10 Demo Mistakes that Are Killing Your Sales

Demos are a staple of many sales processes—but they’re often done wrong. In fact, they can end up hurting your deal more than helping it.

Here are 10 critical mistakes to avoid if you want your demos to actually move the sale forward.

1. Doing the Demo on the First Call

Jumping into a demo too soon is a huge misstep. You haven’t earned the right yet. Until the customer clearly sees that you understand their needs and views you as the solution, hold off.

Build interest and alignment before showing the product.

2. Letting Engineers or Support Lead the Demo

This is your job as the salesperson. Engineers may know the product inside and out—but they don’t know the customer.

You must drive the demo. You’re the one who can tailor it to what matters most to the buyer.

3. Using the Demo to Discover Customer Needs

Don’t wing it. If you’re still uncovering needs during the demo, you’re not ready for the demo.

Use the demo to show how your solution solves already-identified problems. Otherwise, you risk confusing the customer—and confused customers don’t buy.

4. Letting the Customer Try the Demo Alone

Handing the demo over to the customer sounds efficient, but it’s a trap.

They’ll get lost, find irrelevant features, or simply disappear. Worse, they may say “we’ll get back to you”—and never do. You must guide the experience.

5. Thinking a Long Demo Is a Good Demo

A longer demo isn’t better—it’s usually worse.

The longer you talk, the more chances you give the customer to get confused or disengaged. Keep it short, focused, and tied to their specific needs.

6. Skipping Discovery and Jumping to the Demo

Never rush the process. Complete your full discovery first—budget, authority, timeline, challenges—then deliver the demo.

A solid discovery leads to higher close rates and fewer wasted demos.

7. Insisting on a Live Demo

Live demos can go sideways fast—tech glitches, off-topic questions, rabbit holes.

Consider using screenshots or a controlled walkthrough. It keeps things tight, on track, and stress-free.

8. Trying to Show Everything

Don’t overwhelm them. Only demo the features that matter to the buyer’s specific situation.

No one uses every feature of a product anyway. Keep it focused.

9. Talking About Future Updates

Never demo future features. Mentioning “what’s coming soon” only gives the buyer a reason to delay their decision.

Sell what’s ready today—not what’s “coming down the road.”

10. Tying Commission to Doing a Demo

Compensating salespeople for doing demos instead of closing sales is a recipe for wasted time.

Demos should be strategic, not just a quota-filler. Otherwise, they become a drain on resources and a distraction from actual selling.

Demos should move the sale forward, not drag it down. Avoid these 10 mistakes, and you’ll not only run more effective demos—you’ll close more deals.

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Copyright 2025, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog.  Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.