Demo Marketing: How To Craft Product Demos That Sell

You may have the best go-to-market efforts in the world, but your product will ultimately make or break your business. 

Specifically, a well-crafted product demonstration is often the difference between closing a deal and losing out to competitors.

But what exactly makes for a persuasive product demo?

To give you the answer and a distinct edge in the marketplace, we curated this article, which explores six proven strategies for creating product demos that sell.

6 Tips to Create Product Demos that Drive Sales 

1. Start with the Action Shot

Gone are the days of long-winded introductions and context-setting. Modern prospects want to see the value of your product immediately. 

“Begin your demo with what we call the "action shot" - a focused demonstration of your core product loop that users will engage with on a daily basis”, says T.K Kader, a business strategist.

This approach instantly shows prospects how your product will fit into their larger workflow to resolve challenges, and drive value. It's about creating that "aha" moment as quickly as possible. 

Here's how to nail the action shot:
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• Identify your product's most impactful feature or workflow
• Showcase this feature solving a common pain point
• Keep it brief - aim for 2-3 minutes 
• Use real-world data or scenarios to make it relatable

This is where first impressions matter. Your action shot should be the trailer that leaves prospects eager to see more.

2. Make Your Demos Interactive

“Why should a buyer fill out a form, talk to a sales rep or get on multiple calls to see your product?” says Madhav Bhandari, our Head of Marketing. 

When buyers have so many platforms, tools, and avenues at their disposal, more than 70% of their journey is complete even before they pick up the phone and talk to a salesperson.

So it naturally makes sense for your buyers to want to experience your product next, not just hop on a call or a meeting for it.  

This is where Interactive demos shine. 

They allow prospects to engage with your product immediately and at their own pace, exploring the most relevant features.

And here’s how this approach makes your product demos much more effective:  
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• Allow prospects to click through different features
• Provide guided tours that prospects can control
• Use hotspots and tooltips to highlight key features
• Incorporate quizzes or challenges to keep prospects engaged
• Enable data input for a personalized experience
• Help tie your product directly to your prospect's goals and challenges

Try it out here:

With Storylane, you can easily create a similar, no-code demo in under 10 minutes. You can create one for free or book a demo to know more.

Suggested read: 2024’s Top Interactive Demo Software, compared

3. Implement the "No Hands" Mode

After the interactive portion, it’s time to show how your product can work autonomously - what we call the "no hands" mode. 

This is where you demonstrate the power of your product's automations, integrations, and personalization features.

The "no hands" mode helps prospects envision how your product can save them time and effort, working seamlessly in the background while they focus on other tasks. Here's what to highlight:
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• Automated workflows and processes
• Integration capabilities with popular tools and platforms
• AI-driven insights or recommendations
• Customizable dashboards and reports

When you show how your product can adapt to different user roles or departments within an organization, this can be a strong selling point for larger enterprises. 

4. Highlight the Decision Maker’s View

Today, there’s an average of 7 decision makers involved in the B2B buying process.

This makes highlighting their view all the more crucial since decision-makers often need a different perspective than end-users. 

To do this, include a section in your demo that speaks directly to the concerns of managers and executives. This could look like conversations around:

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• ROI projections and cost-saving estimates
• Team productivity metrics and efficiency gains
• Compliance and security features
• Integration with existing systems
• Scalability and growth potential

Ultimately, addressing the needs of all organizational levels increases the chances of getting buy-in from key stakeholders. 

You can also create separate demo flows for different roles or decision-makers to ensure you hit all the right notes for each audience.

5. Emphasize Business ROI

Prospects are typically more attentive and ready to engage with detailed information during a demo.

You can use this opportunity to articulate the return on investment your product offers. This could include:

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• Cost savings over time
• Increased productivity metrics
• Revenue growth projections
• Risk reduction statistics
• Time-to-value estimates

You can also use concrete numbers or case studies to show how similar businesses have benefited from your product. 

6. Highlight the FOMO 

Sometimes, the most powerful motivator is the fear of missing out or falling behind. 

When a prospect interacts with a demo they see the product's benefits. But at the same time, there’s also a chance to discuss the risks and opportunity costs of not adopting your solution. This might include:

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• Industry trends that competitors are leveraging
• Potential revenue loss from inefficient processes
• Security risks of outdated systems
• Regulatory compliance issues
• Missed opportunities for growth or innovation

By illustrating what they stand to lose by not acting, you create urgency and motivation to move forward with your product. 

It’s important to set the right tone, however. Position your product as a solution to these potential risks, which can help them pivot toward a decision.  

Bonus Tip: Sales Leave Behinds

Your demo's impact shouldn't end when the presentation does. 

Create "leave-behind" versions of your demo that prospects can explore at their leisure. It's like giving them a take-home sample of your secret sauce!

These leave-behinds can be powerful tools for:
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• Reinforcing key points from your live demo 
• Allowing prospects to share your product with other decision-makers 
• Providing a reference point for follow-up conversations 

Ensure these leave-behinds are easily accessible, perhaps using a personalized landing page or a secure link in your follow-up email. 

Make it so easy to access that they have no excuse not to keep exploring your product!

Pro tip: With Storylane’s interactive demos you can easily share demos as leave behinds via email campaigns, as public links, or personalized ones based on your CRM information. 

Best Practices for Killer Product Demos: From our Demo Experts

​​To ensure your demos are as effective as a triple espresso on a Monday morning, keep these best practices in mind:

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• Keep it Concise: Try to keep your demos short. Especially if you’re using interactive demos, we recommend around 8-12 steps or consider splitting it into multiple flows or demos. Remember, you're creating a demo, not a documentary.
• Tell a Story: Don't just showcase features; weave them into a compelling narrative. Be the Pixar of product demos!
• Start Strong: Use an eye-catching beginning to grab attention immediately. First impressions matter, even with demos.
• Capture Leads: Include a way to collect prospect information for follow-up. But be smooth about it – nobody likes a clingy demo.
• Clear CTA: Always end with a strong call to action. Guide your prospects to the next step like a friendly GPS.
• Brand Consistency: Ensure your demo aligns with your overall brand aesthetics. Think of it as your product's outfit – it should be stylish and on-brand.
• Track and Optimize: Use analytics to continuously improve your demos. Treat your demo like a science experiment—hypothesize, test, analyze, repeat!

Wrapping up: Creating Product Demos that Convert

To truly sell your SaaS product, you need to create demos that showcase your product and focus on immediate value.

That way, your product demos don’t just inform- they convert.

As you implement these strategies, continually gather feedback and refine your approach. 

The most successful demos evolve with your product and your market, always staying one step ahead of your prospects' needs and expectations.

Now go forth and implement these strategies today, and turn your demos into your most powerful sales tool.