Preparing for a demo can be challenging when you don’t have much information about the customer. It’s tempting to rely on assumptions, but that approach often backfires, leading to irrelevant demos and disengaged prospects. Instead, consider turning your demo into a discovery demo, where you gather insights while showing value.
Here’s how you can structure your approach.
Step 1: Start with Research
Even with limited customer details, there are ways to set yourself up for success:
- Understand the company: Look at the industry, company size, and any publicly available information.
- Know the persona: Who reached out? What’s their role and likely challenges?
- Leverage existing knowledge: Find similar customers in your portfolio.
The goal is to identify patterns. For example, customers in the same industry or role often face similar challenges.
Step 2: Identify Top Challenges
From your existing customer base, pinpoint the top three challenges similar companies or personas faced when they initially engaged with you.
Summarize these challenges on a slide with brief, relatable descriptions. Then, link each challenge to a specific customer reference story that outlines:
- The business issue.
- The solution they sought.
- The results you delivered.
These stories act as your foundation for the discovery demo.
Step 3: Use Discovery in Disguise
When it’s time for the demo, start with this framing:
„You asked to see a demo. Since we only have X minutes, I don’t want to waste your time showing everything. Can I share a few customer stories from your industry? You can tell me which one(s) resonate with your situation, and I’ll use that to show you how we helped them.“
This does several things:
- Respects their time: You’re not overwhelming them with irrelevant details.
- Sets expectations: You’re being transparent about the process.
- Earns discovery opportunities: Their feedback helps you tailor the demo to their needs.
Step 4: Tease with Tangible Value
For each challenge and customer story, prepare a visual teaser—a screenshot of your software showing how it addresses the specific problem.
Ask follow-up questions like:
„Is this what you have in mind?“
This approach encourages the customer to share more details, deepening your understanding while keeping the conversation engaging.
Why Discovery Demos Work
A discovery demo bridges the gap between generic preparation and customer-specific insights. By combining research with an interactive demo process, you:
- Keep the conversation relevant.
- Build trust by respecting their time and input.
- Align your solution with their real-world needs.
Pro Tip: Be Flexible
A successful discovery demo isn’t rigid. Be ready to adapt based on what resonates with the customer. If they gravitate toward one challenge or scenario, dive deeper into it.
Final Thoughts
The key to a great discovery demo is balance: you provide enough value to show you’ve done your homework, while leaving space for the customer to guide the conversation.
With this approach, you don’t just present a demo—you create a meaningful dialogue that builds trust and increases your chances of closing the deal.
Remember: Discovery demos aren’t just about showing. They’re about learning.
Better Demos = More Sales.
