Consensus

Cold Calling with Demo Automation

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We’ve been getting a lot of questions on how demo automation fits in with cold calling and “cold calling 2.0.” So, we reached out to our business development team and asked them how they use demo automation, how they are able to open calls, and what kind of effect they’ve seen as a result of demo automation.  Here is what three of the team members had to say:

demochimp sales automation taylor jeffrey  Taylor Jeffery

Cold prospecting using demo automation is fundamentally different (and better) than traditional methods.  These are some examples of how it has helped me:

  1. When to follow-up: We use DemoChimp ourselves and find it extremely helpful!  I get an email when someone watches a demo I’ve sent so I can catch a prospect right after they watch the demo. These are the best calls because the prospect is thinking about the product, has a few minutes of free time, and has some interest.

  1. Video is better than text: watching a video is easier than clicking around a website, reading a blog post, or looking at a white paper. We’ve found that video is more engaging than text, and personalized video takes it to the next level.

  1. Qualification:  The demo player allows prospects to educate and qualify themselves and others in their company before the sales call. Since the prospect already knows the basics of the product or service, they can be closer to a decision before having a sales conversation. This also allows the salesperson to focus on their specific interests or a use case (closing instead of demoing!).

  1. Correlation between view time and conversion: I’ve noticed that the prospects who watched all or most of the demo convert into qualified opportunities, and many close.  “Total view time” analytics tell me who I should be spending time on.

  1. Conversion of uninterested prospects: Decision makers are busy. A common response to a cold call is “I don’t have time.” Rather than begging for a callback, we send them a video they can watch on their own time. From there I can now schedule follow-up for AFTER they’ve seen a demo instead of scheduling a time to DO a demo.

Here’s one approach I use with cold contacts:

Opening the call:

“Hi _________ this is _____ calling with __________, how are you? Well, I hope you don’t mind me calling directly – I’ve been looking at your website today trying to learn what I could about your products, and so far I think you’re a great fit for our new product – Do you have a few minutes to talk now? “

If they say no:
“Okay. Would it be alright if I send you an email with a link to a short video that explains what I was hoping to talk about today? How long should I give you to watch that before following up? Great, how does Monday two weeks from now look?

If they say yes:
Can I send you an email with a link to our demo so you can see how it works?  When can we talk more about this after you have a chance to view the demo?

demochimp sales automation calvin neal  Calvin Neal

Here are some ways I have found demo automation helpful in my sales calls:

1. Knowing how to follow up: When somebody watches a demo, I know what’s important to them not just by what they clicked, but by what they actually spent time watching (a much more accurate metric of what matters to them). So, I immediately send them an email that addresses that particular point. Some people call first, but I like to send the email first. After all, if they’re watching the demo, I know they’re already in their inbox.

2. Cold Calling 2.0: Cold Calling 2.0 is all about qualifying and making a connection before you call so that it’s not really “cold”. Demo automation does exactly that. You can see exactly who in the company watched your demo, and that higher engagement means they’ll actually remember you when you call.  Now the lead is no longer “cold!”

3. Anytime demos: One of the big reasons people don’t like cold calls is because they’re unplanned. You’re always in the middle of something when you get a cold call, and it’s never convenient. An automated demo, on the other hand, can be watched any time. A lot of my prospects actually watch them after business hours or when they’re travelling (planes, cars, etc.)  Times when they definitely aren’t interested in getting an unscheduled call.

4. Sharing and referrals: My favorite thing in the world is the share button. Sometimes, a prospect is impossible to get a hold of in person. However, if they’ve clicked the share button, I already know who else at the company is a good contact, and they’re not cold! They’re a referral!

The first phone call is all about qualifying the lead and making them feel like they’re qualified. When making calls about CONSENSUS™, I’ll ask questions like:

  • Do your account executives or sales closers demo to their prospects?

  • How do they demo? Do they use a screen sharing tool like GoToMeeting?

  • How do you ensure consistent messaging across all your demos?

  • Once you’ve demoed to one prospect, how do you demo to the rest of the decision makers in their company?

Giving them a chance to answer these questions helps them understand that we’re being selective and provides for some great talking points. These are some specific pain points we can help with.

After that, I position the closer as someone who will be helpful to them. He knows a lot about sales systems and can really help them solve these problems. Once they feel like they have a need and the closer can solve it, my job’s pretty much done. The rest is follow-up.

demochimp sales automation matt dyer  Matt Dyer

When prospecting for leads, I’ll usually start the conversation in the following way:

“I want to help you and your team increase their sales efficiency by as much as three times. Our automated demoing platform, the first of it’s kind, has proven to do exactly that. I’ll send you a link. You can experience all of the ways we accomplish this, in your spare time.”

Email notifications help me deliver a personalized and timely follow up to prospects once they view the demo. As well, where they are unable to take the time for a phone conversation, the demo follow up via email allows us to educate our prospects in their own time, at their leisure.

We hope you are able to use this information in your prospecting teams!

 

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