Demonstrating to Win!

Presenting a complicated product, whether software or a medical device, can feel like guiding a nervous buyer across a dangerous drop. At every step of a demo, the prospect is tempted to retreat to the familiar way of doing things they already know. Robert Riefstahl's guide shows sales professionals how to bring that prospect safely across to the solution, and how to become a more skilled demonstrator and presenter in their field.

The book covers a range of practical methods. It explains how to recognize and steer clear of common "Demo Crimes," and it teaches techniques such as "Tell-Show-Tell." Other chapters focus on building a value case for a solution, handling an audience and reading the personalities within it, developing persuasive themes, running web demos and presentations that stand out, conducting discovery sessions that yield useful information, arranging the room, and working effectively as a team.

The author's publisher, an idea company, says its techniques come from years of work with large, innovative firms, including Microsoft, SAP, Oracle, IBM and Getinge. The methods were refined through training thousands of experienced, well-paid demonstrators and presenters around the world, and the company reports that clients have seen sales effectiveness improve.