Last week we wrote about how to give product demos that sell.

To quickly summarize, you should:

1. Know your audience

2. Focus on the benefits and not the features

3. Use storytelling to showcase your product

This week, we expand on how to know your audience before giving a demo that wins them over

How to Know Your Audience Before Giving a Demo That Wins Them Over

Steps to Follow for Understanding Your Audience

As a B2B SaaS founder or salesperson, one of the most critical things you need to do before giving a demo is to understand your audience. Knowing your audience helps you tailor your presentation to their needs and concerns, making it more likely that they will be interested in your product. Here are three steps to follow to understand your audience before giving a demo:

Research Your Audience

Before the demo, research your audience to understand their business and their pain points. This can help you tailor your presentation to their specific needs. For example, if your audience is in the healthcare industry, you can highlight how your product can help them manage patient data more efficiently.

Example: Let's say you're selling marketing automation software to a B2B SaaS company. Your prospect is the Marketing Manager, and you know that their main pain point is lead generation. You can research the company's website, social media pages, and marketing campaigns to get a better understanding of its current lead-generation strategy. You can also research the company's industry to understand the trends and challenges they face.

Tip or Trick: Use a tool like SimilarWeb to understand the traffic sources and engagement metrics of your prospect's website. This can help you understand the effectiveness of their current lead generation strategy and tailor your presentation accordingly.

Talk to Your Audience

If possible, talk to your audience before the demo to understand their needs and concerns. This can be done through phone calls, emails, or surveys. For example, you can send a survey asking them to rank their top challenges related to the product you are selling.

Example: Let's say you're selling customer service software to a B2B SaaS company. Your prospect is the Customer Service Manager, and you know that their main pain point is reducing response time. You can schedule a call with the Customer Service Manager to understand their current workflow and the challenges they face in responding to customer inquiries.

Tip or Trick: Ask open-ended questions during the call to encourage the Customer Service Manager to share their pain points and concerns. This can help you get a better understanding of their needs and tailor your presentation accordingly. Use these questions.

Analyze Data

If you have existing data on your audience, analyze it to understand their behaviour and preferences. This can help you understand what motivates them and what they are looking for in a product. For example, if you have data that shows your audience prefers user-friendly products, you can highlight the usability of your product during the demo.

Example: Let's say you're selling a project management tool to a B2B SaaS company. Your prospect is the Project Manager, and you know that their main pain point is staying on top of project timelines. You can analyze data from the company's previous projects to understand the common causes of delays and how the current workflow can be improved.

Tip or Trick: Use a tool like Trello to create a visual representation of the project workflow. This can help you identify bottlenecks and areas where your tool can improve efficiency.

Steps to Avoid When Understanding Your Audience

While understanding your audience is essential, there are also some steps to avoid. Here are three steps to avoid when understanding your audience:

Making Assumptions

Avoid making assumptions about your audience. Instead, rely on data and research to understand their needs and concerns. For example, don't assume that your audience prefers a certain feature just because a similar audience did in the past.

Example: Let's say you're selling cybersecurity software to a B2B SaaS company. You assume that because the company is in the tech industry, they are already familiar with cybersecurity threats and concerns. However, you later find out that the company is not very familiar with cybersecurity and needs a more basic explanation of the threats and risks.

Tip or Trick: Always validate your assumptions by asking questions and gathering more information. Don't assume that your audience has the same level of knowledge or experience as you do. Use these questions.

Ignoring Feedback

If you get feedback from your audience, don't ignore it. Use it to improve your product and tailor your presentation. For example, if your audience provides feedback that your product is too expensive, address this concern during the demo.

Example: Let's say you're selling sales tracking software to a B2B SaaS company. During a call with the Sales Manager, they provide feedback that the current dashboard is too cluttered and confusing. However, you don't make any changes to the dashboard and present it as is during the demo.

Tip or Trick: Take feedback seriously and use it to improve your product and presentation. By addressing your prospect's concerns, you can build trust and increase the chances of closing the sale.

Overgeneralizing

Avoid overgeneralizing your audience. While it's helpful to understand their general needs and concerns, remember that each customer is unique. Use the data you have to understand their individual needs and preferences.

Example: Let's say you're selling HR management software to a B2B SaaS company. You assume that all HR managers have the same pain points and needs, regardless of the company size or industry. However, you later find out that the HR Manager is looking for a more customized solution that can cater to their unique needs.

Tip or Trick: Use the data you have to understand your prospect's specific needs and pain points. Don't overgeneralize or assume that your product can address all their needs without customization.

Common Mistakes and How to Rectify Them

Even if you follow the steps above, there are still some common mistakes you can make when understanding your audience. Here are three common mistakes and how to rectify them:

Not Understanding Your Audience's Decision-Making Process

Understanding your audience's decision-making process is critical. If you don't know how they make decisions, you may not be able to address their concerns effectively. To rectify this, ask your audience about their decision-making process and incorporate this information into your presentation.

Focusing Too Much on One Aspect

While it's essential to understand your audience's needs, don't focus too much on one aspect of your product. Instead, make sure you cover all of the important features and benefits of your product during the demo.

Not Providing Enough Evidence

If you make claims about your product during the demo, make sure you back them up with evidence. This can be in the form of case studies, testimonials, or data. Providing evidence can help build trust with your audience and make them more likely to buy your product.

In conclusion, understanding your audience is critical for giving a successful demo. By following the steps above and avoiding common mistakes, you can tailor your presentation to your audience's needs and concerns. Use this post as a guide to ensure that you know your audience inside-out before giving your next demo.