{"id":34142,"date":"2024-01-25T14:45:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T14:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/?p=34142"},"modified":"2024-01-25T17:51:57","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T17:51:57","slug":"remarkable-demos-what-makes-a-demo-truly-memorable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/remarkable-demos-what-makes-a-demo-truly-memorable\/","title":{"rendered":"Remarkable Demos: What Makes a Demo Truly Memorable?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Remarkable Demos: What Makes a Demo Truly Memorable?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>A Never Stop Learning! Article<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cI get paid to point, click, and talk\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8211; A senior presales practitioner ruefully describing his traditional demos\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s in This Article for You?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Why being boring is bad (as if this even needs to be said!)<\/li>\n<li>A SAD true story (SAD = Stunningly Awful Demo)<\/li>\n<li>Some basic practices for improved results<\/li>\n<li>A better baseline<\/li>\n<li>What about personality?<\/li>\n<li>Moving towards remarkable<\/li>\n<li>A collection of remarkable examples<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Reading note: The ideas get more remarkable as you go deeper into this article\u2026!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Boooooring\u2026!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When was the last time you saw a demo that was really engaging, thought-provoking, or memorable?<\/p>\n<p>As a vendor, how many times do you find that <em>you<\/em> are bored by your own demos (or your team\u2019s demos)? After all, you\u2019ve seen them over and over and over, with basically the same talk track and sequence of steps.<\/p>\n<p>Be honest: How many of us, in the <em>midst<\/em> of a colleague\u2019s demo, are exploring something on the web or on our phones?<\/p>\n<p>Even worse, contemplate your prospects\u2019 perceptions as they listen to these same cookie-cutter demos, watching as the presenter methodically clacks the same clicks and plods the same paths they\u2019ve followed dozens of times before!<\/p>\n<p>Boring.<\/p>\n<p>Now contemplate what your prospect <em>remembers<\/em> about your demo after they\u2019ve seen two, three, or more demos from your competition that show similar capabilities. It\u2019s hard for them to differentiate between you and<\/p>\n<p>the alternatives. All of the demos consist of the same traditional flows with little or nothing that appears particularly novel or intriguing: Just \u201cpoint, click, and talk!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>No <em>wonder<\/em> you have to repeat demos for the same audience. No <em>wonder<\/em> your prospects request a POC. No <em>wonder<\/em> your prospects can\u2019t make a decision and \u201ckick the can down the road.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>A SAD True Story<\/h3>\n<p>A few years ago, I was watching a partner vendor present a face-to-face demo to an important prospect in Switzerland, and it was <em>not<\/em> going well!<\/p>\n<p>A couple of days before the demo meeting, I provided the vendor with a rich set of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Doing-Discovery-Important-Enablement-Processes\/dp\/B0B8RJK4C2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">discovery<\/a> information, which we discussed in detail. This was a key customer and we wanted to be properly prepared. Sadly, we were unable to organize a dry run before the event: This was a major mistake!<\/p>\n<p>About fifteen minutes into the demo, the partner started a <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/a-terrible-tabs-demo-death-march\/\">Terrible Tabs Death March<\/a>. You know, where the presenter works through the details of each and every tab, one after another (after another, after another\u2026).<\/p>\n<p>By the third tab, the audience realized what was going on, indicated by shifting chairs and squirming bodies. A few prospect participants began to doodle on their notepads. Well, this was bad, but it got worse\u2026<\/p>\n<p>As the vendor clicked on the <em>fourth<\/em> tab, the head of the prospect team stood up, walked to the side of the conference room, and slowly but steadily banged his head on the wall: thunk, thunk, thunk!<\/p>\n<p>Clearly, this demo was memorable, but not in a positive way (people <em>still<\/em> talk about this meeting today)!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Some Better Basics<\/h3>\n<p>DON\u2019T<\/p>\n<p>If you want to sound like most other vendors, go ahead and inflict a 20-minute <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/death-by-corporate-overview-2\/\">corporate overview<\/a>\/product overview presentation on your prospect. That should have them browsing online in no time!<\/p>\n<p>DO<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s all about your <em>prospect<\/em>. Start with a crisp summary of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Doing-Discovery-Important-Enablement-Processes\/dp\/B0B8RJK4C2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">discovery<\/a> information you\u2019ve collected. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0C9SNKC2Y\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1688763837&amp;sr=1-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Great Demo!<\/a> Situation Slide is <em>perfect<\/em> for this. Stay in \u201cYou Mode\u201d as you review this summary.<\/p>\n<p>DO (BONUS)<\/p>\n<p>Ensure that you understand and have confirmed your prospect\u2019s Critical Business Issue, Delta elements, and Critical Date to avoid a <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/avoiding-no-decision-outcomes\/\">No Decision<\/a> outcome.<\/p>\n<p>DON\u2019T<\/p>\n<p>Start with <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/set-up-mode\/\">Set-up Mode<\/a> items and present a long, linear flow that consumes the allotted time. This will also keep you from presenting the reports, dashboards, and other deliverables that your prospect <em>really<\/em> wants to see!<\/p>\n<p>DO<\/p>\n<p>Start with a \u201cWow!\u201d by showing the deliverables that your prospect desires: \u201cDo the Last Thing First!\u201d These should solve your prospect\u2019s Problems\/Reasons (\u201cpain\u201d) and enable them to address their Critical Business Issues.<\/p>\n<p>DO (BONUS)<\/p>\n<p>A \u201cbefore and after\u201d method of illustrating deliverables can be <em>very<\/em> effective. The \u201cbefore\u201d shows your prospect\u2019s current, painful process or inadequate deliverable; the \u201cafter\u201d demonstrates the glorious wonders of your solution (presented with the sound of angels singing!).<\/p>\n<p>DO (BONUS BONUS)<\/p>\n<p>When you follow the Do the Last Thing First approach and apply the <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/why-like-a-news-article\/\">Inverted Pyramid<\/a> structure, you may actually finish the demo well <em>before<\/em> the allocated time is consumed. Imagine how happy your prospect will be to get that time back in their day: Now <em>that\u2019s<\/em> remarkable!<\/p>\n<p>DON\u2019T<\/p>\n<p>Show demo data that doesn\u2019t align with your prospect\u2019s business or scenarios that don\u2019t reflect reality. Presenting a manufacturing example to a group of finance folks will get you laughed out of the room (or virtual room).<\/p>\n<p>DO<\/p>\n<p>Invest a bit of time (or in a tool) to show <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/a-perfect-demo-environment\/\">relevant data<\/a> and visuals that reflect realistic use cases.<\/p>\n<p>DO (BONUS)<\/p>\n<p>Make sure your demo environment includes representative problems that can be solved, exceptions that can be investigated, and opportunities that can be explored. Make the data interesting!<\/p>\n<p>DON\u2019T<\/p>\n<p>Explore all of the possible options for each function or pursue every <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/two-words-to-avoid\/\">\u201cif\u201d and \u201cor\u201d<\/a> case. Keep in mind that your audience will remember the first couple of ideas and the last thing that you present. Everything in the middle is at risk of sounding like crickets in an empty room, \u201cchirp chirp chirp chirp\u2026!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>DO<\/p>\n<p>Organize and present your demo segments applying the <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/why-like-a-news-article\/\">Inverted Pyramid<\/a> method. This technique delivers the most important ideas right up front and enables your prospect to explore in as much detail as <em>they<\/em> have interest!<\/p>\n<p>DON\u2019T<\/p>\n<p>Point, click, and talk, and point, click, and talk (and point, click, and talk) for ten minutes, and <em>then<\/em> ask, \u201cAny questions so far?\u201d What do you think your prospect\u2019s response will be? Yup, you guessed it: \u201cNope, we\u2019re good\u2026!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, avoid the phrase, \u201cDoes that make sense?\u201d You may not want to hear your prospect\u2019s <em>real<\/em> answers!<\/p>\n<p>DO<\/p>\n<p>Invite your prospect to engage by using frequent summaries (after each segment, at minimum). The act of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0C9SNKC2Y\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1688763837&amp;sr=1-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Peeling Back the Layers<\/a> actually <em>drives<\/em> questions and comments from your prospect.<\/p>\n<p>DO (BONUS)<\/p>\n<p>Here are several alternatives to the banal and boring, \u201cAny questions so far?\u201d and \u201cDoes that make sense?\u201d:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cQuestions?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cQuestions or comments?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cYour thoughts?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cFeedback?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cWhat do you think so far?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cComments, questions, observations?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cDoes that resonate?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cHow does that resonate?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cWhat are your thoughts on this?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cHow does this look to you?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cHow does this compare with your current system?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cIs this the kind of capability you have in mind?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>DON\u2019T<\/p>\n<p>Pre-answer all the questions you\u2019ve heard multiple times before. Doing so is a terrific way to kill any reasonable possibility of a dialogue. (Pre-answering is also known as \u201cpremature elaboration\u2026!\u201d)<\/p>\n<p>DO<\/p>\n<p>Be <em>prepared<\/em> to respond to the questions you\u2019ve heard multiple times before, but <em>don\u2019t<\/em> provide answers until your prospect actually asks the questions! This is the essence of Peeling Back the Layers, enabling a real <em>conversation<\/em> to take place while letting your prospect explore your capabilities in as much depth as <em>they<\/em> have interest.<\/p>\n<p>DO (BONUS)<\/p>\n<p>Practice superior question-handling skills (see Chapter 8 \u201cManaging Time and Questions\u201d in <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0C9SNKC2Y\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1688763837&amp;sr=1-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Great Demo!<\/a><\/em>). Show genuine interest, explore the \u201cwhy\u201d behind prospect questions, and be curious about anything usual! Use a Parking Lot to capture any questions or topics that need to be addressed after the demo.<\/p>\n<p>Make sure you\u2019ve adequately closed prospect questions. Here are a few phrases to draw from:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cDoes that sufficiently answer your question?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cIs that sufficient?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cHave I adequately addressed your question?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cIs that what you wanted to know?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cIs that sufficient or do we need to go deeper?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can also precipitate prospect questions by offering an interim summary:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cSo, to summarize\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cTo recap\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cSo, what you\u2019ve seen so far\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cIn conclusion (on this point)\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cTo sum up\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>DO (BONUS BONUS)<\/p>\n<p>A simple \u201cyes\u201d may be a sufficient response to many prospect questions!<\/p>\n<p>DON\u2019T<\/p>\n<p>When you have situations with multiple solutions or multiple players (or both!), don\u2019t force everyone in the audience to stay through the entire meeting, wondering when they\u2019ll see the portions of the demo that are relevant to them.<\/p>\n<p>DO<\/p>\n<p>Use <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/the-menu-approach-a-truly-terrific-demo-self-rescue-technique\/\">The Menu Approach<\/a> and let your <em>prospect<\/em> define the agenda. Not only will they be more engaged, you\u2019ll learn what is most important to them!<\/p>\n<p>DO (BONUS)<\/p>\n<p>Organize the time to ensure that the highest-ranking prospect players are addressed early in the meeting. Getting a \u201cyes\u201d on your solution from them will reduce the potential for objections from the balance of the prospect team.<\/p>\n<p>DO (BONUS BONUS)<\/p>\n<p>Be prepared to <em>release<\/em> prospect players once their segments are complete. \u201cThanks for joining the demo today. Looks like that covers your areas of interest. You are welcome to stay, but you\u2019re also welcome to leave if you\u2019d prefer: That\u2019s an <em>hour<\/em> you get back in your day!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>DON\u2019T<\/p>\n<p>End your demo with a slide that says, \u201cThank You\u201d or \u201cQuestions\u201d, and no verbal summary. Your audience will remember the last element of your demo surprisingly well. Don\u2019t squander this opportunity!<\/p>\n<p>True story: At the end of a demo a few years ago, a vendor shared a PowerPoint slide that contained a large, golden, slowly rotating 3D question mark as they asked, \u201cAny questions?\u201d Those of us in the meeting all remember that rotating image, but sadly little else!<\/p>\n<p>DO<\/p>\n<p>Provide a crisp summary of what you\u2019ve shown, what questions were asked, the responses provided, and any topics or questions that were parked along the way. This recap takes advantage of prospects\u2019 typical retention curves where the last topic is remembered quite well.<\/p>\n<p>DO (BONUS)<\/p>\n<p>As you begin your final summary, redisplay the most compelling visual (Illustration) from your software. Linger lovingly over this screen as you deliver your summary and take any final questions.<\/p>\n<p>DON\u2019T<\/p>\n<p>End the meeting without a mutual plan of action or \u201cnext steps\u201d discussion. Even worse, don\u2019t succumb to the temptation to offer a \u201cfree POC\u201d\u2026! (Remember: Our objective is to secure the order with the least expensive form of proof!)<\/p>\n<p>DO<\/p>\n<p>Discuss a Mutual Action Plan that, in the best cases, includes tasks for both you and your prospect.<\/p>\n<p>DO (BONUS)<\/p>\n<p>Discuss prospect-specific Value Realization Events: what these are, how to measure them, and how and when they can be achieved. Doing this proves to your prospect that you are truly interested in their success and not simply getting the order! (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Doing-Discovery-Important-Enablement-Processes\/dp\/B0B8RJK4C2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Doing Discovery<\/em><\/a> provides details on this highly effective differentiating process.)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Interim Summary<\/h3>\n<p>The DO and BONUS practices above will make your demos much more memorable than traditional approaches. Before we move on to some remarkably marvelous methods, do you have any questions, comments, or observations on what we\u2019ve covered so far? Is there anything that stands out for you, in particular?<\/p>\n<p>(See what I did there?)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>A Better Baseline<\/h3>\n<p>Training is a rational starting point, of course. Presentation skills classes help presenters improve their level of practice. Sales methodology courses provide processes to help salespeople progress and secure business faster. <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/training\/workshops\/doing-discovery\/\">Discovery<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/training\/workshops\/great-demo\/\">demonstration<\/a> skills training enable customer-facing teams to improve these processes, similarly.<\/p>\n<p>All of these help people get better at what they do and enable improved baselines of practice.<\/p>\n<p>Some training involves making small, incremental improvements. This tends to be lower risk but also yields smaller gains. In the world of software demos, helping people to improve existing talk tracks or eliminate unneeded features is good, but it is not going to result in a demo that is perceived as particularly remarkable. You simply achieve a marginally better baseline.<\/p>\n<p>More sophisticated and \u201crip and replace\u201d training methods enable major step-changes: new ways of doing things that go well beyond the <em>status quo<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/training\/workshops\/great-demo\/\">Great Demo! methodology<\/a> is an example of doing things quite differently: a <em>significant<\/em> step-change. This type of training often requires changing or replacing ingrained habits, but the payoffs are commensurately <em>much<\/em> more rewarding!<\/p>\n<p>Starting demos with Great Demo! Situation Slides is surprisingly refreshing for audiences who are expecting to suffer through vendor corporate overviews. Applying the Do the Last Thing First concept rescues prospects from the <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/rescue-from-the-tyranny-of-traditional-demos\/\">tyranny of traditional demos<\/a> that seem to take <em>forever<\/em> to get to the desired deliverables. Peeling Back the Layers turns demos from boring monologues into engaging, bidirectional <em>conversations<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The mental investment to successfully apply Great Demo! practices are more challenging, but the yield is a huge multiple of that effort! Question: Do you want to be perceived as average, slightly above average, much better than average, or truly remarkable?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>What About Personality?<\/h3>\n<p>I once saw a face-to-face demo where the presenter recited a script in a dead monotone, punctuating delivery with what became a sadly predictable use of the keyboard space bar to advance the screen (it was a recorded demo driven from the keyboard). People in the audience were texting one another with increasingly derisive comments about how incredibly, painfully <em>boring<\/em> the demo was.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, while this demo was remarkable, it wasn\u2019t remarkable in a <em>good<\/em> way!<\/p>\n<p>Personality differences can have a major impact on the retention of information. But being bubbly and upbeat is just a part of the solution, and relying on your delightful personality alone is insufficient to achieve remarkability. In fact, being perceived as <em>overly<\/em> positive can be a <em>negative<\/em> in many cultures and situations.<\/p>\n<p>Presales folks are frequently (and often inaccurately) described as being introverted, while salespeople are generally classified as extroverts (again, a poor generalization). Some people are \u201cnatural\u201d presenters; others need to learn skills to make their communication more effective.<\/p>\n<p>Adapting your personality for demos can be a bit like acting: You are taking on the role of a different person or manifesting different personality attributes for your demos. In any case, you may need to perform with personality characteristics that are different from your non-business or non-customer-facing self.<\/p>\n<p>Leveraging or adapting your personality to improve demo delivery is part of the expected baseline, accordingly. So, let\u2019s move on to more interesting ideas!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Moving Towards Remarkable<\/h3>\n<p>What makes prospects and customers say, \u201cRemember the time that vendor did that <em>really<\/em> amazing demo?\u201d What is the difference between a good demo and something that people still talk about?<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re remarkable. They\u2019re memorable. They stand out from all of the other demos and presentations because they really are different. They depart from the expected norms, they \u201cpush the envelope,\u201d and they set new boundaries. In many cases they have a surprising twist:<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2026Remember the time the SC brought in that <em>huge<\/em> stack of papers to search through like we were doing at the time? That <em>really<\/em> reflected our then-current situation!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2026It was so great when they had our VP of Sales drive a portion of the demo. If <em>he<\/em> could do it, anyone could!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2026 Remember when that salesperson showed an analysis of <em>our<\/em> situation? It was uncanny how accurate it was!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2026I loved it when they let <em>me<\/em> search their database. I found answers that I didn\u2019t know existed, then emailed them to myself and completed my project earlier and much better than I\u2019d expected!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These demos were so remarkable that they not only secured the order but <em>also<\/em> stayed in these customers\u2019 minds long afterward. Let\u2019s explore what makes certain demos <em>truly<\/em> remarkable and how to implement these practices within your organization.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>A Collection of Remarkable Examples<\/h3>\n<p>Stand-up comedians constantly test and improve their material, providing a wonderful example for demo practitioners.<\/p>\n<p>Comedians introduce new ideas, explore audience reactions, and change, add, or delete material in their \u201croutines\u201d accordingly. Their expectation is that each subsequent performance will be better than the previous show. Evolution at its best: survival of the fittest jokes\u2026!<\/p>\n<p>Comedians need to have material that is <em>consistently<\/em> remarkable. Should demos be any different? Nope! Here are some examples of applying this same idea to the fabulous world of demos:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>When you use a prop or visual aid in a demo that really engages the audience and makes them light up, repeat it for the next relevant group. Explore showing it vs passing it around (for face-to-face scenarios) and compare the results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">I\u2019ve seen wonderful props used in both face-to-face and web demos, from huge stacks of paper (representing current manual processes) to machine parts that were just about to fail (showing how predictive maintenance works), and software driving robots for special functions (in one case, the software instructed a liquid-handling robot to create the perfect martini!).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Pro Tip: Props and visual aids for face-to-face demos should be easily transportable or locally procurable. I frequently use a newspaper as a prop to illustrate the use of the Inverted Pyramid concept in demo delivery. When I\u2019m on the road, I still look for a stack of newspapers in the hotel lobby to use in that day\u2019s training!<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Pro Tip: Props and visual aids aren\u2019t limited to face-to-face demos. You can present props via your webcam, for example. I\u2019ve even modeled handing things to the audience through my webcam and have audience members pretend to take them from me!<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">True Story: I was delivering a Great Demo! Workshop and during the final roleplay exercise one of the participants rounded up a large cup and two sealed water bottles before he began. He presented his Situation Slide, followed by a nice-looking dashboard as his Illustration.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">He then grabbed both of the water bottles, banged them together, and said, \u201cIf I understand correctly, your current situation has silos that can\u2019t be connected, like these two sealed water bottles.\u201d He banged them together again. He then opened both bottles and poured portions from each into the cup and announced, \u201cWe are enabling you to combine your data in ways you\u2019ve never been able to do before and\u2026\u201d He brought the cup to his lips and took a big sip, followed by a refreshing \u201cAhhhh\u2026! And enable you to <em>consume<\/em> that data in ways you\u2019ve never been able to do before!\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Thunderous round of applause!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Let your prospect drive a portion of the demo. This <em>really<\/em> wakes up the audience!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Demos are often a form of proof, particularly for \u201cease of use.\u201d Having an audience member drive a portion of the demo is a remarkable way to confirm ease of use and may avoid a costly POC!<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Pro Tip: Use your champion for a \u201cDo It\u201d pathway or similar brief segment and have them practice the pathway before the actual demo.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Tell stories! It\u2019s amazing to watch your audience\u2019s reaction when you ask, \u201cWould you like to hear the true story of\u2026?\u201d They will literally lean forward in their seats! (Check out the chapter on Storytelling in the Third Edition of <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0C9SNKC2Y\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1688763837&amp;sr=1-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Great Demo!<\/a><\/em> for more details on storytelling practices for demos.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Pro Tip: When you tell a story that really resonates, keep it in the act, and work continuously to make it even better in subsequent demos. When you see consistent success with that story, share it with your colleagues!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>When you present a terrific payoff screen or key report (an Illustration) that really resonates with a prospect player, do it again the next time you demo to someone with the same job title.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Pro Tip: Prospect executives may only need to see a relevant Situation Slide and one or a few compelling Illustrations, without any need to go deeper. I cannot tell you how many times we had completed this portion of the meeting and heard the executive say to their team, \u201cFolks, I\u2019m comfortable with this as a solution. I have another meeting I\u2019m going to join, but you can stay and continue the demo as long as you need.\u201d Congratulations: The order is now yours!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For multiple-solution or multiple-player demos, use <a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/the-menu-approach-a-truly-terrific-demo-self-rescue-technique\/\">The Menu Approach<\/a>. This fabulous practice puts the agenda in the <em>prospect\u2019s<\/em> hands, engaging your audience right from the beginning of the meeting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Pro Tip: Include more items on your Menu than the allotted time allows. In addition to this being a very effective method of Vision Expansion, this tactic also gives you a reason to reengage later on. (You can find details on Vision Expansion and Vision Reengineering in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Doing-Discovery-Important-Enablement-Processes\/dp\/B0B8RJK4C2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Doing Discovery<\/em><\/a>.)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>One of the strongest versions of \u201cYou Mode\u201d is to use your audience\u2019s specific <em>names<\/em>. There are few things as attention-grabbing as when you use someone\u2019s name in a demo meeting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">A colleague told me a fabulous story about his \u201cNames Superpower.\u201d During the meeting introductions, he would carefully memorize the names of all of the prospect players to a surprisingly deep level. How deep? During one face-to-face meeting, while he was drawing on a whiteboard, a prospect participant asked a question and, <em>without<\/em> turning around, my colleague provided the answer using the correct name for that person. Wow!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Power of the Pause: In music, a short period of time with no sound can be extremely dramatic, and the same principle also applies to demos. When you describe a key screen or idea, pause for a moment to give your audience time to absorb the concept, think about it, and provide a comfortable opening for questions or comments. There is no requirement to constantly fill \u201cdead air\u201d!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Interestingly, even the use of alliteration and careful selection of words can impact your audience\u2019s attention. Hard consonants and sibilants serve as percussion to the melody of your sentences, for example. Explore this for yourself: Listen to some of your favorite music and note the dynamics, pauses, crescendos, fermatas, and other hooks designed to engage and stimulate the listener.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>When you are doing online demos, use the annotation tools. (Zoom has a terrific set of annotation capabilities. As of this writing Teams does not, so consider a third-party tool such as ZoomIt). The act of a new, unanticipated graphic appearing on the screen refreshes the audience. Sadly, the huge majority of vendor staff rarely employ these tools. This is an opportunity to differentiate!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Pro Tip story: We were working with a prospect over the web and needed to get clarification about some elements of their workflow. We opened up a whiteboard in Zoom, drew the main workflow elements on the screen, and then worked collaboratively with our prospect to refine it. When it was complete, our prospect asked, \u201cCan you please save this and send it to me? This is the best representation we\u2019ve yet seen of this workflow!\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A crisp, meaningful quote or verbal sound bite can often make your demo more memorable, partly through association with the quote itself. Great Demo! Workshop participants from <em>years<\/em> ago will often regale me with their recollections of specific phrases we used in those Workshops, such as:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">\u201cEncrispen!\u201d<br \/>\n\u201cDo the Last Thing First!\u201d<br \/>\n\u201cFewest number of clicks\u201d (with the commensurate hand motion)<br \/>\n&#8220;We are victims of momentum!\u201d<br \/>\n\u201cThunderous sound of applause!\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Pro Tip: Synthesizing and using your <em>own<\/em> new words or phrases can be particularly memorable. See these two <a href=\"https:\/\/customerthink.com\/encrispen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">definitions<\/a> of \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.urbandictionary.com\/define.php?term=encrispen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Encrispen<\/a>,\u201d for example!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Give your prospect something of real value from the demo (other than just pleasant memories). Most demos involve fake data or model scenarios. If your offering can actually solve a real problem <em>during<\/em> the demo, do so!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">A few years back, I used to present our \u201cAvailable Chemicals Directory\u201d database to our prospects. This was a chemistry structure-searchable electronic collection of the world\u2019s hundreds of chemical catalogs. Prior to our database, scientists had to search <em>each<\/em> catalog manually, often taking <em>hours<\/em> and even more often <em>missing<\/em> good candidate compounds, due to the intrinsic limitations of chemical names (In chemistry, one picture is <em>truly<\/em> worth one thousand words!).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">I would execute an example search in the database and then ask, \u201cAnyone want to look for a compound <em>you\u2019re<\/em> interested in?\u201d I\u2019d pick a volunteer and guide them through the search process and, more often than not, they\u2019d <em>find<\/em> what they were looking for! I\u2019d then email the results to the prospect after the demo, often saving them, not just hours in searching but <em>weeks<\/em> that would otherwise have been spent in wasted laboratory synthesis efforts.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">A customer who purchased the product immediately after the demo told me, \u201cCohan, you just showed us how three weeks in the lab can save seven minutes in the database!\u201d (I love the clever twist of the wording\u2026)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Pro Tip: Apply two or more of these approaches in parallel!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Demo elements that were memorable, that were <em>particularly<\/em> remarkable, are the elements to harvest, refine, and reuse. Demos should evolve to incorporate the best material for each prospect situation.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Share and Leverage<\/h3>\n<p>Now you have your own personal stock of remarkable demo ideas. Consider tapping into other examples from your colleagues, competitors, and third parties as well.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>With your own team, organize a \u201cDemo Day\u201d where team members present demo components and ideas that worked extraordinarily well.<\/li>\n<li>Watch recorded demos from your colleagues and assess: What caused the most positive responses from the audiences? What props or visual aids were used that really resonated? What stories had the audience on the edge of their seats? What additional ideas can you harvest?<\/li>\n<li>Watch demos from other companies: online, at conferences, or as a <em>prospect<\/em> when vendors present at your company. Collect ideas to incorporate into your own demos. What did you like? What didn\u2019t resonate? What was remarkable?<\/li>\n<li>Watch non-demo presentations (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ted.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.TED.com<\/a>, for example) to harvest novel and remarkable ideas that could be applied to the wonderful world of demos.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Where else can you find other remarkable ideas?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>From Traditional to Better to <em>Truly<\/em> Remarkable<\/h3>\n<p>A traditional demo is typically what you were taught when you first joined the customer-facing team: \u201cHere\u2019s the demo for product X\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Substantially better demos result from applying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0C9SNKC2Y\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1688763837&amp;sr=1-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Great Demo!<\/a> principles, such as Do the Last Thing First, Fewest Number of Clicks, Inverted Pyramid, Peel Back the Layers, and the appropriate use of question management Parking Lots.<\/p>\n<p><em>Truly<\/em> remarkable demos harvest the best, most memorable elements of your or your team\u2019s demos and replay them on a consistently improving, ongoing basis. The payoff? <em>Truly<\/em> remarkable demos have the highest success rates of all in securing the business!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Copyright \u00a9 2024 The Second Derivative \u2013 All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n<p>To learn the methods introduced above, consider enrolling in a Great Demo! Doing Discovery or Demonstration Skills\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/training\">Workshop<\/a>. For more demo and discovery tips, best practices, tools and techniques, explore our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/learn\/books\">books<\/a>, blog and articles on the Resources pages of our website at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/\">GreatDemo.com<\/a>\u00a0and join the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/groups\/2430414\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Great Demo! &amp; Doing Discovery LinkedIn Group<\/a>\u00a0to learn from others and share your experiences.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Remarkable Demos: What Makes a Demo Truly Memorable? A Never Stop Learning! Article &nbsp; \u201cI get paid to point, click, and talk\u2026\u201d &#8211; A<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":34149,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,19,14,8,10,22],"tags":[6,7],"class_list":["post-34142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-demo-data-and-environment","category-aweful_demos","category-advanced_topics","category-great-demo-blog","category-methodology_basics","category-virtual_remote_demos","tag-articles","tag-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34142"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34148,"href":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34142\/revisions\/34148"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greatdemo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}