We bombed the demo

Hey there,

Most demos are forgettable information dumps that waste everyone's time.

You've probably experienced being part of a sh*tty demo. You spend hours prepping only to watch it fall flat. And when decision time comes, you're just another vendor in a sea of forgettable presentations. We recently bombed a demo, so we decided to rebuild our approach completely, and it turned into one of the most memorable and fun presentations I’ve been a part of in my 17-year career.

Here's what we're covering today:

• How a failed demo became our biggest opportunity

• The 3-step framework that transformed our approach

• A free 1-page template you can use immediately

3 Steps To Create Unforgettable Demos

To create demos that customers will remember months later, you need a framework that creates contrast, not just content.

Here's how to build it.

Step 1: Structure Around "Old World vs. New World" Vignettes

The biggest shift is ditching the traditional demo format entirely.

Instead of walking through features, we created 3-4 "vignettes", short scenarios that show the customer's current painful reality (Old World), then immediately demonstrate how our solution transforms it (New World).

Each vignette follows the same pattern: one team member narrates the pain using real examples, while the SC shows the solution in action.

The contrast is impossible to miss.

Step 2: Build Vignettes That Connect Into a Cohesive Story

Your vignettes can't be four random scenarios; they need to build on each other.

The mistake most teams make is picking disconnected pain points that feel like separate demos stitched together. Instead, we mapped our vignettes to follow the customer's actual workflow.

Each vignette built on the previous one, showing how problems compound in the Old World and how our solution creates a seamless flow in the New World.

This is what creates the "wow, they really understand our business" moment.

Map your vignettes chronologically: "First this breaks, which causes this to break, which creates this downstream problem." Then show how your solution fixes the entire chain, not just individual links.

Step 3: Prepare Like Your Deal Depends On It (Because It Does)

Separation is in the preparation.

After our mediocre first attempt, we debriefed immediately and rebuilt everything overnight. We created scripts for transitions, built visual assets showing "before/after" contrasts, recorded video examples of talk tracks, and ran multiple dry runs until the flow felt natural.

By the time game time came, we weren't nervous; we were excited.

The customer could feel that energy.

Afterwards, the AM said, “That was the most fun I’ve ever had on a demo.”

The customer said, “That was the best presentation I’ve seen in years from anyone.”

Hard to argue with those results.

That's it.

Here's what you learned today:

• Structure demos around "Old World vs. New World" vignettes that show contrast, not features

• Build vignettes that connect into a cohesive story, mirroring their actual workflow

• Invest in preparation with scripts, assets, and dry runs so game day feels effortless

This framework works because it makes your demo memorable instead of forgettable. And when customers remember you, they choose you.

I've created a free 1-page template with the complete framework, vignette structure, and demo script. [Download it here] and use it for your next demo.

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