Great Demo! Overview March 2009

Great Demo! Surprisingly Compelling Software Demonstrations March 2009

Objectives
Introduce a framework to create and deliver improved software demonstrations
Crisper qualification
Faster sales cycles
Larger orders
Better communication: “no surprises”
Engage and prove your capabilities in minutes
Focus on the value (as opposed to features)
Increase the rate of success for your demos overall
Copyright 2005-2009 The Second Derivative - All Rights Reserved

A Great Demo!
(Introduce)
Illustrate
Do It
Do It Again
Q & A
Summarize

What Is A Demo? Why Do You Do Them?
“ Demonstration” Defined:
“ The presentation of the set of Specific Capabilities needed to solve a customer’s Critical Business Issue.”
What kinds of Demonstrations might you do?
Technical Proof of Capabilities
Vision Generation
Information
Why do a Demonstration?
Technical Proof of Capabilities
Vision Generation

How Can Demos Go Wrong?
Failure to identify the key customers’ Critical Business Issues
Unknown or unqualified audience needs
A feature failed – software bugs/crashes
Demonstrator didn’t know the product
Can’t drive the message
No story
Confusing story
Too long
Too boring
Too many features
Didn’t stop in time
Unclear story
Got lost in the story
Copyright 2005-2009 The Second Derivative - All Rights Reserved No point to the story No conclusion or poor conclusion Broad range of audience needs Disconnect between Sales and Technical Capabilities didn’t match needs Lack of demo skills Lack of clear objectives for the demo Too little time Too much time Equipment failure Equipment unavailable Questions interrupted the flow People interrupted the flow

What Bad Things Happen When Demos Fail?
Sales
Cost of sale increases
Lost opportunities
Value of sale is reduced
Sales cycle is extended
Sale is lost
Fewer products/services sold
Company misses quarterly or annual goals
Salesperson misses quota
Commission is lost or reduced
People leave
Development
Product capabilities implemented poorly
Wrong product built
Wasted product development iterations
Missed release dates
Project is cancelled
Deployment:
User adoption is slowed or stalled
Feedback cycle to vendor is attenuated – missed opportunities
Training costs increase
Professional services costs increase
Adoption is limited – “shelfware”
Benefits delayed (ROI)

Specific Capabilities
You are riding a bicycle rather fast. You skid on some gravel and fall, scraping your legs and arms. You are bleeding moderately and you hurt, but your bike seems to be ok.
Someone sees you fall and comes to offer help. He offers you water – but you aren’t thirsty, you’re bleeding. He offers you a patch kit for your bike, but your tires are fine – and you are still bleeding. Now you are not only hurt, but also irritated! He offers food, music, asthma medicine, fresh clothes, a new chain, a map, handlebars, bicycle bags, and a cell phone.
All are very nice offers, but clearly what you need is:
a few bandages and
a couple of aspirin

The Great Demo! Strategy
(Introduce the Situation)
Present the Illustration - Summarize
Do It - Summarize
Peel Back the Layers - Summarize
Questions & Answers
Summarize

There Are Two Ways To Present Solutions… Copyright 2005-2009 The Second Derivative - All Rights Reserved Open window (A) and fly kite (B) . String (C) lifts small door (D) allowing moths (E) to escape and eat red flannel shirt (F) . As weight of shirt becomes less, shoe (G) steps on switch (H) which heats electric iron (I) and burns hole in pants (J) . Smoke (K) enters hole in tree (L) , smoking out opossum (M) which jumps into basket (N) , pulling rope (O) and lifting cage (P) , allowing woodpecker (Q) to chew wood from pencil (R) , exposing lead. Emergency knife (S) is always handy in case opossum or the woodpecker gets sick and can't work.

Why Not Show Other Neat Stuff?
You add risks:
Running into bugs or crashing
Boring the audience
Running out of time
Making your product look too complicated

Morals Copyright 2005-2009 The Second Derivative - All Rights Reserved Great Demos present the what right away, and then follow with the how . Make sure both the what and the how focus on the Specific Capabilities your customer needs.

Example Outline Preparation
Example Scenario:
[You have never heard of Microsoft Word…]
Sales qualification determines the following needs:
To create business documents, specifically…
An Article with text, logo, formatting, columns.
The deliverable is the completed Article .

Example Outline
Introduce the Situation
Present the Article (the Illustration)
Create the Article and present it again
Edit/improve the Article and present it again
Questions and Answers
Final Summary

How Long Should The Demo Take?
A complete Great Demo! time-line is concise:
Introduction 1-2 minutes
Illustration 1-2 minutes
Do It 1-2 minutes
Do It Again 5-10 minutes
Q & A 5-10 minutes
Summary 2-4 minutes
Plan on 15 – 30 minutes for the entire performance – that’s a Great Demo!
Copyright 2005-2009 The Second Derivative - All Rights Reserved 12-24 Minutes per Solution

A Great Demo!
(Introduce the Situation)
Present the Illustration - Summarize
Do It - Summarize
Peel Back the Layers - Summarize
Questions & Answers
Summarize

The Second Derivative Copyright 2005-2009 The Second Derivative - All Rights Reserved Contact Information Peter E. Cohan, Principal The Second Derivative Telephone: +1 650 631 3694 [email_address] www.SecondDerivative.com http://greatdemo.blogspot.com
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Great Demo! Overview March 2009

by Peter Cohan on Mar 03, 2009

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Great Demo! Overview March 2009 — Presentation Transcript