Glossary
Product Demo
What is a product demo?
Product demos, also known as “software demos” or “sales demos”, are the most important tool in a business-to-business (B2B) Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company’s sales arm.
What’s the most efficient way to convince a prospect that your software is the best option to overcome their pain points and help them achieve their business objectives? It’s to show them, of course. Show them why. Show them how. But show them well.
A good sales demo makes all the difference. But with so much at stake, how can you make sure your demos go perfectly every single time?
How to present software demos that deliver
Your product is ready to demo. You’ve done your research, know exactly what your prospect’s pain points are, and how your software can quickly and easily address these. But is there still one piece of the puzzle missing?
You need a product demo platform to ensure that the demo experience is seamless, engaging, and hitch-free. This is important because the demo stage of the buyer’s journey is perhaps the most crucial for SaaS companies. It’s where you win or lose that next new customer. The experiences you provide at that critical moment must be exceptional if you want to seal the deal.
Product demo platforms can help to make sure you put your best foot forward. The right tools can enhance the experiences you provide for prospects at this critical stage in the buyer journey. Hands-on demos allow prospects to test out your software in a sandbox simulation of their environment, so that they can see for themselves why your product is a gamechanger in real-world scenarios.
Traditional in-person demos may have been replaced by online webinars, video calls, and recorded videos. But they’re not always enough. If you really want to deliver greater demo experiences, you can find a solution that gives you more. Whether it’s real-time analytics or hands-on functionality, you can gain a lot to help you push that sale through.
Here are some other tips from the CloudShare team on how to present software demos.
The benefits of a product demo platform
Let’s take a look at the features and functionality that can take your online software demo experiences to the next level.
Boost engagement
There are several ways a demo can miss the mark and lead to a disinterested audience. Sometimes sales teams are left struggling to articulate in-depth capabilities that are really best shown, not explained. A passive, pre-packaged demo can only address some scenarios, and perhaps miss those your prospect cares about most.
Product demo platforms can ensure you have the flexibility to tailor the experience for each prospect. But, what’s more, a hands-on experience allows the prospect to try it themselves. Rather than a one-way lecture, each participant can freely explore the software and how it would work for them. Some solutions even offer fully hands-on experiences inside a real-world replica of the prospect’s own bespoke environment.
Gain greater insights
Data analytics can ensure you gain practical insights from your demo sessions. In real-time, you can discover how engaged prospects are, what areas of the product they are exploring, and which features seem to confuse them. You can use this to improve future demo experiences or use this vital business intelligence for sales, marketing, product development, documentation, and support teams.
What is the difference between a product demo and a sales demo?
A product demo is a demonstration of a product’s features and functionality, typically given to a potential customer or client. It is meant to showcase the capabilities of the product and help the viewer understand how it can be used. A product demo might be given in person or online, and it can take many forms, including a live demonstration, a video presentation, or a hands-on trial of the product.
A sales demo, on the other hand, is a demonstration of a product given with the goal of persuading the viewer to make a purchase. A sales demo usually focuses more on the benefits of the product and how it can solve specific problems or meet the needs of the potential customer. A sales demo may also include elements such as pricing information and special offers.
Both types of demonstrations can be useful for different purposes and can be effective in different situations.
Who delivers a product demo?
A product demo can be delivered by anyone who is knowledgeable about the product and can effectively demonstrate its features and functionality. This might include the product’s developer, a product manager, a technical support person, or a sales representative.
In some cases, a product demo might be given by a customer or user of the product, who can provide first-hand experience and insights into how the product is used in real-world situations. This can be particularly effective in demonstrating the value and benefits of the product to potential customers.
Regardless of who delivers the product demo, it is important for the presenter to be knowledgeable about the product and able to effectively communicate its features and benefits to the audience.
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