Why Presales and Demos need to learn from Marketing
Marketing teams invest loads of time and money generating demo requests, constantly testing, and improving. They tweak the “Book a Demo” button, adjust CTA colors, and A/B test every detail. Why? Because when you invest that much, you’ve got to know what works. But when presales takes over to deliver the actual demo…well, let’s just […]
One (!) Facial Hair and a Lot of Jargon: My Early Days in Presales 🥸
When I first started as a presales consultant (yep, that was my official title back in the day), I was desperate to look knowledgeable. I thought that if I looked smart, I’d feel smart, and that confidence would rub off on my clients. Fresh out of university, armed with a business degree and a master’s […]
14 Lessons in Presales: What I’d Tell My Younger Self
Looking back, there’s a lot I wish I’d known earlier in my sales journey. Here’s a list of the top 14 pieces of advice I’d give to my younger self. Whether you’re new to sales or seasoned but looking for fresh perspectives, these lessons are sure to resonate. 1. You’re in Sales Now—Own It! The […]
Why People Don’t Buy Software for Features—They Buy It for the Insights
When it comes to software, most people aren’t looking for a long list of features. They’re looking for solutions to their problems. It’s the difference between saying, “Here’s what you can do with this software” and “Here’s how this software makes your life easier.” One hits the mark. The other misses entirely. Customers don’t want […]
What Stand-Up Comedy Can Teach You About Giving Better Demos 🎤
Last week, I went to Europe’s biggest stand-up comedy show – 1Live Cologne Comedy XXL. It was a blast. One comedian, Marco Gianni, really stood out. I hadn’t heard of him before, but he told a story that cracked me up. And the funny part? The story itself wasn’t even that great. There wasn’t a […]
9 Simple Ways to Regain Your Audience’s Attention During Your Next Demo
You Can’t Sell to Your Customers If You Put Them to Sleep 😴 Your demo isn’t just about showing off your product’s features and hoping for the best. It’s about managing your audience’s attention, making sure they stay focused and don’t drift off to check Slack, email, or their phones. Here’s the thing: talking at […]
Small Tweaks, Big Gains: Improving Demo Conversion
When companies look to grow their sales, the default strategy often revolves around ramping up lead generation and increasing demo requests. It’s not uncommon to see businesses boosting their ad spend by 10x in pursuit of more prospects. But here’s a question worth asking: what’s the point of drawing in more prospects if your conversion […]
Storytelling for Software Demos: Creating a Clear Underlying Theme
Delivering a successful software demo isn’t just about showcasing features; it’s about telling a story that resonates with your audience. One of the most critical elements of that story is having a clear, underlying theme that ties everything together. Without a theme, your demo can feel disjointed, and your audience may struggle to remember the […]
Stop Measuring Demos by Features and Start Measuring Progress
What really gets me fired up is hearing feedback like this after a demo: „It went well, we covered all features.“„Great, I could respond to all their questions!“„They seemed really intrigued and asked a lot of questions.“ Hearing this makes me cringe. This is NOT how you measure demo success. It’s not about cramming as […]
Avoiding the Demo Rabbit Hole: How to Keep Your Demo Focused and Effective
I’ve seen it happen far too often: demos that start with great potential but quickly lose their way by diving too deep, too soon. Instead of focusing on the business value, some solution engineers get tangled up in complex features and technical details that overwhelm the prospect. The result? Distraction, confusion, and a flurry of […]
