Stunningly Awful Demo Situations - The Horror of Scripted Demos

Summary:

This document provides strategies for improving scripted demonstration outcomes with consultants who have established processes that don't typically involve direct customer interaction. Key tactics include preempting requirement gathering, seeking conversations or proxy interactions with customers, adjusting demo scripts to focus on software strengths and workflow integration, tailoring RFP responses to emphasize competitive advantages, and creating engaging introductions to demos. The aim is to enhance the effectiveness of demonstration scenarios by focusing on strategic questioning, storytelling through success stories, and concise summarizing during presentations. The document also advises against proceeding with a demo if there are minimal chances of winning, promoting honesty in assessing potential outcomes and demonstrating capabilities honestly.

Details:

The article discusses strategies for increasing success rates in scripted demo situations when dealing with consultants who have a set process that often does not include direct interaction with customers. The author suggests focusing on basic principles and employing several tactics to improve outcomes, including being first by preempting the requirements listing process, asking for a conversation with the customer, providing tools and support to consultants, demonstrating the value of your product through success stories and RFP templates, and emphasizing how your solution will make their job easier. The summarized text suggests that when considering an investment in a potential return, it might be wise to evaluate pulling back and adopting certain strategies. These include seeking information about the customer's current workflow and objectives by asking biased questions during meetings with consultants or customers who allow limited contact. If direct access is not possible, consider having questions answered through a proxy conversation where you provide a set of tailored questions designed to showcase your company's unique capabilities better than competitors. Furthermore, the text recommends adjusting the script order in demos for a more logical flow that highlights software strengths and workflow integration. It also suggests adding biased rows or features to RFP responses to emphasize competitive advantages like SaaS versions over on-premise installations. Always obtaining permission before rearranging scripts is emphasized as it can lead to better outcomes, avoiding potential disqualification from the process. Lastly, consider gently altering the introduction part of a scripted demo where companies typically present an overview. This could involve finding ways to make such presentations less time-consuming and more engaging for participants by highlighting key aspects that are often overlooked during standard introductions. This text provides a concise guide for presenting demos effectively, focusing on creating strong introductions and summaries to engage key players. It emphasizes the use of checklists, informal success stories, and strategic summarizing techniques during the demo. Additionally, it suggests considering pulling back from a demo if there's little chance of winning, emphasizing honesty in assessing potential outcomes. The overall goal is to make demos more compelling and increase the chances of success for vendors presenting their offerings.

Disclaimer:

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