I am on a rant today!
In recent weeks, I have been witness to a number of software demonstrations that have lacked the grandeur of perfection. It has been evident that there is a level of complacency, a considerable lack of research, and an overall disrespect to the prospects needs. And I’ve been scratching my head to understand why vendors aren’t delivering the best demos of their lives in this economic climate.
Having spent a number of years doing software demonstrations day in and day out, I can assure you that there is no room for complacency and the client does know when you are rushing through a demo to get out of the door. As soon as complacency, clock watching, arrogance or egotism is part of your demo script, you can kiss any sales goodbye!
Vendors need to be attuned to the prospects needs. This can be achieved with a correctly qualified lead and a demo tailored to their key business requirements. Your demo should not be generic, it has to be personalized.
When I present a vendor to a client of mine, I want to be sure that my clients, value the product that I present to them. I want to know that the vendor respects the opportunity given to them, and has done everything possible to represent their product effectively. Unfortunately personalities do go hand in hand with the product. Your product may rock but if your personal delivery of that product is not respectful to the client’s needs, you will waste your time even presenting.
Some humility, humor and honesty will go along way… here are a few other pointers!
- Research your client. Yes! Learn about what the prospect does, Google them, if they are part of a large organization, call your prospect and ask some questions about their initiative and MAKE NOTES! Learn about their sales process, understand their culture, and ask about specific business needs and focuses. I can assure you they have them, even if they haven’t put it down on paper to you. They exist!
- Use your resources As a consultant that researches solutions for clients, I am often contacting vendors with their qualified lead. For each vendor I offer them the opportunity to have several meetings with me prior to the demo, even a dry run of the demo, to ensure that they are meeting the client’s needs. USE ME! Don’t say thanks for the demo script, we are good! Never turn down an opportunity to learn more about your prospect so that you can ace the demo. Allow consultants to guide you to a successful sale!
- Get directions. Write down directions and cell phone numbers of your contact so that you can call them if you are delayed, ask for directions to the office by the client, do not rely on a GPS or MapQuest. Turning up late for a demo, rushing in and not being prepared is NOT a good start!
- Test and Backup your technology. Never turn up to an onsite duplication of equipment. Expect everything to break the night before you’re on stage, so bring two laptops, test your virtual conference links, have copies of your presentations on multiple thumb drives, whatever you’ll use in your demo. There is zero slack for equipment failures at a demo other than the projector and audio (which is the responsibility of the prospect).
- Be Prompt. You should never fuss around in a demo–for example, looking for folders and files on your hard disk, or sign in late to your virtual session. You have had time to prepare for this demo; so ensure that you are on time and ready to go when you are given the green light.
- Reduce the factors you can’t control. Should you assume that you’ll have Internet access during your demo? Yes, but have a back up anyway. Yes, the hotel has a broadband, but several hundred people are accessing it. Arrange with the client internet access, or have your own mobile broadband connection. Better yet, simulate Internet access to your server by using a local server. You don’t have to show the real system. This is after all, a demo.
- Focus. You are told you have 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 30 minutes. Use those minutes wisely. Introduce yourself briefly, STOP blathering START demoing. Nobody wants a 20 minute presentation on the origins of your company or that you have a daughter in law that once worked for a division of their company in Nova Scotia. They organized to see a demo of your product, not hear your life story. Show your software!
- Follow the suggested demo script. If the client has gone to the time and expense to highlight key issues and use case examples of their business activities they wish to see reflected within your software demonstration. FOLLOW THE SCRIPT! Don’t follow your routine demonstration, follow the guidance of the client, and show them what they want to see. I can assure you, even if your software could deliver the best solution eer, as well as reduce the countries debts, if the prospect can’t see how your product works in association to their business needs; you are on a hiding to nothing!
- Show the “how” As you are following the demo script, either theirs, or your own customized demo, don’t just refer to how you could meet their needs – show them a working example, and show them “how” the system can meet their objectives. What’s happening on the screen should impress the audience, not what you’re uttering.
- Cut the jargon. The Demo audience thinks that it is very sophisticated and tech savvy. It may well be, but in our corporate worlds, your acronyms may not match those used in the company you are presenting to. The ability to speak simply and succinctly is always the best way to go. You may have the world’s greatest software product, but if the prospect can’t understand your demo, you aren’t going to be seeing the purchase order!
- Define Question Time. Define clearly s you carry out your demo, when questions should be asked. We all want to sound receptive to questions, but you never know what you’ll be asked–it could take you down a hole so deep that you’ll never come back up. The upside of showing that you can answer any question in real-time is an ego trip that doesn’t justify the downside of getting derailed. Define a time for questions and stick to it. Be in control, yet respectful!
- Be prepared to adapt and be honest. All the preparation in the world, and practicing of a demonstration, can never prepare you for a curveball that the prospect may throw you, during your question time. “So you mentioned in your demo that you were able to show multiple pricing per learning object based upon the geographic region and job role that the learner resides under. Can you show how a learner in Italy could purchase a course that she wants to take whilst on vacation in China, using her native currency?” If you have a working example that can show how that can be done, of course demonstrate it, however if you don’t have the ability to demonstrate such an example, and customization would be required, don’t attempt to lie about the capabilities of the product, highlight it’s a customization (which if you are good presenter you would have already mentioned), and offer to provide a working prototype or screen shot mock up within a defined time period.
- Don’t argue with the client! We’ve all been there, and had the nightmare prospect, who knows everything about your software, and wants to try and trip you up; Or the prospect who is part of a stakeholder team but clearly has his favored vendor, and you aren’t it. DO NOT retaliate or start to argue with the client, or disrespect the competition, stand with pride behind your product and smile sweetly, and disguise your gritted teeth!
- Show Interest Nothing annoys me more than listening to a vendor who does not interact with the prospect and just delivers a stereotypical demonstration without considering the audiences understanding. Impersonating a parrot and moving through your demonstration in record speed, does not endear your product to the client. As pointer 11 states, define question times, and interact with your clients and show respect.
Let me state again, there is no room for complacency, no room for egos and certainly no room for over confidence! If you stop listening to your prospects and only present a demonstration that is tailored to your knowledge set, then I will guarantee you will crash and burn!
Know your product inside and out and always be prepared for a curve ball! I want you to succeed and I want to sit back and learn more about your products as you deliver a demonstration where you hit it out of the ball park!
