Imagine having a top-tier groundbreaking product and plenty of website visitors, yet no one is booking a call or signing up.
That doesn't make sense, right?
If this is a familiar scenario, there's a high probability you're making some critical product demo mistakes that are resulting in lost sales opportunities.
The good news is that it's not too late to turn things around.
In this blog post, we'll dive into some of the most common product demo mistakes and how to avoid them.
Let's get started.
5 Interactive Product Demo Mistakes That You Should Avoid
Though there are multiple mistakes that one has to avoid, we will look at the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:
1. Sticking With Old School Recorded Demos
Let's face it; recorded product demos are a thing of the past. Prospects expect to interact with your product in real time and have already experienced face-to-face demos with countless other providers.
Static presentations often fail to fully engage prospects, whereas an interactive product demo can effectively showcase your product's capabilities in a live, engaging environment.
Think of it like this: You can't sell a car by showing the buyer a picture. You need to let them experience its horsepower, speed, comfort, and all the other features that make it a great purchase.
The same holds true for your product: Your prospects need to see how easy it is for them to use your solution to understand how valuable it can be for their business. That's where the role of interactive demos comes in.
A great example is Grammary. an interactive tutorial that guides users through various features. This real-time interaction not only educates the user but also creates a unique, engaging experience that prospects are likely to remember.
When you build one, you can convert more conversations to conversion. And guess what?
Building a demo is not a hard thing to do. In fact, you can have one up and running in less than 10 minutes with Rivia. Here's what it will look like:
2. Don't Keep Your Product Demos Gated, Set Them Free!
Gating your product demos may seem like a savvy marketing secret weapon, but before you channel your inner James Bond, remember that it could backfire like an exploding pen.
The appeal of being exclusive might make you feel good about your marketing efforts, but it can drive away potential customers who are repelled by unfriendly gates.
Many potential customers, wary of sharing personal information, may turn away, leaving you overseeing a thin crowd. Do not undermine the user experience for the sake of lead generation.
Customers prefer a level of sophistication and discretion with their data, and forcing them to provide details to access your product demo may create trust barriers.
A report from Businessesgrow uncovers a reality - over 90% of potential customers resort to abandonment when faced with gated content, primarily due to trust issues. And those who brave their way in are quick to jump ship when they perceive marketing practices to be intrusive.
The same report found that when companies lowered the gates (by granting demo access before requesting user details), they effectively doubled their lead generation.
So, rather than closing the doors behind a gate, consider unbolting them.
It works great when you are having a PLG growth. Giving customers opportunities to explore and test your product will likely increase engagement and their trust in you.
But do remember that it depends on the type of your product.
3. Overemphasizing Product Features
People love to talk about the features that they have developed. They are proud of their accomplishments and want others to know about them. Unfortunately, this can cause you to focus too heavily on what you have created rather than why it is essential.
When you focus on the benefits your product provides to customers, they will understand why they need it and what makes it special.
Don’t just list those features, instead:
Remember these points when presenting a product demo,
- Emphasize the aspects that address your prospects' pain points
- Show them how your product can solve their specific challenges directly.
- Aim to show them a transformation rather than just a series of features.
Remember that while your product may have many different uses and applications, your prospects only care about the ones that relate to their specific needs.
Tailor it and deliver it!
4. Extremely Long or Short Product Demos
Striking the right balance with your demo duration is crucial for retaining your audience's attention.
Overly lengthy product demos can overwhelm the prospect, causing them to lose focus and potentially miss out on important information.
On the other hand, a demo that's too short might not provide enough substance, leaving your audience wanting more, but not in a good way.
To avoid these pitfalls, research your prospect's needs beforehand and determine the most relevant information within an optimal time frame. Klozer suggests that demonstrations of new software should last no more than a half hour, with 18 minutes being ideal.
Aim for a sweet spot that allows you to showcase your product's key functionalities and benefits without causing information overload or holding back crucial details.
5. No Storytelling, Disorganized Goals and CTAs
An effective product demo isn't just a list of features; it's a story that needs to be told. Utilize the power of storytelling to create an engaging narrative and showcase your product in meaningful and relatable ways.
Storytelling essentials for interactive product demos
- Put yourself in your prospect's shoes and craft a story that revolves around their common pain points, aspirations, and motivations.
- Weaving scenarios from real-world applications into your demo can help people visualize how the product would be used in their business.
- Incorporate relatable examples that resonate with your prospects, and help them grasp the value your solution brings to the table. It may sound obvious, but the best way to demonstrate your product is by showing it in action.
The key here is not just to show off a feature or two; you need to create an interactive demo that lets prospects interact with your product and see how it works in real-time. This allows them get a feel for its functionality and gauge whether it meets their needs.
Wrapping Up
Creating a compelling product demo is not easy, but it's essential to your sales process.
The key to effective product demos is to make them as engaging and intuitive as possible. Your demo should represent how your prospects will interact with the product in their day-to-day work and provide an easy way for prospects to get started.
And guess what? With Rivia, you can create exactly the same kind of interactive demo. With 1000+ demos being created using Rivia, we help you avoid these mistake as you build your first demo.
In short, a demo that shows your prospects what they can do with your product.
This way, you can fill your pipeline with product-qualified leads and close more deals. Want to build a demo for your product?
Book a free demo and walk with your own product demo.