This article will go over the different ways you can increase demo requests for your SaaS. Here’s a quick TL;DR if you don’t want to read the full thing:
If you want to get the most out of your product demos, you need to make sure you’re using the right marketing tactics.
From creating detailed case studies to designing a smooth user experience, it’s important to show value and get people to schedule a demo to test out your product.
In fact, G2 says that brands that convert 6% or more trial users into customers are growing at least as fast as their competitors.
But just getting people to sign up for a trial isn’t enough – you need to get them to stay and learn more about your product.
So, if you want to make sure your product demo is having a positive impact, you need to have the right mix of attractions, promotion, and optimization.
Here’s a list of tried and true marketing channels and strategies to increase demos for B2B SaaS.
If you want to get more people to sign up for your demo, it’s important to A/B test your landing pages.
Even small changes can make a big difference.
SaaS companies can use this to figure out which page elements are the most effective.
Try different headline formats to see what resonates best, try different page descriptions, and highlight the unique value props that get people to sign up.
You can also rearrange the page sections or move the demo form up or down.
Make sure the CTAs are clear about what the demo is all about.
Wordstream says that optimized landing pages can boost conversion rates by up to 55%.
Testing allows you to refine pages to get the most out of them.
Analyze the performance data to double-down on what works best.
As new ideas come up, keep testing and refining the elements.
Having a real-world demo video can really help you get more conversions than just a generic overview.
Create a video that explains how your software can help your target audience with specific use cases and problems.
For example, if you have BI software that helps finance teams with financial reporting, create a demo video that explains how you can import data from popular finance platforms, create custom reports, and share insights with teams.
Make sure the demo focuses on the key issues and questions that finance users have.
Think of it as a real-life scenario that highlights the value of your software, and use real data examples that finance teams would be able to relate to.
Plus, according to Vidyard, almost all B2B buyers like video content from brands more than any other type of content.
With personalized, practical demos that focus on specific buyer applications, you can get much more out of your SaaS than a generic overview.
If you want to get your solution out there, email campaigns are a great way to do it.
Start by building a list of people who are interested in your product, then send out emails to those who have already signed up but didn’t attend the demos.
Use merge fields to personalize the invite emails with their names, companies, and locations.
Then send out a series over two or three weeks that highlights different features of your product, tailored to their personality.
Campaign Monitor found that segmented drip campaigns got 58% more clicks than one-time demos.
You can also send follow-up emails to those who didn’t sign up for the demos, and make offers to those who did.
Plus, you can integrate your email campaigns with your CRM or marketing automation. All of this helps keep your visibility up-to-date and subtly guide people towards your product trial.
Set up multiple persona-based campaigns to generate a steady stream of qualified demo attendees.
Creating educational content that focuses on how the product solves user problems can lead to more signups.
For example, create a guide on how to optimize delivery times for supply chain managers. Show readers how the product works by using real customers’ data and examples.
DemandGen says that buyers who read 3+ educational materials from a vendor are more than 70% likely to do a product demo.
Blogs, ebooks, and videos can be used to show how the product fits different use cases.
Include demo CTAs in materials as the next step to increase the likelihood of users taking that next step.
Keep creating new educational content that is tailored to the needs of the buyer and the product.
This leads to increased demand by helping readers see the value of the product. Good, relevant content builds brand trust and interest in demos.
If necessary, audit your existing content to find what you can merge, delete, or update.
Engage visitors on-site with interactive product tours that teach them about the key features before leading them to sign up for a demo.
Create walkthroughs that are tailored to buyer roles with call-to-action pop-ups to set up demos at the right time.
Show the modules that are most relevant to the user’s use cases, like collaboration tools. Optimize tours with CRO tips like segmenting traffic and targeting people based on their behavior. Try out different tour placements, content, and design options.
Wyng says interactive tours that show product value can boost conversions up to 144%.
They build excitement and recognition, getting visitors ready for demos.
Retarget visitors who have already gone through the demo signup process but didn’t finish it.
Show ads to remind them to come back for a walkthrough.
You can also segment the list based on how engaged they are.
For instance, if they made it to the booking page, you can target them with special content offers to give them another chance to convert.
Plus, you can keep your brand fresh by continuing to show up after they’ve left. With multiple touches, you can give them time to get ready for the demo.
According to Demandwave, retargeting helps you get back 59% of your prospects. And if you keep following up, you can keep those opportunities alive.
Keep forms short and to the point, with only the most important info like your name, email address, and company.
Don’t overload the form with too many fields, as that can lead to abandonment. Test the logic to only ask for the info you need, like asking for your job title if you get “work email” instead.
Automatically populate the form with known fields from your profile or previous entries. HubSpot says that multiple-page forms don’t have the same success as one-page forms, so make sure you have optimized forms that are built for conversions.
With fewer steps and fields, you’ll get more completions.
Plus, you’ll have a smooth UX experience for demo signups, and you’ll be able to save time and energy by reducing the number of data entries and steps.
If you want your webinar to be successful, you need to make sure it’s interactive and live.
That way, you can focus on topics and use cases that are relevant to each buyer. During the demo portion, you can walk people through the key workflows and features, using real examples they’re interested in.
Encourage people to share their screens and get hands-on. Post-webinar demos can also be used to give out free or limited-time access coupons.
According to ON24, up to 60% of people who attend webinars request demos. Live interaction is key to getting people interested, and webinars give you a captive audience.
If you want to make sure your product is worth it for users, you need to get customer feedback and case studies.
Get examples from customers to show off and share them across different channels. You can also capture testimonials from specific use cases to show off.
You can do this in both written and video formats.
Plus, case studies can tell a deeper story about how your product is doing and how it’s been successful.
You can also use customer interviews to make sure your case studies are up to date. Finally, you can show off social proof on your demo landing pages to get people excited about the benefits.
Having authentic customer stories builds trust in your product and makes people more likely to try it out.
If you want to get more conversions, you need to make sure your product is seen as trustworthy and valuable.
That’s why it’s important to use social proof, like customer reviews and case studies, press logos, and more.
Pick the most reliable evidence to highlight and collect reviews from satisfied customers to get a better understanding of ROI and problems solved.
Case studies give a fuller picture of the company, like what challenges they faced, solutions they found, and the results they achieved.
Press and analyst coverage should also be included, like with publication names and top-rated accolades.
SocialProof says that 66% of business-to-business buyers verify credibility through social proof, so it’s important to show evidence throughout your pages to build trust.
Working with industry pros and brands can help you get your demo out there by co-promoting.
Find influencers who fit your niche and your product. Give them private demos so they can experience your platform first-hand.
Give them chat points, templates, and graphics to share with their followers.
Ask for a referral fee if you get qualified leads to sign up for your demo. Make sure your campaigns follow the FTC’s disclosure rules.
Micro influencers with small, focused networks can be great for B2Bs. Their direct advice resonates with what their community is passionate about.
They can give your solution a boost by endorsing it to potential customers who are ready for a demo, which can boost your conversion rates.
Analytics can tell you if there are any areas of your demo landing pages or sign-up flow that are causing people to leave.
Keep an eye on your behavior to see if there’s any friction. Look at how many people leave each page and see if there are any contributing factors, like complicated navigation, bad value placement, or technical issues.
Study how many people submit and abandon forms, look for any patterns in the fields that are skipped or dropped, and make sure to test how long and how many steps it takes to complete the form.
Technical issues can really hurt conversion rates, so make sure to check forms thoroughly and confirm success messaging after submission.
Fixing any issues in the funnel will make the whole experience better and help you get more sign-ups. Keep improving based on the latest info and testing.
Relevant product demo KPIs include:
Figure out the average conversion rate over time and track it by source.
That way, you can focus your marketing budget on the channels that are most successful for your SaaS.
The KPIs from the demo should be related to what’s happening in the pipeline and how much money you’re making.
The after-demo period is a key time to help leads get closer to becoming sales qualified.
If you do it right, it’ll help them speed up their buying process by guiding them through the next steps.
But if you don’t, it could lead to prospects going cold.
It’s important to have a plan in place to nurture all the demo attendees based on their level of engagement.
Check out what they were doing during the demo, what content they accessed before and after, and what the sales team knows about their interest level.
Then, route them accordingly.
For the hottest leads who are already interested in sales, speed up their evaluation by giving them product guides, comparing competitors, figuring out how much money they can make, and using other marketing and sales tools.
Then, set up discovery calls to talk about their needs and find an ideal solution. Finally, send out the new feature announcements they asked for to make sure the product-market fit is strong.
If you want to get warm leads, you need to nurture them over the next two to four weeks after the demo.
Start with a thank you email for their participation and link to the resources they used.
Then, create a series of posts that highlight different product modules and use cases based on their role.
Showcase related assets like tips, videos, and free trials. Send out invites for consultations with experts in the field to help them buy.
If cool leads don’t engage after the demo, start nurturing them again with new testimonials or case studies.
Don’t forget to remind them of the value of the platform with new perspectives.
If the live demo was rushed or not attended, follow the same drip patterns if you’re re-engaging. Act-On Software says that nurtured leads have a 37% higher conversion rate.
With post-demo campaigns, your brand stays top of mind, you’re providing ongoing value, and you’re speeding up the sales cycle with highly personalized communication that looks after the demo
Product demos are the most important part of the SaaS marketing process for B2B companies. They’re a great way to get people interested and get them to convert.
Companies can make the most of demos by optimizing every step of the process – from getting signups with custom landing pages and content to promoting targeted campaigns, capturing leads with easy-to-use forms, and taking care of prospects after demos.
Data-driven methods help companies fine-tune each element, testing and analyzing to get better results over time.
Demonstrations are a great way to stand out from the competition and provide sales speed and growth.
As a B2B SaaS SEO SEO consultant, I know how important it is to optimize more than just rankings to get conversions.
If you’re working a B2B SaaS, you need to make sure you’re getting the most out of your product demo.
I can take a look at their demo process and come up with some strategies to help you get more sign-ups, better attendees, and faster sales after the demo.