Remote work and burnout are on the rise. If you’re on a sales team, you need tools to quickly capture their prospect’s attention, capture human interest, and build a tangible understanding of the solution that you’re selling.
It’s this need that gives rise to the concept of demo-led acceleration — a method for creating a more efficient sales cycle with fewer hurdles and moments of friction.
The goal of demo-led revenue acceleration is to help sales teams build a through-line between the moment of product discovery and deal close. The idea is to get laser-focused on value and alignment.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the basics of building a demo-led acceleration strategy.
What is "Demo-Led Revenue Acceleration"?
The idea of demo-led revenue acceleration is simple: every conversation needs to move a business objective forward. Especially if you have a complex product, you need to tell a story that guides your audience through an educational journey.
In this way, demo-led revenue acceleration goes hand-in-hand with the rising trend of product-led growth.
Rather than giving a sales pitch, you’re allowing your technology to speak for itself. You’re also empowering your audiences to make their own decisions.
Components of a successful demo-led strategy
There are three core parts to a demo-led revenue acceleration strategy:
- Driving discovery
- Building connection
- Making value more tangible
The key is to use product demos to build a heightened level of clarity.
It’s all about human interest. Your goal is to facilitate a discussion rather than to rely on guesswork or assumptions about what your audience wants to hear. In this way, demo-led revenue acceleration is equally about learning as it is about communicating the “right pitch.”
In fact, there’s less pressure on the sales rep to give a perfect presentation. The sales rep’s role shifts, instead, to a process of active listening.
Tactics for demo-led sales
Okay, so now you’re familiar with demo led revenue acceleration at a glance. How do you implement a successful plan? The simple answer is to create a more collaborative sales environment.
Here are 3 impactful steps that any sales leader can implement:
1. Create a micro-demo
Think of a micro-demo as your visual product story. The idea is to create an experience that is more tangible and tailored to your prospect than a general sandbox environment.
The time for your micro-demo is on day one of your first sales conversation. Start with a visual description of the problem you solve, and guide your prospect through a demo-led solution.
This presentation style opens doors for deeper strategic conversations — and makes the discovery process more tangible and authentic.
2. Combine your discovery and demo calls
These days, decision-makers are more time strapped and overloaded than ever before. One way that sales reps can support their needs is to reduce the number of touch points required for early communications.
Conduct your discovery and your demo together. With a clear demo-led revenue acceleration strategy, you can use your demo as a tool to conduct a more meaningful discovery.
Plan to give your full 30-minute demo and ask questions along the way.
3. Repeat and refine your demos
Plan to host a demo multiple times. With each new opportunity, refine your proof of concept until you are in alignment with your prospect.
Your goal, with every conversation, is to steer decision-makers away from a binary decision. Give your prospect a sense of ownership and control in arriving at the right conclusion.
With every demo opportunity, the discussion becomes more collaborative and more tailored to your prospect’s needs.
Tying It All Together
Demo-led revenue acceleration is about strengthening relationships in virtual environments. The ability to build empathy across a screen is a superpower. Presentations are inherently one-dimensional in that they stifle opportunities for true creativity and collaboration.
The best way to conceptualize your demo is as a teaching tool rather than a sales pitch. Collaborate on a plan together, collect insight earlier on, and give your prospects a greater sense of ownership in their decision-making.
