Technical or Product Demos are the types of demos that SEs are most familiar with. It’s the demo that sales engineers are so sought after and known for. These types of demos require the most personalization and should provide the most comprehensive look at your solution.
At this stage, customers are looking for an exhaustive look into the product and are even wanting to see your architecture in the context of their environment. Technical demos should be the longest and most substantial demo type with the highest level of consulting.
Introducing the Technical Product Demo
Technical or Product demos are the most intensive demo given to the customer. This is the platform where the demo engineer gets to explain all the pertinent features and functions of your solution as it relates to the buyer’s business needs, and really dig into the meat of your offering. This could be the first time your SE is meeting this customer, especially if many of the other demos have been automated earlier in the buying process.
This demo is actually why it’s so important to automate so many of the other demo types. You want to give your presales team the maximum amount of time to focus on these more consultative demos. Technical demos are completely tailored to this specific buyer and provide deep-dive demonstrations of the solutions capabilities.
This is also the time SEs earn their trusted advisor status with buyers and begin addressing the customer’s Emotional ROI. Buyers are putting their reputations and possibly even their job at risk when they launch a new solution. Providing reassurances and social proof that your solution can deliver on the things you’ve stated will go a long way to putting their minds at ease. If conditions are right, this demo could be an opportunity to receive a verbal decision or earn a spot on their shortlist.
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Where Technical Product Demos Fit in Your Sales Model
Technical demos are the best time to show off your product. Buyers need to verify that your solutions will really work in their environment. This stage is when buyers need the most information and the most curated content for their business set up.
What are buyers thinking at this stage? Buyers are looking for verification that your solution will deliver on the claims you’ve made in earlier demos and conversations.
What should you deliver? An in-depth exploration of your solution as well as proof that this is the best decision for their business. If the customer is feeling unsure, provide reassurances while being authentic. Don’t exaggerate or fabricate features, but share social proof of how other customers have succeeded.
Where does it fit in your sales model? This happens later in the sales process when the prospect is really considering which vendor to move forward with.
Should you Automate it? Only in very specific cases like if you’re recording a live demo to send along afterwards. In most cases though, these shouldn’t be automated or delegated since this is the place where demo engineers get to shine.
One place where automating this kind of demo does have a scaled improvement over the live version, is where disparate stakeholders in the buying group want to learn more in great detail but you don’t have the capacity to deliver that amount of demo time to them. This could be because their needs are secondary or tertiary to the main project objectives, or the stakeholder isn’t available to attend a live meeting. A recording of a live meeting is good to send afterwards, however it’s likely very focused on the needs of the attendees. This is where a pre-recorded demo in great detail can bolster your impact spread across all parts of the buying group.
Check out the Definitive Guide to the Six Demo Types for a complete map for scaling presales and adopting these demo types into your sales methodology.
