How to Sell Your Product or Service - Demonstrating Your Product (Part 8 of 11)

Summary

The demo phase in a sales process is crucial for proving the product or service’s effectiveness. A live demo is the most impactful, but if not possible, a how-to demonstration, visuals, or analogies can also be used effectively. The goal is to show the customer how their problems can be solved, making the solution tangible and memorable. It’s essential to link features, benefits, and advantages directly to the customer's specific needs and proactively address any objections. This phase helps to solidify trust and demonstrate that the product delivers on its promises.

Takeaways

• 😀 A demo is the critical phase to prove your product or service can solve the customer's problem, following the presentation.
• 😀 Live demos are the most powerful way to demonstrate capabilities, showing customers the solution in real-time.
• 😀 If a live demo isn’t possible, a how-to demo can still be effective by walking the customer through the steps of how the solution works.
• 😀 Visuals, such as images and pictures, help reinforce your points and make the solution more memorable for customers.
• 😀 Analogies are useful for simplifying complex ideas, making it easier for customers to understand your offering.
• 😀 The objective of the demo is to connect the features, benefits, and advantages of your product or service to the customer's specific problem.
• 😀 It's crucial to address potential objections during the demo, demonstrating how your solution overcomes those concerns.
• 😀 The 'before and after' concept is key during the demo, showing customers the improvement your product/service will bring to their current situation.
• 😀 Using visuals and analogies makes information stick, as people are more likely to remember tangible, relatable examples.
• 😀 Review your presentation and identify where you can integrate a live demo, how-to steps, visuals, or analogies to strengthen your message.

Q & A

Why is the demo phase crucial in a sales pitch?

The demo phase is crucial because it allows you to demonstrate how your product or service works in real-time, proving to the customer that you can solve their problems. It shifts from just talking about the product to showing it in action.

What is the most powerful form of a product demo?

A live demo is the most powerful form of demonstration because it allows the customer to see the product or service in action in real-time, making it more convincing and memorable.

What can you do if a live demo isn't possible?

If a live demo isn't feasible, you can opt for a how-to demonstration where you walk the customer through the steps of using the product or service. This is less impactful but still effective.

Why should visuals be used during a demo?

Visuals are crucial because they make information more tangible and memorable. People tend to forget a large percentage of spoken data, but visuals help solidify the message and ensure the customer remembers it.

How can analogies enhance a sales demo?

Analogies simplify complex concepts by comparing them to something familiar, making the message easier to understand and more relatable to the customer.

What is the before-and-after approach, and why is it effective?

The before-and-after approach compares the customer’s current situation with what they could achieve after using your product or service. It is effective because it clearly shows the transformation your product offers.

How should the demo be structured in relation to the customer's problems?

During the demo, each feature, benefit, and advantage should be tied back to a problem the customer is currently facing. This ensures that the customer understands how your product addresses their specific needs.

How can objections be addressed during the demo phase?

Anticipate objections and address them during the demo by showing how your product or service directly solves those concerns. This builds trust and reassures the customer about the solution you're offering.

What role do visuals play in customer retention of information?

Visuals enhance customer retention by making the information more tangible and memorable. Studies show that people forget 75% of data they hear but are more likely to remember information presented with visuals.

What should a salesperson do after preparing the demo?

After preparing the demo, the salesperson should review their presentation, identify where a live demo, how-to steps, visuals, or analogies can be inserted, and ensure these elements are strategically placed to reinforce the message and address potential objections.