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How to handle "Just show me a demo"

Salman Mohiuddin shares how to handle prospects who demand a demo without answering questions. Instead of pushing back, gather key insights while delivering what they want.

Know your prospect’s intent

Most prospects fit into one of three categories:

➝ Actively evaluating – they know exactly what they need
➝ Asked to explore options – someone told them to research
➝ Curious, but not serious – just browsing

↳ Serious evaluators

They already know what they want.

• "Sounds like you know exactly what you're looking for. Is that fair?"

• If yes: "While I pull up the demo, can you share what problem you're solving?"

↳ Casual explorers

They might not know what they need yet.

• "Something must have caught your interest—what was it?"

• "Can you share one key problem you're hoping to solve?"

↳ When they refuse discovery

Some prospects won’t engage in a back-and-forth.

• Show the demo, but guide the conversation.

• Ask simple, low-friction questions during the demo.

• Keep it relevant to maintain their attention.

↳ Make the demo a two-way conversation

Don’t just present—engage.

• Ask direct questions to keep them involved.

• Adjust in real time based on their reactions.

Turn any demo request into an opportunity

When a prospect says, "Just show me the demo," don’t resist.

• Show it with purpose while gathering insights.

• Make sure every demo moves the deal forward.

Build demos that sell

Kyle Asay focuses on how to make software sales demos stand out and drive action.

Instead of boring, generic presentations, reps need to cut fluff, focus on key problems, and make their demo feel different.

Here’s how to do it right:

Cut the slide deck

• Keep a maximum of 8 slides in pre-demo presentations.

• Remove company history, awards, and customer logos—buyers don’t care.

• Don’t use slides for features—show them live in the demo instead.

Skip the high-level overview

• Buyers already know the basics before booking a demo.

• Avoid wasting time on broad explanations—they want to see how it works.

• Replace “high-level overview” with a direct problem-solving approach.

Make it personal first

• Buyers care about how it helps them before they care about business impact.

• Highlight personal wins—less work, easier tasks, and time saved.

• Once they see personal value, they’ll listen to how it benefits the company.

Focus on the real differentiator

• Don’t show everything—most features are “table stakes” that competitors have too.

• Spend 80% of time on the 20% of things that truly set you apart.

• Ask, “How would you do this with your current solution?” to make gaps obvious.

Make them feel the urgency

• Tie your biggest differentiator to their biggest problem.

• Get them to admit their current solution can’t get them where they need to be.

• Help them visualize how your tool fits into their workflow.

Control the demo

• Show only what’s most relevant to them.

• Let them see how they would personally use it to hit their goals.

• Keep them engaged instead of forcing them to imagine how it might work.

Final step: show how they justify budget

• Give them clear business benefits to justify investment.

• If they want it bad enough, they’ll find the money—even if they said they didn’t have budget.

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Skip the intro, start with the gold

Natasja Bax explains how the Inverted Pyramid Method makes sales demos more effective by leading with the most valuable insight first. This approach gets straight to the point, keeps buyers engaged, and helps close deals faster.

1. Ditch the slow buildup

Buyers don’t have time for long intros. They want value immediately. Most demos lose people by taking too long to get to the good part. The solution? Flip the script.

2. Use the inverted pyramid structure

This method, borrowed from journalism, keeps people engaged by starting with the most important part first.

➝ Lead: Open with the biggest impact—what makes your product a game-changer.
➝ Body: Show how it works, but only in a way that supports your main point.
➝ Tail: Save technical details and background info for later if they’re still interested.

3. Open with the punchline

Instead of starting with slides or company history, immediately show how your product solves their biggest problem.

➝ Identify their main pain point and lead with the solution.
➝ Show the most powerful feature first—the one that makes them say “wow.”
➝ Create an “aha” moment within the first 60 seconds.

Example: Instead of explaining an automation tool, say:

“You told me your team wastes five hours a week on manual tasks. You said you want to eliminate that with one click. Watch this.”

4. Follow with key features

Once they see the value, only then do you add more details.

➝ Walk through how it works, but only highlight what strengthens your main point.
➝ Keep it focused on their specific pain points.
➝ Mention competitive advantages, but only if they’re relevant.

Example: After showing one-click automation, explain how it fits into their workflow. No fluff, just function.

5. Wrap up with extras

If they’re still engaged and asking questions, that’s when you go deeper.

➝ Cover technical insights, compliance, or security details.
➝ Talk about customization and scalability only if they ask.
➝ Offer additional use cases and next steps.

Example: If they care about scalability, now you talk about deployment options. If they don’t bring it up, skip it.

6. Skip the slow burn, get to the good stuff

This method works because:

➝ It grabs attention fast—no wasted time.
➝ People see the value upfront—so they stay engaged.
➝ You control the narrative—avoiding irrelevant deep dives.
➝ Buyers make decisions faster—because the impact is clear.

7. Apply the inverted pyramid to different demos

For website demos, lead with the painkiller:

➝ “Want to cut your costs by 40%? Watch this.”
➝ Show the feature that delivers the result.
➝ Let viewers explore details if they care.

For live sales demos, drop the intro and get straight to the impact.

➝ “You’re a CFO. I talk to CFOs every day. They say they need this report in 10 seconds. Watch this.”
➝ Skip anything that doesn’t matter to them.

8. Lead with the last thing first

People are impatient. If your demo doesn’t hook them immediately, they’ll check out. 

Flip the script, start with what matters most, and watch engagement—and conversions—skyrocket.

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