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Active Listening?
If you’re already thinking about your response, you aren’t actively listening! (And why do we often look upwards at an angle when we ...
Stunningly Awful Discovery: The Dirty Dozen of Discovery Don’ts!
“It is better to ask some of the questions than to know all of the answers.” – James Thurber Here’s a collection of ...
Should We Review Recordings of Discovery Calls and the Resulting Demos as Sets?
Wouldn’t it be interesting to analyze recordings of both taken together? In other words, compare what was uncovered in discovery with what was presented ...
Demo Don’t #7 Let Questions Drive You into the Weeds: “But what about…?”
You’ve just started your demo when someone asks a question about your system’s login security, so you take a few minutes to answer their ...
Do the Last Thing First – Begin with the End: Why, What, When, and How?
Many folks now echo the guidance that the Great Demo! team has been teaching for years BUT: They don’t know the details! They trumpet ...
Demo Don’t #6 Show the Same Demo, Regardless of Your Prospect’s Needs or Interest: “One for all…”
Ignore the fact that the VP in the room only wants a top-level summary of your offering and that the managers are only interested ...
Seven Levels of Stunningly Successful Discovery – Webinar Recording!
From the fine folks at Cloudshare: “Discovery is the most important part of the presales process. Done effectively, discovery is the key to delivering ...
Demo Don’t #5 Pack as Many Features and Functions into Your Demo as Possible: “And another thing you can do is…”
Want to make your software appear as confusing and complicated as possible? Want more ways to bore and torture your audience? Want to help ...
Demo Don’t #4 Don’t Reconfirm the Time Constraints for Your Meeting: “Sorry, we’re out of time…”
You’d planned on two hours with your prospect when you set up the meeting a week ago. Is there any reason this might have ...
Dealing with “Just Show Me a Demo?” Seven (Gentle, But Firm) Methods to Move into Discovery
Far too often, prospects demand, “Just show me a demo…” when we know the correct approach is to invest, mutually, in a substantive discovery ...
Thursday Webinar: Seven Levels of Stunningly Successful Discovery
“Everything else being equal, the vendor that does a better job in doing discovery will win the business…” – Head of Sales of an extraordinarily ...
Demo Don’t #3 Start with a Corporate Overview: “Death by Corporate Overview…”
Make Number 2 (“Present a Long, Linear Demo That Saves the Best for Last” from last week) even worse by starting with twenty minutes ...
Easy Summer Reading! A Prospect’s Tale – An Instructive, Humorous Account of Woe and Triumph
Invest 30-45 minutes to enjoy this story of a buyer’s journey…! Part 1: The Long Trip to Nowhere A Lesson in Lead Churn False ...
Demo Don’t #2 Present a Long, Linear Demo That Saves the Best for Last: “Where is this going…?”
Have you ever been watching someone else’s demo and after a few minutes you start wondering, “Where is this going…?” You can ensure the ...
Demo Don’t #1 Be unclear about your Prospect’s Needs: “The Harbor Tour.”
Offer and deliver a demo hoping that your prospect will see something of interest, eventually. Also known as “Living in the Land of Hope,” ...
Upcoming Webinar: Seven Levels of Stunningly Successful Discovery
“Everything else being equal, the vendor that does a better job in doing discovery will win the business…” This quote is from the head ...
Competitive Differentiation via Whole Product Analysis
Here’s a tip most people don’t know…! While I strongly recommend against inflicting corporate overview presentations on your prospects, some elements from typical corporate ...
How Much Learning Is Enough?
Learning is the only exit from the insanity of doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result! But how much ...
Gosh – Top Ten at Demofest
I’m amused to learn that my presentation “Seven VALIDATED Habits for Stunningly Successful Demos” was one of the top ten at Demofest. Frankly, I ...
Buyers Don’t Want a Relationship with Sales … Until They Do!
What does this mean? Buyers don’t want to engage with salespeople, initially. Buyers want to pursue their processes of problem analysis, information gathering, and ...
The Next Beginning?
Stephen Covey said, “Begin with the end in mind.” I would add, “End with the next beginning in mind!”
Typical Sales/Buying Process in 2027?
“I’ll connect my AI to your AI and let them complete the process…”
How Old Is Presales?
While listening to Demofest presentations and perusing LinkedIn posts, I’m amused to see claims that “the presales function began…” with dates that correspond to ...
Great Demo! and Doing Discovery Book Clubs: Here’s an Author Offer!
I’d be happy to join a session with your team to answer questions and provide examples. I can also offer suggestions regarding what has ...
Great Demo! or Doing Discovery – Which to Read First?
Many people have asked, “What’s the best way to consume these books? Which should be first?” Here’s a recommended reading/listening plan: A combo approach! ...
Recording: Seven VALIDATED Habits for Stunningly Successful Demos
We explored seven validated demo success factors that lead to closed business. These approaches map delightfully to Great Demo! and Doing Discovery principles while ...
New Front-line Manager Tip: Ask Before Answering!
When a team member brings a problem or issue to us, most of us immediately offer a solution based on our experience. However, an ...