Stage 4 of 5

Teach & Prove

Teach & Prove: goals, best practices and who owns what in this stage of the selling journey.

Updated 29 November 20247 min read

This stage is about value selling.

In the Teach & Prove stage, the primary goal is to prove that your solution offers the best value among all competitors. It also needs to convince the prospect that your product or service can meet their needs effectively. This stage involves presentations, demos, addressing objections, and securing buy-in from decision-makers. PreSales execute tailored product demonstrations, quantify the benefits, and identify compelling events to get the technical win. The goal is to convince the customer that your solution is the best choice for meeting their needs. Give the customer a Vision of the future.

Stage Goals

Prove our value is best. Convince the customer that the solution can address their pain points and provide superior capabilities.

Best Practices (Demo)

Before the Demo

What are the Top 3-5 things the Customer is interested (Prepare and Show Top-Down)
Proper Discovery helps to understand the pain points. The first discovery should not be more than 30 min. After 25 min offer a second discovery (proof if they are serious)
Understand the audience: Before a software demo, find out who will attend. Tailor the demo to their needs, goals, and pain points. That keeps the demonstration relevant.
Plan and rehearse the demo: Plan and rehearse so the demo runs smoothly. Prepare visual aids, such as screen sharing or slides, and rehearse the flow of the demo.
Test the software: Before the demo, check that the software runs and fix any issues you find. That way you avoid technical problems during the demonstration.
Gather resources: Customer testimonials, case studies, and information about the competition can support the demonstration and help answer any questions that arise.
Prepare for questions: Be prepared to answer any technical or functional questions about the software. You need a clear understanding of the software's capabilities and limitations. That lets you demonstrate it effectively and address any concerns or objections that come up.
Send a mail out with the meeting details, agenda, and thoughts around recording, webcam etc. example in the GTM master deck

During the Demo

Tell-Show-Tell. Start with the most important. Keep the demo focused and avoid unnecessary information. Stick to the key features and benefits of the software. Avoid going into too much detail or showing features that are not relevant to the audience.
Use real-world examples and scenarios to demonstrate the software's capabilities. Show the audience how the software can be used in their industry or business and the results they can expect to achieve.
Encourage audience participation and interaction during the demo. Ask questions, solicit feedback, and involve the audience in the demonstration to keep them engaged and interested.
Be prepared to answer technical questions. Have a good understanding of the software's technical details and be able to answer any questions the audience may have about its capabilities and functionality.
The use cases with names should be used to get in the role of this person. (Always say I'm Kevin, I do, I execute. Avoid saying you can or you should)
Use the ASD to make notes, organise timing and questions in the chat
Pause and ask questions to get people's attention
Do breaks at least every 45/60 min. Use the break timer
Use the webcam and ask people to join you
Give at least 10 min at the end for questions, mutual action plan & next steps

After the Demo

It is good to call all participants and ask about their opinion, what was good, and what is missing. Should be done by the ASD and one by one.
Share the recording & material via paperflite
Answer the questions raised and not answered in the demo
Organize a follow-up call or meeting: Schedule a follow-up call or meeting with the audience to discuss next steps. Move forward with the sales process if they are interested in purchasing the software.

Qualification Criteria

Qualify In (Move to stage Negotiation) (opens in a new tab)

Client is engaged, asking questions, follow up sessions
Close Plan agreed to by the prospect
[Vendor] selected or shortlisted to two.

Qualify Out (Maybe move to Long-Term-Development) (opens in a new tab)

Client is ghosting you
No Questions, no engagement on buyer portal
Target does not agree that the solution addresses their pain points or needs.
No consensus on pricing or terms, and target is unwilling to negotiate further.

Do's and Don'ts

Do

Personalize demos, quantify the value of your solution, address objections or concerns.
Communicate the value of the solution in terms of cost savings, improved efficiency, or other tangible benefits.
Be prepared to answer technical questions and address customer concerns during demonstrations.
Get Reference Calls, Show Testimonials, etc.
Talk about value, ROI, (opens in a new tab) offer value calculation workshop.

Don't

Present generic demos, make unrealistic claims.
Offer Proof of Concepts (POCs) (opens in a new tab) right away.

Responsibilities & Tasks

Sales (ASD/SD)

Agree on a clear agenda before the presentation.
Know the names and titles of attendees, and research their interests and agendas.
Have a sign-in sheet at the meeting to gather contact information.
Call and email attendees individually after the presentation, thank them for attending, and ask for their opinions and support.
Arrange product demos and presentations, highlight the software's value proposition.
Handle objections and answer questions after the presentation.
Have a conversation with the decision-maker before issuing a proposal.
Include contracts in your proposal as they form the basis of the agreement.
Update buyer portal & add recording

PreSales (SC)

(Customized) Product Demonstrations: Work closely with Sales to create tailored product demonstrations. They should show the solution's value and address the prospect's specific pain points and requirements.
SC/PS Alignment. It is good to align as early as possible. Use the OSD as the document
Technical Expertise: Provide deep technical expertise to answer any questions or address concerns about the product's functionality, features, and compatibility with the prospect's existing infrastructure.
Collaboration with Product Management: Work closely with Product Management to ensure that the solution presented aligns with the customer's needs and objectives. Also provide feedback from the Teach & Prove stage to help refine the product offerings.
Documentation and Support: Provide necessary technical documentation and support materials to the Sales team and the prospect. This ensures they have all the information needed to evaluate the solution.
Use the Best Practise Demo to make the best demo
Competitive Analysis: Be prepared to address questions about how your product compares to competitors. Also provide insights on key differentiators that set your solution apart from others in the market.
Service Discovery Support. You need to brief PS before they do the Service Discovery. Don't ask the same questions several times
Present the Opportunity to PS/PM in case of gaps (Opportunity Review Call (ORC)
Q&A Demo

Professional Service (PS)

Provide insights on implementation timelines and deliverables.
Ensure competitive pricing and product offerings.
Show the project plan in the presentation, so the customer sees how the implementation will run
If the Technical Win is achieved, execute Service Discovery to create Statement of Work (SOW)

Product Management (PM)

Collaborate with Sales and PreSales to develop tailored solutions that align with customer objectives.
Support Sales process by providing product-specific insights and expertise.
Feedback Loop: Gather insights and feedback from the Teach & Prove stage. Use them to inform future product development, enhancements, and refinements based on real-world customer needs and challenges.

Additional Materials