start of the meeting and stick to them, though don't be afraid to improvise! 

Your product may need more work, but even if it doesn't – leaving a lasting impression is the best way to close a deal.

Address any questions the prospect has

You may be able to answer some of these questions yourself, but if not, take the time to research them before your meeting and offer a solution. 

Create a small outline of what you will discuss during your appointment so that you aren't scrambling to remember everything when the time comes.

Take it slow

The sales demo is meant to be an interactive experience, so you are more likely to answer more questions than they are asking. So don't feel like you need to hurry through your demonstration.

Keep it engaging throughout – slow down and find the right balance between showing off your product and getting answers from your prospect.

What To Do After a Sales Demo?

Once the demo is over, it's time to reflect on what went well, what could be improved, and what you need to do to close the deal.

Communicate immediately

Getting all of your prospects' questions answered will help you better prepare for your next sales demo. But it's also essential to get in touch with everyone afterward and let them know how their experience went. 

This will show that you cared about their experience and invested their time – which is a great way to build rapport, especially for repeat customers.

Follow up

After the first meeting with your prospect, let them know precisely when you will be back in touch with them. Let's have a look at the below example. It's a general mail that can work in multiple circumstances. 

In addition, you can offer a follow-up package, like a case study, that will further your product's value to them.

Do analysis

Once you have more sales demos, you'll have much information to analyze and consider. What are the common questions that prospects are asking? Are there any topics that interest them more than others? How effective was your delivery? How did certain parts of your sales demo perform better than others? 

These are all crucial questions to consider. So get to work and identify what you can do better next time!

Do Q&A

It can be a little hard to remember everything said during a sales demo, so be sure to be prepared for any questions or objections your prospect might have. 

You can create an email template in advance so that you are ready for any questions or objections and have them written down on paper.

Sales Demo Tools You Can Try in 2022

As you can guess, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for a sales demo. Every prospect is different, so you'll need to customize your presentations to meet their needs. 

Here are 6 of the most popular ones for you to try!

1. S‎torylane

Storylane is an early-day tool that's simple to use. You can customize this tool for your own needs, so you will be able to find the right ones for your presentations. 

This sales demo tool has many features and is easy to learn, making it an ideal choice for new users. Storylane helps you edit more efficiently than traditional PowerPoint and allows you to collaborate with other people easily.

2. Mockaroo

Are you looking for a way to generate accurate data for your sales demos? Look no further than Mockaroo! With Mockaroo, you can create a set of data of any size and export them to CSV or JSON. 

Their cloud-based platform makes it easy to start and scale as your needs change. You will be delighted to know that they are free for up to 1,000 rows of data. So why wait? Sign up for Mockaroo today and take your sales demos to the next level!

3. Figma Prototypes

To help you create a more transparent and more appealing representation of your product or service, Figma Prototypes can be a great option. You can use this tool to conduct a quick editable mockup of your product or design or use it as a prototype for your future sales demo. 

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There are limited revisions and sharing features, so you will have plenty of time to make any necessary changes after creating the initial version. You can create 3 Figma files for free.

4. Lucidchart

This sales demo tool is best for complex and simple diagrams with much detail. Lucidchart is unique because it allows your team to edit and collaborate on one document, making it an excellent choice for negotiations and effective planning. 

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This tool has been used by millions of people across the globe, so you will be in good company if you choose to use Lucidchart! Their basic version is free, but their premium features come at a small cost.

5. Google Slides

One of the popular early-day tools is Google slides. Almost everyone uses this because it's easy to use and has a simple interface. Google Slides is used for sales demos to display products or services because it allows you to include images, videos, and links within your slides. 

You can also use many templates, so you don't have to start from scratch with this tool.

Wrapping up

That's it. We have listed everything about the sales demo before you. What's next?

Just research your prospects' pain points and craft a sales demo accordingly. Selecting the best sales demo software will help you in nailing the game. 

While selecting a sales demo tool, ensure that it has interactive and personalized sales demo features. Doing so can lead your demo sales to a spicy one rather than a boring-hour-long sales pitch. 

The all-in-one sales demo tool to help you drive sales is Storylane. From demonstrating your product features to guiding your prospects on using it effectively, we got you covered. Try a free sales demo with us; we will advise you on how to dig out the maximum from it. Give it a try.