How Nonprofits Should Prepare for a Software Demo
A Software Rep’s Perspective - with Sara Hanawalt
// Key Takeaways //
A good software demo gives you what you need to move one step forward in the purchase process
Provide organizational background and software requirements in advance
The right mix of attendees includes end users and decisionmakers–but not too many, which can slow or derail software evaluation decisions
Choose for future scale, not just today’s problems
The sales process is an opportunity to evaluate vendor trustworthiness
Has a software demonstration ever left you feeling overwhelmed and bewildered? No closer to a purchase decision than when you started? Frustrating, right?
Here’s what you need to know to get the most out of a demonstration, from the perspective of a seasoned software representative.
What Does a Successful Demo Look Like?
A great demo:
Is tailored to your needs, not generic.
Gives you enough information to make your next decision–not necessarily a purchase decision, but a decision to advance in the process or not.
Builds your relationship with a software provider, rather than leaving you wondering if you can trust this potential partner.
I recently interviewed Sara Hanawalt about how to achieve this. Between the two of us, we have experienced hundreds of these demonstrations. Providing them is a big part of her role as an account representative with a donor management software company. I had a similar job a while back, and now I’m on the customer side, helping my nonprofit clients navigate the purchase process. Sara and I know what works well and what can go wrong.
One thing we agree on? The path to success begins well before you log into the demo meeting.
Before the Demo, the Rep Needs to Understand Your Needs
I asked Sara what kind of information is helpful for a software representative to know about an organization in advance, so that she can give them the best demonstration possible. She suggested sharing the current state, needs, and goals: "What do we like? What do we not like about our current setup? And then what do we want to do with the software tool?"
When selecting software, evaluate not just current requirements, but also whether the system can support future growth. “What are your fundraising goals? What could you do if you didn't have the issues or hindrances with your current setup? What could you do with that time back? Where do we want to take this organization?” Current tools and processes may be sufficient today, but not scalable. These questions from Sara can uncover capacity constraints that the new software must address.
Determine What This Demo Needs to Accomplish, and Tell the Vendor
Is this demo meant to:
Persuade your colleagues that it’s worth exploring alternatives to your current system?
Help you determine whether the product should be on a shortlist for further evaluation?
Compare and contrast this product with another finalist you’re considering?
Gain leadership support and sign-off for the purchase decision?
Share where you’re at in the process, and the specific purpose of this demo. Being clear on this is helpful to you and the person providing the demo. If you’re clear on the reason for the demonstration, the representative can help you meet your objectives.
A Checklist for Preparing Your Software Representative
Here are a few things to share in advance of a demonstration:
Inventory of current systems and purpose
How many contacts, donations, users etc you have and rate of growth
Likes and dislikes about the current tools and processes
Organization / department / program goals and plans
Purpose this demonstration serves for you
Names and roles of the people who will attend the demonstration
When you provide some details about your goals and processes, the person providing your demonstration won’t waste your time on features that are irrelevant.
Equipped with an understanding of your current and future needs, they might even show you capabilities you didn’t think to ask for or approaches you hadn’t considered. Sara explained, "Not coming in with an open mind and being open to learning... will ruin the experience for them."
During the Demo, Include the Right People and Focus on the Big Picture
I asked Sara, How should people think about who to include in a demo? Her answer didn’t surprise me: “It depends.” But in general, she advised including the primary software users, the champion for the product, and the purchase decisionmaker. She emphasized the importance of including people who do routine work and have a nuanced understanding of processes, explaining, “A lot of folks have people who just do gift entry or data management is their job. …These are going to be the people most affected. Let's have them see [the workflows].”
Too few people in the demonstration, or the wrong people, can lead to a shallow evaluation or barriers to broad user adoption. But too many people is also a problem.
What Goes Wrong when Too Many People Are in a Demo?
Spinning wheels. Making a decision by committee adds time and complexity, and sometimes a large group gets stuck in endless analysis.
Low engagement. Each person assumes the others are paying attention and it’s okay for them to multitask, tune out for a minute, and not own the decision.
Getting lost in the weeds. “It just gets to be so many questions and we're forgetting the end goal,” Sara said. The larger the group, the greater their tendency to fixate on specific features instead of core functionality that aligns with long-term organizational goals.
This is a dangerous combination that leads to drawn-out processes and poor decisions.
One way to avoid some of these pitfalls? Involve a consultant.
Consultants Can Be Valuable Partners, as Long as They Stay in Their Lane
Don’t take my word for it–I am a consultant, after all–listen to Sara. “A consultant can be a really strong partner in setting expectations…and help me remind them what we're playing for here.” She explained that “[inexperienced buyers] come in hot and they're expecting a demonstration from me right away” before she’s had the opportunity to understand their needs and goals.
That said, consultants get in the way if they step on toes. “I think it can be detrimental when a consultant is trying to handle the sales process too much themselves,” Sara said. “I'm always looking for a partner who's looking to uplift and support the organization. Not do my job for me.”
A consultant can also help an account manager like Sara overcome a buyer’s distrust of salespeople.
Can You Trust the Salesperson?
“I try to take a consultative approach anyways, but having a consultant makes me feel like I have a partner in doing that…I still have the sales representative label on me,” Sara said. She wants to be an ally in finding the right solution. "I'm on their team, I want to show them a solution that's going to help them."
In my experience, most people who sell software to nonprofits have a similar intention. Will that translate to behavior that truly earns your trust?
Signs A Vendor is Trustworthy and Will Take Good Care of You
They treat you like a valued partner from the start–not simply a prospect to be qualified and moved through the pipeline.
They listen carefully and show curiosity about your organization and processes.
They follow up on commitments to send you information or answer questions.
They pass knowledge smoothly to each other, e.g. if they have to involve a technical colleague.
Remember, you’re not just choosing software, you’re choosing a vendor relationship.
A Few Software Selection Principles
My interview with Sara highlighted these best practices in software selection which you will see throughout my work.
Principle 1: Before shopping, determine what you need.
Principle 2: Include stakeholders throughout the process.
Principle 3: Avoid fixating on today’s features; consider the vendor as a long-term partner.
Following these principles helps you make smarter, more strategic technology decisions so your organization can spend its money wisely and get the most benefit from its software.
About Sara
Sara Hanawalt says: I’ve been an Account Executive at Bloomerang since 2021. I’ve loved working in the ‘software for purpose’ space because it allows me to leverage my business background and bridge high-performance sales with nonprofit success. I love serving nonprofits because it gives me the opportunity to support these organizations as they do vital work in their communities. I’m from Indianapolis originally which is where Bloomerang was founded and how I got started with the company, but have been in Colorado since the summer of 2023. I love to spend my time outside of work at local parks, trying new coffee shops, and camping. The thoughts and opinions shared here are entirely my own.
