Years ago, I owned a company that was a reseller for a software product. We consistently ranked among the top resellers for this particular software company which, not surprisingly, prompted a lot of questions from our colleagues wanting to know how we achieved such sales success.
Many of the other resellers grumbled that it took them almost a full day to demonstrate the full capabilities of the product. At a national meeting of resellers, the room was shocked when I told them my company’s typical demo time was about 20 minutes long.
“That’s B.S.,” the other companies muttered. “How do you possibly demo this whole product in just 20 minutes?”
My response was simple. “I just show clients the four or five things that matter most to them.”
They pushed back. “How do I know which things they need to see?” they inquired.
“Simple,” I said. “We ask.”
Unfortunately, I see this situation too often. Many businesses believe that if they can just get their product in front of prospects to show them how it works, the orders will start pouring in. That’s just not the case. In fact, in their rush to give a demo, salespeople often fail to ask key questions that can help determine whether a customer is actually a good fit for the product. Too often, I see companies spend lots of time and money doing demos only to discover, in the end, the product is not what the customer needs. Not to mention, a demo shifts the focus from the client’s needs to your product’s features (or lack thereof).
Is it the right fit?
A smart company’s goal should be to quickly determine whether or not the person(s) with whom they are meeting is a good fit for what the company offers. Doing a product demonstration for a client is a run-through of your product’s features, not the means for determining fit with a client.
When a prospective client sees your product, you might think they will be awed by all its amazing features. However, I’ve done research with thousands of CEOs and senior executives to uncover the questions they ask when approving a purchasing decision. What they ask (almost universally) might surprise you:
Most importantly, they ask those questions in that sequence — meaning, they don’t care what it will do for them unless they understand what problem is solves and why they need it. So, instead of seeking out opportunities to give demos, start by answering these questions to uncover the problems your prospects would actually invest in solving.
Push Mindset
If you start with a demo, you’re presuming the client wants what you’re presenting, which means you’re instantly in a “push” mindset. You are pushing your agenda onto them and that’s probably going to repel them. Don’t do that. The goal is to attract qualified prospects so you can establish a long, mutually-beneficial relationship with them.
Understanding Motivation
When you ask most sellers why they lost a deal, the most common answer is that the client picked a less expensive alternative. When you ask senior executives about their priority, they rarely mention price. See, if a solution won’t deliver the results a client needs, it’s not a good deal – regardless of the price. Your client needs to understand what happens if they don’t solve the issue, and what life looks like if they get a successful implementation.
Aligning Needs
Another thing that can easily happen when you give a demo is that the client gets fixated on the one or two attributes they don’t want. As a result, they lose sight of what they’re really trying to solve. So the client might say, “Well, we hate the blue background on the screens. So this won’t work for us.” Even if you say, “Oh, don’t worry about that. We have a slew of other colors,” they are already judging your solution. Don’t open yourself up to that possibility. Instead, discover if they have an issue worth solving, and make sure that you can justify the investment in the solution. Then you can present the solution aligned with those needs.
You might even say, “Look, I don’t even know if our product is a fit for you. I don’t even know if you can accomplish what you need just yet. Is it OK if I ask you some questions first?”
Discovering their needs first ensures that you’re not wasting your time and the client’s time.
It’s Your Turn
How do you handle product demonstrations? Do you find them to be a help or a hindrance? Share your thoughts on Twitter, LinkedIn, or in the comments.
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