7 Simple Steps to Beat the Demo Demons

February 27, 2009 by Jerry 

1. Get out of the way.

When the demo starts, you become subordinate to the demo and are no longer the focus of the presentation. Shift your position to the periphery, and make the demo the center of attention. Veteran actors get out of the way when children and dogs are involved. The demo in business is the equivalent of the cute kid or the adorable puppy on stage. Step aside and let your demo be the focus.

2. Become the Voice-Over narrator.

Take a lesson from how the narratives are done in well-made documentaries. The narrator is unseen, but tells a clear story. Be the VO for your demo, and make your narrative thorough. Don’t be vague. Don’t ad lib. Be as precise as a synchronized soundtrack.

3. Say “you.”

The internet abounds with references to a Yale University study of the most persuasive words in the English language. “You” is first on the list – ahead of “love” and “money.” “You” is synonymous with a person’s name. Saying “you” also establishes a direct connection between you and your audience.

Most demos, in their effort to appeal to the broadest possible customer base, are impersonal tutorials that sound canned, and therefore, detached from the audience. When you say “you,” you, you involve your audience as if they are participants in the demo and, by implication, as buyers or end users of the product you are demonstrating.

The world’s most successful corporations have incorporated “you” in their branding slogans

• Cisco Systems: Are you ready?

• Microsoft: Your potential, Our passion

• Burger King: Have it your way

4. Make Eye Contact via the demo.

Everyone understands and appreciates the critical importance of eye contact; but in a demo all that changes. Don’t try to engage with your audience’s eyes as you run your demo. They are focused on the demo itself or on the screen, and not on you. If you were to turn to face them, they would become conflicted about where to look. Take the same point of view as your audience. Look at your own demo or at the projection screen displaying your demo. Watch the demo evolve as if you were an end user.

5. Pause for action.

Allow the demo to speak for itself, especially when there is a great deal of action. Pause and allow the action to run its course. Silence is golden and actions speak louder than words.

6. Use verbal navigation.

Navigate your audience’s eyes with your words. Direct their eyes by describing what is happening in the demo. Reference colors, objects, position and direction. Reference top and bottom, center and sides. “The green wedge of the pie, at 75%, represents our domestic sales.”

Reference left and right, too, but be sure that you make it clear which left or right. Don’t force your audience to do the navigation. A simple fail-safe is to orient yourself with same point of view as your audience.

7. Learn Sullivan’s Law.

Sullivan’s Law is a corollary of Murphy’s Law which reads, “Anything that can go wrong will.” Sullivan’s Law reads “Murphy was an optimist.” Develop a Plan B for what you will do and say if the Demo Demons strike.

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