Demo Crime: I love this part of the software

Cold Case File

You're in a demo and hit a part of the product you absolutely love. It's slick, smart, and shiny. Naturally, you light up and spend the next 10 minutes walking through every detail.

The catch? Your prospect didn't ask for it. Worse, they may not even care.

This is "I Love This Part of My Software", a classic demo crime that strikes new and seasoned presales professionals alike.

Repeat Offenders: Why It Keeps Happening

Even with years of training, this demo crime persists. Here's why:

Human nature drives it. We love sharing what we're proud of—and presales folks are very proud of their products. That enthusiasm is genuine and hard to contain.

Organizational pressure amplifies it. New features get emphasized internally, and teams are encouraged to push them externally, regardless of prospect fit. You feel pressure to showcase the latest and greatest.

Excitement takes over. Demoing something cool feels energizing. That enthusiasm can hijack your demo flow, especially if you're newer in your role or passionate about the technology.

Scene of the Crime

You're demoing to an e-commerce client focused on fixing inventory management. Instead of staying on inventory workflows, you spend 10 minutes deep-diving into your AI-powered dashboard.

It looks amazing. Your prospect tunes out.

Why? Because you never connected it back to their actual pain point. They came to solve inventory problems, not admire your AI capabilities.

Rates of Recidivism: High

This isn't malicious, it's committed by well-meaning, highly trained professionals excited to share innovation. But the moment you lead with what you love instead of what they need, the buyer experience suffers.

Your credibility takes a hit. Your prospect starts wondering if you understand their business. And worse, they begin comparing you to competitors who stayed laser-focused on their needs.

Department of Corrections

Ready to stop committing this crime? Here's your action plan:

1. Match enthusiasm with relevance. Love a feature? Great! Just make sure your prospect does too. Always tie it to their business goals before diving in.
2. Speak their language. Instead of "I love this dashboard," say: "Here's how our AI dashboard helps with inventory by predicting demand and reducing stockouts—just like you mentioned earlier."
3. Be strategic with shiny objects. Everyone's excited about AI right now, but excitement isn't value. Always define the use case before demoing any flashy feature.
4. Re-engage in real time. If you realize your passion ran ahead of your audience, hit pause. Ask: "Would this help solve the challenge we discussed earlier?" It invites them back into the conversation and lets you steer toward relevance.

Bonus: The Recovery Move

Caught yourself mid-fumble? Don't panic. Acknowledge the disconnect and pivot:
"You know what? Let me show you how this specifically addresses the inventory challenges you mentioned. That's probably more relevant than the technical details."Your prospect will appreciate the course correction, and you'll maintain credibility by showing you're listening.

Final Verdict

The "I Love This Part of My Software" crime is entirely preventable. It's not as severe as completely misaligned demos, but it can erode credibility if you consistently prioritize features over customer needs.

When new products or features launch, we understand the pressure to show them off. But unless they clearly connect to your prospect's goals, you risk losing interest—or worse, their trust.

The best presales professionals develop feature discipline. They know their product inside and out, but they also know when to hold back. They let customer needs drive the demo, not their own excitement.

Your Next Move

At Demo2Win, we train presales and sales teams to spot value in the moment, connect dots instantly, and keep demos focused and relevant. Our training helps modern sellers build credibility, increase engagement, and accelerate deal velocity.

Because here's the truth: Your favorite feature means nothing if it doesn't solve their problem.

Ready to keep your demos on track and your audience engaged? Let's talk about building the discipline to demo what matters, not just what you love.