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What Makes Demo Videos Powerful?
In-person demos have strengths we shouldn’t lose:
- Energy is contagious: A good presenter brings excitement.
- Personalisation lands: A 1:1 demo lets you tailor your pitch perfectly.
- Psychology is at play: Presence signals confidence, credibility, and connection.
A great demo video recreates that energy and intimacy without needing to clone your sales team.
But demos also do something else: they validate new technologies. Your viewer needs to believe this thing works – whether it’s real today or a glimpse of tomorrow.
Both new startups and Big Tech giants rely on demo videos because they solve a universal problem: communicating a big vision with limited resources.
Tips to Make a Great Demo Video
Do the Work Upfront
- User Psychology: Understand your audience’s motivations and pain points to tailor your message.
- Storyboards and Scripts: Plan your demo’s flow with storyboards and a clear script to stay on track.
- A Tight, Creative Concept: Ensure all elements revolve around a central concept that highlights your product’s unique value.
Compare to Key Competitors
With my clients, I often do an exercise where we move along a technology timeline to uncover gaps and differentiation opportunities. Here’s a very basic example:
| Product | Advantage | Disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| Typewriters (Basic) | Easy to use for basic writing | Highly manual, no digital features |
| 1990s Desktop PCs (Moderate) | Digital, capable of more complex tasks | Bulky, slow setup, not portable |
| Laptops (Advanced) | Portable, more powerful than desktops | Limited battery life, processing power constraints |
| Modern MacBooks (Most Advanced) | Powerful, lightweight, long battery life | Expensive, can be too complex for some users |
By mapping these solutions, we can recognise the strengths of older, simpler options that may be missing in newer models. This research allows you to pinpoint what your product offers that competitors at the same stage of the timeline don’t. It gives you an opportunity to stand out and clearly differentiate in your demo video.
Recreate the In-Person Magic
Take a step back and ask:
- What form of communication is this replacing?
- What are the existing principles of that form?
- How do we want this communication to change someone’s behaviour?
For demo videos, we’re replacing the in-person demonstration. That could’ve been 1:1, 1:many, in a boardroom, over Zoom, or at a conference booth.
So our video has to retain all the magic of those human moments – even if there’s no one in the room pressing “play.”
Engage Emotional Drivers
The most impactful demo videos evoke an emotional response. Think about the excitement of unboxing a new technology – the anticipation.
Whether it’s solving a complex problem with a few clicks or streamlining a critical medical process, a well-crafted demo creates a desire to experience that moment firsthand.
A great demo video shows should connect on a human level and demonstrate these moments.
Engage Logical Drivers
You need to make sure that your demo video is also logical. Answer the most important questions clearly:
- How does this work?
- How do I use it?
- How does it help my business?
Make the logical case. This is especially important for key decision-makers.
Emotion opens the door. Logic signs the deal.
Focus on What Matters
Many creators get caught up in design details and overlook what really matters. A demo video has one job: to convince viewers the product works, is easy to use, and is built for them. All creative choices – music, colour, lighting – should serve that same goal. Everything else is just noise. Don’t just add polish for polish’s sake.
Take Precision Sports Technology, a client of ours that gives coaches real-time athlete feedback via iPad. In their demo, we focused on the real-world interaction: the coach, their client, and the data. It grounded the product in reality.
Have a look at the video here ⤵
Maximise its Reach
The placement of your demo is just as important as the demo itself. Don’t simply toss it into your investor deck. Consider these more effective placements:
- Right after someone requests a demo
- During onboarding
- In outbound emails
- Even in product update notifications
Without proper placement, all the time and effort you put into perfecting your demo video won’t matter. If the right people don’t see the video, it won’t achieve its purpose.
Quickfire Advice to Keep in Mind
- Don’t bury the lead – Open strong. The first 5 seconds are everything.
- Show, don’t tell – It’s a demo, not a podcast.
- Make it updateable – With Gen AI and modular production, your video doesn’t have to be set in stone. You can evolve with your product.
- Make it relevant – Early adopters don’t want perfect – they want progress.
- Talk to the buyer – Dog food ads are made for dog owners, not dogs.
- Clarity is key – Grade 2 English works because it sticks. Even smart people love simple things.
- Inject personality – Humour, style, charm – whatever makes you you.
- Structure vs. surprise – Keep it focused, but don’t make it robotic.
- Reinforce the message – Say it again. And again. Repetition works.
- Don’t be a copycat – Copying Company X’s aesthetic makes you look like Company X’s shadow.
Conclusion to Effective Demo Videos
Your product might be complex, but your video shouldn’t be. A great demo is clear, human, and focused. Every second should build trust, spark curiosity, or drive action. Cut the fluff and keep what matters.
Need a hand bringing your demo to life?
We can help turn your vision into something that will engage and convert. Contact us here ➜
