From Pitch to Close: How to Leverage Demo Automation for SaaS Sales

Imagine a world where sales teams can wow prospects from the first time they land on website, answer all their questions in one go, and close deals at warp speed.⚡

Welcome to the era of demo automation! ‍

Automated demos offer interactive, on-demand experiences tailored to each prospect's unique needs. They empower prospects to explore, engage, and understand your product at their own pace, bridging the gap between interest and decision. 

In a competitive market, automated demos are the edge that turns curiosity into conversion. That’s why we created an actionable guide on how B2B SaaS teams can leverage demo automation the right way. 

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What is demo automation?

Demo automation refers to the process of automating software demonstrations or presentations. It simulates user interactions to showcase a product’s features. You can create automated demos in multiple formats, like pre-recorded demo videos, interactive demos, or HTML demos that run without human intervention.

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What demo automation is not

Demo automation is not a one-size-fits-all solution or a replacement for all live demonstrations. It doesn't mean the end of human interaction in the sales process and neither does it replace traditional sales demos. 

Think of it as a complementary workflow that can be used selectively based on the unique needs of your prospects. 

It's not about removing the human touch entirely but optimizing where and how it's applied, preserving valuable human resources for high-intent opportunities and more complex interactions.

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6 reasons why you need automated sales demos

Not sure what you can achieve with demo automation? Here’s everything you can expect when you start creating interactive product demos:

• Shortening the sales cycle: Automated sales demos let your prospects explore your product without waiting for scheduled calls or live demos. They can dive right in, see if it fits their needs, and move forward faster. With interactive demos, you give them the keys to take your product for a test-drive whenever they want.
• Improving response time: You know how it is when you're interested in something, and you want information NOW? With automated demos, your prospects don't have to wait. They can check out your product immediately, without scheduling hassles—like a 24/7 open house for your product!
• Increasing scalability: With traditional demos, you're limited by your team's availability. Automated demos break those chains! You can reach more people, more often, without stretching your team thin. 
• Consistent messaging: Ever play the game of telephone? Messages get mixed up. With automated demos, you ensure that every prospect gets the same, clear information about your product. No misunderstandings, no mixed messages. Your brand communicates the way you want.
• Integrated marketing: Marketing automated demos can be a seamless part of your marketing strategy. Share them in emails, embed them on your website, or even use them in social media. It's like having a micro sales rep tucked into every part of your marketing, singing your product's praises.
• Cost efficiency: Time is money—automated demos save both. Don’t waste time on unqualified leads with repetitive live demos. You can use your human touch where it counts most and impress prospects to buy your product. 

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Who can benefit from demo automation software

Automated demo tools can be a great help for all GTM and sales teams. Here’s a breakdown of how each role can leverage demo automation:

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Sales solution engineers and SDRs

• Sales Solution Engineers: These tech-savvy folks can use demo automation to create realistic and interactive experiences without spending hours on each one. So, they can spend more time on answering prospect questions and less on creating custom demos. 
• Sales reps: For SDRs, demo automation is all about efficiency and engagement. Interactive demos allow them to reach more prospects and provide a hands-on experience without waiting for a scheduled live demo. They also help in qualifying leads for live calls.

Here’s a great demo sales reps can use in their outreach:

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Pre-sales teams and account executives

• Pre-sales teams: They need to make that first impression count. With demo automation, they can give interested users immediate access to the product, answer questions on the spot, and tailor the experience to each prospect. It's about making connections faster and smarter.
• Account Executives: Automated sales demos free AEs from repetitive tasks to let them focus on building relationships and closing deals. Custom-built demos made in minutes make it easy for AEs to show prospects how well the product can meet their needs and solve pain points.

Check out this automated product demo created by a pre-sales executive:

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Product marketers and account-based marketers

• Product marketers: PMs can use marketing demo automation to showcase their product in various scenarios, highlighting different features for different audiences. It's a way to showcase exactly what each prospect expects to see.
• Account-based marketers: Targeting specific accounts? Demo automation lets marketers create personalized experiences for each key account. It helps in aligning the product with the unique needs and goals of each target—precision marketing at its best.

Here’s an automated demo that marketers can add to social media:

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How to leverage product demo automation across your sales cycle

The best part about product demos? You can use them across your entire sales funnel. We’ve broken down the top ways to leverage demo automation in different stages of the sales cycle and level up your efforts.

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Prospecting

• Igniting initial interest: Automated demos can be a powerful tool to spark interest among potential buyers. By providing a quick and interactive overview of your product, these demos capture prospects’ attention and give them a hands-on feel for what you're offering.
• Segmented targeting: Not all customers are the same, and neither should your demos be! Creating different versions of demos for various target personas ensures each demo is relevant and resonates with the specific needs and interests of each group.
• Lead capture: Why not turn curiosity into leads? By integrating lead capture forms within an interactive product demo, you can collect valuable information from interested prospects. Turn a casual exploration into a potential business opportunity.

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Qualification

• Lead scoring: Automated sales demos aren't just for show; they can be your window into a prospect's interest level. By analyzing how prospects interact with your automated product demos, you can gauge their engagement and qualify them into different buckets.
• Personalized follow-up: No one likes a generic sales pitch. Sending tailored demos based on every buyer’s specific pain points identified during initial interactions makes the follow-up more personal and compelling.
• Educating the prospect: Sometimes, prospects need to see to believe. Providing detailed insights into how your product can solve their challenges through an interactive product demo can be a powerful opportunity to educate and convince potential customers.

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Proposal

• Integration with proposal documents: Why tell when you can show? Embedding product demos within proposal documents provides a visual and interactive explanation of your offer. This can also make your proposal more engaging and easier to understand.

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Negotiation

• Addressing specific concerns: Objections and concerns are a natural part of the negotiation stage in B2B sales. Crafting interactive demos that specifically address these concerns can visually demonstrate your core value propositions and help overcome barriers.
• Comparative analysis: Choices can be overwhelming. Using demos to compare different packages or pricing options helps the prospect understand your differentiators, making the decision-making process smoother.

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Upselling 

• Onboarding: First impressions matter—even after the sale. Automated demos for a tech-touch onboarding experience can guide new customers through your top features and functionalities, setting the stage for a successful relationship.
• Ongoing education: Products evolve quickly, and make your documentation stale. But you can maximize your product’s value by creating new demos in minutes. 
• Customer support: Support doesn't have to be just a call or an email. Offering interactive demos as part of the support resources helps customers troubleshoot common issues or understand complex features by doing instead of reading.

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How Floik makes demo automation a cakewalk

Floik is a powerful solution for creating interactive product demos—and converting them into videos or how-to guides in one click. 

Creating a product demo with Floik is as easy as recording your product in action. The tool will automatically add hotspots with text to describe the step. You can also edit the text and customize the design of this hotspot. 

You can also add custom CTAs anywhere in your demo, particularly at the start and end of the demo. What’s more, you can delete any hotspots you don’t want to show. 

Here’s an interactive product demo in action:

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Make demo automation work for you

Gone are the days of static, one-size-fits-all techniques for selling software. To stand out in crowded markets, you need demo automation to change the way sales teams engage with prospects. 

With automated demos, you can create interactive, personalized experiences that spotlight your product’s top capabilities and help potential buyers realize its potential. 

So, are you ready to leave behind the old ways and embrace a sales strategy that's dynamic, engaging, and effective? If yes, then sign up on Floik and start building interactive demos for free.

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