Do’s and Don’ts of Software Presentations

Prospects don’t care about your software.   They care about running their businesses and software is simply a means to an end.  However software companies proudly show off all the bells and whistles of their product they invested millions into,  hoping to dazzle prospects with the functionality and clever language. It’s bad enough when sales people do a “click through” or as otherwise known as a “show up and throw up”.  It’s often worse when they have a technical resource to do it in a monotone manner.  You are putting your prospect to sleep. 

When you are one of several companies competing for a prospect, you just have to be a little better than 2nd place to win. In many cases the products all look and work in a fairly similar way.  You want to be able to win on other criteria such as the way you engage your prospect and manage the process.   If you are a more effective sales person you have a far better chance of winning the deal! 

Here is a do’s and don’ts of the software presentation and follow up:

Do’s	Don’ts
Make sure you have knowledge of the issues they are trying to solve prior to turning on the software.  Ask questions during customer discovery either just prior to the demo or separate meeting (more complex sale) and confirm those issues prior to starting your demo.	Show them 5 slides on how great your company is.
When you do your demo go into “ask & show” mode.  Ask a question “eg: Where are the documents before uploading them” – so you can ‘show them in their context how your product solves that step.	Show them all the features.
Asking relevant questions also engages a two way conversation.  Try to have a 65-35% rule – they need to be at least 35% of the conversation while you are presenting.	You are talking 85% percent of the time. They rudely interrupt you the other 15% of the time!
When you “show” them how your product solves a problem. Then pause for effect.   Let them react and talk about how they could use your software.  Let them talk – don’t interrupt.  They are building a vision of using your software.  Let them own it.	Get really excited that they like your product and inject yourself into their conversion and tell them about other really cool stuff in the software that may or may not be relevant. Salespeople can be like puppy dogs, a little encouragement and they run in circles wagging their tales.
Have at least 4-6 pre-planned questions you know you are going to ask during the demo to engage your prospects.	You have done 100s of demo’s before they are all the same.  Just a matter of getting through the product and telling them how great it is.
Confirm with them that the problems the product solves.  Then talk about steps in the evaluation process and their timeline to going live.	Ask them if you should prepare a quote?
Send a summary email to them after the presentation. In that email list:    1)  key problems they said the product will solve for them; 2)  what they said solving those problems means for their business and;  3) the contingent product evaluation steps and sale timing discussed at the end of call.    Your email will circulate to other decision makers or influencers in the company.  It will also show a sales manager that you understand the prospect and are managing the process professionally.  Further it will differentiate you from 95% of the other software sales people you are competing against.	Send a follow up note thanking them for their time, and what they thought of the quote.