5 Proven Ways to Increase Demo Requests

From wondering "Will it work for us?" to getting a live demo, here's how to convince website visitors your product is the answer.

Getting potential customers to request a demo through your website is crucial. But a wrong move can send them straight to your competitor.

We've compiled 5 effective ways to boost your demo request conversions, along with expert product marketer insights to help you optimize your demo signup page.

What is a Demo Request?

A demo request is when a potential customer asks for a live demonstration of your product. This helps them understand how it addresses their specific needs, workflows, and goals. Through a demo signup page, they can request a demo in exchange for their contact information.

During the demo, your sales or pre-sales team will showcase the product's functionalities and explain how it can help them achieve desired results.

5 Ways to Increase Demo Requests on Your Website

Just because you have a lead capture form on your pricing or feature pages doesn't guarantee visitors will sign up for a demo. Here's how to nudge them in the right direction:

1. Offer Interactive Product Demos on Homepages

Attention spans are short. Most visitors won't commit to a 14-day trial right away. Interactive demos provide a taste of your product, convincing them to book a live demo without the hassle of a trial.

87.7% sellers noticed an improvement in their online sales after adding interactive videos to their website. Josaih B, content marketing manager at Fulcrum shared that the interactive demo video he placed on their website which allowed visitors to experience the product by themselves resulted in 32,000+ impressions, over 280 hours of watch time, and a whopping 400+ leads. 

When you first show your product in action, prospects get to decide if the product is best for them. And thus, only those with high buying intent would book a live demo, making it easier for you to close them.

Clari, the revenue platform, offers its website visitors an interactive demo right on their website. 

The interactive demo ends with a pop-up asking visitors if they would love to sign up for a live demo. 

2. Optimize Copy and Visuals for Conversion

Here's a fact - if you want more signups, don't hide your demo CTAs. Add one on the hero section and another one towards the end of your landing page. This ensures that no matter how they scroll, your prospects never miss it.

Gong, the revenue intelligence platform, places its demo button in multiple, easily accessible places, including at the header, the middle and footer of their landing page.

CTA at the header: 

CTA at the footer:

Use easy-to-understand demo button CTAs for better conversion.

"People coming to your homepage for the first time will probably give you a few seconds to grab their attention, and your CTA must be obvious, trustworthy, quick, and easy to execute," says Paul Gordon, founder of Mypresences in Databox's blog on increasing free trial signups.

That means CTAs like 'Book a Demo' or 'Get a Demo' are better than something creative but misleading. Hubspot's demo call-to-action is the perfect example of this.

It's not always the demo button, sometimes, it is a timely pop-up asking prospects if they want help that does the trick. Nudging them with a live chat option this way is especially effective if they've spent some time on your website.

Outreach, the sales execution platform's live chat, appears asking if you want help from their sales team every time you enter their website.

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3. Reduce Friction in Your Lead Capture Form

What makes every demo-ready prospect regret their decision to check out a demo and bounce off the website? A demo signup form with multiple fields asking prospects every single detail about their business. Yes, the more complex your forms are, the higher the chances of your potential customers leaving for your competitors and, thus, fewer conversions.

So, ask only the most basic details through your demo signup forms, like their email address. Hint: Mention in the field that they type in their work address. That way you can at least bring down the number of fields to two. In fact, for each field you eliminate, your conversion rate goes up by 50%, according to a study by Hubspot.

On top of that, pay attention to your demo signup page copy and design. The copy should be scannable and clearly explain why they should sign up. List out the main benefits of your product and add logos and software marketplace reviews for social proof.

And finally, a disclaimer - take all these tips with a grain of salt unless you have tested it out yourself. A/B testing is the only way to determine what's driving conversions or hurting them. Hence, constantly test each element of your demo forms and tweak it based on the results to avoid drop-offs.

Customer.io's demo landing page asks for basic details, lists out benefits, and has customer logos to establish its credibility.

4. Optimize Bottom of the Funnel (BOFU) Pages for Conversion

If the demo page is the final destination of your prospect's journey, bottom of the funnel (BOFU) pages are the milestones they should cross to get there. And they won't care about getting to the demo page if going through your BOFU pages feels like a chore. 

To avoid this, optimize each of your BOFU pages for better conversion. Here's how:

• Home Page 

If you lose your prospects here, you lose them forever. So, always ensure your home page is captivating enough to nudge them to check out other BOFU pages or, in the best scenario, book a demo directly. This includes streamlining everything from the page load speed, UI, white space, brand colors, fonts to the copy.

Wix's landing page is the perfect example of this. It has:

• Great user interface (UI)
• A perfect balance of negative space and design elements
• Usage of complementary colors, and just 2 primary colors
• Great contrast of white against blue
• Copy is short, and inclusive of their main value proposition - that is anyone can build a website.

• Top Feature Pages

Here's a cardinal rule- never ward them off with jargon-heavy feature pages. Stress on the difference your product will make in your prospect's current process and not on the nuances of every feature. And like any other page, focus on striking the right balance between white space and design elements.

Next, decide on the number of pages you need depending on the complexity of your product. For instance, if it is a simple tool with a single use case, you can explain all your features on one page. On the other hand, use multiple pages if it is a complex one with multiple use cases. The end goal is to make your prospect aware of the results your product can deliver in the most lucid way.

Airtable's feature pages are a good example as they have:

• Creates a visual hierarchy by using extra large fonts in the title.
• A clear navigation bar, ‘Home> product> Interface Designer’ to keep the reader in loop about where they’re at all times.

• Pricing Page

Your prospective customers crossed the home page milestone, visited the feature pages, and are headed towards your pricing page before signing up for a demo. And the question is will your pricing page make the cut? Definitely, yes, if you follow the following optimization tips:

• Name your plans to make them memorable.
• Use the technique of anchoring, where you bring an expensive pricing tier to make another tier look affordable.
• List out only the key features to make sure the page is scannable.

Squarespace's pricing page is the best example of this. They have highlighted the USD 23 version as “Best Value”.

• Competitor Comparison Pages

A word of caution, a competitor comparison page is not a place to boast at length about your product or take a jibe at your competitors. And when visiting this page, your prospect wants to know one thing - 'is your product better suited for them than your competitor's?" The best way to convince them about this is through a clean UI and engaging copy.

Here are some tips to optimize your competitor comparison pages:

• Define your unique selling proposition (USP) and focus your narrative around that.
• Focus only on the most important product features to ensure you are not confusing the prospect.
• Establish a clear distinction between your ideal customer persona and your competitor's.
• Use software marketplace reviews and customer testimonials to base your claims.

Hotjar's page comparing Hotjar with Crazy Egg is an example of a well-optimized and engaging competitor comparison page.

5. Leverage Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Campaigns to Increase Signups

Even with optimized BOFU pages, some visitors won't convert to demo requests. But that doesn't mean they're lost forever. Targeted ABM campaigns can help recapture their interest and nudge them towards a demo.

Here's how to utilize ABM for increased demo requests:

• Use sales intelligence tools to identify potential buyers who visit your BOFU pages.
• Develop personalized content like webinars or case studies tailored to their specific needs.
• Run targeted ads to stay top-of-mind and re-engage these prospects.

By optimizing your ABM efforts, you give yourself a second chance to convert website visitors into demo bookings.

3 Expert Tips to Skyrocket Demo Sign-Ups

Here are some insider secrets product marketing experts recommend for maximizing demo requests:

1. Make Signing Up for a Demo Easy

A complex demo signup process with a multi-step form will scare prospects away. Krithika Raj, a Product Marketer at Klenty, emphasizes this point: "Keep it simple and clear. Use precise CTAs that tell prospects exactly what to do. A prominent and bright CTA button also helps."

2. Strategic Placement of Pricing and Feature Pages

Pricing and feature pages are crucial BOFU pages that drive visitors towards demos. Karan Chaudary, Product Marketer at Uniqode, suggests keeping them easily accessible alongside your demo signup button. "Most SaaS user journeys involve the pricing page as a near-final step. Ensure your pricing page is well-highlighted with CTAs for both 'Book Demo' and navigating to the pricing page. This compels users who are engaged with your pricing and features to take the next step and book a demo," he says.

3. Cater to a Wider Audience with Diverse BOFU Content

If your product offers multiple solutions, showcase them all! Create targeted BOFU pages addressing each use case. Don't let visitors wonder if your product applies to their specific needs. Gowthami Vasu, CRO at Klenty, advises: "On-page conversion can fluctuate. Create a variety of BOFU content to appeal to a broader audience. Develop customer stories and case studies that showcase how your product solves problems. This helps more people understand the value proposition and the need to buy your product."