Run your discovery & demo in one call

You open your laptop and see a new demo booking on your calendar for tomorrow. You have two choices:

1. show them a demo without context and risk being disqualified, or
2. have them sit through your discovery questions before you show a demo.

If you go with option two, that demo might only be on a follow up call if they’re open to it. And that’s a big IF since you’ve just wasted their time.

There has to be a better way, right?

Well, what if I told you your demo is a better discovery tool than you think - given the right framework. It has the power to inspire your buyer to choose you, while finding out how you can win this deal.

That framework is what you’re going to learn in the next 4 minutes and 42 seconds.

Disclaimer: You can’t wing a demo like this. Like any customer call you have to lead with a point of view and validate if you’re a right fit for this buyer. The last thing you want is to spend months chasing a deal you have no business closing in the first place.

Follow this 3-part disco & demo framework

Part 1: The prep

Step 1: I start off with a qualification question in the demo booking form: “what made you want to see a demo and what would you like to know by the end of the call?”. But don’t make it required!

Buyers are paying for this demo with their most valuable resource. Their time. So anyone serious about solving a problem will fill this out. I they don’t, that’s a yellow flag.

Step 2: research the person who booked the call and the company they work at.

1. What’s their title and what role are they playing at the company?
2. When did they join?
3. What’s their background? Their strengths?
4. Are there any shifts in their industry or competitive landscape?
5. Are they hiring for the department you sell to?
6. Is there any news related to a past/upcoming acquisition or product launch?
7. Have you worked with companies similar to them before?
8. For larger companies: are there any mentions of your product category in their strategic initiatives in a 10-K report?

Just to name a few.

Step 3: form a point of view of what their current situation might be and how you come into the picture.

Step 4: Send a 1-2-minute video message a day before your meeting. In it you want to share the point of view and validate if your research is on the right track.

This is optional but you can really wow your buyer with it. People are less likely to no-show you if they see you’re coming in prepared.

Part 2: The scope

Step 1: Learn the product cold.

No, I don’t mean you have to memorize every single feature and walkthrough. That’d be a bad use of your time.

You do need to understand what your buyers need and expect from a viable solution though! Here’s what I do with any product I sell:

Create a Use Case Matrix that lists what common problems you solve for a given persona and how different features come together to help them overcome their challenge.

This is part of my demo framework which you can download from here if you haven’t yet: https://www.revenueramp.io/frameworks/demo-winner-framework​

Step 2: No feature slapping. Ever.

Most demos are either generic or try to show everything the product can do. Sellers who do this feel like they have to justify their price point with just how much the product can do.

But it ends up doing the opposite. Now the buyer feels like the product can do way more than they need and feel like they’re paying for features they’ll never use. (Hello discount requests!)

So let’s avoid it by sharing only what the buyer needs to solve their problems. Nothing more, nothing less.

Step 3: Prepare for the unexpected

So far you’re in a great position. You know your product cold and only showed what the buyer absolutely needs. But what if they throw you a question during the call that you can’t answer?

You don’t want to start looking for answers there and then. Simply say “I’m not sure. Let me look into that and get back to you in a day or two.” Buyers will respect you for not bullshitting them.

Pro tip: ask what they want to solve by having that use case or feature supported in your tool. Often the outcome they need can be solved with different solutions and that context will help you recommend alternatives.

Part 3: The structure

Ever had a customer playing with their phone or looking at emails while you were showing your demo? Clear sign that you’ve shown too much or are just presenting the solution in a way that’s not engaging.

This demo structure prevents these situations by keeping the call conversational. Your buyers will feel like you’re working with them on solving their challenge.

The structure is: Macro, micro, CTA, Story. No fancy acronym, sorry. Pick the most important use case or impact the buyer wants and follow these steps:

Step 1: What are we seeing here, what are we going to do, and why should they care?

This Macro view gives just enough context so they can follow along.

Step 2: Click through the actions with minimal to no explanation, then call out when you’ve delivered the impact.

This Micro is where lot of technical sellers get lost in details and lose buyer interest. To avoid this you just want to skip anything that doesn’t differentiate you from the competition. Demos become shorter and you have more time for questions.

Step 3: Ask a closing question that tells you if you’re on the right track. (CTA)

Some examples:

1. How does this compare to what you have in place right now?
2. Is this something you see yourself using to [overcome challenge]?
3. who else from your org might benefit if you had something like this today?

Step 4: If you’re showing more than one use case it’s a good idea to transition between them using a customer story.

Not only will this social proof create trust in your products abilities, but it’s also a great way to validate the impact your buyer is looking to achieve.

Use this story structure:

1. What was the problem [customer] was having before they discovered your product?
2. What did the frustration feel like as they tried to solve that problem?
3. What was different about your product?
4. What was the moment they you realized your product was actually working to solve their problem?
5. What does their life look like now that their problem is solved or being solved?

Then you end with a simple CTA: Are you looking to make a similar impact or is your use case completely different?

If you’re on the right track, you’ve now hooked them. They’ll want to see how you deliver the next impact. If not, you saved 3-5 minutes showing a feature they never needed in the first place. You also get to course correct.

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