Discover the power of CRM data in creating personalized and engaging product demos. Learn how to leverage customer insights, address pain points, and strengthen relationships for better conversions. Elevate your sales game with SmartCue's proven strategies and tips.

If you've ever been a part of a large tool or software implementation, you know how long it takes to get the shoe to fit. There are always some things that weren't covered in the requirements (or not covered in enough detail), always some expectations that were a mismatch, always some functionality that didn't work in this or that scenario the way the users want. It takes an adjustment period, and monumental effort from the product team, but eventually, the shoe fits. 

And that's when the good stuff begins to happen. Clients are happy. Product teams are happy. Feedback becomes civil and generous, and everyone feels like they're on the same team. 

Now, what if we could create that sense of bonhomie a lot earlier in the sales process? What if we could use what we know about our prospects, and personalize our self-service product demos so that these product demos create more engaging and relevant experiences for prospects and customers, helping us convert more prospects into customers, and retain them long term? 

What I've described here is kinda like the holy grail. Personalization is hard to get right. We all want to do it, but few of us actually get there. We want to talk to client pain points, their interests and their needs… and we collect a LOT of information during the research phase. More often than not, we win some. But we lose far more than we're comfortable with. 

This is where, IMHO, CRM data can be a gamechanger. We all collect so much information about our customers and prospects, their interactions with us, how much money they spend (and when) and the kind of problems they've had. We also know which of our prospects and customers are similar to one another - similar enough that we can leverage data from one to draw conclusions about another. Well, enough conclusions to personalize a winning product demo, at least! 

Understanding Your Customers: CRM Data Benefits

You can use CRM data to give your product demo game a serious leg up in various ways. 

Improved customer understanding and segmentation: Use your CRM data to understand customer demographics and preferences, such as their age, location, industry, company size, etc. You can also identify their behavior patterns and engagement history, such as their past purchases, interests, buying cycles, etc. This can help you vastly improve your segmentation: remember, the thinner the segmentation slice, the more likely it is that your personalization comes across as 'personalized'. 

Enhanced lead scoring and prioritization: Use CRM data to understand where your prospect is in the buyer's journey. By aligning your product demo with their current position in the sales funnel, you can time information delivery just right, increasing the chances of aha moments that help convert these prospects into customers. You can also use CRM data to enrich your approach by leveraging other considerations such as their level of interest, readiness to buy, budget, etc. This way you can focus your efforts (and best people) on those accounts that are most likely to succeed, while you give other accounts some room to breathe. 

Strengthening customer relationships: CRM data helps you stay on top of all your interactions with prospects and customers. Use this data to build rapport and trust during your product demos. Tailor your demos to address the specific pain points which you know exist because they're right there, in your data! When you do, it gives your prospects and customers confidence that they are with someone who takes the time to understand their unique needs and is working to provide a solution that is right for them. Remember, the easiest way to be perceived as a partner is to act like one.

Key CRM Data Points for Product Demo Personalization Success

Not all data was created equal. To effectively leverage CRM data for better product demo personalization, you need to know what data points to look for and how to use them. Here are my go to data points:

  • Industry: Knowing which industry lets you tailor your product demo to their specific use cases, challenges, and opportunities. You can also use industry-specific examples, case studies, or testimonials to demonstrate your credibility and expertise.

  • Role: Knowing the role of your prospect lets you focus on the features or benefits that matter most to them. For example, if your prospect is a marketer, you can highlight how your product or service can help them generate more leads, increase conversions, or measure ROI.

  • Pain points: When you know the right pain points you can position your product or service as a solution more effectively. You can also use empathy and storytelling to connect with them on an emotional level.

  • Goals: Knowing their goals lets you position your product or service as an enabler. You can also use metrics or benchmarks to show the value and impact of your solution.

  • Interactions: Interactions give you insight into their interest level and readiness to buy. You can also weave their previous questions, comments, or feedback into your product demo, giving you the ability to jump into conversations that are highly specific to their particular situation. It doesn't get more personalized than that! 

The Art of Product Demo Personalization: Using CRM Demo For Maximum Impact 

When leveraging CRM data for product demo personalization, there are several strategies we at SmartCue swear by. 

Tailoring the use case: Create personalized product or service showcases that highlight the features and benefits that are most relevant to their particular use case. You can also customize your presentation style and tone based on your learnings from previous interactions. 

Addressing pain points: You've identified the pain points from your CRM data, and you have a product or service that addresses it. Now, focus your product demo on how. Once you've got them perked up and paying attention, branch out and tell them about additional value and benefits they'll realize, in addition to solving the pain point. 

Let your customers speak for you: Showcase case studies that illustrate how similar customers have used your product or service successfully. You can also highlight specific outcomes they've achieved, especially if they align with the prospect's goals and aspirations. 

Personalized follow-ups:  Send tailored materials that reinforce the key points discussed during the presentation. You should also reference any specific questions or feedback that they have given during the product demo. You should also use this opportunity to invite them to the next steps in the sales process, such as a trial, a proposal, or a contract.

SmartCue's Smart Tips for Product Demo Success Through CRM Data 

How you collect data matters. 

Thankfully, today we all have to comply with data protection regulations like GDPR and CCPA. However, it shouldn't take regulation to treat consent lightly. Always gain consent and appropriate permissions. Always tell customers and prospects how you'll use the data, and always, always give them the ability to opt out. We all know how annoying unsolicited stuff is to us, so why would customers react differently? No one, ever, in any scenario, got nagged into a sale. Not without instant regret. 

How you store and maintain it matters even more. 

For it to be usable, data needs to be current. It also needs to be stored safely. We always recommend creating a data lake that is fed by multiple sources, giving you a well-rounded and comprehensive view of your customers and prospects. 

Make it easy for your team to use. 

One, equip your sales reps with CRM insights and personalisation training. 

Two, give them the tools they need to personalize their product demos themselves. 

Three, set the guardrails and then back off: let them be as creative as they want to be. Salespeople are people people, and need the flexibility to respond to customer feedback and reactions as they see fit. 

Four: Trust, but verify. 

Test. Measure. Improve. Repeat. 

At SmartCue, A/B testing is our jam. We constantly measure our product demos and anything that works once is worth trying again. We design A/B tests to help create an edge wherever possible, and having found that edge, we never rest. We know what works this month may not the next, and because we're always playing and testing, we always have something in the works that looks promising. 

Conclusion

​The whole point of personalization is to show our customers and prospects that we know them, we know their pain points, their aspirations, and their world. Data is how we know them. Ergo, the better your data, the better your intelligence, the better your personalization, the better your MQLs, the better your conversions, the better your sales numbers, the better your growth. 

Enough said? :)