What should be on your CRM demo script

CRM demos are a great opportunity to learn more about a software and know if it’s right for a company. Create a CRM demo script with the right elements, and you can avoid potential pitfalls later on, like limited functionality, poor user experience, or lack of needed process automation.

When creating a CRM demo script for vendors to follow, here’s what selection teams should include.

A day-in-the-life perspective

Showing off the features of CRM software in isolation only tells you so much. You’ll want vendors to provide a day-in-the-life perspective, illustrating actual use-cases for a typical system user.

Use demos to make the best CRM selection possible with our five-step guide to CRM demo success

Have them demonstrate how a user might start their day with the software. This includes demonstrating how it integrates with other systems you use -- CRM hardly works in isolation. Have vendors create real-world scenarios to use different software features, such as nurturing leads, automating tasks, etc.

Not too vague, not too detailed

You might feel compelled to put a lot of detail into a CRM demo script, but that creates its own limitations. A too detailed demo script means vendors can only demonstrate your criteria, leaving no opportunity to stand out from each other.

If your CRM demo is too vague, it will be more difficult to compare software apples-to-apples.

At a minimum, you should request demonstrations of typical workflows (discussed above), navigation and ease of use, and a detailed look at master files (discussed below).

Detailed visuals and data

Text slides are great, but you want to really see the software you’ll be using. That’s why your vendors should show how the various dashboards and workflows are configured for different users.

And they should make these visuals realistic by populating them with industry data. Show how the CRM views will really look in-use.

Some creative freedom

No matter what you include in your CRM demo script, you want to make sure vendors have the opportunity to highlight their strengths. So include as part of the showcase a set time in which vendors can go off script.

At the end of the demo, allow them to highlight any additional software features that didn’t fit into the provided script. In the end, these may be the deciding factor between very competitive options.

CRM demo scripts are a great opportunity to really learn the merits of each software and make an informed decision for your business. Remember these elements when planning your CRM demo for success.