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Doing Discovery: Two Thought-Provoking Tactics
One of the most challenging aspects when doing discovery is avoiding the impression of an interrogation, and offering quid pro quos is a terrific ...
Heading to DemoFEST West? Stop By and Say Hi!
I’ll be hanging out in the Partners area (Pacific Gallery on the 5th Floor) – please drop by! I’d be happy to chat, answer ...
We Eat First with Our Eyes: With Food AND Demos
How you present software can be as important as what you present. “We eat first with our eyes.” – Apicius On a ...
“Yes, But” = ?
“You’ve got a big fat butt!” exclaimed my roleplay partner Steve, triumphantly. We were at a sales kickoff training session where the speaker exhorted ...
How Are Typical Demos Like an Awful Cooking Class? How Do YOURS Compare?
Imagine you’ve signed up for an in-person cooking class experience… You’ve been told you’ll be following a recipe to create a famous, delicious dish. ...
Data – Information – Knowledge – Wisdom: Where Are You on This Spectrum for Demos?
Here’s an example of the DIKW progression – contemplate crossing a small lake in the winter: Data: The temperature is below freezing. Information: There ...
Are You in Software Presales or Sales? We Need Your Insights!
The fine folks at Saleo are running an important survey of sales and presales demo practices: Please provide your input! Here’s their description: “We’re ...
Lessons Learned Writing Books about Sales and Presales
If you are thinking of drafting a book, or in the process of writing a book, this episode is for you! In this podcast, ...
Can AI Agents Do Effective Discovery?
Can an AI agent evince real curiosity? Can an AI agent show real empathy? Can an AI agent make it a real conversation? Not ...
AI and Humans: Perhaps Not So Different?
Someone recently posted that they “had watched twenty demos” and dispensed advice based on this limited experience. I thought, “Oh, that’s so cute: twenty ...
Lunch and Learn Demos: A Potent Practice
“There are no wrong turns, only unexpected paths.” – Mark Nepo What’s in this article for you? How to prepare your Lunch and Learn ...
Signing and Signed Great Demo! and Doing Discovery at DemoFESTx West Coast
Want your copy of Great Demo! and/or Doing Discovery signed by the author? Or would you like to acquire a signed copy while you ...
People Talk about Learning from One’s Mistakes, But…
People are always talking about learning from one’s mistakes, and this is a good strategy. But wouldn’t it be better to learn from other ...
Does LinkedIn Suffer from Brandolini’s Law?
“Brandolini’s law, also known as the bulls**t asymmetry principle, is an internet adage coined in 2013 by Alberto Brandolini, an Italian programmer, that emphasizes the effort of ...
Do You Suffer the Curse of Knowledge?
Far too many sales, presales, and customer success people assume that their understanding of their prospects’ and customers’ situations is accurate, because these teams ...
Which of These Discovery Elements DON’T You Know?
How to Use Discovery Documents The Breadth of the Discovery Space Multiple Prospect Perspectives Wants vs Needs The Three Types of Probes Expansion Questions ...
Eat Your Own Dog Food?
I frequently hear “We eat our own dog food” from software vendors and, while it’ a good thing that they use their own product, ...
One of the Best Worst Demos Ever: Rockwell’s Retro Encabulator!
If you haven’t seen this before, note how long it takes before you… well, you’ll see! If you have seen it before, enjoy it ...
Some Great Lessons in Storytelling
“Truth Is the Arrow, Mercy Is the Bow: A DIY Manual for the Construction of Stories” by Steve Almond is an intriguing and occasionally ...
“Tell Show Tell” Risks!
Many people in sales and presales have been taught to “Tell Show Tell” when demonstrating their software. It’s a good approach, but you need ...
As a Prospect, Suffering Through a Typical Discovery Call Is Like…
Filling out a paper intake form at a hospital while you are bleeding profusely and in pain! Taking your ailing auto to a bad ...
Closed?
Why is it called “closed” if it’s supposed to be the opening of a long customer relationship?
This Is NOT Enough!
The majority of “discovery” calls that I’ve heard look and sound something like this: 0:00 Intro (generally only about the vendor reps) 0:03 “Rapport ...
Four Great Quotes
“Prospects are perishable – handle with care.” – Zig Ziglar “Never miss a good chance to shut up.” – Will Rogers “Character ...
Presales and Sales Skills: Five Questions that Need to Be Answered!
Why? Why is this skill important? What? What is the skill? How? How do you apply it? When? When do you apply it and ...
Seven Levels of Discovery Skills: What’s YOUR Level of Practice?
Level 1: Uncovers statements of pain Level 2: Uncovers pain and explores more deeply Level 3: Uncovers pain, explores deeply, broadens the pain and ...
I’m Curious About Curiosity…! What Makes Us Curious and Why?
A certain level of curiosity must be evolutionarily advantageous. It certainly aids in doing discovery! Daniel Berlyne’s research on curiosity might offer some clues: ...