How to improve product pitches and demos

The purpose of a demo should be to confirm alignment, not to perform. If the buyer doesn’t leave with clarity on how this solves their pain, fits into their workflow, and actually improves their day-to-day then the demo failed, no matter how “slick” it looked. Too often, a demo becomes a feature tour instead of a conversation. The vendor shows what they can do instead of what the buyer needs done. And most just schedule them because that’s “how the process works.” At candidate.fyi, we don’t rush to demos without understanding the impact. Our goal is to use your time to demonstrate how we can drive real outcomes for your team and ultimately earn your partnership, not just your attention. If you are on an initial sales call and a vendor is eager to demo. RUN.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 80% 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥 (𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝) If your sales demo is: ❌ 45 minutes long ❌ Slides with every feature ❌ Ends with “Any questions?” …it’s probably losing deals. Here’s a better way to demo your IT/MSP service: ✅ Start with the prospect’s pain ✅ Show 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 how your solution solves 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 pain ✅ Tell a 1-minute story about a similar client ✅ End with: “Would you like me to walk you through what next steps look like?” That’s not a demo. That’s a decision. 👇 Drop “DEMO FIX” and I’ll send the exact framework we use for high-converting demos.

Why Great Demos Still Get You Ghosted (and How to Fix It) You crushed the demo. The client loved the product. Then… silence. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Even top performers face post-demo ghosting not because the product isn’t right, but because the next step isn’t clear. Here’s a quick fix most sales pros overlook: - Create a simple Mutual Action Plan (MAP) before booking the next call. Even a one-pager in Google Docs works. When both sides co-edit the document, it shifts the dynamic from a “sales pitch” to a collaborative partnership, and this gives the buyer a clear path to closure. We’re unpacking strategies like this (and more real-world bottlenecks) in our free webinar next week. It is exclusively inside our Circle community. Join the conversation → https://lnkd.in/dzS7kJKC Share your biggest sales bottleneck in the comments; we might feature it live 😊 #SalesStrategy #B2BSales #SalesPros #ClosingDeals #10xPros

My successful closes come from this demo structure Great demos don’t start when the call begins - they start with preparation. The right prep turns a regular walkthrough into a powerful conversation that builds trust, highlights value, and drives action. Yet most reps still wing it. That’s why I built this Demo Call Prep Checklist - based on Reply’s real call structure and what actually works in our sales conversations. It breaks down the 6 key steps to get ready for your next demo - complete with Reply examples you can model today. -------- 👉 Save this post and use it before your next sales conversation.

Your sales rep just pulled out a 30-slide deck for a 5-minute discovery call. We've all been there. Either as the rep scrambling to find something relevant, or as the prospect watching our attention span evaporate. The problem isn't the deck. It's that we're bringing comprehensive materials to conversations that need concise answers. Here's a simple fix: Map your content to the moment. • 5-minute calls = one-page overviews • Trade show booths = short videos + takeaways • Scheduled demos = interactive presentations Your prospects don't need everything you know. They need exactly what helps them move forward. What's the worst collateral mismatch you've experienced?

The Buyer vs. Seller Reality Check👀 What sellers think buyers want: "Let me walk you through our 47 features on a discovery call!" What buyers actually want: "Let me explore this myself at 11 PM without talking to anyone yet." The disconnect is real. Buyers are doing homework you'll never see: → Comparing 5-10 solutions before reaching out → Building internal business cases in stealth mode → Demoing products to their team without you knowing Meanwhile, sellers are fighting for calendar slots that buyers aren't ready to give. The solution? Meet them halfway. Interactive demos let buyers: ✓ Explore on their timeline (yes, even at midnight) ✓ Share internally without gate-keeping ✓ Self-qualify before they engage And sellers get: ✓ Real intent signals (not just email opens) ✓ Warmer conversations with educated buyers ✓ Shorter sales cycles Stop forcing buyers into your process. Build bridges into theirs. #B2BSales #BuyerJourney #InteractiveDemos #SalesStrategy

Everyone thinks vendors run demos their way. Here's why I flip the script: I coach the vendors before final demos. Yes, you read that right. → I tell them exactly what to show → I tell them what to skip → Sometimes I build the demo structure myself Why? Because your needs matter more than their pitch deck. No theatrics. No pressure tactics. Just pure alignment. If they've made it to finals, they're already a potential fit. My job? Making sure both sides win. No pitch. Just clarity.

"Can we use Storylane for live demo calls? Our demo calls are too unpredictable." We kept hearing this on sales calls. So we built **Presenter Mode!** 🔥 Live demos are already stressful, especially when you have to share your screen and show your product. "Are they going to see all my guide text and notes? Is this going to look messy?" And then mid-demo, you blank on what to say next. Presenter mode solves exactly this. When you share your screen, your buyer sees a clean demo. All your talking points and presenter notes? Still visible to you, just hidden from their view. 🌀 No more pre-call panic, no more blanking mid-demo with that awkward Cmd+tab to check notes 🌀 Same demo works for self-serve, guided tours, and live calls --- no duplication needed) 🌀 Works with dual screens or single-tab share If live calls need to feel calm and professional, start here 👇

If your discovery calls ever feel like they're hitting a wall, It might be a simple mix-up between your value prop and your positioning. It's an easy mistake to make, but while they sound similar, they do very different jobs. I'd suggest thinking of it this way: ⚫️ Your value prop is for your customer. Meaning, it’s the direct answer to "what's in it for me?". It focuses on the specific outcomes they’ll get, like better ROI or more time back in their day, whatever aligns best with their needs. It's what you lead with in demos and pitches. 🔵 Your positioning statement is for you and your team. Kinda like your internal map. It shows where you fit in the market and why you’re different from the competition. This guides how you handle those tough objection questions no one enjoys. I'd say nailing your value prop helps you move deals forward, while nailing your positioning helps you win them. Getting both right is how you scale. 🚀

Context switching is real. And it's a silent rule-changer. Here’s why it matters. Sales engineers juggle calls and demos. They soak up details on every account and deal. They shift from one task to the next. And guess what? They can’t always recall Monday’s prep call by Friday’s demo. So if you’re booking a meeting, and you see your SE’s calendar packed, know this: grabbing that one open slot might not help them deliver their best. They need room to think about what's next, not what's three demos away. Give SEs the time to focus on the next demo. You'll get a next-level result. Make space for quality