Demo
📝 Context
You're running a product demonstration for a prospect. The goal is to show value and validate fit - not to show every feature. Know what they care about and demonstrate that.
📋 Pre-Demo Checklist
- [ ] Understand what they're trying to solve (from discovery)
- [ ] Know who's attending 👥 and their roles
- [ ] Sync with sales on deal status and desired outcome
- [ ] Prepare demo environment (test it works)
- [ ] Have backup plan (recorded demo, screenshots if live fails)
- [ ] Prepare 2-3 use cases that matter to them
- [ ] Block time after for Q&A and next steps ⏱️ 15 min
🎯 Demo Framework
Opening ⏱️ 5 min
- Confirm what they want to see today
- Set expectations: "I'll show X, Y, Z - we'll save Q for after"
- Ask: "What's the most important thing for you to understand?"
Core Demo ⏱️ 20-30 min
- Start with their use case, not your product tour
- Show the workflow they care about end-to-end
- Pause for questions but don't go down rabbit holes
- If something breaks, acknowledge it and move on
- Connect features to their business outcomes
Closing ⏱️ 5-10 min
- Summarize what you showed
- Ask: "Does this address what you're trying to solve?"
- Identify next steps (POC, follow-up, etc.)
- Confirm who needs to be involved in decision
During the Demo
- Talk less, show more - let the product speak
- Watch body language and engagement
- If they're confused, stop and clarify
- Don't demo features they didn't ask about
- If you don't know something, say so and follow up
Common Demo Scenarios
"Show me everything"
- Push back: "Let's focus on what matters to you"
- Offer to schedule a deeper dive on specific areas
- Don't try to cover everything in one session
Technical deep-dive request
- Acknowledge the question
- Offer to schedule separate technical session
- Don't derail the demo for one person's deep question
Competitor comparison
- Stay positive about your solution
- Don't badmouth competitors
- Focus on what you do well
- "I can't speak to their solution, but here's how we approach it..."
📋 Post-Demo Checklist
- [ ] Send follow-up email within 24 hours
- [ ] Share any resources or documentation they requested
- [ ] Document questions you couldn't answer
- [ ] Update sales on outcome and next steps
- [ ] Schedule follow-up if needed
🚀 Next: POC Scoping if moving forward
⚠️ Gotchas
- Demo environment is broken - always test beforehand
- Showing too much - focus on what matters to them
- Getting derailed by edge cases - park them for later
- Not knowing when to stop talking - let them ask questions
- Assuming they understand - check for comprehension