Product Demo’s… Do All Companies Deserve Your Best Pitch?
I have quickly learned that not all product demos are equal. Sure I get it, but then I absolutely do not get it. If the goal and mission is to improve the lives of older people, why disregard a few for the masses?
Here’s the Whole Story…
You land a demo for a top 10 provider. You are over the moon, high fiving your team and patting yourself on the back. I got in!!!! We are going to plan, strategize, maybe redo the pitch deck, customize the experience. Let’s meet about it. Let’s talk about how we bring our best foot forward. Entice them. Wow them. You name it. I know it happens.
What you may fail to realize is that your product demo is with an Executive Director or someone in leadership at the community level. That’s a great start, but merely a start. Now you can start the lengthy process of trying to get to the right person, and you will pitch that demo over and over again.
The larger the organization, the more red tape. Why?
There are fewer the decision makers
The selling process is exponentially longer
You will start with a small pilot, if at all, and that pilot will most always asked to be free or offensively reduced in terms of price
You will get ghosted because there are more important matters taking place. Community leadership will have to wait on the chain of command to learn about your demo and running it up to the right person is extremely difficult with the competing priorities
Budgets are determined on a corporate level and wiggle room for “new” things is most always already earmarked for the next 18 months
Please, do not discount the smaller organizations as sub-par and less than, suiting up your newest B-team sales associate to deliver a pitch. It’s painful and embarrassing when as the consultant, you recommended and spoke highly of a great solution and possible partner for future state innovation and engagement only to watch the demo bomb. The conversation ends awkward and uncomfortable with a promise of getting back with answers and clarification. Not to mention an overly apologetic sales member admitting they do not know how to answer your questions, wishing a product specialist had been able to join the call. Sadly, the call ended and we felt sorry for this person. It just seemed unfair for both parties.
Meaningful, Despite Size
At LE3 Solutions we have the privilege and good fortune of supporting these amazing companies who are hungry, knowledgeable and nimble. They have done the groundwork and procedural processes, securing funds and allocating the budget to make quick decisions and move quickly.
Honestly, they are such a breath of fresh air, low on the bureaucratic nonsense, the right executives show up to the demos when they have previously accepted the meeting invite, and they are engaged. More importantly, they do not have a long list of demands and they are not leveraging size and volume, pushing price down or decreasing contract length terms.
Please, please respect and show up for small operators the same way you would an organization with 100+ properties. You need them more than you think, even if they only offer a marginal amount of revenue to your bottom line.
Send your best, because you better believe their time is equally as valuable. The impact of the work is the same. The lives of residents, staff and families they support are equally important.