In the early 2000s, Google was still emerging in the search engine market, with Yahoo as the dominant player. To challenge this, Google initiated a blind "Search Engine Challenge". They set up kiosks where users could compare search results from Google and Yahoo side by side, without any branding. The majority of users preferred Google's results, which helped Google increase its credibility and user base.

This challenge became a key part of Google's marketing strategy, emphasizing the quality of their search results. Today, Google is the leading search engine worldwide.

Reason? They showed the value of their product in the way its meant to be. But not everyone’s privileged to do what Google did.

In this blog, we will discuss the pro techniques for demoing the software product that can help you showcase its value effectively, captivate your audience, and ultimately drive user engagement and revenue.

Unpacking 5 critical aspects of a winning software product demo

Understanding Your Audience

Before you can give a compelling demo, you need to understand your audience. This means identifying your ideal customer persona (ICP)  , knowing their expertise level, and researching their pain points and goals. 

According to a report by Accenture, 91%

of customers are looking for more personalized and relevant offers. 

Therefore, tailoring your demo to your audience's specific needs and pain points is crucial. 

In addition, research by Gartner shows that 38%

of executives believe personalization drives customer loyalty and revenue growth.

1. Know Your Audience: Key to a Winning Software Demo

To create a successful software demo for VP Sales, it's crucial to understand their unique needs and interests. In larger organizations with established demo processes, VP Sales, VP Presales, and VP Channel Sales are typically the target audience for SaaS and software companies.

According to a survey by Gartner, 44%

of buyers consider "relevance to specific job responsibilities" as an essential factor in a vendor's content. 

Therefore, to tailor your demo to the VP Sales audience, it's necessary to research and understand their specific job responsibilities and pain points. 

By addressing these concerns and highlighting the benefits of your software, you can create a demo that speaks directly to their needs and interests, increasing your chances of converting potential customers into paying ones.

2. Tailor Demos: Understand Your Audience's Expertise

In today's market, knowing your audience's level of expertise is essential. While some buyers might be technical experts, others might be non-technical decision-makers. 

A survey by Google found that 89%

of buyers prefer different content at each stage of their research process. 

Therefore, it's crucial to tailor your demo to the appropriate level of detail and complexity based on your audience's level of expertise.

3. Solve Pain Points: Customize Demos for Success

In addition to understanding your audience's job responsibilities and level of expertise, it's vital to research their pain points and goals. 

• What challenges are they facing in their daily work? 
• What are they trying to achieve? 

A survey by CMO Council found that 90%

of buyers prefer content that speaks directly to their pain points. 

By positioning your software as the solution to their problems, you can create a more compelling demo that resonates with your audience.

Setting Up the Demo Environment

Preparing the demo environment involves selecting the right equipment and tools and ensuring all necessary resources are in place. 

According to a survey by ZoomInfo, 76%

of buyers have increased their use of virtual demos and meetings since the pandemic. This means having the right technology in place is crucial to delivering virtual demos effectively. 

In addition, creating a distraction-free environment is also essential, as a cluttered or noisy background can be a major turn-off for potential customers.

1. Rock Your Demo: Prep for Maximum Impact

To create a compelling demo, you need to prepare a suitable environment for showcasing your software.

Modern tech offers cloud-based platforms that host all your demos in a reliable environment to avoid any unexpected demo crushing or slow loading during the presentation. 

2. Essential Tools: Choose Right for Seamless Demos

In addition to preparing the space, you must select the right equipment and tools for the demo. Consider your audience's needs and preferences and the type of software you're presenting to determine the appropriate hardware and software. 

For example, if you're introducing a mobile app, use a smartphone or tablet for the demo.

3. Flawless Demos: Ensure All Resources Are Ready

Finally, make sure all necessary resources are in place before the demo. This includes product documentation, sample data sets, and other materials to help you showcase your software effectively. 

In addition, these resources can help you address any questions or concerns your audience may have during the demo.

Planning the Demo

Planning the demo involves:

• Defining the key features and benefits of the software.
• Structuring the demo to highlight these features and benefits.
• Identifying potential roadblocks and how to overcome them.

According to a few studies, companies that take a structured approach to demo planning and execution are 2.5x more likely to have higher sales productivity than those that don't. 

This means that it's crucial to invest time and resources into creating a well-planned demo that speaks to your target audience's needs and pain points. 

Also, it's essential to plan out your demo in advance and ensure that it aligns with your target audience's needs and pain points.

1. Selling 101: Define Your Value Proposition

To plan a successful software demo, you need to be able to clearly explain what unique value it delivers to the buyer and what makes it stand out from the competition. 

Then, use market research and customer feedback to determine your software's most important selling points and tailor your demo accordingly.

2. The Art of Structure: Highlighting Software Strengths

Once you've identified your software's unique selling point, structure your demo in a way that highlights it effectively. 

Use a clear and concise agenda to guide the demo and ensure that you cover all the essential points. 

Consider breaking the demo into logical sections and using real-world examples to illustrate how the software works.

3. Overcome Roadblocks: Pro Demo Strategies

Be prepared for potential objections that may arise during the demo. Brainstorm potential lists of concerns or challenges that the buyer might raise and prepare to answer them confidently. Read more about handling the sales objections here. 

Delivering the Demo

Delivering the demo is all about putting your planning into action. This means starting strong with a clear agenda, logically demonstrating the USP, focusing on the benefits and solving pain points, and addressing questions and feedback during the demo. 

According to a report by HubSpot, 36%

of salespersons say the most challenging part of the sales process is prospecting, while only 24% say it's closing. This means that a well-delivered demo can go a long way in building trust and moving potential customers down the sales funnel.

Here are some crucial tips to keep in mind for delivering a successful demo:

1. Strong Start: Clear Agenda for First Impressions

Begin your demo with a clear agenda highlighting the pain points your product can solve for your audience. This will help them stay focused and engaged throughout the demo. 

You can also set expectations for what you will cover and how long the demo will take.

2. Storytelling: Maximize Engagement with the story

When demonstrating your software, it's essential to showcase the features in a logical order that aligns with your audience's needs and preferences. 

You should start with the most relevant features and work your way through the demo in a way that builds upon each feature. This will help your audience understand how your demo software works and how it can benefit them.

3. Win with Benefits: Solve Pain Points, Seal Deals

During the demo, it's crucial to focus on the benefits of your product and how it can solve specific pain points for your audience. 

Be sure to highlight how your product can improve their workflows and save them time and money. This will help your audience see the unique value proposition of your brand and increase their interest in it.

4. Pro Handling: Address Tough Questions in Demos

As you deliver your demo, be sure to address any questions or feedback your audience may have. This will help keep them engaged and show that you are invested in their needs. 

You can also use their feedback to guide your demo and ensure that you are meeting their expectations.

By following these tips, you can deliver a successful demo that showcases your brand's unique features and benefits and engages your audience.

Post-Demo Follow-up

Following up after the demo is just as important as delivering it. This means collecting feedback and analyzing results, addressing any concerns or issues that arise, and following up with leads and potential customers. 

Customers who feel valued by a brand will continue to do business with that brand. 

Therefore, following up and showing that you care about the customer's needs and concerns can help build long-term relationships and drive revenue growth.

1. Feedback Analysis: Refining Strategies with Insights

After the demo, collecting feedback from the audience is essential to understand their needs and preferences better. This feedback will help refine the demo and make it even better for future presentations. 

One effective way to gather feedback is to send attendees a personalized survey or questionnaire. This can be done through email or a survey tool like SurveyMonkey. 

According to a study by Salesforce, 88%

of customers say being treated like a person, not a number, is very important to winning their business. 

Therefore, personalizing the survey questions and follow-up messages dramatically increases the chances of getting valuable feedback and building a connection with the attendees. 

Another way to collect feedback is to have a post-demo debrief with the team to discuss what worked well and what could be improved.

2. Turnaround Concerns: Address Issues, Reassure Customers

During the demo, some concerns or issues may have come up. 

It's essential to address these concerns promptly and effectively to maintain the trust and interest of the audience. This can be done by following up with the concerned individuals after the demo and working with them to find a solution that aligns with their needs.

3. Seize the Moment: Close Deals with Prompt Follow-Up

A successful demo can turn your prospects into clients.  It's essential to follow up with them promptly to maintain their interest and address any questions they may have. 

According to a study, 50%

of sales go to the vendor that responds first. Therefore, it's essential to have a well-crafted follow-up plan in place that includes personalized messages and timely responses. This can be done through email, phone calls, or a customized follow-up meeting.

By following up with leads and potential customers, you can continue to build a relationship with them and move them closer to making a purchase. This can ultimately lead to increased sales and revenue for your business. Read more

about using interactive demos as follow up materials. 

Power Your Demos with Demoboost

In today's fast-paced world, making a solid impression on potential customers is more important than ever. A well-executed software demo can differentiate between a sale and a missed opportunity. 

That's why you need a demo platform to help you create engaging, memorable demos that capture your audience's attention and leave a long lasting impression. 

“Thanks to the unique features, Demoboost achieved a median completion rate of 88% and a demo NPD of 89!”

At Demoboost, we understand the power of a great demo. That's why we've developed a software demo platform that's designed to help you create demos that showcase your product's unique value proposition and benefits. 

With Demoboost, you can easily plan and deliver compelling demos that resonate with your audience and drive results for your business.

Don't miss out on this opportunity. 

Stand out from the market and win more business. 

Sign up for Demoboost today and experience the power of genuinely great demos!

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with us today!

Three Comprehensive Software Demo Presentation Templates

Template 1: The Customer-Centric Approach

This template, shared by Alexander Mackinlay from Qobra, emphasizes the importance of understanding your customer’s needs and validating them throughout the demo.

Demo Start: Begin by recapping the customer’s issues that were discussed in previous meetings. Validate these issues and ask if anything has changed or if anything was missed. If there are new attendees, ask about their challenges and expectations for the meeting.

Demo Script: During the demo, ask validating questions after presenting each feature. For instance, if a prospect mentions a specific pain point, your script should highlight how a particular feature of your product addresses that issue.

Closing the Demo: At the end of the demo, encourage feedback by asking open-ended questions. Instead of simply asking if they have any questions, ask what they found most interesting, or if there was anything they were hoping to see that wasn’t covered.

Template 2: The Value Proposition Focus

This template, shared by Disha Thakkar, a PMM Expert, emphasizes the importance of focusing on the value proposition rather than just the features of the product.

Script Organization: The script should be organized to first address the pain points your solution solves, then explain how the problem is solved, and finally, highlight the value added to the customer.

Sample Script: "In our last meeting, you mentioned how vendor management is one of your biggest concerns at the moment. Our product just solves that! We have built an integrated solution that [explain how it solves the problem]. One of our customers has been able to streamline their vendor management by [incorporate the result they have achieved here] and you can do the same.”

Template 3: The Problem-Solving Approach

This template, shared by Assia Salikhova, Managing Director at Smarketing Lab Limited, emphasizes the importance of understanding the prospect’s problems and showing how your software solves their challenges.

Demo Scenario: The demo should be a conversation based on the prospect’s needs, not just a showcase of your software’s features. Ask questions to understand the problem they want to solve, what they see as a perfect solution, what software they are currently using, and what is not working or is annoying about their current solution.

Screen Sharing: Only then jump into screen sharing and do a demo from the perspective of a solution this person is seeking. Show enough that they “buy” the idea and express their feeling that that’s what they need.

Discussing Pricing: Do not proceed to discuss the pricing until you reach this point in the conversation. When there are no more questions they have and you answered them all, ask if it’s OK to talk about money now. After a positive response, provide a clear, easy-to-follow pricing structure and ask how they wish to proceed.