What does a sales demo mean?
A sales demo is a thorough demonstration of a product or service that a salesperson gives to a potential customer interested in what the company offers.
To show how a product can help the buyer with their problems, it’s essential to show how its features and benefits match what they want.
A sales demo takes place once a website visitor turns into a marketing qualified lead (MQL) or a salesperson has talked to a prospect for the first time.
They are different for each company and can happen in person or online. Every sales show goes like this:
- Tell the possible customers about your business and get to know them.
- Go over facts and conversations from earlier.
- Talk about the qualities and benefits of the product.
- Show how the product works and discuss the proper ways to use it.
- Answer any concerns or questions.
- Ask people to do something to end the call.
Demonstrations of products don’t always lead to sales right away. For a lead to turn into a sale, much work still needs to be done.
Eighty percent of sales need five follow-up calls after the meeting, and the average business-to-business sale has six to ten decision-makers. This means that you need to talk to people again after a sales demo to build trust and show value.
Like words
- Demonstration of sales
- Product show
- Showing off a product
- Call for demo
Why demos for sales are important
In a personalized setting, sales demos are the first time a possible buyer sees a product.
For many reasons, this is important:
Use customization to show how the product can help you.
There is never just enough information on a business website for every customer. Some information about a product is only helpful for certain types of customers, and other parts may not be apparent to keep the competition from knowing.
Sales demos are a great way to show potential customers how a product can meet their wants and solve their problems by being personalized.
Let’s say that a potential buyer (a SaaS company that charges by membership) visits DealHub. They read guides and listen to the show, and some problems with how they do things now become clear to them.
They list their most significant problems when they ask for a demo:
Keeping track of subscribers who leave. They have way too many users for them to send each one an email when it’s time to renew or there’s a problem with the payment. As a result, they lose customers every year.
It is making documents. The product isn’t hard to understand, but it takes a lot of time to make custom paperwork for each buyer and get it signed.
DealHub’s product speeds up these processes and does several other things on its website, such as integrating with other CRMs and setting up complicated products.
What the seller does during the demo is put themselves in the shoes of the potential customer. So they don’t show the potential of the whole product; they only show them the software for making documents and managing subscriptions.
That way, the buyer can see how DealHub’s product can help them and how it would work with their current processes.
Make an excellent first impression and build trust that lasts.
Initial opinions last a long time. They find out if a client believes a product can help them and if they trust it.
Trust is crucial when making a buying choice, especially in business-to-business deals with many essential parties.
During a good sales demo, the seller meets the customer where they are and focuses on their pain points. They will take the time to show you how the product works, answer any questions and explain how it works.
They should be knowledgeable and easy to relate to, and their mood and behavior should also help build trust.
Because of how friendly the seller is and how good the demo is, this can turn a buyer from doubtful to believing, persuading them that the product is worth buying.
Answer right away
It helps sellers show how the product works and how valuable it is when they answer questions or concerns immediately.
This is very important for businesses whose products are very complicated. A demo allows prospects to see how a feature or idea works, which is sometimes necessary for them to grasp it fully.
By answering questions quickly and replying to feedback, sellers teach potential buyers about their customer service skills and make a good impression.
Boost the chances of conversion.
Buyers are more than halfway through their study before they call sales, but they still want to try out the product before making a change that affects the whole company.
When a sales demo is part of an honest and pleasant buying experience, it can entice people to spend more time looking at the product, leading to more sales in the future.
People who attend demos sometimes decide to buy immediately; the average conversion rate in the B2B SaaS market is between 5 and 15 percent.
Make friends that will last.
Following up with a customer after the show helps build long-term relationships that will lead to repeat business and word-of-mouth recommendations in the future.
You can do this in several ways:
Send follow-up emails. There should be customer satisfaction polls and ways to get in touch if there are more questions.
They were checking in often. By getting in touch with buyers occasionally, sellers show that they want to build a relationship with them and help them succeed with the goods.
Examples and stories of what worked. It’s easy for people to believe a product when you show them examples of how it’s worked for other people.
Programs that help people find services. If you reward a client, they may refer a future customer, even if they haven’t bought anything yet or aren’t a good fit for the product.
Sales demos are a great way to increase sales from many angles because they turn good first impressions into long-term relationships.
The Sales Demo’s Part in the B2B Customer Journey
During the decision-making part of the customer journey, when a potential buyer has done a lot of research on the product and is ready to make a choice, sales demos occur.
Why the sales demo is good for the customer
When done right, sales demos are very helpful for people who might buy. Here are eight of the most important advantages:
- A unique event. Buyers can see how a product can solve their problems with the help of customized sales demos. If the product works well for them, it makes their lives better.
- Competitive price. Some sellers offer sales deals to people unsure if they want to buy. People who want to buy something can get the best deal by watching a practice.
- It lessens the risk. By using a product themselves, possible buyers can get a better idea of how well it works and how reliable it is, which lowers their risk of making a purchase. We are talking face-to-face. Sales demos let people who might buy the product or service clear up any questions or concerns without waiting for an answer.
- She is learning by seeing. About 65% of people learn best by seeing. Reading about a product, looking at still pictures, or watching videos may not be as helpful as seeing it in action.
- Check for compatibility. During a sales session, people interested in a product can see how it fits in with their current systems and processes. This is especially helpful for software or machines that are hard to understand.
- They are making intelligent decisions. If buyers know how a product works, they can decide if it’s worth the money.
- I am continuing to learn. If the sales show goes well, the prospect will at least know more about the product than they did before.
When should you give a sales demo?
Sales demos should only be given to ready prospects with a good chance of becoming customers. This way, neither the salesperson nor the buyer waste their time.
The following are sure signs that a prospect is ready for a demo:
- The person who might buy the goods has already learned about them.
- They looked at the business’s website and found some places that might be interesting to them.
- They have clarified that they need the goods and know how they will help their business.
- They are asking good questions and getting involved.
- They are the perfect customer for the company, according to the information they gave.
If the SDR makes a cold call, they have found clear pain points where the product can help build trust with the buyer.
Who gives a sales demo?
A salesperson from the company gives the sales demos. The job title could be Account Executive, Business Development Representative, or Sales Manager.
A customer success specialist may be there to help the salesperson and answer any technical questions the buyer may have.
Product managers and engineers are also involved in the sales show process at companies that make high-tech goods.
In every case, the people from the company who do the sales show are highly educated and know much about the product and how it works.
How to Give a Sales Demo That Gets People to Buy
Demonstrating products is one of the things that salespeople hate to do because it takes so much time and doesn’t always pay off.
Most sales demos last between 20 minutes and an hour. If the average SaaS conversion rate is between 5 and 15 percent, 85% to 95% of sales hours don’t pay off immediately.
This makes it even more important to know what demos are really for and plan how to give them so that they are most effective.
Here are some rules to follow when giving a sales demo:
Get ready.
Being ready for a sales demo is very important. If a person isn’t ready, they might as well not do the demo.
Before showing a buyer a product, sales workers need to learn more about it and make an agenda (and any other materials that might be needed) to keep them on track and ensure all their questions are answered.
A day or two before the demo, it’s a good idea to send the prospect the plan so they can review it. It does two things:
- It confirms that they will attend the meeting (about 20% of people don’t attend).
- It lets people know if there’s anything they’d like to add or talk about during the meeting.
It sets the tone for the sales call and makes it as productive as possible on the day of the show.
Pay attention to what the customer wants and needs.
Sales demos that go well aren’t just about showing off the product catalog; they’re also about getting the buyer and salesperson to talk about the buyer’s needs and how the product can meet them.
When reps give their pitch, they should focus on finding problems their product can fix. By actively listening and asking relevant questions, you can make the buyer feel heard and respected, which builds trust and makes the sale more likely to go through.
This is an example of a conversation between a customer and a prospect that shows careful listening:
Currently, our biggest problem is keeping track of customer data on many different platforms.
Rep asked, “What do you mean by that?” and How does it affect your work right now?”
Customer: “Well, we have to enter customer information into different systems by hand, and mistakes happen at some point.”
Rep asked, “Do you think that’s taking up time, money, or both?”
Client: “That’s the thing. We don’t know, but we do know it’s taking too long and giving us much extra work.”
Rep: “It sounds like life would be a lot easier if there was just one platform for everything.” Do you want something like that?
Help customers with their problems.
The format of a sales demo should be adaptable enough that the presentation can be changed based on buyer feedback, which can then be used to make the demo fit the needs of each buyer.
That seller might have a plan for their show in the first case.
Once they know the customer’s problem with centralized data and entering data by hand, they could change their pitch to focus more on how the product can integrate data.
Make the demo your own.
- At every step, sellers should make the demo unique. Among these are:
- Putting the name, area, and company of the buyer in the presentation
- Using images that fit with their business to make their slides stand out
- Adding case studies that are related to the buyer’s business and use case
- Using success stories from customers when it makes sense
- Video or voice clips aimed at the buyer can add a personal touch.
The buyer will remember these little things, and they show that the salesperson is paying attention to their wants.
Provide relevant follow-up materials.
Once they’ve given an excellent product example, sales reps should always follow up with valuable materials like slides, videos, or company web content (like articles, webinars, or documentation) that explain the product’s features and business uses in more depth.
This is an excellent chance for sales reps to make lasting impressions and give buyers something tangible to look over later.
These materials are also beneficial when showing the demo to other people in the buying company who have a stake in it.
One or two resources should be enough, but the seller shouldn’t send too many. The resources should be helpful and complete.
Add case studies and data.
Case studies can make it up to 50% easier for people to buy from a business. When buyers see how well a product has worked for others, it’s easy to imagine it working for them, too.
Reps should be ready to share success stories from happy customers and data about necessary measures for those customers.
It could be:
- Amount of money made back (ROI)
- Measures of sales
- Leads that come in
- Good comments from customers
- Keep your customers
- Efficiency in operations
- Saving money
Prospects can see the possible upside of a product by looking at how it has helped people in the past. In turn, this makes it more likely that the change will happen.
Go over the next steps.
If a seller hangs up the phone without ensuring both parties agree on what will happen next, they hurt themselves.
Reps should do the following while still on the call:
Write down the main ideas and lessons learned.
Go over the next steps.
Set due dates for follow-ups and implementation
Make sure that all of your questions have been answered.
Reps can ensure that everyone is on the same page about goals, standards, and due dates.
This could go like this, to give you an idea:
Rep: “We’ve talked about how our platform can help you save time and money by streamlining how you enter data.” I’ll send you a follow-up email with some extra information, and then we can talk about pricing choices on the call next week. Does that plan sound good?”
After that, the customer would either agree with the plan or suggest a different time frame. This helps reps keep the talk and momentum going so that deals don’t get stuck.
Afterward, follow up.
- Four out of five salespeople give up after just one follow-up call, even though most deals need five or more.
- If a possible buyer doesn’t respond, it doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t interested. There are many personal and professional reasons why they might not be responding.
- It doesn’t have to be complicated or take much time to follow up. It needs to be done.
Here are some ideas:
- Send an email summarizing the lesson, reviewing the following steps again, and including extra materials.
- Add leads to the business’s CRM system to make it easy to keep track of follow-ups.
Call or post on social media to follow up.
A seller doesn’t have to be pushy, of course. If they don’t hear back, one should wait about a week before following up again.
Demo software and tools for sales
Sales demos can be made better with a lot of different tools. For buyers to get the most out of the sales cycle and be seen by everyone, they need the following tools:
CRM
Customer relationship management (CRM) software gives sales reps a central place to keep track of actions and store information about customers, like their name, company, and interests.
It lets sales reps see how customers have interacted with the company, including when they visited the website and if it’s connected to its website analytics tool.
CRM helps sellers move prospects through the sales funnel, track how often they’re reaching out to prospects, and see what information they’ve already sent.
They can also make the best use of their time by seeing which leads are dead and which are ready to move forward.
Platforms for presentations
For sales demos to work, the presentations need to be well-made.
Regarding videoconferencing, Zoom, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, and Skype are the best.
Some sellers use Loom (software for recording and storing screen videos) or HubSpot’s Video Tools to show off their products.
CPQ
CPQ software speeds up the sales process before, during, and after the show. It has a product configurator lets them create a custom price in real-time. This is useful for buyers who want a better idea of how much something might cost.
It also ensures reps don’t forget anything important, like discount numbers and tax codes.
Tools that help with sales
Sales enablement is giving sales reps information and tools to help them do their jobs better.
It’s easier for sellers to make, store, access, and share personalized content during demos with the help of sales training tools.
Among these are the following types of software:
- AI sales tools that give input in real-time while products are being shown
- Platforms for sharing documents that let sales reps show buyers documents while they’re in a meeting
- Access to content sources whenever you want
- Tools for reporting and research that give you information about how customers act.
- Integrations like Zapier set off automatic alarms when certain things happen.
Each sales enablement tool has a different role in the sales tech stack, but they all work toward the same goal: making sales shows more effective.
