Playbooks
Sales
Ensure consistent, reliable demo environments during live sales calls
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Who’s it for
SDRs, AEs, Solutions Engineers
Where it works
Discovery calls, qualification meetings, technical presentations
What you’ll achieve
Reliable sales demos, improved meeting conversion, faster deal progression
Why it matters
Sales reps need reliable ways to showcase their product during live calls, but live environments can be unreliable and require time-consuming staging setup, while static presentations fail to engage prospects. Storylane enables sales teams to deliver polished product demonstrations without technical dependencies—whether using guided demos with hidden text for consistent "harbor tour" overviews, or sandbox environments for flexible exploration—so reps can focus on great conversations rather than system reliability.
The days to close for Storylane-influenced opportunities are about two days shorter right now than those without Storylane interactions.
Chris Todd
Marketing Ops, CallTrackingMetrics
Key takeaways
- Avoid live environment pitfalls - Interactive demos eliminate the risks associated with live/staging product environments
- Lightweight alternative - Skip expensive, engineering-intensive product overlays with code-free environments AEs can create and present on the fly
- Built-in presenter support - Use presenter notes to stay on track during live calls without missing key qualification questions
- Focus on narrative over features - Create high-level product overviews that show what your product enables, not how to use it
- Keep demos short - Buyer attention decreases after 6.5 minutes, so prioritize core value demonstration
Implementation guide
Early-pipeline discovery calls (BDR/AE-led)
- Guided demos with hidden guides: Use guided demos (either with only hotspots and no guide texts or no guide widgets at all) for live demos with pre-set clickpaths.
- "Harbor tour" approach: Provide high-level product overview highlighting key differentiators without diving deep into specifics
- Presenter notes: Use presenter notes to deliver narrative verbally while maintaining guided structure
- Sandbox option: For lightweight products where demo outline might go in multiple directions based on prospect responses
Here's an example of a guided demo with only hotspots by Kubit:
Mid-to-late pipeline calls (SE-led)
- Tailored sandbox demos: Use sandboxes for lightweight solutions that allow flexibility in demonstration direction
- Prospect-specific customization: Create demos tailored to specific prospect needs and technical requirements
- Hybrid approach: Keep live environment available in background for ultra-specific requests while using interactive demos for core presentation
- Technical depth: Enable deeper product exploration based on qualified prospect interest and technical evaluation needs
Guided demos with hidden guides
- Configure demos to omit guide text while maintaining hotspot navigation for consistent, pre-set clickpaths
- Use presenter notes to deliver messaging verbally while following structured demo flow
- Enable BDRs and AEs to maintain consistent narrative across all prospect calls
- Perfect for "harbor tour" overviews that highlight differentiators without technical deep-dives
Sandbox demos
- Best for lightweight products where demonstration might go in multiple directions
- Allow flexibility to adapt demo flow based on real-time prospect questions and interest
- Enable more exploratory conversations while maintaining professional presentation quality
- Ideal for mid-pipeline calls where prospects want to see specific functionality
Hybrid approach for complex sales processes
- Use interactive demos for core presentation with live environment backups for ultra-specific requests
- Enable SEs to demonstrate standard workflows through Storylane while having flexibility for custom scenarios
- Combine consistent messaging (interactive demo) with technical flexibility (live system access when needed)
- Reduce reliance on potentially unreliable live systems while maintaining capability for detailed technical exploration
Post-call actions
- Convert demo templates into unique links associated with the deal for follow-ups
- Share demo link with prospects so they can revisit key points and share internally
- Update CRM with qualification insights gathered during the live demos
- Prepare follow-up demos that dive deeper into areas where prospects showed highest interest
Success measurement
- Track qualification rate improvements compared to traditional discovery calls
- Monitor conversion rates from qualification calls to next meeting or proposal stage
- Measure demo engagement through Storylane analytics to identify most compelling product areas
- Analyze which demo sections generate the most questions and prospect engagement
Examples and inspiration
Advanced strategies
The days to close for Storylane-influenced opportunities are about two days shorter right now than those without Storylane interactions.
- Master hidden guides - Configure guided demos to show only hotspots, allowing you to deliver narrative verbally while maintaining consistent clickpath
- Leverage presenter notes - Use built-in notes to remember key qualification questions and talking points without awkward pauses
- Choose the right demo type - Use guided demos with hidden text for early pipeline, sandboxes for lightweight products and flexible exploration
- Prepare backup plans - For complex technical sales, keep live environment available for ultra-specific requests while using interactive demos for core presentation
- Practice your narrative - Rehearse verbal delivery with hidden guide text to ensure smooth, natural conversation flow during live calls
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