Creating Value with the Sales Demonstration

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Creating Value with the Sales Demonstration
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Learning Objectives

• Discuss how sales demonstrations add value
• Explain the guidelines to be followed when
  planning a sales demonstration
• Complete a demonstration worksheet
• Develop selling tools that can add value to your
  sales presentation
• Discuss how to use audiovisual presentations
  effectively

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Six-Step Presentation Plan

• Approach (Chapter 10)
• Presentation (Chapter 11)
• Demonstration
• Negotiation
• Close
• Servicing the Sale

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Effective Demonstration

• Adds sensory appeal
• Attracts customerattention
• Stimulates interest
• Creates desire for product

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SimGraphics
Visit SimGraphics.com
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Benefits of Demonstration

• Improved communication and retention
• Proof of buyer benefits
• Proof devices
• Feeling of ownership
• Quantifying the solution
• Value propositionrevisited

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Strategic PlanningLeads to Actions
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Strategic Planning
12.2
FIGURE
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Strategic Planning Points

• Determine what features to demonstrate
• Determine what sales tools to use
• Check sales tools
• Determine when and where to demonstrate
• Determine how to involve the prospect
• Prepare a demonstration worksheet
• Rehearse the demonstration

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Creative Demonstrations

• Make features and benefits appealing
• Must gain attention and increase desire for
  product
• Create different ways of looking at problem and
  solution

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Customize Demonstration

• Use custom-fitted demonstrations
• Relate to specific customer needs
• Do not overstructure
• Personalize the process

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Choose Right Setting

• Demonstration location makes difference
• Sometimes neutral ground, like hotel or
  conference center
• Other times in firms conference room
• Controlled environments free from distraction

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Check Sales Tools

• Ensure audio/video, computer tools/files are in
  working order

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Discussion Questions

• Assume you checked everything before giving a
  sales presentation, including your laptop and
  projector, your PowerPoint and Excel files to be
  used, as well as your wireless Internet
  connection for accessing your companys Website
  live.
• What problems could still occur?
• What could you do to prevent these problems from
  ruining your presentation?

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Cover One Idea at a Time

• Demonstrate one idea or feature at a time
• Make sure customer understands each before moving
  on, pace evenly
• Make customer part of every step
• Need-satisfaction questions help move forward

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Appeal to All Senses

• Try to involve allfive senses
• Multisensory appealshelp involve prospectand
  build desire forthe product
• Dunbar salespeople include a tasting kit along
  with their demonstration

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Balance Telling, Showing,and Involvement

• Develop demonstration worksheet
• Demonstrations should be balanced and have
  varietyuse worksheet to prepare
• Try to give prospect hands-on experience
• A Chinese proverb says, Tell me, Ill forget
  show me, I may remember but involve me and Ill
  understand.

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Demonstration Worksheet
12.3
FIGURE
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Discussion Question

• It can be difficult to involve customers in a
  demonstration, especially if you have not
  preplanned how to involve them.
• What are some ways to involve customers if you
  were selling the following?
• CRM software
• Hotel facilities for a convention
• Insurance

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Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse

• If you dont rehearse, you court disaster
• Rehearse several times
• Videotape or role play for manager

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Plan for Dynamic Situation

• Presentations are dynamic be able to react
  effectively
• Base selling skills and tools on customer
  responses
• See the Selling Dynamics Matrix (Figure 12.4)

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Proof Devices

• Product itself is often best selling aid
• Plant tours are excellent source of product info
• Models are used when product large
• Photos, illustrations, and brochures
• Portfolio of support materials
• Reprints of articles on product
• Catalogs show product line and specifications
• Graphs, charts, and test results
• Laptop computers and demonstration software

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Computer-based Tools PowerPoint

• Can incorporate charts, graphs, images, audio,
  and video
• Often so common, familiarity level can be
  boringYou must generate unique look!

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Computer-based Tools Spreadsheets

• Spreadsheets excellent for organizing numbers to
  prepare quotes
• Also good for what-if scenarios
• Can be printed for proposal purposes
• Can convert numbers to graphs or charts

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Computer-based ToolsWeb-based Demonstrations

• Showcase information using Web browser
• Can integrate data, voice, and video
• Can conduct question and answer sessions in real
  time
• Prospects can also view at their convenience

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Computer-based ToolsWeb-based Demonstrations

• See how WebEx makes demonstrations over the
  Internet possible at
• webex.com

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Computer-based ToolsVirtual Tours

• Visit these sites to see examples of virtual
  tours
• Visualtour.com
• Campustours.com
• Realtourvision.com

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Bound Paper Presentations

• Bound presentations still widely used
• Effective for attractive graphs and charts,
  guarantees, product testimonials, etc.
• Favored because of availability for future
  reference

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Using Audiovisuals

• Videos and computer-based presentations are
  common, but sometimes used ineffectively
• Guidelines
• Audiovisuals support, not replace, an interactive
  sales demonstrations
• Preview material, describe highlights
• Be prepared to pause for questions
• At conclusion, review key points

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Reality Check Computer Skills

• No longer a nice-to-have when job huntinga
  need-to-have!
• Many large firms scan resumes for PC and software
  skills no skills, youre out
• Presentation, specialized software is tops
• Expected word processing, spreadsheets
• Desired PowerPoint, databases, CRM
• Bonus Java, HTML, etc.