🧲 magnetic demos

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Drive engagement by sharing control

Mor Assouline describes how most sales teams focus too much on showcasing their product, and not enough on solving the prospect’s real problems.

If you want to close more demos, drive higher trust, and create long-term customer success, here are 5 strategies that will teach you how:

1. Discovery over product

Shift the mindset from “I can't wait to show them the product” to:

⇢ “I can wait to understand if we can help them solve their problems.”
⇢ Make the entire demo process orbit around discovery.

↳ Founders and sales leaders often pressure teams to show everything. It doesn't work.

2. Pain over features

Prospects don't buy features. They buy pain relievers.

⇢ Always talk about the pain first, then the feature that solves it.

Example: "You mentioned that [PAIN]... so here's how [SOLVE PAIN]... [SHOW FEATURE]."

↳ Lead with what matters most to them.

3. Prospect over commission

Commission breathe is real—and it kills trust.

⇢ Always recommend the plan that actually solves their pain, even if it's the lowest one.
⇢ Transparency leads to:
• More referrals
• Account expansion

↳ Trust builds long-term success.

4. Serve the 'main course' first

Bad demos start with 'appetizers' (irrelevant features).

⇢ Don't make prospects wait 20–30 minutes to see what they came for.
⇢ Flip the demo: show the exact features that solve their problems first.

↳ Deliver what they care about, fast.

5. Give performance control

Most demos have AEs taking full control, causing low engagement.

⇢ Give mouse control when demonstrating ease of use.

Example: "I want you to see firsthand how intuitive it'll be to use, something you were complaining about with your last product, so I'm going to give you mouse control..."

↳ Your demo isn't for you - it's for your prospect.

Picking the right sales demo entry

In this video, Robert Friedland breaks down how top sellers actually kick off their product demos whether they’re in an early discovery or making a late-stage pitch to execs.

1. Set approach based on demo type

Choose your approach depending on how much you know about the prospect.

⇢ Early stage demo: You don’t know much yet — discovery is needed.
⇢ Later stage demo: You already know the outcomes they care about.

↳ Tailor your opening based on where you are in the sales cycle.

2. Ask your freebie question early

While pulling up your screen, ask a smart discovery question.

⇢ Focus on outcomes and impact, not random small talk.
⇢ Example: “Are you looking for a tool because you’re over budget?”
⇢ They’ll perceive it as killing dead air, not an interruption.

↳ This gives you valuable insight before diving into the product.

3. Reiterate known outcomes later

When you know what they want, repeat it as you set up your screen.

⇢ Example: “We’re here to help you run the most efficient cycles and stay under budget.”
⇢ Reinforce the value they care about, not product features.

↳ Keep it outcome-driven to hold leadership’s attention.

4. Pick the right demo entry point

Start the demo based on their biggest pain point.

⇢ If they struggle with mistakes, show how you prevent errors.
⇢ If they struggle with budget planning, start with budget features.
⇢ If they lack a single source of truth, begin there.

↳ Your starting point must match their problem.

5. Demo the “why,” not just the “what”

Don’t just explain features — explain why it matters.

⇢ Bad example: “This bar turns red when you go over budget.”
⇢ Good example: “Planners can immediately see if they’re over budget, so they make better decisions.”
⇢ Tie every feature back to the customer’s real-world challenges.

↳ This helps your prospect see the bigger impact, not just a button.

Sparking action by framing decisions

Chris Orlob portrays how sales demos miss the mark, not because the product isn’t good, but because the approach used is wrong.

Here are unforgettable lessons that have transformed how he run demos, applying these changes your performance strategies for the better:

1. Show powerful features

Most SaaS sellers 'build up' during demos.

⇢ Flip it upside down and show the top feature right away.
⇢ Let your buyer’s head spin (in a good way).

↳ Then unpack everything else from there.

2. Provide exactly the solution

Speed up customer decisions by solving 1:1.

⇢ No more, no less.
⇢ Don’t overwhelm by showing everything you have.
⇢ "We can also..." confuses and overwhelms buyers.

↳ Solve only the pain they care about.

3. Catalyze the next decision

The goal of a demo is not to inform or educate.

⇢ It’s to catalyze the next decision.
⇢ Agree on the desired decision before the demo.
⇢ Frame the demo around that goal.

↳ Example: "At the end, you’ll either want to sponsor a meeting—or tell me I missed."

4. Frame the current problem

Summarize the buyer’s challenge before you start.

⇢ Then validate it with them.
⇢ Example: "Based on what you told me, you're going to LOVE this."

↳ Reassures them they’re in the right place.

5. Orient your presentation

Most buyers 3 minutes into a demo: "WTF am I looking at?"

⇢ Before clicking around, explain what they’re seeing.
⇢ Set the visual context first.

↳ The confused mind always says ‘no.’

6. Frame the pain before details

Before showing a feature, frame the pain it solves.

⇢ Spend 10 seconds summarizing the problem.
⇢ THEN show the feature.

↳ Example: "Earlier you said xyz is a headache. Here's how we solve that."

7. Storytelling after key features

People forget click paths but remember stories.

⇢ After showing a feature, tell a short customer story.
⇢ Example: "Here’s how X customer is solving Y pain using this."

↳ Stories create lasting impressions.

8. Conversating through questions

Turn the demo into a conversation.

⇢ Questions to try:

• "How does that compare to today?"
• "To what degree is this resonating?"
• "What benefits would you see from that?"

↳ Dialogue keeps buyers engaged.

9. End your demo by asking for value

Use it to transition naturally into next steps.

⇢ It highlights the value they noticed.
⇢ Sets the tone for a positive close.

↳ Always end on excitement, not just a list of features.

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