Unconventional Demo Strategies for Building Brand Trust

Have you tried Reverse demo? After years of leading sales at multiple startups, I've discovered that traditional product demos often mask the true user experience issues. Especially for new hires, their pitch becomes more of a "Feature Fxxk" That's why I developed what I call the "reverse demo" approach. Here is what my flow look like. 1. I asked the prospect to fill out a 1 min pre-call survey to understand their needs and use case. 2. On the call, dive deep into their needs and understand the whole picture. 3. Pick one of the use case the customers cares most about. 4. Ask them to share their screen and guide them to set up their account and create their first project. Every time they get stuck or don't know where to click, it reveals a genuine product problem. The beauty of this method is that it removes all filters between customer feedback and product teams. There's no sales interpretation or sanitized feedback - product managers and founders can directly observe where users struggle. Yes, it can be uncomfortable. Product teams often squirm watching customers get lost in what they consider an obvious interface. But that discomfort drives faster improvements than any second-hand feedback ever could. I've tested this approach at multiple companies and it consistently outperforms traditional demos. Not only does it surface real usability issues, but it also builds trust with prospects by showing you genuinely care about their experience. The best part? When customers struggle, you can't dismiss it as "user error" or "they just need training." The evidence is right there on the screen. Either your product is intuitive, or it isn't. If you truly want to build a customer-centric product, put your ego aside and let your customers take the wheel. Their confusion will illuminate your path to a better user experience. #customercentric sales #Product demo

We executed live intensification that would’ve made Billy Mays say ‘wow’… This Blissy ad at Cosmo Prof 2024? Pure genius. I've been preaching intensification for years - putting claims to the test in ways prospects can do on their own. But most brands play it safe with controlled demos and in a studio. Instead, we went full send at a live trade show. Here's what clicked for me: We turned product comparison into entertainment. ➡️ Real strangers, no scripts ➡️ Blind test with actual competitors ➡️ Let the product prove itself When that person said "This one's nice" and immediately identified the Blissy silk? That's not acting. That's an authentic discovery. The psychology here is bulletproof: When prospects discover your superiority themselves, they become instant believers. It's not you claiming it's better. It's them realizing it's better. That hits completely different. Most brands would never risk this approach. What if people pick the competitor? What if they can't tell the difference? But here's what I learned after $142M in ad spend - confidence in your product creates confidence in your marketing. You need conviction. The progression is textbook: - Setup the challenge - Capture genuine reaction - Reward the discovery They didn't need fancy production or perfect testimonials. Just real people having real reactions. My takeaway after 8 years of this game: Live testing is the ultimate trust signal. You're basically saying "I'm so confident, I'll let strangers judge blind." That level of transparency? It's rare. And it converts. The best proof isn't polished perfection - it's raw authenticity.

In which of these 2 scenarios, will a sales rep sell more blenders? a) She nails the demo, flawlessly blending a smoothie in front of potential customers b) Same exact pitch, but when she pours the smoothie, she spills it all over the table Dr. Richard Wiseman conducted this exact study. More people bought the blender when she made an absolute mess. This phenomenon is called the "other shoe effect." The underlying principle: We instinctively know people aren’t perfect. So when someone appears too polished in high-stakes moments—job interviews, pitches, first dates—part of our brain asks: “What are they hiding? When does the other shoe drop?” The longer someone appears flawless, the more suspicious we get. This creates a dangerous cycle: • You try to appear perfect in the first impression • The other person's brain gets increasingly distracted wondering about your hidden flaws • When your imperfection finally shows (and it will), it hits much harder than if you'd acknowledged it upfront I learned this the hard way. When I first wrote Captivate, I tried to sound like an academic. My editor called it out: “This doesn’t sound like you.” So I rewrote the intro to be me, very me in a vulnerable way: “Hi, I’m Vanessa. I’m a recovering awkward person.” That vulnerability built instant trust. By dropping my shoe early, I built trust immediately and let readers know they were in good company. This is also how I introduce myself in conversations, and I have noticed everyone laughs and relaxes when I say it. There are a couple situations where you can actively use this effect: • Job interviews: After sharing your strengths, say "One area I’m still growing in is public speaking—which is why this role excites me." • Investor pitches: After a strong open, confess: "One challenge we’re still working through is [X], and here’s how we’re tackling it." • Team meetings: Proactively raise project risks, then offer a solution. Don’t let others discover it first. Rules to remember: • Choose authentic vulnerabilities, not fake ones • Drop your shoe AFTER establishing competence, not before • Pair vulnerability with accountability - show how you're addressing it Remember: The goal isn't to appear perfect. It's to appear trustworthy. And trustworthy people acknowledge their imperfections before others have to discover them.

I told a #founder I mentor that he should think like Houdini. Why? Because today's #founders can learn several valuable lessons from Houdini's approach to captivating audiences and building their brand: Houdini exploited the power of the live demo to the max. He understood that seeing is believing. His spectacular escapes weren't just described - they were performed live in front of sceptical audiences. His live demos created three things: 👉 Undeniable proof of his capabilities 👉 Emotional impact that no description alone could come close to 👉 Memorable experiences that spread through word-of-mouth. We’d call it viral today. Here’s five key lessons for founders: 1. Show, Don't Just Tell Houdini never just claimed he could escape - he proved it repeatedly under increasingly difficult conditions. Founders – can you get beyond your pitchdecks and standard product literature to give tangible demonstrations that prove your solution works? 2. Embrace High-Stakes Moments Houdini performed death-defying stunts in public, often with added constraints (handcuffs, straightjackets, underwater). The heightened risk created drama and memorability. Founders – without any personal risk, can you create moments of genuine challenge that will build your product’s distinctiveness? 3. Customise for Your Audience Houdini tailored performances to specific locations and cultural contexts. Similarly, founders – can you customise product demos to address each prospect's specific pain points? 4. Build Anticipation Houdini was a master of building suspense before his performances. Founders - can create similar anticipation by teasing capabilities and results before the actual demo? Steve Jobs was a master at this. 5. Prepare Obsessively Houdini achieved seemingly impossible feats because of his meticulous preparation and practice. Founders - you should ensure demo prototypes and presentation software are thoroughly tested to avoid technical failures during critical moments. My founder friend said he liked the advice – but I’m waiting to see what he does with it. #AngelThink

Most brands shout, “Buy now!” The brave ones whisper, “Maybe don’t.” That’s paradoxical intention in action, Viktor Frankl’s counterintuitive idea applied to branding. Instead of pushing harder, you release pressure. Funny thing: releasing pressure builds trust. And trust sells. When you stop trying to control the customer, the customer feels in control. And when people feel in control, they choose you. People don’t buy the most perfect brand. They buy the most believable one. Examples to make it real: A coaching program opens with: “Don’t join if you want motivation. Join if you want discipline. Motivation fades. Discipline compounds.” A D2C brand says, “Our shirt wrinkles. Because it’s 100% cotton. Because comfort > synthetic perfection.” A SaaS company’s homepage headline: “Not the cheapest. Not the flashiest. Just the one that makes your team’s Tuesdays easier.” Imagine a busy café with a handwritten sign: “We don’t do Wi-Fi. Talk to each other.” Some people walk out. The right people stay. It’s not anti-customer. It’s pro-clarity. The sign doesn’t repel demand. It filters for fit. Saying “no” to the wrong people said “yes” to momentum. ~ Join 7000+ leaders for more simple and practical branding insights subscribe: stupidpreneur.in/subscribe

Borrowed playbooks lose power with every replay. Especially in product innovation and GTM, what worked for others rarely fits your exact context. One unconventional move that worked for us: We replaced the classic “discovery → demo → decision” flow with: 👉 Discovery 👉 Building an AI agent together 👉 Contextualized demo (using what we just built) Why? Because in our case, showing wasn’t enough - building with the customer created instant buy-in. The results speak volumes: our closing rate doubled. Turns out, our edge was hiding in our own flow. Funny how things shift when you make the playbook yours.