Demonstrating a Solution vs. a Bunch of Products
There's hardly a technology company out there
that hasn't been through a merger or acquisition in recent years. The good news is you have more products to sell… and the
bad news is you have more products to sell.
In many cases, the product stovepipes that
exist internally become transparent to your prospects during the sales cycle, creating the perception you’ve got a bunch of fragmented
products instead of a solution. Longer and more difficult sales cycles lie ahead if this is the case.
Here are 3 tactics to help you sell a single
solution instead of a bunch of products.
1. Create a Value Theme for Each
Prospect
For each prospect, find out why your products
are being evaluated. There are the obvious answers …to improve productivity, to cut costs, to maintain compliance, get
products to market faster, etc. and then there are the real reasons, the ones the executive suite cares about …price erosion for core
products, being first to market, competing globally, declining market share, etc.
Once you know the real reason, make it the
theme of your pitch such that every point you make is related to the overall value theme. Connect the dots to your products or
services by linking improvements at the departmental level to the overall theme at the executive level. For example, “our solution will help
you compete globally by reducing your overall costs for X, Y and Z.”
2. Consider Each
Product a Feature of the Total Solution
Create a two column spreadsheet with the name
of each product in the first column and its primary purpose in the second column. Script your pitch according to how each product
contributes to the overall value theme. During the demo, there is no reason to refer to each product separately unless
asked. Talk about them as if they’re components of a total solution in support of a common theme. This
approach also lends itself to showing fewer features due to the “bigger picture” focus. Also, resist the temptation
to load up the school bus with product experts! The fewer the number of people delivering the demo, the easier and more integrated
the solution will be perceived.
3. Base the Demo on
User Scenarios Instead of Product Features
If your demo is based on capabilities of the
product, it leaves you more vulnerable to questions and objections that have no relevance to the real issues, plus you’ll be aimlessly
rambling about features that have no significance. If your demo is based on user scenarios, you only have to show capabilities
related to each scenario, leaving less opportunity for meaningless objections and making the transition between products far less
obvious.
More short scenarios are better than fewer
long scenarios because they’re easier for your prospects to digest and they create a perception of simplicity. Close each
scenario by reminding your prospects how the benefits at the departmental level support the overall value theme at the executive level.
If you say it enough, they will believe it.
If your product demonstrations are fragmented
and don’t emphasize issues that are important to the executive suite, signup for Product Management University Onsite, Online
or Open Enrollment. You’ll learn simple and useful techniques for
delivering solution demos instead of feature dumps.
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