It just keeps fascinating me how a single demo can make a difference in the sales process – IF done the right way.

The past three weeks, I’ve hosted a range of “Proof of Value” workshops. It’s how I prefer to call a software demo. Here’s why: It puts everyone in the right mindset: Showcase how you solve the most valuable and critical problem for your customer in the shortest amount of time.
Practicing this as a sales team helps you instantly see what works and what doesn’t. In other words: all participants know where they stand. It’s instantly clear who’s 1-0 ahead, why that is the case, and how that accelerates the sales process.

Back to the question: What characterizes the demos that accelerate the sales process? Here’s my summary of the top 10 aspects I’ve seen do their magic the past weeks:

1. It hooks the viewer by diving straight into the essence of the problem while putting it in the context of an urgent situation.
2. It takes the buyer on an imaginative (desirable) journey and connects the story to something they want/admire
3. It leverages storytelling, analogies, or personal experiences to get complex concepts/situations across in a simple way.
4. It’s reflective
5. It feels completely human, i.e., conversational, on the same wavelength with the buyer and refrains of jargon.
6. It subtly addresses all their frustrations, fears, doubts, and hopes.
7. It speaks to their inner voice, i.e., the story that’s going on in their head, i.e., it says a lot without actually saying it.
8. It positions the ‘demo-er’ as the guide – a trustworthy person who thoroughly sees, hears and understands them.
9. It opens their eyes – tells them what they need to hear (not what they want to hear)
10. It flows naturally (strong opening, middle, and end) and ends with a clear but compelling summary of what the buyer will gain.

Question to you: When was the last time you saw your (pre)sales team perform a demo? 
If you measure their performance to this list – what rate would you give them on a scale of 1-10?

Ps – What if your team would score 10 out of 10? Here’s how I can help you achieve this: https://valueinspiration.com/workstreams