Sales Engineering – SE Bootcamp Module 5 – Building and Delivering Great Demos

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Contents• The “Great Demo!” Model• Prepping the Demo• Building the Demo• Delivering the Demo

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The “Great Demo!” Model

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The Basic Idea• "Do the Last Thing First"– Showing the best, most

compelling screen(s). < 2 minutes

– Show how a user would get there. < 4 minutes

– On Target? The audience will ask for more deail. ~ 20 to 30 minutes

Remember the Chain of Pain?• Identify where in the chain your product

capabilities address the CBIs• Use the chain to map your solution upwards

to demonstrate positive impact on final decision makers

• The Demo should illustrate clear solutions to prospects CBIs

The Great Demo Pattern• Present the Illustration - Summarize• Do it - Summarize• Do it Again - Summarize• Questions and Answers• Summarize

Prepping the Demo

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Research• Direct– Customer's Current Workflow– Examples of Reports– Specific Problems they are encountering– Their vision for a solution

• Indirect– Company Website– Industry Web sites / journals– Your Marketing / Sales Team– Competitor Sites

Coordinate Infrastructure• If going onsite, make sure to coordinate

infrastructure needs with client– Using client machines?– Network connectivity– Projector– Speaker Phone– Conference room– Whiteboard

• If demo requires other special infrastructure

Create The Outline• Introduction• Present the Illustrations for each Solution• For Each Solution

– Re-present the Illustration for that Solution– Rapidly demonstrate that set of Specific Capabilities, followed by a

brief summary– Walk more deliberately through demonstrating that set of Specific

Capabilities. Summarize for that set of Specific Capabilities• Summarize for all sets of Specific Capabilities• Questions and Answers• Final Summary

Summary and Introduction• Create the Summary First– Begin with the End in Mind

• Then Create the Introduction

Summary• Take into account the objectives• Summary Outline

– "Thanks for inviting us. Our objective today was to... We shared a number of solutions with you. Let me review these in order."

• For Each solution– "I showed you the ability to [Specific Capability]"– "Initially, I showed you the [Illustration]"– "Then I showed you briefly how I prepared that [Illustration]"– "I then ran through that process again, in more detail."

• "We then addressed your questions"• For Each Question

– Restate the question briefly– Restate the answer, briefly

• "I believe we met our objective this afternoon and that we do provide the abilities you need to address your problems. Thanks again for coming this afternoon."

Introduction• Use the summary, but change to future tense• Add a checkpoint to get agreement you’re on

track with expectations

Summary Introduction• Take into account the objectives• Summary Outline

– "Thanks for inviting us. Our objective today was is to... We shared will share a number of solutions with you. Let me review these in order."

• For Each solution– "I showed will show you the ability to [Specific Capability]"– "Initially First, I showed will show you the [Illustration]"– "Then I showed will show you briefly how I prepared that

[Illustration]"– "I then ran will run through that process again, in more detail."

• "We then addressed will address your questions“• “Is this agenda in line with your expectations for today?"

Building the Demo

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Create the Illustration(s)• Most important tool• Concise, visual method

of communicating the reality of a solution

• Understand both – What the final output is– How it is consumed

• Should generate hope and curiosity

Situation Slide• For each Illustration, develop a Situation Slide• Should generate hope and curiosity• Customer: Company Name and Job Title who owns the CBI• Specific Capability(ies) needed• The Delta (what is desired, what is possible with proposed solution)

– Cheaper– Better– Faster– Not possible before– Be Specific

• Money• Time• People

Create the First Pass – “Do It”• Straight line: Shortest path from launching the

product to producing the Illustration• No extra explanations, no additional talking,

no side trips: Just Do It!

Create the First Pass – “Do It”• Two Goals– Technical Proof: Your product can achieve the

Illustration just shown– Your product is fast, easy and logical to use• Create a vision of reality

– Use realistic names (not "demo", "123", etc.)

• Reduce the number of steps as much as possible

Create the Second Pass - "Do it Again"

• Similar to the first pass, but allows for exploring more options, develop more details, and explain more fully what you are doing.

• Will often be used to address questions generated during the First Pass

• Must still focus on the Specific Capabilities needed by the customer - don't get off track.

Delivering the Demo

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Build the Timeline• Introduction: 1 to 2 minutes• Illustration: 1 to 2 minutes• Do It: 1 to 2 minutes• Do It Again: 5 to 10 minutes• Q&A: 5 to 10 minutes• Summary: 2 to 4 minutes

Practice• Get flow and timing right• Get messaging right• Present to internal selling team when

warranted and possible• Adjust and Refine

Confirm!• Confirm the Agenda!• Confirm Infrastructure!

Demonstration Roadmap• Slide showing the specific outline for the

customer demonstration• Can be used as a reference point throughout

the demonstration