LocoSales

Jr. Sales Manager

Demos - Approach?

Hey savages, how do you usually organise your demo call in terms of overall approach. We have a very complex solution and often have discovery call 30-45 minutes, which is then followed by a demo with all the stakeholders often 3-8 people from their side.

So far, I have always had the following structure:

1. Opening Call

2. Short introduction round

3. Opening my Powerpoint Slides

4. First slides: Why we are here (recap from discover) and meeting objectives

5. Confirm whether this is still the cae

6. Show agenda for the call and introduce team and partners again and explain their part in the call

7. Start with company overview

8. High-level product overview

9. 1-2 selected use case with similar problems and how we have helped them

10. Actual demo to see software

11. Q&A

12. If required: Pricing, implementation approach

13. End it with recap (value proposition)

The part until we get to show the demo lost approximately 15 minutes, where I mostly speak (points 3-9).

How do you approach that and would you potentiall change?

👑 Sales Strategy

11

24 comments

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Pachacuti

Politicker

8

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

That list is a bit too detailed for me, but I get it.

I prefer to be a bit more flexible. Usually I like to skip most of the “about my company” stuff but I have ran into a couple instances where that has come in handy to be able to go into greater detail.
I definitely like to establish a rapport beyond just the sales pitch. You need to know their intrinsic motivators.
And you need to know why people are are in the call. Did they have nothing to do for an hour ? Or is this something which will make them look good enough for a promotion?
Finally, never stop asking questions. Discovery only ends when you discover the signature on the contract.

Finally, most people who are on the demo call want to get to the demo asap.

And I would NEVER discuss pricing on a demo call unless you are literally sending over a contract during the demo.

LocoSales

Politicker

1

Jr. Sales Manager

Thank you very much very helpful inputs!

TechSalesQueen

Executive

0

Sr. Enterprise Account Executive

Agree fully "Sales Daddy". I'd add in that b/c people want a demo right away, you need to identify a talk track that you can whip out with confidence when that ask will be made (which is every time) to explain to them why it benefits THEM to wait until the next call or 2nd half of the call. I typically explain early on (while doing the agenda and reinforce it with use cases to show how different we can set folks up for success and we don't sell out of the box solutions) that a full demo could easily take a half a day. And ain't nobody got time for dat.

Something like... In the second half of our call today, I'm (or my solutions engineer/architect Mr. Bob) going to show you a consolidated overview by way of a demo today (or next time) utilizing everything I am able to learn about your current needs, what matters to you, must haves/nice to haves (and why), and then ensure I am explaining to you HOW I will meet those requirements as I show you the demo so it's a relevant and valuable use of your time. Something to that affect tends to lower folks guards down. If it doesn't, you sure as shit better figure out why. Are you a pricing comparison? check the box meeting? etc. Getting comfortable saying NO to things when it isn't in a process you know you need to follow and having a way to justify that as it relates to it being in their best interest (and yours!) is critical.

What I have found helpful is to cure their need to see a demo right away and make the ask above viable, spending 5-6 min tops on the front end using a couple of slides talking about what we solve for, where we bring value, and in a non-technical as possible way, how we do it. "And we'll show you that in more detail during the demo" can be another way to jump over that hoop. Using those slides to get them talking and make the discovery feel organic and not forced can be wildly powerful.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

4

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

This is really detailed. Generally, I have the pptx open at the start, so it's queued up and ready and I can confirm that things are being shared properly.

I have my intro on a slide and go through it fairly quickly - sometimes I introduce everyone myself if we don't have a lot of time (for example, multiple use cases so the demo time is longer) I am wondering why you introduce everyone twice - seems redundant - I'd just get that done once and move on. Your partners and teammates can reintroduce themselves and their role when they chime in for their part.

Definitely touch on discovery, validate that the agenda is on point and as expected.

Honestly, I'd be weaving the value prop throughout and not leaving it to the end - everything you discuss, show, demo - should be valuable to the customer and tie back to why they are talking to you. You reinforce that message after the demo and in follow up.

My main goal with a presentation is to leave the customer excited about the prospect of working with us. We're going to solve their problems, we have what they need. I avoid making my slides/presentation cumbersome and overbearing. Sometimes less is more, so maybe just bear that in mind as you are crafting these.

LocoSales

Politicker

0

Jr. Sales Manager

Thank you, I definitely try to keep it as minimalistic and straight to the point as possible.

ThatNewAE

Big Shot

3

Account Executive - Mid enterprise

I have tried going a little quirky / different these days. I have moved away from Google Slides. There are apps like Lucid that help you create flowcharts. To summarise the problem points discussed before, to finalise the next steps - I have started using these flow charts.

For company related data, I show them just the snippets on website / I create screenshots. The rest demo is on the product platform.

I never start with company overview either. I start with first addressing their concerns that they mentioned early on. And then link company overview to what specifically they are looking for. They are not interested in company overview, they are interested in knowing how the company can help them.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

4

🦊

NEVER START WITH THE COMPANY OVERVIEW is the biggest point so many reps miss.

LocoSales

Politicker

0

Jr. Sales Manager

Thank you very much, I like the approach regarding the problem. I think that is also what I meant with point 4. Outlining the problem as discussed during the discovery

jefe

Arsonist

0

🍁

Yup. Nobody wants to hear about XYZ Co's history...

Diablo

Politicker

2

Sr. AE

We have a separate discovery and a demo call. I don’t have a structure to my call as it all depends upon how the conversation starts but I tend to skip the presentation and all ppt shit during demo where I like to show what we have, what are their challenges and how we can solve them and questions and answers followed by next steps.

LocoSales

Politicker

0

Jr. Sales Manager

Yes same. The demo and discovery is always separate. However, I am selling a six figure solution that is why I always talk about our company as it is smth. that people are generally concerned with to be certain that we will be around in a couple of years and have the knowledge and manpower to deliver.

km22

Opinionated

2

Account Executive

This is great. I would add that you should be ready to run your entire demo without slides. Things go wrong and sometimes you won’t have access to them.

I run my calls without slides, but I have more technical illustrations at the ready if something doesn’t click.

This lets your demo be more conversational and let’s you uncover where your product/service fits within their org faster.

LocoSales

Politicker

2

Jr. Sales Manager

I can‘t run the demo. It is way to complex and I need a Pre-Sales Manager to do so. There is a lot of technical stuff involved. But thank you for the input 👌

km22

Opinionated

0

Account Executive

That makes perfect sense.

Gasty

Notable Contributor

1

War Room Community Manager

Curious, wouldn't it make more sense to split the discovery and the demo (considering yours is a complex product that requires a 30 to 45 min discovery?)

LocoSales

Politicker

0

Jr. Sales Manager

Yes, it is split. I never do discovery and demo together.

TennisandSales

Politicker

0

Head Of Sales

in my mind:
6 is redundant
9 is not needed on a demo
12 should be a separate call. but high level info can be shared.

Here is what I do: (for context i also sell a fairly complex product that touches multiple departments.

(Assuming a discover call has already happened)

1. Opening call - random small talk
2. intros if there are only a few ppl on the call.
3. open deck, cover topics from last call and agenda for this call. (mentioning we will do a high level overview and cover the specifics we talked about in discovery)
4. get confirmation on this and see if they want to add
5. Share any info about the company that is relevant to anyone knew on the call
6. High level demo (45 min) this includes covering the specifics we wanted to show.
7. get confirmation we are on the right track.
8. Q+A
9. confirm next steps and set a follow up call with main POC (on that call is where the next step will get scheduled)

LocoSales

Politicker

0

Jr. Sales Manager

Perfect thank you very much 👌

GreenSide

Politicker

0

Sales manager

Love 4-5. Not enough reps do this.

6 seems to be in an odd place. They intro themselves then there’s a break then you intro?

Drop 7 immediately. Nobody cares.

Can 8-9 be wrapped into the demo?

LocoSales

Politicker

0

Jr. Sales Manager

Thanl you for your input! 6 I dropped in the meantime. However, I can‘t drop 7 as my company forced me to do so. The reason why is because we are the only provider in the market the programs the whole solution here in the USA and not abroad and because many companies are not aware how big we are (our marketing sucks - and size is very important in this business because it‘s a business crucial solution). 8-9 no because the demo is just technical stuff where they simply just show the solution.

GreenSide

Politicker

1

Sales manager

If you can’t drop 7, move it to the end IMO. I hate when leaders force their reps to do this. It’s self-serving and ultimately doesn’t matter to the customer.

8-9 I still think you can. Tell the WHAT/WHY (overview/use case) then HOW. Then do the next use case.

SaasSlingin

Politicker

0

Sr AE

This is a bit much at a glance and i can see prospects getting worn down / losing interest pretty quickly.
7-9 maybe can be weaved into the demo

TechSalesQueen

Executive

0

Sr. Enterprise Account Executive

I'd try something like this - lets assume its a 45 min call:

*Introductions and Agenda Overview - 5 Minutes
*Re-Cap - What We've Learned So Far - 5 Minutes
*Presentation - 10 Min
*Demo - 10 Min
*Q&A and Next Steps - 15 Min

- If you can dig into discovery during your re-cap for 20 minutes and you don't get through a full demo? You did your job well. Make space by removing anything that wastes time and doesn't deliver value to the prospect or to your qualifying efforts. Keeping a long Q&A at the end leaves space for any other step to go long without going over. You prob need 5 min tops for that step. But including the time on the actual agenda TO the prospect this way lets you stay in control of expectations and encouraging the convo to move forward if they begin asking stuff too early or it isn't fully qualified yet and buys you what you need more of: time.

Don't give pricing on call and remove step 12.

Combine steps 2 + 6.

Remove step 3. You can open your powerpoint without it being an agenda item. Just do it.

Step 7: I'd honestly prob remove. Why give a company overview? You're proving you're a viable company when you show your use cases. I doubt they care. Should they? Make sure you know why. No one cares your CEO worked at another tech company 25 years ago before half of the people on the call were in elementary school.

Broken down using your current steps you'd go as follows:

*Introductions and Agenda Overview (Steps 1-2 + 6)
*Re-Cap - What We've Learned So Far (Steps 4-5)
*Presentation (Steps 8 + 9)
*Demo (Step 10)
*Q&A and Next Steps (Step 11 & 13)

legaltechsales

Good Citizen

0

Regional Sales Manager

Move the agenda to spot 4, make sure there isn't anything else that's not on there they want addressed, sprinkle market insights throughout

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