5 data-driven tips to transform your demos

Do you know what the "wow" effect is at a demo? It's that magical moment when time seems to stand still and everyone is convinced that your product or service is incredible.

But you know what? Making a convincing demonstration, even if you have experience and in-depth knowledge of your product, isn't easy at all.

If you don't target your demo, you risk wasting your time and that of your prospect.

And that's really not good for your business!

So we analyzed over 40,000 demos to find out what makes a demo successful. And believe me, some of the results are truly surprising!

If you want to create the "wow" effect in your next demo, you need to know these results.

1. Social proof" as a winning strategy.

Make the most of social proof by citing customers similar to those of your prospect to convince them of the effectiveness of your solution.

Don't focus on famous customers, but rather on companies that are similar in terms of industry, size and challenges.

Choose companies that have solved the same problems as your prospect with your solution, as it will be more relevant to them than large companies that don't look like them.

This will generate two reactions from your prospect:

1. They'll be reassured by the service you offer. We're always afraid of being the first.

2. They won't want to be "a Kodak", or in other words, the person in the ecosystem who misses the innovation curve.

Remember that sellers who use this technique increase their closing rate by 22%.

2. The end at the beginning and the beginning at the end

When demonstrating your product, it's important to first show the results your prospect can achieve by using it, and then the main features that will help them to do so.

You shouldn't try to build anticipation as if you were going to end with a big fireworks display, as this could distract your prospect. Before the demo, make sure you understand your prospect's needs right from the discovery call, so you can highlight the features that best meet their use case.

If you start by presenting features without displaying results, your prospect is likely to switch off and lose interest in your product.

For a successful demo, display results before features. This is the key to keeping your prospect's attention and successfully closing the deal.

3. Defy the status quo!

If you really want to convince your prospect to buy your solution, you need to focus on the specific problems they face. Many salespeople spend their time extolling the benefits of their product without even mentioning their customers' challenges. It's a mistake!

If you make your prospect aware that his current situation is no longer tenable, he'll be even more inclined to buy your solution. As Larry Ellison, CEO and founder of Oracle, explains, customers are often more motivated to avoid losses than to reap the benefits.

So, to sell effectively, you need to emphasize the risks that the status quo poses to your prospect.

For example, you might say, "If you continue not to share the best practices of your top salespeople internally, you risk losing valuable sales opportunities. Do you think it's time to remedy this situation by implementing a more effective knowledge-sharing system?"

You can then ask them if they think it's time to remedy the situation by setting up a more efficient knowledge-sharing system. By being clear about the dangers of the current situation, you can convince your prospect of the need to adopt your solution.

4. Keep the situation under control!

It's important to keep control of the conversation and to bring up the right subjects at the right time. Always be sure to prepare your demonstrations in advance so that you can answer all your prospect's questions, even the most difficult ones.

And don't forget to prepare for any objections your prospect might have before every sales meeting. Think of the worst-case scenario so you're ready for anything.

When faced with an objection, the best thing to do is ask questions to better understand your prospect's concerns. The best salespeople ask questions 50% of the time, whereas average salespeople only do so 30% of the time. This will help you to handle objections better and respond to them more effectively.

Finally, avoid talking about the price of your product before demonstrating its value to your prospect. Bringing up price too early can reduce your chances of success. So focus on the benefits of your product first, and show your prospect why it's important and how it can help them.

5. No next step, no more sales!

To speed up your sales cycle, I recommend spending 50% more time discussing next steps at the beginning and end of each call.

Here's how you can do it effectively: at the beginning of the call, clearly state your intentions by saying: "At the end of this call, I'd like to know if what I'm presenting is relevant to you and if you'd like to go ahead, or if you're not interested and prefer not to waste time".

This will enable you to lay the foundations right from the start and get a clear answer from your prospect.

The demo is the decisive moment for turning a prospect into a satisfied customer. Don't miss this crucial opportunity by being too talkative. Your listener will quickly lose interest if he has to listen to a long conversation. To avoid this, be concise and to the point. Here's the most important tip to remember: be brief and to the point. Allow your prospect to ask questions so that you can answer them in a targeted way.

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Better,

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