Mastering the Demo: CSM Secrets
From boring to captivating; the one framework to transform your demo into a memorable experience
Each week — we examine the greatest frameworks from entrepreneurs to psychologists —in order to hone our own executive communication skills and become unforgettable in less than 5 minutes a week.
"Rishav, when I do a demo, I feel frantic, rushed, and like no one cares. I feel like I'm just listing features, but they don't seem to care or get excited...I hate it"
CSMs have told me that they struggle a lot during demos since I started writing this newsletter.
The company tells them to show off all of the features, but they know that customers are only interested in a few key features that will make their daily lives better. It's like showing someone your whole closet when they only need a shirt. Not cool!
And these CSMs are smart people. They work for smart companies.
Yet these companies don’t teach their CSMs how to conduct a demo or a training session that is:
Clear
Interesting
So, how exactly do you put on a great demo or training session? Someone who can come in and completely dominate the session without rambling on with nonsense?
For me - I have a secret weapon - my SLAMSCUP framework. No, it's not a fancy coffee order, but a guide to conducting a demo or training session that will make your customers go "Wowza, that was awesome!"
You'll be the talk of the town, or at least the company Slack channel.
Steal it, and study it. Good luck, and may the demo gods be with you.
S = Set the stage
You know when you talk to certain people on a large Zoom call once it starts, but it seems forced and fake?
Kinda feels like you're sitting in a quiet library? I hated it. Until my current company's training session started with elevator/EDM music and the host saying we’d start in 2 minutes.
And boom! It was like a switch had been flipped - people turned on their cameras, chat was lively, and the energy was high even before the training had started.
The agenda slide for the training session was already on the screen. So, when I give a training session now, I get on a few minutes early, set up Zoom to play music while I share my screen with an agenda slide that everyone can read. And the best part?
It doesn't require any fake participation or awkward icebreakers.
People naturally start smiling and chatting, and before you know it, the meeting has taken on a life of its own.
L = Level-set expectations
First, imagine yourself as a teacher creating a syllabus. You recall the section titled "learning outcomes?" The teacher basically writes what students will learn or gain by the end of the semester. Do the same with your meeting; share a blurb that says something like, "By the end of this meeting, my goal is that you all will leave with a clear understanding of X, Y, and Z. I want you to walk away feeling informed and empowered.”
Second, share a quick introduction about you + your role. “A little bit about me - my name is [Your Name] and I'll be leading this meeting today. I’ve been working with [Name Your Point of Contact] and I'm excited to dive into our agenda and work together to achieve our goals for this meeting.”
Third, ask everyone on the call:
“Now, before we get started, I want to open up the floor to anyone who has anything they'd like to add to the agenda. Is there anything specific you'd like to discuss or address during this meeting beyond the things I mentioned?”
[Pause for a few seconds for any responses]
“Alright, if there's nothing else, we'll take that as we're good and dive right into things. Let's get started!”
A = Agitate the problem
Establish the pain that each 'feature' solves before you demo it.
"You know when you struggle do X..."
Example if I was selling a recruiting solution as a CSM:
“You know that feeling when you're scrolling through social media, trying to find the perfect candidate, and it seems like you're just throwing spaghetti at the wall? Yeah, we know that feeling too.”
M = Make the value
Then, help the customer imagine what their life will be like once they start using the process you're about to show them.
"Instead, picture this: with just a few clicks on our dashboard, you can quickly and easily find the perfect candidates for your open roles. No more tedious hours spent sifting through resumes, no more missed communication with potential candidates, no more frustrating dead-ends in your recruiting process.”
S = Show the value
Now, tell them to look towards the screen, and walk them through the step-by-step process, and communicate it as if you were writing a recipe.
“Alright, folks, let's get into the nitty-gritty of our solution. I want you to focus your attention on the screen as we walk through the step-by-step process.
C = Connect the dots
Most people forget this important part… don’t forget to explain the “so-what”
”Now, by doing this, you’ll be able to….”
U = Unique story
People recall stories. Not facts. Tell a story about how a customer benefited from the feature you just demonstrated.
“In fact, we had a customer who really utilized this feature, and now, they’re [insert outcome]”
P = Participate
Ah, the classic "does that make sense?" question. The equivalent of a shrug emoji in real life. 🤷 Let's be real, you're not really looking for engagement there, are you?
Instead, try this on for size: Pick a random person on the call and say something like "Hey, [Name], I’d love your help here. Could you quickly walk me through how you’re doing X today in a bit more detail than I shared earlier? That way, I can share any additional information if I missed anything"
Now, this participant feels like a rock star, and you've made it easy for people to share their ideas and thoughts. Win-win, baby!
If you're ever in charge of a big demo or training session, don't freak out. Just remember the S.L.A.M.S.C.U.P framework. It'll make you look like a pro and keep you from being a hot mess. So, go ahead and SLAM that demo with a clear and concise message (how’s that for a pun?) — Srsly though, follow this framework and just like that, you'll be unforgettable.
That’s it for this week :)
I'm putting in more than 80 hours a week to create content that will sharpen your executive communication skills and make you unforgettable in under 5 minutes. And I'm not just saying that because my mom thinks so.
If you found this helpful, do me a favor and share it with someone who could use it. It's the ultimate compliment. And if you know any customer-facing wizards who would appreciate this level of openness, let's bring them into our tight-knit crew one person at a time. Share this article and other NLCS gems to keep the good vibes flowing.
Until next time, keep crushing it. Peace out!