Carter Severns’ Post

Better Business Booster #12: Technical Knowledge vs Practical Knowledge Practical knowledge and application are just as important as technical knowledge one cannot be successful without the other. As someone who has done many product and equipment demos, I've found that there is no "checklist" for how to do it best. When teaching customers, it's important to not get bogged down in every feature. Instead, focus on the features that deliver your product or service. This personalized approach will result in more future meetings. However, it's important to personalize with care. Too much personalization creates more work with diminishing returns and no increase in conversion ratios. Remember, success comes from finding the right balance between technical and practical knowledge. #BetterBusiness #ProductDemo #CustomerService

Something happened today that has me reflecting on a comment from DEMOFESTx in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. Iman Maghroori compared organizations that make buyers jump through hoops to get a demo to how we all used to be suspicious of a business without a website. I wish I had his exact quote, but it was something like, "What are they hiding, and am I going to end up in a bathtub somewhere with a missing kidney?" One of my colleagues just related some feedback from a customer of ours. Their buyer had reached out to five vendors inquiring about a solution to solve a challenge they had. Our customer immediately sent an automated overview demo and offered to talk. The other four vendors engaged in the tired practice of trying to make the potential buyer jump through hoops before they showed anything relevant. In the eyes of the buyer, they didn't want to spend 5 hours being interrogated by companies they knew nothing about before they got a peek at the solution. The prospect loved the automated demo approach, scheduled a meeting, and became a customer of our client. This buyer told our client how refreshing this buyer enablement approach was compared to the antiquated approach of the other vendors. As we say here at Consensus, "Make buying easy, watch revenues soar." Check out the link below to see our website with a "Watch a Demo" button that does exactly that.

Check out why everyone is making the switch to CallTools.com, click the link and set up a free demo! We look forward to showing you the capabilities of CallTools!

𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀: 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀. Got a demo lined up? Here’s a tip: Send an email with your firm's specific needs before the call. Why? ✅ Achieve Clarity: Define the challenges you have and the solutions you’re seeking. Know your non-negotiables. 🎯 Focus the Conversation: This allows the account rep to customize the demo around your key questions. ⏩ Save Time: Spot a mismatch early? Skip the meeting and avoid an unnecessary meeting. As a former boutique firm owner, I've experienced my share of demos—excited by features yet unclear on their real value to my practice. The result? Too many generic run-throughs and investments in tools that weren't the right fit. Prep in advance to make every demo count, ensuring any tool you choose adds real value to your practice and your clients. #softwaredemos #meetingprep #accountants #apppartners

Don’t fall for the pitch: you’ll end up in a ditch! 🕳         Demos should be the SMALLEST portion of your evaluation.      ❌ Anyone can make any system dance in a controlled environment     ❌ Anyone can say “yes, that’s on the roadmap!”     ❌ Anyone can say “we can build that for you!”     ❌ Anyone can say "yes" to an RFP question     But here’s my big point: buying SaaS isn't just buying tech.      It’s buying a business model!     A true SaaS offering is a company, not a product.      The demo is a teeny-tiny part of a much bigger whole:     ✅ The right product strategy and vision      ✅ The right architecture that can execute that vision and scale      ✅ The right support model (not just the reactive support model, but a proactive customer success model)  ✅ Many referenceable customers that have achieved the outcomes and ROI they set out to achieve (and more)    ✅ Slapping you with appropriate “nope” and “we don’t and will never do that” - great SaaS will know exactly where they do and don’t play and why that matters to you    You are buying a partner for the future that can enable your desired outcomes, not just a product. Treat it as such! 

Field marketers often struggle with unreliable, time-consuming AV setups that make it hard to deliver polished presentations on the go. Juggling multiple tools and facing unexpected tech issues can disrupt client engagement, leaving a less-than-professional impression. Meet the ECS Lite—the ultimate tool for field marketers! Pre-programmed for easy setup, the ECS Lite reduces prep time and ensures reliable, seamless presentations every time. 💼 Whether you're pitching to a team or showcasing at an expo, our ECS Lite brings professionalism and efficiency to every location. 🚀 Upgrade your field marketing game today! #BËTRProductions #PortableAV #FieldMarketingMadeEasy #ECSLite

Ever feel like your software demos aren’t hitting the mark? The demo is the most important part of your sales process, yet it's often where most drop the ball. Let's fix that. 👇 I’ve been observing a lot of demos for my clients lately. Basically they ask me to review recordings so I can give them feedback. Each time they notice a nice bump in close rates from the fixes I share with them. Because if your demo is off, you’ll lose a lot of deals that you should win. And I’ve noticed 3 things almost all demos are missing. 3 critical pieces that can really impact a prospect and their emotions. For example: Did you know humor can transform a standard demo into a memorable experience? It’s the spark that can set your presentation apart. There’s more things that can get buyers compelled to give you money. Want to know how these few small tweaks can transform your demo process? Check out my latest free training video where I discuss key strategies to boost your close rates (it’s in the discussion below). Transform your demos, transform your results. Make your software the solution they need. 🚀 #DemoDay #SoftwareDemo #mattschats

𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗡 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗦 - 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝟮: 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘 📚 Every demo needs a clear theme, the one thing you want your customers to remember and take away from your demo. This is what the underlying theme is all about. It gives you direction and makes your demo story coherent and memorable for your audience. In your demo, it’s not about the epic "good vs bad," but about how you can solve your customers' challenges. Think of it like telling a story where your customer is the hero and your product is the solution to their problems. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘀: 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲: Determine the main takeaway. For example, "Our software saves you time by streamlining scheduling." 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲: Ensure every part of your demo supports this core message. 𝗕𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁: Refer back to the theme throughout the demo to keep your audience focused. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗯-𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀: Use 3-4 sub-points that align with the theme, illustrating how your software achieves the main benefit. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝘆𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲: 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁: The core message or theme. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Main supporting points. 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: Data and details backing up the key arguments. Using this structure ensures your demo is clear, focused, and memorable. Start with your main point, then support it with clear arguments and details. Want to make your demos unforgettable? Follow #storytellingfordemos for more tips!

🎉 Introducing Playlists: The Next Level of Demo Automation! 🎉 Get ready to elevate your buyer experience with our brand-new Playlists feature. Share multiple demos in a single link, keep your content relevant, and guide your buyers through their journey seamlessly. It’s not just a demo; it’s about effortlessly guiding your buyers through their journey with a curated experience that leads to meaningful results 👉 Watch our video and see how Playlists can transform your demo process. Then dig deeper into features you see here: https://lnkd.in/e-YSafEv 

Struggling to build trust & drive growth? Take a page from PaperCut Software’s playbook📒 with G2. Partnering with yours truly to create authentic customer testimonials, they boosted their brand & drove an impressive $8 million in pipeline. 🤑 Ready to see similar results? Dive into their story & discover the power of G2 at the 🔗 below. #CustomerSuccess #B2BMarketing #PipelineGrowth