When designing a demonstration of your company’s product, it’s important to step back, and look at the process as if it was the first time you were being introduced to it yourself. While it can be challenging to break down and simplify something that you know as well as the back of your hand, remember that it is something totally new for your audience, so presenting it with step-by-step logic is imperative. The idea is to establish the ease of use right from the start, while peaking the viewer’s interest, to make it more likely that they will stay with you throughout the presentation.
Here are some tips to think about before putting together your next demo.
Don’t be afraid to overplan
A well thought-out plan will eliminate any uncertainty that you may have about giving an insightful presentation. Your audience will appreciate a smooth, easy-flowing demo, that makes it easy for them to grasp what you are demonstarting. Thoroughly planning out your presentation in detail, will also allow you to see what may have been left out accidentally.
Interact with your audience
Especially when presenting to a live audience, be present, alert, and engaging. No one wants to stare at your back and listen to you to drone on-and-on about what’s already there on the screen. After all, they can read the screen themselves. Staying engaged with your audience keeps them on their toes, as well as you, on yours. Being called out in the middle of a presentation, when you’ve been in la-la land, is the absolute worst. Having sat through numerous demos myself, I can attest to the fact that it’s best to always have an engaging back-and-forth interaction throughout the session. Video demos are a little different, because audience participation is not always possible, but if you stay alert and engaged throughout, chances are your viewer will, as well.
Use materials for your audience to follow along
Whether you’re doing an in-person or online demo, hand-outs and downloads are always useful and appreciated. Having a follow-along guide makes everything a little bit easier in every walk of life –much like using directions or maps on a road trip. When doing a demo, the audience has a similar feeling of being on an unfamiliar road on the way to an unknown final destination is. Remember, your mission is to make it as easy as possible for the audience to follow along, so having a glossary of terms or charts and graphs can go a long way in aiding everyone’s understanding of your message.
Allow plenty of time for questions at the end
Of course, you’re going to be talking for the majority of your demo, but don’t forget about the people that are listening to you. They may have plenty of questions about something they’re seeing for the first time. Remember to allow enough time, possibly during or at the end of each lesson, to hear what someone may be scratching their head about.
A smooth, and well thought-out demo, will ultimately land you more business if you connect with your prospective clients. Everyone remembers well-chosen words and great messages. Whether it be a presentation, a best man/maid of honor speech, or a eulogy, memorable words will stay with listeners long after the speech is over.
So make your words count, and your demo unforgettable!
See below for a good example (4 min.) of a well-put-together demo. Our Social Media Director, Eniko DeLisle demonstrates how to compose your video shots:
In the following video (5.5 min.) Susan Walsh, President and CEO of Sales-Link, Inc presents 6 wonderful tips for salespeople for presenting themselves at virtual or boardroom meetings. Notice how engaging and present she is during her demo.
In this demonstration (24 min), Susan Walsh, President and CEO of Sales-Link, Inc presents some of the best features of her customizable CRO system, Pharma BDI. This is a wonderful sales tool, and the video is a very good example of how to demo your company’s system. Well-worth a “look-see”!