This document provides best practices for presales professionals to use when preparing for and delivering product demonstrations. It emphasizes the importance of discovery to understand the customer's needs and pain points. It also stresses preparing a customized demo tailored for the client by knowing their business and processes. When delivering the demo, the recommendation is to use a "tell-show-tell" approach where the presenter explains key points, shows relevant features, and then summarizes to keep the customer engaged. The document includes several case studies of past client demos that were both successful and unsuccessful, highlighting lessons learned.

1. Presales Best
Practices You
Can Use Now
Doug Johnson
Sales Engineer
Better
Faster
Stronger
Version 5.0

2. Session Overview
• Discovery: The Key to Success
• Poor discovery = poor demo
• No decision maker / no budget / no timeframe = no
demo
• Demo Prep: Do Not Skimp
• Know prospects business
• Tailor demo for the client
• Demo Delivery: Tell Show Tell
• No questions = no interest
• Stories: Results from the Field
• Presales examples and results

3. Demos in 2014
0
20
40
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140
160
180
Prospects Partners Other
Demos in 2014
Demos
Prospects
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Partners
Partners Involved

4. How Are We Doing?
26
40
61
Won Open Lost
Results
• 30% close
rate

5. Discovery
The Key to Success

6. Discovery Success Factors
Win Deal
Exit a ‘Loser’

7. Discovery: Nobody Wants It
“No discovery needed … I’ve been working with this client for 3 years.”
- VAR ABC
“The prospect is excited and really wants to see the software.
- Acumatica Employee
“During this round, all my prospect needs is an overview of the sof
- VAR XYZ
“We are narrowing it down to three vendors in this round.
- VAR 123

8. Discovery Document
• Easy to Get Started
• 3 pain points
• Sales process
• What they are replacing
• Modules needed
• Other Information
• Module specific information
• External systems
• Implementation
• Key reports
• ROI

9. Demo Prep
Do Not Skimp Here

10. What Helps?
Short list of items the prospect wants to see
No 500 question RFPs please.

11. Get a Purchase Order
Vendor part number
Catalog numbers
Data for demo
Track quantity received
B/O and FET all zero, why?

12. Get an Invoice
Add equipment to your project
Typed notes (manual invoice)
Actual pricing (and often inventory IDs)
Subcontractors (missed during discovery)
Reprints required

13. Customer quote
6 pages
Manually produced
Design process and negotiation

14. Docs from Key Processes
Shipping requirements
Written notes – opportunity!
Email stamp - opportunity!
Sample customer and addresses

15. Provide Key Reports
Excel or BI tool needed for graphics
Pareto chart required
Do we have data?

16. Flow Diagram: First Review
16
West Point
Howells
NVC Vet Supply
(Agri-Blenders)
Distributor
(MWI)
Wisner
1. Supplies ordered via distributor
2. Order placed
with manufacturer
1a) Sales order created with drop
shipment specified
- Cost provided from manufacturer
- Price set between companies
3. Order drop-shipped to NVS
2a) PO emailed to manufacturer with
shipping instructions
3a) Shipment received
into inventory
4) Invoice
Invoice
outside
Acumatica

17. Flow Diagram: Revision
17
West Point
Howells
NVC Vet Supply
Distributor
(MWI)
Wisner
3. Invoice sent to NVC
Invoice verified
(not re-keyed)
2. Order shipped to NVS
2a) Shipment received into
inventory
- Cost based on PO
amount
1. Supplies ordered
1a) PO emailed from NVC to MWI
- Bill to NVC
- Ship to NVS warehouse
Invoice includes
markup
4. Invoice sent to NVS

18. Flow Diagram
18
Main Warehouse
(pickup orders)
• Customer drive up, places
order
• Payment accepted
- Attempt to gather customer
information
1.Customer phones in
order
Purchase order
delivery
Invoice and
payment
Dispatch
(orders on account)
2.Schedule
delivery
3.Deliver via 3rd
party
4.Invoice
- Include
delivery charge
Account Customer
Drive Up Customer

19. Demo Delivery
Tell Show Tell

20. Have an Agenda
• Establish key talking points
• Part of tell-show-tell
• Keeps demo on track
• Elements
• Key items to cover
• Speakers
• Scenarios
• Timeframes (optional)
• 10:00am
Background
• 10:15am Demo
• 12:00pm Questions
NOT AN
AGENDA

21. Start with Excitement
Start When
• Decision makers present
PowerPoint
• Key for setting vision
• Keep it short, not required
Attention Grabbers:
• Show dashboards
• Show customer’s items

22. Build Credibility
“Can you handle federal excise tax applied to tire
purchases?”
• Competition answer: yes
• Acumatica answer: if you can explain your
requirements I will show you what we can do with
our flexible tax system …
“This is very specific to our industry … here is how it
works …”

23. Finish with Vision
Attention Grabbers:
• Show mobile
• Show portal
List Issues
• Keep to-do’s positive
• Not a list of customizations

24. Some Stories
Results form the Field

25. Case 1: Tire Distributor
Preparation:
• Discovery doc + 10 things they wanted to see on demo
• Agenda including key process flows to show
• Received PO from supplier
• FUSION RMS
Demo 1:
• Showed custom items
• Made it look easy to search for data
Demo 2:
• Information was missing: quick quote, pick ticket
process, invoicing, federal excise tax
Result:
• Won

26. Case 2: Mulch Wholesaler
Preparation:
• Discovery included need for mobile and web
• Scheduling and dispatch – M5 involved
Demo:
• Reviewed PPT workflow
• Showed everything needed and got buy off
After Demo:
• Gave demo instance, customer was ‘confused’ by
software
Result:
• Lost

27. Case 3: Pet Supplies
ManufacturerPreparation:
• Multiple discovery calls (PAM, SE, Partner)
• Integration with third parties (Ecommerce, carriers,
shipping)
• Manufacturing options discussed
Demo:
• Showed customized items
• Showed inter-company and key processes
After Demo:
• Executive call scheduled
• Reference calls scheduled
Result:
• Won

28. Case 4: Hotel Supply
DistributorPreparation:
• Discovery uncovered forecasting needs
• Prospect provided 2 page document of pain points and flow
Demo 1:
• Needed better display of forecast data and container shipping
Demo 2:
• Showed forecasting, answered 10-12 specific questions
• Customization requested (duplicate PO, PO split, kitting)
Demo 3
• Did demo for a different audience
Demo 4:
• Reviewed 15 questions about solution, got buy-off on each
Post Demo:
• Provided access to system for testing
Result:
• Did not hear, assume lost

29. Case 5: Fragrance
importer/exporter
Preparation:
• Discovery included key points, high level flows
Demo:
• 50% demo, 50% discovery
• Team was very engaged in the process
After Demo:
• Proposed solution to consignment sales
Result:
• Lost – competitor discount

30. Case 6: Boot Supplier
Preparation:
• Simple discovery – financials only
Demo 1:
• Showed financials, mostly out of the box
Demo 2:
• Payroll demo (mid-June)
Result:
• Lost – functionality/price

31. Case 7: On Demand Artwork
Preparation:
• Discovery included key points, high level flows
Demo:
• 50% demo, 50% discovery
• Team was very engaged in the process – suggesting
ways to do things that they needed
After Demo:
• Provided information on configurator
Result:
• Nearing close

32. Case 8: Magazine Distributor
Preparation:
• Partner provided 4 page Word doc with key data
(budget, needs, timeframe, key points, etc.)
• Partner reviewed document in detail on prep call
Demo:
• Acumatica showed generic items (partner’s first
demo)
• Partner showed customizations for client’s
environment!!
Result:
• Open, with verbal ‘go ahead’