CHAPTER
12
10th Edition
Selling Today
Manning and Reece
Creating Value with the
Sales Demonstration
12-1
Six-Step Presentation Plan
1. Approach (Chapter 10)
2. Presentation (Chapter 11)
3. Demonstration
4. Negotiation
5. Close
6. Servicing the Sale
12-2
Effective Demonstration
• Adds sensory appeal
• Attracts customer
attention
• Stimulates interest
• Creates desire
for product
12-3
Benefits of Demonstration
• Improved communication and retention
• Proof of buyer benefits
• Proof devices
• Feeling of ownership
• Quantifying the solution
• Value proposition
revisited
12-4
FIGURE 12.2
Strategic Planning
12-5
Strategic Planning Points
• Determine what features to demonstrate
• Determine what sales tools to use
• Check sales tools
• Determine when and where to
demonstrate
• Determine how to involve the prospect
• Prepare a demonstration worksheet
• Rehearse the demonstration
12-6
Creative Demonstrations
• Make features and benefits appealing
• Must gain attention and increase desire for
product
• Create different ways of looking at problem
and solution
12-7
Customize Demonstration
• Use custom-fitted demonstrations
• Relate to specific customer needs
• Do not overstructure
• Personalize the process
12-8
Choose Right Setting
• Demonstration location makes difference
• Sometimes neutral ground, like hotel or
conference center
• Other times in firm’s conference room
• Controlled environments free from distraction
12-9
Check Sales Tools
• Ensure audio/video, computer tools/files
are in working order
12-10
Cover One Idea at a Time
• Demonstrate one idea or feature at a time
• Make sure customer understands each before
moving on, pace evenly
• Make customer part of every step
• Need-satisfaction questions help move
forward
12-11
Balance Telling, Showing,
and Involvement
• Develop demonstration worksheet
• Demonstrations should be balanced and have
variety—use worksheet to prepare
• Try to give prospect “hands-on” experience
• A Chinese proverb says, “Tell me, I’ll
forget; show me, I may remember; but
involve me and I’ll understand.”
12-12
Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse
• If you don’t rehearse, you court disaster
• Rehearse several times
• Videotape or role play for manager
12-13
Proof Devices
• Product itself is often best selling aid
• Plant tours are excellent source of product info
• Models are used when product large
• Photos, illustrations, and brochures
• Portfolio of support materials
• Reprints of articles on product
• Catalogs show product line and specifications
• Graphs, charts, and test results
• Laptop computers and demonstration software
12-14
Computer-based Tools:
PowerPoint
• Can incorporate charts, graphs, images,
audio, and video
• Often so common, familiarity level can be
boring
You must generate unique look!
12-15
Computer-based Tools:
Spreadsheets
• Spreadsheets excellent for organizing
numbers to prepare quotes
• Also good for “what-if” scenarios
• Can be printed for proposal purposes
• Can convert numbers to graphs or charts
12-16
Computer-based Tools:
Web-based Demonstrations
• Showcase information using Web browser
• Can integrate data, voice, and video
• Can conduct question and answer
sessions in real time
• Prospects can also view at their
convenience
12-17
Bound Paper Presentations
• Bound presentations still widely used
• Effective for attractive graphs and charts,
guarantees, product testimonials, etc.
• Favored because of availability for future
reference
12-18
Using Audiovisuals
• Videos and computer-based presentations are
common, but sometimes used ineffectively
• Guidelines
• Audiovisuals support, not replace, an
interactive sales demonstrations
• Preview material, describe highlights
• Be prepared to pause for questions
• At conclusion, review key points
12-19
Reality Check: Computer Skills
• No longer a nice-to-have when job hunting—a
need-to-have!
• Many large firms scan resumes for PC and software
skills; no skills, you’re out
• Presentation, specialized software is tops
• Expected: word processing, spreadsheets
• Desired: PowerPoint, databases, CRM
• Bonus: Java, HTML, etc.
12-20