How to Focus on the Benefits, Not the Features while Giving a Demo

Struggling to get prospects interested in your demo? Learn 3 steps to focus on the benefits & not features of your B2B SaaS products while giving a demo. Previously we wrote about 'Giving Product Demos That Sell', and 'Knowing Your Audience'.

3 Steps to Highlight the Benefits of Your B2B SaaS Product in a Demo

Are you tired of giving demos that just showcase your product's features, without capturing the attention of potential customers? As a B2B SaaS founder or salesperson in an early-stage company, giving a demo is a crucial step in the sales process. But how can you ensure that your demo focuses on the benefits of your product, and not just its features?

In this article, we'll go over the top 3 steps to keep in mind while giving a demo that highlights the benefits of your B2B SaaS product, along with real-life examples and common mistakes to avoid.

Step 1: Understand Your Customer Personas

Before giving a demo, it's important to understand who your potential customers are and what their pain points are. This will allow you to tailor your demo to their specific needs and show them how your product can solve their problems.

For example, let's say you have a B2B SaaS product that helps small businesses manage their finances. Your potential customer personas could be a small business owner who struggles to keep track of expenses or an accountant who spends too much time on manual data entry.

By understanding your customer personas, you can showcase the benefits of your product that are most relevant to them, such as saving time and reducing errors in financial management.

Here are 10 close-ended questions you can ask to identify and understand your customer's persona:

• What is your job title?
• What industry do you work in?
• What size is your company?
• What is your budget for [product/service]?
• How many people will be using [product/service]?
• Which [product/service] features are most important to you?
• How do you currently handle [problem that product/service solves]?
• Have you used any similar products/services before?
• What is your timeline for implementing [product/service]?
• What is your decision-making process for purchasing [product/service]?

And here are 10 open-ended questions you can ask to identify pain points and gather information:

• Can you tell me about your current workflow when it comes to [problem that product/service solves]?
• How does [problem that product/service solves] affect your day-to-day operations?
• What are the biggest challenges you face when it comes to [problem that product/service solves]?
• Can you describe a recent experience where [problem that product/service solves] caused issues for your business?
• How do you currently measure the success of your [process/product/service]?
• Can you tell me about your goals for [process/product/service]?
• How do you currently collaborate with other teams or departments?
• Can you describe your current technology stack?
• What are your top priorities for improving your [process/product/service]?
• How do you see [product/service] fitting into your overall business strategy?

Step 2: Focus on the Outcome, Not the Process

During your demo, it's easy to get caught up in the process of how your product works. But what potential customers really care about are the outcomes - what benefits will they get from using your product?

For example, instead of just showing how your financial management software works, focus on the benefits it provides, such as:

• Saving time on manual data entry -> increase productivity
• Reducing errors in financial reporting -> increase efficiency
• Improving cash flow management -> better resource management

Highlighting the incentives that your customers will receive can help you close more sales and stand out from the competition. By focusing on the outcomes, you're showing potential customers how your product can make their lives easier and more efficient.

You can use a script similar to this!

Step 3: Use Real-Life Examples

One of the most effective ways to showcase the benefits of your product is to use real-life examples of how it has helped other businesses. This can be in the form of case studies, testimonials, or even a live demo with a current customer.

For example, if your financial management software helped a small business owner save 10 hours a week on manual data entry, showcase that in your demo. Or, if a customer was able to increase their profits by 20% after using your product, highlight that as well.

By using real-life examples, you're showing potential customers that your product can provide tangible benefits and has a track record of success.

Common Mistakes to Avoid and How to Rectify Them

Mistake: Focusing too much on features and not enough on benefits

Solution: Use the steps outlined above to focus on outcomes and real-life examples

Mistake: Not tailoring the demo to the specific needs of the customer

Solution: Understand your customer personas and showcase how your product can solve their specific pain points

Mistake: Talking too much and not allowing the customer to ask questions

Solution: Encourage questions throughout the demo and make sure to leave time at the end for a Q&A session

Real-Life Examples with Companies

Let's take a look at how some real-life companies have effectively highlighted the benefits of their products during a demo.

Example 1: Tracxn

Tracxn is India’s leading startup data platform used by 850+ VC, PE and IB firms. It helps Investors discover start ups across the world and make better investment decisions. During their demos, they don't just showcase the features of their product, such as insights on Market trends, Investor Activity and New Business Models. Instead, they focus on the benefits of using their software, such as:

• Helping investors create a dealflow pipeline according to their investment thesis
• Find startups similar to their portfolio companies in order to conduct market research
• Identify potential next round investors for their startups as per investors portfolios

By highlighting these benefits, Tracxn has become the go-to video database software for private investors and facilitators in India

Example 2: Razorpay Payroll

Razorpay Payroll is an automated payroll & compliance software. It takes care of everything payroll related for clients. During the demo it does not focus on features like dashboard, API integrations etc, instead it focuses on benefits like:

• Making payments to employees & contractors from a single page with a few clicks
• Automatically taking care of TDS, PT, ESI, PF payments and quarterly filings
• Easy reimbursement requests and approvals from the app

By highlighting these benefits, Razorpay Payroll has become the go-to video payroll tool for many small businesses & startups in India because they can automate the process without adding to headcount.

Tips and Tricks

• Use visuals to help showcase the benefits of your product. For example, use graphs or charts to show how your software can improve productivity or increase revenue.
• Keep the demo concise and to the point. Potential customers don't want to sit through a long demo that drags on.
• Emphasize the value of your product, not just the cost. Show potential customers how your product can save them money or increase revenue, rather than just highlighting the price.