Art Post
When was the last time you packed a copier on a sales cart, wheeled it into the customer’s office, performed the onsite demonstration and left with an empty sales cart and a check?
For those of you that have never had this experience, I can tell you this was the zenith of the sales cycle!
In days gone by I can remember practicing demo’s a few times a week. We would practice with fellow sales reps, sales managers or the district sales manager of the manufacturer. Usually every year there was some type of demo contest either run by the dealership or the manufacturer. It’s really a shame that our industry has moved away from the demonstration. I’m still a big fan of the demonstration and will push for one when I can’t get the DM to move forward or if the sales cycle is stalled.
So, what makes a good demonstration? Here’s a few tips:
- Practice. Practice with your peers. They will not be easy on you and will help you hone your skills. You’ve got to get to the point where you don’t interject, ums, ahs and dos.
- When giving the demonstration stand to the left, the right or even behind the system, this keeps a clean site to the system you are demonstrating and will allow you to see the reactions of the crowd.
- Start with the introduction of the system, “this is the state of the art in technology when it comes to imaging; the XYZ system (then slide your hand across the front of the unit) will enable your business to improve productivity while lower costs.” The slide of the hand perceives the system as something special.
- Put together a list of features that you want to go over.
- Remember FAB (feature, advantage and benefit). Whenever you state a feature, remember to also state the advantage of the feature and the benefit to the end user. It would help to do research before the demo and find out what features they desire and or what features you believe they could benefit from in their line of business.
- Control the demonstration. If questions are asked, you decide if you want to answer them now, or ask them politely to wait until the end of the demonstration.
- Insert trial closing questions, such as “when you get this system where are you going to put it?” If they give you an answer as to where, then as long as you’re in with the DM, you can then ask if you “are looking to lease or buy the system?”
- ABC (always be closing) to the next yes, meaning when a print comes out of you explain a FAB then ask the customer a question like “that’s a great feature isn’t it?” Or when a print comes out ask the prospect to look at the document and say, “look at the a’s, the e’s and the o’s, isn’t is awesome that there is no fill in the letters?” This one is kinda old, however you can use any question that will get you a “yes” response.
- The goal of the demo is to close the sale. Ask questions that will get you the “yes or we like it” responses.
- I left this one for last and it is the most important, when you have closed on setting the appointment for the demonstration you may want to also have a pre-commitment from the prospect that if all goes well with the demonstration that they will move forward with the sale or the lease.
The Art of the Copier Demo is more about listening to the DM/prospect. Questions like “what’s the warranty” will tell you that the customer already likes what you’ve showed them and you should move forward with a trial close. I would answer this question with “we have two warranties, one is for 90 days with a break and fix program and our other offering is our annual protection plan, which would you be more interested in?”
There’s no rhyme or reasoning with demonstrations, each one will be different. I’ve done demonstrations where I was never able to close and others that we closed for the order after 10 minutes. Demonstrations will enable your customer to see why either your system or your dealership is unique and different and will enable you to close more sales.
Here’s another good read 10 Awesome Tips for a Great Copier/MFP Demo
Good selling!
