How can you demonstrate cost-effectiveness during a software demo?

Utilizing CRM, social media, and online reviews can help identify patterns among prospects. Discovery meetings are crucial for sales to better understand customer concerns and interests before diving into a demo. Active listening during these meetings, without assuming we know the solution beforehand, is key to connecting customers with the ERP product effectively. This approach not only enhances the sales process but can also demonstrate cost-effectiveness during the demo by addressing specific customer needs.

Based on my experience, the profitability of the software can only be demonstrated in terms of the contribution to the resolution of use cases raised by the customer. In this sense, a previous qualification, a software demonstration based on telling a story instead of a collection of functionalities together with a good value proposition put the customer into a positive cost-benefit equation. In HR software where I accumulate the most experience, demonstrating value by moving away from typical clichés such as headcount reduction and focusing more on increasing productivity and shifting the balance of time spent from repetitive tasks to valuable tasks is the key. Use generative AI in some processes is a fundamental contribution as well.

In a software demo, understanding the audience is pivotal for showcasing cost effectiveness. For technical stakeholders, emphasize the efficiency gains and reduced development time, showcasing how our software optimizes resources. For financial decision-makers, focus on the clear ROI, illustrating cost savings over time. Utilize concrete examples aligned with their industry or pain points to make it relatable. Highlight scalability to address future needs, underlining a one-time investment yielding long-term benefits. Tailor the demo to align with their priorities, emphasizing how our software provides a cost-effective solution tailored to their specific challenges.

En mi opinión, la parte mas importante importante antes de preparar una buena demo, es la discovery .Entiende bien cuáles son las necesidades de tu cliente como empresa pero también de tu interlocutor y así centra la atención de la presentación en cómo puedes mejorar sus procesos ya sea ahorrando costes , tiempos o satisfacción de los empleados . La clave no es lo bueno que sea tu solución sino que problema es capaz de solucionar de tu cliente.

During a software demonstration, you can demonstrate the cost-effectiveness by showcasing the features and functionalities that address specific pain points or inefficiencies within the client's workflow, highlighting how the software streamlines processes, saves time, reduces errors, and ultimately improves productivity and ROI. Additionally, you can provide concrete examples or case studies of how other clients have realized significant cost savings or increased revenue by implementing the software. Comparing the investment in the software to the potential long-term benefits and returns helps to illustrate the strong cost-benefit proposition to the client.

If possible before or during the demo, identify what the prospect is currently doing to address the use case/workflow that your product applies to. A simple way to demonstrate cost-effectiveness is to show how your solution would execute that workflow in a faster, more efficient way.

Highlighting ROI is indeed a compelling selling point for customers. While sales should focus on presenting possibilities rather than just the product, emphasizing the potential benefits and solutions it offers is more effective in engaging customers and closing deals. However, sales teams need to be aware that if they focus solely on one aspect, customers may try to compare it with offerings from other vendors.

We walk clients through case studies (targeted to their industry and size) where our software reduced cycle times by up to 45%, leading to significant resource and time savings. Additionally, by emphasizing our data-driven approach, how our platform could optimize processes, resulting in a 57% improvement in operational efficiency. This approach not only showcased the immediate cost-effectiveness of our software but also demonstrated the long-term value it brought to the clients' bottom line.

I love to ask a poll here to ignite togetherness and showcase my most impactful feature. E.g. If I was talking to an audience of call center managers, I might ask 'How many of your customer enquiries are solved first time around (%)?'. I then follow discussion of results alongside a case study and examples of reductions in numbers we've already seen with past customers. Examples of cost savings related to those reductions are then super impactful.

Some more points to above from my side- Scalability and Flexibility: Emphasize how your software can scale with the organization's growth without significant additional costs or customization expenses Integration Capabilities: Showcase how your software integrates with existing systems, reducing the need for expensive custom development or data migration. Case Studies and Testimonials: Share success stories and testimonials from satisfied customers who have realized cost savings or improved efficiencies with your software

First things first : transparency. Regardless of the TCO, offering a clear breakdown of all associated costs (upfront, recurring, etc.) is crucial for establishing trust and convincing potential clients of cost-effectiveness. By providing transparency, you demonstrate your commitment to help clients understand the long-term value and affordability of your solution. It not only allows for informed decision-making, but also fosters stronger customer relationships based on integrity and reliability.

I've seen admin demos work well for validation of simplicity to maintain and scale solutions. In general, if the current team has the skill set to own the solution on a go forward basis, that is a huge plus. If you need to hire a specialized consultant to maintain the solution, that doesn't make it the wrong solution. It just makes for a deeper justification in the ROI case.

Custos de aquisição: essa categoria relaciona a compra das peças para compor o SaaS, a depreciação e o tempo gasto em horas de trabalho para pesquisa de mercado com relação à negociação dos fornecedores; Custos de implementação: aqui entram custos de configurações de sistema, de tecnologia e mudanças de equipamentos; Custos de suporte e manutenção: aqui surgem outras funcionalidades, como licenças, garantias, atualizações, contratações de fornecedores externos e de recursos humanos

When it comes to a large deal the client will surely look at the TCO . Typically in a large deal the client will look at 5 or 7 years TCO . TCO also helps the client in seeking adequate budget for the project so that there are no major surprises during the project period which creates a hole in the pocket .

During the demo it would be ideal to replicate their existing environment which would enable us to 1) Show how the solution addresses their problem 2) Demonstrate the Industry best practice (use cases discussed during the initial meeting) 3) Cost effectiveness can be calculated/demonstrated. 4) Personalisation that suits their environment. Hope it helps.

Objections can be a red herring. Yes, you should address them but just because you addressed them does not mean you've got mind share. Often objections hide the real reasons why the prospect is pushing back. And it's your job as a sales professional to find the potential or real issues they have with introducing a new solution/your solution.

One way to handle this is to ask: "What are you paying now?" You should know what they are using as a qualifying questions but when you get into pricing ask what they are paying. Hopefully they tell you but they might be playing hard ball. You could say, "On average we see people paying $X. We cost $Y. This is a total savings of N%". The fact that you bring additional value or customization from the "Box" software should be enough to turn the conversation in your favor in addition to the savings you bring.

En mi experiencia hay que tener preparadas de antemano las posibles objeciones muchas veces se repiten y si sabes responderlas de una manera segura y con datos que lo apoyen puede ser una ocasión para destacar los beneficios de tu solución. Hay que evitar que la negación se convierta en un juego de descuentos si no proyectar al interlocutor como puedes ayudarle a solucionar sus problemas y mejorar su empresa .

Handling objection is a part and parcel of every deal . You need to handle the objections with clear responses , maintaining transparency and answering comprehensively. It’s a good practice to site examples, references from similar clients and industry so that the client can relate to these examples and gets convinced. Case studies are a good tool used for objection handling where you can explain the been there done that part .

After your (short) demo, go back to your PPT. Your last slide shouldn't be "Q&A" - it should be your key value drivers, repeated from earlier in your presentation.

First the Software demo has to be done after understanding certain business challenges / requirements or demo to be scheduled in line with similar industry experience. Cost effectiveness to be highlighted by the vendor from the earlier deployment experience in the form of infographics and references.

Exatamente isso. É fundamental envolver os decisores nas apresentações para alinhar o próximo passo. Sempre uso a pergunta: "Faz sentido para você?" e através da resposta eu defino de forma clara o próximo passo. Gosto de deixar claro que eu sou a extensão dele dentro da companhia e tudo que o lead precisar estarei a disposição para mostrar a solução.

It’s always a good practice to have a clearly agreed next step after the meeting so that you can follow up the action and repeat this till you close the deal .

Connect every (core) feature you demonstrate with a benefit and value for your prospect. The value you verbalize is making up the GAP between your prospect’s current and desired state. This GAP you can use to financially demonstrate the business Impact. Ideally you include this ROI perspective into your demonstration without calling it an ROI analysis. Make it part of your storytelling.

Sou executivos de negócios em software de gestão jurídica e temos mais de 100.000 usuários na base. Atendo o contencioso, consultivo e BPO. Se faz sentido para você me avise, estou a disposição para sanar todas as dúvidas. #networking