Sales teams tend to love product demos — and you can’t blame them.
Demos can seem like the easiest way to show buyers what a product does and how it does it. The problem, though, is that demos alone often fall short of providing buyers with what they truly need, which is proof that a product will solve their problems and deliver real value. Worse, poorly orchestrated demos run the risk of turning buyers off or stalling the sales process.
It’s time for innovative sales teams to rethink the role of demos in the sales process. Demos have their place, but if they’re the foundation of your entire sales strategy, you may be missing the mark.
Let’s look at why demos often fall short — and how value selling offers a more effective, modern approach.
What Sales Reps Think Demos Do
In the eyes of many sales representatives, demos are an efficient and effective way to convince buyers that a particular solution is the one they need.
That’s because demos offer an opportunity to showcase a product’s features and demonstrate workflows. They provide a clear sense of what it would be like to use a product if buyers were to make a purchase.
What Demos Actually Do
Demos are indeed a fast and easy way to show how a product works and highlight its features. Unfortunately, that’s about all demos are good for — and for the typical buyer, viewing product features is rarely enough to justify making a purchase.
Before converting, most buyers want to know that a product will actually solve the challenges they face. Demos alone don’t do that. Knowing how a product works is a far cry from being convinced that it’s the right product for you or being able to make a comprehensive business case for the solution.
Hence, sales strategies that focus on demos as the key to conversion fall short. They don’t achieve what matters most in the sales cycle: demonstrating value to prospects.
Even worse, there is a risk that buyers will be turned off by sales strategies that focus too heavily on demos. Asking a buyer to sit through yet another demo that doesn’t answer their real questions is a good way to have your sales cycle end up among the 72% that stall.
Moving Beyond Demo-Centric Sales
How can sales teams do better? The answer involves shifting toward what’s known as value selling — an approach wherein the key focus of sales is on proving a product’s value.
In value-led sales, representatives don’t just show off how a product works. They communicate to prospects how a product will generate value for them by solving their specific pain points. Ideally, they do this in an interactive way that places value at the front and center of every buyer engagement.
Under a value-selling approach, the sales cycle begins with understanding customers and the challenges they aim to address — rather than presenting demos that may not align with their actual pain points. It continues with buyer engagements that focus on the provable, quantifiable ROI that a product is expected to deliver. It’s tailored to the needs of each unique buyer, rather than being based on generic value statements that may or may not address the specific needs of a particular buyer.
When sales teams adopt this strategy, they can shorten the sales cycle and increase conversion rates by quickly identifying the value a product creates for every buyer engagement. Value selling also helps businesses gain an edge over competitors who focus on product demos without clearly articulating to buyers why their products are a good fit.
Rethinking the Role of Sales Demos
None of the above means that demos should go away. They continue to play a role in the sales process.
For example, short, to-the-point demos are a good way to nurture new leads. They are also important during complex sales cycles, when buyers often expect to be able to view a product “in the flesh” before making a purchasing decision.
However, what demos should not be is the cornerstone of the sales process. That’s the role for value.
Conclusion: Shift From Demos to Value Selling
The bottom line: If you’re in sales, demos may be less effective than you think in converting prospects. Today’s buyers care about value first and foremost. The better your ability to demonstrate and communicate the value of what you’re selling, the more successful you’re likely to be.
This article was originally published on CRMBuyer.
Learn more about how Mediafly can help you make Value Selling a discipline — and your competitive advantage.
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