How can you simplify technical jargon in product demonstrations?

If you sell a technical product or service, you know how important it is to demonstrate its value and benefits to your prospects. But sometimes, you might encounter a challenge: how to explain complex or unfamiliar concepts without using too much jargon or confusing your audience. In this article, you'll learn some tips on how to simplify technical jargon in product demonstrations and make your pitch more clear, engaging, and persuasive.

1 Understand your audience

The first step to simplifying technical jargon is to know who you're talking to and what they care about. Different types of prospects may have different levels of familiarity, interest, and expertise in your product or service. For example, a decision-maker may want to know how your solution can solve their business problem, while a user may want to know how it can make their work easier and faster. To tailor your demonstration to your audience, you need to do some research beforehand and ask questions during the presentation to gauge their knowledge, needs, and expectations.

Add your perspective

Dirk Kotzé

Automation Accelerator 🚀 - IBM Automation Segment / Alliance Leader
Report contribution
Comunication is not about the word you produce, it's about a simple question - does your audience understand the message your trying to convey? If they don't - that's miscommunication... Know your audience and describe your solution in a way that they get it... if their jargon people, use the jargon but if their not jargon people, don't use the jargon. Make the effort to qualify that they’re understanding your message and bring people on the journey with you, don't leave your audience behind.

Like
Shilpa Kolte

Director @ Microsoft AI, Advertising Enterprise Sales | Mom
Report contribution
Every offering has a product, its benefit and the value it brings. The best way to simplify technical jargon is to make it easier for audience to understand in ways that relate to them. Using analogies is a great way, so is explaining the value, as against explaining the feature. Your audience is an automobile enthusiast - explain the feature with an analogy from the auto world (feature) Your audience is concerned about money - do work before hand and show how the product can make (or save) them money (benefit) Your audience cares about innovation - show how your offering can get them to the forefront and cut through clutter. (value)

Like

Load more contributions

2 Use analogies and examples

One of the most effective ways to simplify technical jargon is to use analogies and examples that relate to your audience's experience, background, or industry. Analogies and examples can help you illustrate abstract or complex ideas in a more concrete and familiar way, and create a connection with your audience. For example, if you're selling a cloud-based software, you can compare it to a library that stores and organizes your books online, instead of using terms like SaaS, API, or encryption. Or, if you're selling a medical device, you can use a real-life scenario or case study that shows how it can improve patient outcomes, instead of listing its features and specifications.

Add your perspective

Load more contributions

3 Avoid acronyms and abbreviations

Another common source of confusion and frustration for your audience is acronyms and abbreviations that they may not understand or remember. Acronyms and abbreviations can make your demonstration sound more technical and professional, but they can also alienate and bore your audience if they don't know what they mean or why they matter. To avoid this, you should either spell out the full term or phrase, or explain its meaning and relevance in simple language. For example, instead of saying CRM, you can say customer relationship management system, or a tool that helps you manage your contacts and interactions with your customers.

Add your perspective

Load more contributions

4 Simplify your language and structure

Finally, to simplify technical jargon in product demonstrations, you should also pay attention to your language and structure. You should use simple and clear words and sentences, avoid passive voice and filler words, and emphasize the benefits and value of your product or service, rather than the features and functions. You should also organize your demonstration in a logical and coherent way, using transitions, summaries, and signposts to guide your audience through your main points and arguments. And, you should always check for understanding, ask for feedback, and address any questions or objections that your audience may have.

Add your perspective

Michael Scandiffio

Global Account Manager @ Cogent | CIPTS, DCCA, Colocation Certified, VPLS Certified | Presidents Club
Report contribution
The most important part to explaining the technical side of your product is taking the time to fully understand how and why it works that way yourself. Working to understand the more technical side of what you are selling may not be very exciting (especially for those in sales), and it is often tempting to just memorize the basic terms and acronyms associated with what you are pitching to save time and energy. However putting in the work to fully understand how your product functions allows you to then break that down in real time to those less familiar with it.

Like

Load more contributions

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Add your perspective

How can you simplify technical jargon in product demonstrations?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Understand your audience

2 Use analogies and examples

3 Avoid acronyms and abbreviations

4 Simplify your language and structure

5 Here’s what else to consider

Direct Sales

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

More articles on Direct Sales

More relevant reading

How can you simplify technical jargon in product demonstrations?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Understand your audience

2 Use analogies and examples

3 Avoid acronyms and abbreviations

4 Simplify your language and structure

5 Here’s what else to consider

Direct Sales

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

Explore Other Skills