In a “Bake Off?” Demo First!

When in a competitive “bake off” or similar situation where multiple competitors will deliver demos to a prospect, be first.

Why?

Two reasons!

1. Being first takes advantage of the anchoring effect.

The first time the prospect sees a capability, it fixes that version as the anchor. All other versions from the other vendors will be compared to the first, with the first version setting the standard and often perceived as “best”

2. Being first also leverages the primacy/recency effect, where the first things seen by the prospect are remembered the best.

And if you can’t go first, offer to go last, because:

1. That’s the next best position, taking advantage of the recency portion of the primacy/recency effect:

You’ll be the last set of capabilities your prospect sees.

2. You get to say that they truly “saved the best for last!”