---
# System prepended metadata

title: Set the stage
tags: [' M12', ' H3', Week 8]

---

---
tags: Week 8, H3, M12
---
# Set the stage
:::info
ℹ️ You're in Step 1 of a demo call: The intro
:::

Now that you've established your agenda, you can jump straight into showcasing your product right?

**Absolutely not!**

There's a couple of steps to take to ensure you're setting the stage for your prospect to be engaged throughout the call:


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## 1. **Recap your clients objectives and pain points**


Start by outlining your prospect’s current challenges and the respective business implications. By synthesizing what you have learned from Discovery, you are framing the entire conversation and setting the tone for the demo moving forward.

This step is extremely important. It’s a unique opportunity to demonstrate that you have clearly understood your prospect’s situation. Only then you’ll get their full attention and buy-in for the demo.

Pull up your prospect’s website or a slide with their logo while you’re synthesizing the status quo. That emphasizes the fact that the entire demo is about them. Reframe their goal, their key challenge, 3-4 pain points and the business implication in your own words.

:::info 
As quickly as possible, get to ‘here’s what you told me your goal is, here’s the challenge you told me is in the way, here’s what it will look like when our product takes down that challenge.
::: 

Your summary should look something like this:

![](https://i.imgur.com/RgPcXFz.png)


This should be a dialogue between you and your prospect. If your summary is missing an important aspect or going in the wrong direction, your client will immediately let you know. 

&nbsp;

## 2. **Start with why**

It's time to begin storytelling.

Present a “teaser” vision of the happily-ever-after that your product/service will help the prospect achieve—what we call the Promised Land. Your Promised Land should be both desirable (obviously) and difficult for the prospect to achieve without outside help. Otherwise, why does your company exist?

Don’t jump into the details of your product or service yet. If you introduce product details too soon, there is a high risk that your prospects tune out. Remember that most people you demo will probably know nothing about what you’re about to present or how it works.

:::info 
Begin by explaining the problem your company was created to solve and why. Share a success story of how you've helped a similar company solve that problem and how it improved their status quo.
:::

&nbsp; 
Successful demos follow the same narrative structure as epic films and fairy tales. Share how someone just like them had the same problem, and how they solved it with your solution. Success stories bridge the gap between you and your prospects and show them that other businesses have used your product effectively.

What you want is for your prospect to say, ‘Okay, I want to live in that future state. Show me how to get there.’

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