Peter Cohan
Peter Cohan
Have you ever seen a bad software demonstration? Peter Cohan is the founder and principal of Great Demo!, focused on helping software organizations improve the success rates of their demos. He authored Great Demo! - how to prepare and deliver surprisingly compelling software demonstrations. Peter has experience as an individual contributor, manager and senior management in marketing, sales, and business development. He has also been, and continues to be, a customer.
Assessing and Using Risk Factors For Assigning Presales Resources
Consider including or calculating a relative Risk Factor on Request for Demo (resource) forms. This could be based on the amount and quality...
Excellent 5 Minute “Demo” Example
Here's a terrific example of showing the "what" and holding back on the details of "how"… Wonderful! www.ted.com/talks/josh_silver_demos_adjustable_liquid_ filled_eyeglasses.html For more tips and articles on…
Retro Encabulator – Stunningly Funny Demo Example
This is so amusing – and such a good example of showing the "how" and largely ignoring the "what"… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXJKdh1KZ0w Note that if you search…
Four Stages of Learning and Implementation
The following is a wonderfully crisp capture of four stages of learning and implementation: 1. Unconsciously Incompetent 2. Consciously Incompetent 3. Consciously Competent 4. Unconsciously…
Live Meeting Full-screen Mode
F5 pushes Microsoft Live Meeting into full-screen mode (as a toggle) – this is in addition to the icon that accomplishes the same task,...
Public Great Demo! Workshops – San Francisco Bay Area
In conjunction with the 280 Group, we are offering a 1-Day Great Demo! Open (public) Workshop this fall in the San Francisco...
Stunningly Awful Demo Example (But Very Funny)
A Great Demo! Workshop participant shared this Saturday Night Live recording that includes a terrifically poor "demo". The segment is from Fall 2008...
99-to-1 Is a Tie
In the world of committee-based decisions, it was pointed out that a score of 99-to-1 may well be a tie score!
3.5 Minute Great Demo! Promotional Video
We've just completed a 3.5 minute Great Demo! video, created largely for promotional purposes. If you are interested in subjecting yourself...
Stunningly Awful Demo Evolution – Have You Ever Seen Demos Get Shorter?
When a demo is first created for a new product, it is often short and well-focused. With each successive release, demos get longer...
Location Location Location
In Great Demo! Workshops, we typically discuss when the technical player (SE, SC, etc.) actually receives qualification and discovery information – with the emphasis...
“Blood is merely a caffeine delivery system
"Blood is merely a caffeine delivery system…" Offered by a recent Great Demo! Workshop participant, after lunch..
Informational Demo = “Real-Estate Tour”
A Great Demo! Workshop participant recently equated educational and informational demonstrations with real-estate tours done by inexperienced (or arrogant) real estate agents. They...
Public Great Demo! Workshops – San Francisco Bay Area
In conjunction with the 280 Group, we are offering two 1-Day Great Demo! Open (public) Workshops this fall in the San Francisco...
“Unopened” Email Message – Mark as Unread
I often suggest starting a "Do It" pathway in Outlook by opening an unopened email message (that contains a report as an Illustration, or...
Optimizing Screen Resolution for Recorded Demos and Remote Demos
A few years ago there was no question that the most common screen resolution on target customer computers was 1024x768. As the table...
Remote Demos and Presentations – Audience Participation Seating Chart
A recent Great Demo! Workshop participant had a terrific suggestion to both increase interactivity and to make sure that participant names are captured correctly...
Going Waaaaaay Beyond Email – Ontier Pixetell
Have you ever been frustrated by the inability to clearly communicate ideas via simple email? Ontier (www.Ontier.com) has created a tool called Pixetell...
Purchasing Perspective – Anticipating Salespeople’s Moves
A recent article in Purchasing (June 2009, page 52) is a delight to read – it summarizes what purchasing people should expect to see...
Demo Success Metric
Establishing and tracking metrics for sales opportunities is often a challenge – and defining success metrics for demos can also be tough. Here...