Steps for a Successful MVP Demo
By Lenka Davis
What do you do after you have completed your MVP? A demo!
Topics in this article
Steps before your demo
During the demo
Once the demo is over
How to handle demo issues
You have been building your product (MVP) for weeks if not months, and now you want to show it off. It’s time to get your demo organized. According to Demodesk, 10% of the demos will go well, and 10% it will just not be great, but for the remaining demos,
“For that 80% of customers, it makes a huge difference whether you’re delivering a great demo or not.”
MVP demos get you product feedback, and allow you to showcase the product to everyone that was involved in making it happen. Demos are also for potential customers that were either involved in consulting on the product or early adopters that are desperate for your solution. Preparing a demo forces your team to set up the demo, practice the presentation, and decide how to present the solution.
Once the team finishes the MVP the next step is to demo it to key stakeholders. Stakeholders such as investors, mentors, vendors, company employees, consultants, industry experts and other people that worked on the product, including those that will help the product launch into the marketplace.
When you are putting your demo together, make sure you think about how to tailor it to your audience. Investors might be more interested in the scalability and market potential of your product while end-users may prioritize usability and solving their pain points.
In order to have a successful demo there are a few steps to have before the actual demo meeting.
Steps before your demo
Decide what story you want to tell with your demo. What features you will highlight and what is the objective of the demo.
Objectives for a demo can include one or more of the following
Show that a new technology works
Demonstrate how to solve a customer problem
Show how to save customers time and money
Keep stakeholders informed and engaged
Set up the demo so it works
Determine how much time you have to do the demo
Know who your audience is and what they will most want to see
Have a backup demo presenter in case there is a technical problem
Have a backup plan, if your product relies on the internet or other technical services that can be down
Practice, Practice, Practice
Have a few dry runs to different team members so that you can get feedback on what to explain
Be ready for questions that might come up
Write a script that includes the points you want to mention
Adding storytelling to your presentation to make the message more memorable and relevant
Decide who will be answering questions from the audience
Decide who will address any objections with prepared responses.
There will be juicy information that comes from the first few demos that you deliver. Based on the questions you will get you will be able to tell what viewers are focused on, what is confusing and how they might use your product. A few items to have set up during the demo.
During the demo
Record the demo. If you can do a video recording, however, often startups don’t want any recording done because they are still in incognito mode, so have someone take notes.
Write down all the questions that were asked and who asked them. This way you can get context about what they are trying to figure out.
Document any new features that prospects might mention that they would like to have or how they would like to use the product
Have a discussion about what the next steps can be or maybe you have a follow-up strategy already in place.
Address any limitations with your audience about your demo, so that you build trust with your audience. If your MVP has technical or feature limitations, explain that to your audience, for example.
Once the demo is over
Gather any feedback from the presenter and the team.
Send an email to any potential customers with information about the product and/or about your company
Set up the next demo practice session to incorporate the new feedback, and to keep the demo relevant and impactful.
How to handle demo issues
Demos can be successful and they can fail especially when demoing a new product. There are many examples of robots falling off stairs, screens locking up and networks either down or products not connecting to them. In most cases, if your product demo is failing during a live demo the best advice is to not take too long to fix it, 10 - 20 seconds at the most and move on with your presentation. You can have a backup ready but if there is no backup then explain to the audience that it’s not working and that you will get back to them. A good backup to have is a presentation with the main points you wanted to convey to the audience.
Demos are a great way to show prospects your product so you can begin the process of getting new customers or pilot programs up and running. They are also to be used to show the product to investors to show them that your company has reached the MVP milestone. Take all of this into account when setting up your demo. Additional points to consider when planning your presentations are listed below:
Metrics on attendee engagement, and post demo actions
Demo environment or software enhancements such as distraction free environments and improved visuals
Accessibility for all participants including those with disabilities
Respecting privacy and data security
How do product demos improve close rates? The quote below addresses this topic.
“Mastering the product demo is no easy task. It requires a proper understanding of the product you’re selling, the customer you’re talking to, her specific challenges and expectations, and the ability to build rapport.”
Fun Fact
QuickBooks shows software demos by using graphics instead of the actual screen because their product is always in development. This gives the viewer a graphic view of the feature that is simple and clear. It eliminates visual clutter so the message is easy to understand. Then QuickBooks can use the video for a much longer amount of time since the screens are not outdated quickly.
If you are setting up a business or a technical startup, and have too much to do or just want to discuss your business, give us a call. We offer a free 30 minute call for everyone!
Some Resources
From the Project Management Institute, How to Demo Your Project Deliverables
What is a Product Demo
