Review of Great Demo!: How To Create And Execute Stunning Software Demonstrations (Paperback)

In Great Demo, Peter Cohan applies his own methodology for how to give a demo in how he writes a business book.Even though the book is nearly 300 pages, it gets directly to the main premise.Show your prospect the best part, the most valuable aspect, of your product right at the front of your demo.Cohan does this with the book as well by giving us the "punch line" on page 5, not page 205.Just after the Introduction, the author gives us the "answer" to effective software demonstrations - "Do The Last Thing First."Show them that part of the killer demo that's meant to knock their socks off; that part traditionally following the grand build up like a symphony musical.Just skip the prelude, build up and all that other stuff and show the customer what they really want to see. Then you have their attention to fill in the details because you've proven (hopefully) up front that you are relevant and worth their time.It is interesting to observe how many proven advertising schemes already have this grab `em-up-front tactic built in.This can be seen in some television and magazine ads, most trade show tables, and yes even SPAM.Great Demo addresses this human need for immediate resolution - why is this worth my time at all? - in the board room during demos.

With 250 more pages of regular content (not counting the Appendices, glossary, etc.) Great Demo has a lot more to say about knowing what the most relevant part of your system might be to show each individual client and how to deal with the inevitable questions, etc.But, the core of Great Demo is simple, memorable and effective.I have had the opportunity to give several demonstrations since reading Great Demo and I have found this up front approach really changes the dynamic with the prospect in a healthy way.I think it helps differentiate our company/products since competitors may not be leading off with their best foot forward so intentionally.There are also practical benefits since executive level prospects/audience members may be present only in the beginning of a demo but not the end.If the opposite is true you can always show the best stuff again (and may be asked to do so), but if that exec leaves the presentation early and you haven't shown your best stuff, they may never see it at all. Of course, the book is well aware of this and many other practical benefits.Cohan has a web site called DemoGurus so he has a good base of info in addition to his own extensive experience to build the Great Demo method upon.

Interestingly, the book develops as if it is following its own method by unfolding more and more answers about the method itself as the chapters progress (as if it were the product being demo'd). In the early going this can be a little slow to develop, but by the middle of the book, there is a wealth of knowledge being presented.The presentation of the entire book also has business appeal.The pages are short and most follow a checklist type format.This makes the content easy to locate and train/test others on.

In addition to the Do the Last Thing First tactic, Great Demo also emphasizes showing only those Specific Capabilities that are necessary to address the customer's problem.This second point is also extremely important, but unlike the Do the Last Thing First advice, it can be found in most contemporary software demo methods.Great Demo, like its rivals, is smart enough to know software products these days are just too deep or broad to show in their entirety, this would only frustrate the prospect.Great Demo is very good about combining up to date management insights with its own unique contributions.In fact, Great demo is partially based upon the best thinking from the field of personal performance such as Covey's 7 Habits, and Solution Selling from Bosworth.Bosworth's Solution Selling is recommended multiple times as an important supplement to Great Demo. These thought leaders inform Cohan's organization of the Great Demo method.A reading list at the end of the book has helpful comments on these books and others the author has found valuable.

As the chapters progress, practical topics such as preparing the sales setup, tech aspects of the demo and dealing with questions are discussed point by point.The preparation chapters (especially technical) receive a lot of pages and account for about a quarter of the book. Chapter 11 is about doing remote demos and is worth the price of the book because it clarifies some practical approaches to this increasingly common medium for demos.As many of us can attest by now, remote demos can be really tedious/ineffective. In a nutshell, you must make the remote demo interactive even though it seems like a poor medium for doing so.Chapter 11 tells you how to manage the remote demo so you can turn it into an advantage for everyone.

I've read/reviewed other books on giving software demos and I think the Great Demo method is the most up-to-date and down-on-the-street effective. If you want to differentiate your demos from the usual fare everyone is tired of, do it by making them Great Demos.


Product Description
Great Demo! provides sales and presales staff with a method to dramatically increase their success in closing business through substantially improved software demonstrations. It draws upon the experiences of thousands of demonstrations, both delivered and received from vendors and customers. The distinctive 'Do the Last Thing First' concept generates a 'Wow!' response from customers.

The Great Demo! method is presented simply and clearly, and is elaborated more fully in each successive chapter, providing a rich toolkit for software sales teams. Real-life anecdotes, examples, and axioms offer humorous and effective punctuation.

Updated with new best practices, tips and techniques, this second edition now includes a complete chapter on remote demonstrations-an area of increased activity and unique challenges. An additional chapter on managing evaluations (for fun and profit) extends the utility of the book to those in sales and management.

Great Demo! is a terrific read on an airplane or between customer visits. It offers a straightforward process for creating and delivering highly compelling software demonstrations, excellent advice, tips, and the occasional epiphany.

About the Author
Peter Cohan leverages twenty-five years of experience in selling and marketing business software and as a customer. The Great Demo! method comes directly from extensive firsthand experiences in developing and delivering software demonstrations, and in coaching others to achieve surprisingly high success rates with their sales and marketing demos.

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