In today's fast-paced world, no one has the time or patience for endless sales demos or pushy sales calls. People want to see a product in action and experience its value for themselves. That's why self-service demos have become an increasingly popular way for SaaS companies to showcase their offerings.
Imagine being able to provide your prospects with a hands-on experience of your product without any commitment or pressure. They can explore your product's features and functionalities at their own pace and decide if it's the right fit for their needs. It's like giving them the keys to a car, letting them take it for a spin, and see how it handles before making a purchase.
Amit Ashwini
Self-service product demos are a fantastic alternative to traditional sales demos and free trials. They can help speed up the sales process, provide a scalable way to showcase your product's value proposition to a large audience, eliminate the need for technical setup, and generate interest in your product without any upfront investment.
In this guide, we'll explore the benefits of self-service product demos for your SaaS business and provide examples of companies that are using them successfully. We'll also walk you through the steps to create a self-service product demo that will help you drive conversions and build a loyal customer base.
| Self-Service Product Demo | Free Trial |
|---|---|
| Prospects explore value | Prospects test drive product |
| Low-friction experience | Potential for commitment aversion |
| May be less resource-intensive | Resource-intensive for SaaS companies |
| Limited ability to provide personalized support | Opportunity to provide personalized support |
| More controlled experience | More open-ended experience |
Benefits of Self-Service Product Demos
- Speed up the sales process: With self-service product demos, your prospects can explore your product's features and functionalities without having to wait for a sales rep to schedule a demo. This can help speed up the sales process and increase conversions.
- Provide a scalable way to showcase your product: Self-service product demos can be hosted on your website or a dedicated platform, making them a scalable way to showcase your product's value proposition to a large audience.
- Eliminate the need for technical setup: If your SaaS product requires a technical setup, such as implementing a code snippet or connecting data sources, a self-service product demo can eliminate the need for prospects to set up their own data sources or implement a code snippet.
- Generate interest in your product: Self-service product demos can help generate interest in your product by allowing prospects to get a taste of your product's value proposition without any upfront investment.
| Platform | Key Features | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| PlaybookUX | User-friendly interface, customizable demos, analytics dashboard | $49/month (basic) to $499/month (enterprise) |
| WalkMe | Easy to use, customizable demos, integration with popular CRMs | Contact for pricing |
| Appcues | Customizable demos, A/B testing, integration with popular CRMs | Contact for pricing |
| Chameleon | User-friendly interface, customizable demos, integration with popular CRMs | $299/month (starter) to $999/month (enterprise) |
Steps for Creating a Self-Service Product Demo
Creating a self-service product demo can be a valuable addition to your SaaS business, allowing prospects to explore your product's features and functionalities at their own pace. Here are the steps to create a self-service product demo:
- Choose the right platform: Select a platform to host your self-service product demo. Consider factors such as user experience, ease of use, and cost when making your decision.
- Define the demo scope: Determine the scope of your self-service product demo. Decide which features and functionalities to include and how to structure the demo.
- Create a dummy environment: Set up a dummy environment for your self-service product demo. This environment should replicate the product experience with pre-filled dummy data.
- Develop the demo flow: Map out the flow of your self-service product demo, starting with a landing page that introduces your product and guiding users through the demo experience.
- Include call-to-actions: Include clear calls-to-action throughout your self-service product demo, encouraging users to take specific actions and move through the demo.
- Monitor usage: Monitor usage of your self-service product demo to identify any areas for improvement or opportunities to convert prospects into paying customers.
| Metric | Definition | Why It's Important |
|---|---|---|
| Demo sign-ups | Number of users who sign up for your self-service product demo | Indicates level of interest in your product |
| Demo completion rate | Percentage of users who complete your self-service product demo | Indicates level of engagement with your product |
| Feature usage | Which features of your product are used most frequently during the demo | Helps you identify which features to highlight in your marketing materials |
| Conversion rate | Percentage of users who convert from the demo to paid customers | Indicates the effectiveness of your self-service product demo in driving sales |
SaaS Examples of Self-Service Product Demos
Here are some examples of SaaS companies that are using self-service product demos to showcase their products:
- Canva: Canva provides a self-service product demo for its graphic design software. The demo allows prospects to explore the software's features and see how it can benefit their design needs.
- Monday.com: Monday.com provides a self-service product demo for its project management software. The demo allows prospects to explore the software's features and see how it can help them streamline their workflows and collaborate more effectively with their teams.
- Zendesk: Zendesk provides a self-service product demo for its customer service software. The demo allows prospects to explore the software's features and see how it can help them manage their customer support more effectively.
- Quickbooks: Quickbooks provides a self-service product demo for its accounting software. The demo allows prospects to explore the software's features and see how it can help them manage their finances more efficiently.
- Intercom: Intercom provides a self-service product demo for its messaging and customer communication software. The demo allows prospects to explore the software's features and see how it can help them engage with their customers more effectively.
Self-service product demos are a powerful tool for SaaS companies looking to speed up the sales process, provide a scalable way to showcase their products, and generate interest in their offerings.
By offering prospects a low-friction way to explore your product's value proposition, you can increase conversions and build a loyal customer base. So, why not give it a try? Your prospects will thank you for it!