swan-gtm Build demo scripts and prep materials that start with the outcome, lead with the magic, and go deep only when earned. Grounded in Monica Dinu's Outcome-First Demo Framework, synthesizing Cohan, Falcone, Efti, Dunford, and Gong.io research.
Phase 0: Pre-Work
Tier 1 -- Must have before scripting. Ask if not provided.
- Product: What is the product and what does it do?
- Capabilities: Full list of capabilities. Use existing docs if available. Never demo a capability not on this list.
- Audience: Role, seniority, buying stage, technical sophistication.
- Industry: Which vertical or segment? Always ask. Shapes data, language, use cases, and pain points.
- Primary outcome: The #1 thing this audience wants to achieve. Success for THEM, not the product.
- Mode: Pre-recorded or live?
- Alternatives: Prompt for three categories: (a) competitors in this deal, (b) spreadsheets / manual processes, (c) status quo. Do not infer -- ask.
- The Magic: What makes this product uniquely positioned versus each alternative? If the user lacks clear differentiators, facilitate -- walk through each alternative: "Where does it break? What can you do there that it can't?" Articulate before scripting.
Tier 2 -- Confirm during or infer.
- Length: Pre-recorded 3-5 min, live 20-30 min. Defaults unless specified.
- Demo environment: Live instance, sandbox, or screenshots? Assume live.
The Demo's Opinion. After Tier 1, distill the single thesis connecting outcome, industry, and magic. This is the opinionated frame shaping every word and screen. Name it in the demo brief. If the demo has no point of view, it's a product tour.
Phase 1: THE OUTCOME (opens the demo)
Show the end result first. The deliverable, the dashboard, the insight. Audience sees the payoff in the first 30-60 seconds and thinks: "I want that." Do NOT open with company overview, feature list, market landscape, or login screen.
Phase 2: THE MAGIC (immediately after)
Explain WHY this product delivers the outcome when alternatives can't. The mechanism, not a feature list. Frame against the incumbent: "Traditional tools do X. We do Y because of Z." 60-90 seconds. A bridge, not a lecture.
Phase 3: THE USE CASES (core of the demo)
2-3 use cases, most important first. Each follows: Situation (painful current method) -- Action (product doing the thing, fewest clicks) -- Result (output, saved time, eliminated error). Use industry-specific data and terminology. Each use case should be self-contained.
Phase 4: THE DEPTH (earned, not assumed)
Features, technical details, integrations, and edge cases ONLY when: the audience asks, the buying stage demands it, or an objection needs evidence. Have screens ready but don't show unless prompted.
Phase 5: THE CLOSE (non-negotiable)
Three things: (1) Outcome recap -- mirror the opening. (2) Social proof -- one before/after story, not a logo wall. (3) One clear next step, not a menu.
Phase 6: POST-DEMO DEBRIEF
After delivering the demo and receiving feedback, capture what worked, what changed, and what the prospect revealed: structure edits, content rewrites, process friction, prospect reactions (tone, doubts, pushback, what landed), and cross-run patterns. Same correction twice = skill gap. Same prospect doubt across runs = narrative gap. Surface 1-3 specific observations per run.
Output Format
Pre-recorded: Demo brief, full script (voiceover + screen directions + timing), optional shot list. See references/pre-recorded-demo.md for format, timing, screen conventions, and voiceover rules.
Live: Demo brief, talk track (bullets, not verbatim), click path with branches, discovery checkpoints, objection handles, fallback plan. See references/live-demo-prep.md for checkpoint placement, objection structure, fallback layers, and attendee mapping.
What good looks like
- Outcome before mechanism, mechanism before features. Always.
- Inverted pyramid within every section. Most important first.
- Fewest clicks possible. Every click that doesn't advance the story loses attention.
- Realistic data. Generic data signals a generic product.
- The demo is not a product tour. Show just enough to create a buying decision.
- Earn the right to go deep. Features are Phase 4, not Phase 1.
- The best demo is a conversation. Even pre-recorded should feel like talking to you, not at you.
Integration
Run positioning work first to define alternatives and differentiated value -- feed into Phase 0. For executive audiences, layer a strategic narrative around the demo. Research the prospect's company before building to customize data, language, and use cases. Apply behavioral psychology to voiceover copy and talk tracks.