How can you make your demo memorable by connecting with customers through humor, emotion, and personality?

I think there is no barrier that sincerity and authenticity cannot overcome. One of the best things about direct communication is to tell the other person exactly how you feel and how you think. In this way, you can find a way of communication that leaves no room for hesitation for the other person. Again, the shortest way to do this is sincerity and authenticity. Sincere and authentic brands have always won and will always win.

Crafting a lasting impression as a presenter can be as crucial as offering a memorable solution to customer problems. Mastering the art of storytelling is key in making demos memorable. I sprinkle mine with a little humour to engage, alongside a genuine passion and enthusiasm for guiding customers to better outcomes.

It's still a reality that in most cases, people buy from people. Your goal is to forge meaningful connections while solving customers' problems. It's as important to establish yourself as someone they want to do business with, as it is to establish your product as a 'must have' for their business.

Every culture has humor. Some BUSINESS cultures appreciate it, some don't. If you are familiar with a business culture, use appropriate humor. It humanizes you, and it'll help make your points memorable. Be aware of who's in the meeting, their seniority, etc. If you are unfamiliar with a business culture, avoid using humor.

My go to jokes when the product is not loading or things go off the rails are: "well, now you know it's a live demo :)" or "darn gremlins are chewing on the internet cords again" or " it's going to outer space and back, give it second"

It is important to distinguish between being funny and injecting mischief into a conversation. There is also a prejudice that funny equals not taken seriously, not taken into account. However, adding a little bit of humor into your conversation with the customer ensures that you are always one step ahead. Being humorous softens both the topics and the customer. And even the hard candy that will not be swallowed becomes easy to swallow.

Effective humor in demos isn't about natural talent—it's science. Stand-up comedians spend 1000s of hours testing and refining their material in small stages before they get their Netflix special. They'll try different phrasings, timings, and even facial expressions to see what lands best. If you want to use humour, then you have to bring that same rigour. Test material by waylaying unsuspecting colleagues. Prospect in the HR space? Test material on your HR folks. Which material gets laughs? Which fall flat? Refine based on Keep iterating. What works for one audience might bomb with another. With practice, you'll develop a repertoire of appropriate, effective humor that makes your demos memorable.

Humility, humour and self deprecation often puts the audience at ease. Showing you’re a human with sensitivity and feeling and making that connection with smiles, eye contact and thoughtful pauses to look around the room. If remote keeping your camera on during the demo so the audience can see your face and expressions also helps enforce the connection. Great and memorable demos are always about how you make the audience feel. Which could work both ways of course !

Rew Dickinson's advice, "Find out what gets someone fired, promoted, or home early” underscores the importance of discovery and emotional connection. During demos, it's crucial to tie features (Tell, Show, Tell) to business and personal value, which is where these emotions lie. For example, asking Fiona, 'How would it feel if we could save you/your Finance Team 10 hours per week?' helps us align our solution precisely with their needs as a stakeholder.

Emotion always beats thought. Always... The best proof of this is the chocolate cake you find when you open the fridge at midnight. You can't talk yourself out of eating it because emotion always wins. So it makes sense to start the sale with emotion.

Stories are an excellent vehicle to use emotion to sell the change. Use before/after a demo loop. Example: M, a VP of Sales, prided himself on never having missed a quarter. But at XYZ, the lack of accurate forecasting led to missing two quarters in a row. The stress was overwhelming. M doubted himself and his team, vowing to himself to show a profit in Q3 or quit! Then came our new tool. With its accurate forecasting feature, M transformed chaos into clarity. He can forecast with precision and set realistic targets. This helped him make Q3. The team benefited from clear direction and achievable goals and is more motivated. M is back on top, leading a happier, more efficient team, and regaining his confidence in his leadership.

How your personality comes across the screen will determine if you can be considered a trusted advisor. - Make it personal: use good storytelling that is relatable and people can remember. When your colleagues anticipate you are about to tell a story, you have unlocked it. - Non-verbal communication is key: make sure you practice how it shows over a webcam if remote. Audio, video, and light quality are important. - Be audible ready: a demonstration is a moment for discovery, not a showcase of what you can do. Put yourself in the shoes of who is on the other side and ask "What's in it for me"

Embrace your true self and resist the urge to imitate others or adopt a persona that doesn’t reflect who you are. Authenticity is powerful; it may take time to develop, but customers are drawn to genuine, real people. Being yourself builds trust and fosters meaningful connections.

Humor, emotions and personality are all aspects to show of your authentic self. Any of these used as tools of manipulation will backfire. Ideally, just be a positive advocate for your product and for the customer, confident in who you are and what you bring, and never see humans as a means to an end.