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Creating the perfect product demo for a potential new client isn’t always easy. It takes a lot of ‘trial and error’ to find the perfect pitch but with practice, it can always be done. Your job is to turn prospects into full-on buyers. Hopefully, with the tips and tricks, I’m about to tell you, you’ll be a professional pitcher! Here we go!
Find Their Solution
It is SO important to never use the same pitch for everyone. Not every business has the same needs and not every business will find use in the same features. For example, when we do a product demo for Odoo, we spend hours looking at what the business actually needs. You always want to demonstrate value, all the customer cares about is how it will help them and not the features and functionalities. Your job isn’t to sell the same product; your job is to find a solution to their problem.
- Find The Issue
- Provide a Solution
- Demo
- Close
Look for a WOW effect
Always start off strong. A lot of people make the mistake of saving all of the best features for last, but if you start with boring points for the introduction and mid-pitch. You won’t make it to the end to share the good stuff.
You have a very small window to really WOW the business. Start with the core feature that you know they are looking for. Give them an idea of how it works and explain to them how they will have use for it. Most people’s main concern is will it save me more time or money, or both? Keep it simple and straight to the point. Ask them questions like “Do you want to see how this works” so you can judge their interest in the feature. If they aren’t interested, then move on while you still have their attention.
At Syncoria, when we are showing a business the benefits of ODOO. The 5 main features that we notice gain the most interest are:
- Inventory
- Accounting
- CRM (Leads)
- Ecommerce/Website
- POS System
Another few tips to know during your product demo is:
- Never interrupt your prospect
- Ask questions yourself. Help understand their needs during the process
- Not. LIE. If a prospect is asking you a question about your product and you don’t know the answer, or it doesn’t do what they are looking for. Be honest. Don’t kill the demo by making your product sound perfect.
Expect the Unexpected
If you give a lot of demos, there are going to be issued. Whether the system crashes, your computer freezes or the demo gets interrupted. You need to expect it and prepare for it.
The only thing that matters is how you handle it. People make mistakes, systems crash. People understand. What businesses won’t like are excuses. Saying things like “Our system never crashes, I don’t know why this happens” isn’t a good excuse and it reflects poorly on you. The worst thing you can do is make an excuse and let a small issue throw you off course. If you have experienced a slow demo due to Wi-Fi issues, etc. Build an offline version or build a PowerPoint that can still allow you to show off your product without needing the Internet, also preload your tabs so the information is already loaded without needing more time.
Close
Closing, probably one of the hardest parts of the demonstration process. If you don’t finish off strong you can lose the whole pitch. Now before you just end the conversation, read their tone and if you think they are interested and still asking questions. Ask them an open-ended question such as “So now that I’ve shown you the system, how do you think this would fit in your business”. By not allowing them to say yes or no, they are forced to answer your question with a positive answer. If they are skeptical in the slightest, follow the next step.
If they are still unsure, but you still want to follow up. I have 3 words. Call. To. Action. Having a strong call to action is very important; it’s your job to set the next activity. Whether it is a follow up call, email, etc.; it needs to be strong. Maybe say something like “Thank you for letting me show you this demo, here is my business card with my phone number and email, I hope to hear from you soon” and then schedule a personal follow up time for yourself.
Saying that allows them to understand you’re giving them space and time to think. But you have also exchanged information granting you full contact with each other, building a relationship before they even notice.
Now that you’ve successfully learned some do’s and don’ts of doing a product demo. The best way to schedule your next demo is using the CRM application through Odoo. If you’re looking for a free demo book one with us today by clicking here!