Brian Ragone’s Post

Let's talk about homepage product demos. Most companies are seriously missing out on this… The way we showcase our products on the homepage. Current homepage experience? - Crappy explainer videos - Endless product screenshots that make you wanna scroll foreverrrrr - Static product images with zero context The PROBLEM? 🔴 We gotta grab ATTENTION, keep users engaged, and answer their burning questions about the product – all at once. Flashy explainer videos try to solve this, but... meh. What if there was a way to let users try your product without signup or a free trial? Imagine the trust boost! It's like them getting a feel for what you've built, building trust, kind of like how you gotta touch that fruit at the grocery store before you buy it (we all do it, no judgement ). Meet Arcade: An Interactive Demo Experience. (No, I'm not sponsored, this is just pure product love. ❤️) Interactive demos let users PLAY with your product, no strings attached. They get a feel for the magic you've built, building trust and excitement. Forget conversion rate BS – test it out yourself and see the results! (Tell me after how it was!) Should I cover next why all homepages look the same? YES? or YES? 🤔

Don’t know about anyone else but every time I create a product video the UI goes out of date a week later. With the rate of feature development - the editing process takes the same amount of time for new features to ship. Or as our customers put it: “Before, I was redoing videos every week, and that was not good for me. It was not good for the video team. It was taking a lot of extra resources." Luckily, interactive demos are simpler to update: Few screen changes ➡️ Swap out the specific captures Small UI change ➡️ Use the capture editor to blur it out Entire product overhaul ➡️ Clone an old demo and use the same structure Below are some more tips to update demos from customers: 1) Create a Launch Checklist: For each new launch have a standard to-list “This checklist includes tasks like social media posts, email updates, and website revisions. Now, it also prompts us to update or create a new Navattic demo.” 2) Standardize Templates: Instead of starting from scratch, use a template “There are five or six of us on our team who are actively in Navattic at all times building out demos or working on demos, so it's nice to be able to have some sort of baseline template that we can all work from.” 3) Set a Demo Review Cycle: Review demos along with your product updates Evaluate the performance of your demo as you're evaluating a new feature launch. Lookout for specific dropoff points or opportunity areas. A big thank you to Rodney Rasmussen - I pulled a lot of these tips from your customer interview :)

How to Set Up an Efficient Product Demo Ever feel like your product demo is more of a snooze-fest than a showstopper? 🚀 Let’s change that! Here are my best practices for a killer product demo that leaves your audience wanting more. In my experience across various companies, one common challenge I've encountered is the struggle to create engaging and impactful product demos. Too often, these demos end up being dry, overly technical, and fail to captivate the audience. This can lead to missed opportunities, lacklustre feedback. Below is a list of principles (best practices) that I recommend using to maximize the potential of the Demo. 🚀 Understand Your Audience: First things first: understand who you’re presenting to. Are they internal stakeholders, colleagues from Ops departments or peers from other product teams? Each group has different interests and pain points, so tailor your demo to address what matters most to them. Trust me, no one wants to hear about backend infrastructure at a family dinner. 🎯 Set Clear Objectives: What do you want to achieve with this demo? Whether it’s achievements, getting that elusive “wow” from your CEO, or just making sure no one falls asleep, having a clear goal helps you stay focused and on track. It’s like trying to get fit; you don’t just aim to “exercise” – you want to fit into those old jeans or run a marathon. 📖 Craft a Compelling Story: People love stories. Start with a relatable problem. Maybe your product is like the hero in a blockbuster movie, swooping in to save the day. Use real-world scenarios, add some data (not too much, don’t want to bore them, only the most impressive figures explaining the scale of the changes), and make it engaging. Consider it a bedtime story for adults, but instead of dreams, you’re selling solutions. 🔑 Focus on Key Features and Benefits: It’s tempting to show off every little feature, but remember, less is more. Focus on what really solves their problems. It’s like dating – highlight your best qualities, not your entire life story. Save some mystery for later. 🤝 Engage and Interact: Keep it lively. Encourage questions, feedback, and maybe even a bit of banter. An interactive demo sticks in people’s minds. Think of it as a good conversation at a party – no one likes a monologue. ☔ Prepare for the Unexpected: Ah, technology – friend and foe. Test everything beforehand, and always have a backup plan. It’s like carrying an umbrella; it won’t rain if you have one, but you’re getting soaked without it. 🔄 Follow Up: The demo isn’t over when the presentation ends. Follow up with your audience, answer their questions, provide more info, and keep the conversation going. Think of it as the encore after a great concert. And how is the Demo going? I will be glad if you share your experience in the comments! #ProductDemo #CPO #ProductManagement #StakeholderEngagement #TechLeadership #ProductShowcase

Here are a few tips on how to make your product demo videos come alive. #productdemo #productvideo #productmarketing https://lnkd.in/gPHREWWk

Arcade thought traditional product demos and sales pitches were boring. Which is why they designed the concept of “Demo Driven Development” with the mantra “show, don’t tell.” Since launch, over 9,000 teams have adopted Arcade to create interactive and immersive product demos, resulting in over 37,000 demos created globally in 2023 alone. We already know interactive demos work, and in Arcade’s inaugural benchmarks report, we can start to understand how to leverage key elements to maximize engagement. The report analyzed demos with over 100 views and provided the following recommendations: → Include an introduction chapter to boost play rates by 72%. → Build multiple chapters and advanced branching to increase personalization options and relevancy. → Incorporate sound as a vital extra layer of engagement, with demos featuring sound seeing 8% higher play rates. → Strategically place CTAs to facilitate higher interaction and guide users toward the intended outcome (signing up, opting for a trial, etc.). The findings couldn’t be clearer: interactive and visually engaging demos improve user engagement and conversion rates. Read the report to access more data-driven strategies for capturing and retaining customer interest through your demos: https://lnkd.in/g_fdNg3B

The Game Changers: Shifting from Gated Demos to Public Interactive Demos In the past, companies like Ramp, Dooly, Fivetran, Mixpanel, Front, Citrix, and Egnyte played by the old rules: gated demos, multiple calls to see the product, and an elusive pricing reveal. But today, a new game is afoot: public interactive demos. Here's how it flips the script: +450% surge in free trial signups +100% spike in users activating trial status +175% increase in users converting to paying customers And that's just the beginning. In the old game, software buyers needed extensive education and hand-holding. But now, the landscape has evolved. Your ideal customers are already savvy about your industry and why they need your solution. So why not democratize the demo process? A public interactive demo benefits everyone: Executives: Gain real-time insights into evolving buyer journeys. Product Teams: Identify pre-purchase sticking points, boosting activation rates. Growth Teams: Spark aha moments pre-purchase, paving the way for smoother onboarding. Content Teams: Drive conversions across all content, transforming "top-of-funnel" efforts into bottom-line results. Performance Metrics: Slash customer acquisition costs with higher conversion rates from free to paid. Sales Teams: Qualify leads more effectively, nudging them closer to a sale and serving as a powerful follow-up tool. For minimal investment and time, you can supercharge acquisition, activation, and revenue—all while aligning your entire company's efforts. Yes, it's that straightforward. This could be your most potent strategy for dominating 2024. ⚡️

I'm seeing more ungated interactive product demos pop-up. Appcues just launched theirs. It allows users to see their product in action, before signing up. If you follow me, you know I'm super bullish on the ungated interactive demo movement. Because when I was in-house, my teams built these types of experiences and I saw first hand how powerful they can be. They deliver TONS of value to users. They start the onboarding process before the user fills out a form. And they help filter out crummy signups. We're still seeing new use cases on a regular basis which is really exciting too. SaaS companies are finally realizing the power of letting website visitors see/ play with their product - before signing up. Tactics are never plug and play. But in my experience, any time you can use your product, to sell your product - that's where the magic happens. We're at the very early stages of this movement. But I suspect we'll see these interactive product demos on most saas websites over the next few years.

Fake it or make it? This got me thinking. When should you fake a product demo, and when should you build it? Here's my playbook for deciding: → Fake It for Early Stage or MVP: Use simulated environments or mock-ups when your product is in its early stages. This gives stakeholders a preview without heavy resource commitment. → Fake It for Proof of Concept: Validate ideas or features with a fake demo to gather feedback and gauge interest before full development. → Fake It with Resource Constraints: If time or budget is tight, fake certain elements to focus resources on core functionality. → Fake It for Investor or Visionary Pitches: Sell the vision with a fake demo, communicating the concept without technical complexities. → Build It for Product Close to Launch: Show actual functionality when the product is near launch. This aligns with audience expectations. → Build It for Customer-Focused Demos: Customers making purchasing decisions want to see actual functionality. A working product allows them to interact with it and assess its usability. → Build It for Technical Stakeholders: Technical audiences need transparency to evaluate actual capabilities and integration potential. → Build It for Detailed Product Training or Workshops: Use a live product demo for training sessions or workshops to help users learn actual workflows. → Combine Both for a Balanced Approach: Mix real and fake elements. Develop real versions of critical features and fake supplementary ones. This ensures that the primary value is demonstrated while allowing flexibility. → Mix Live and Pre-Recorded Elements: Show live interactions for critical parts but use pre-recorded screens for complex, less essential features. This reduces the risk of live issues. → Use Clickable Prototypes: Tools like Figma create interactive prototypes that offer a hands-on feel without full backend functionality. → Use Dedicated Demo Apps: Demo app services can help you craft interactive and engaging demos and check if they fit your needs. Final Recommendation: 1. Consider your audience and demo goals. Fake It for early-stage, visionary pitches and limited-resource situations. Build It for customers, technical audiences, or pre-launch demos. Combine both for a balanced approach, delivering an interactive experience for core functions while conserving resources on non-critical parts. 2. Understand short-term and long-term resources, including maintenance considerations. Data supporting the demo is a critical consideration for the development process (Is it easy to generate the data to support the demo story?) Maximize impact and credibility while managing resources effectively. Let's talk.

What if you could know exactly what your users need before you even start building? That’s the magic of product discovery. Yes, here are my Top 3 Product Discovery Insights from Week 2 of the PM Cohort at Product Space Product discovery is all about figuring out what your users truly need and testing solutions before you start building. It’s the key to making sure you create something people will use and love. Here’s what I’ve learned so far: Get to know your users: Dive deep into their problems, needs, and desires. This could be through user interviews, surveys, or even watching how they interact with products. Test your ideas early: Don’t assume you know the perfect solution. Create prototypes, get real feedback, and adjust based on what you learn. Focus on building the right thing: Avoid the trap of developing features no one cares about. Prioritize based on what users need. The goal is simple: make sure your product solves real problems for real people. It will save time and money and ultimately lead to happier users! Also, I’ve been working on a product teardown for Zepto, analyzing different user personas to gain deeper insights. Using breaking down the features to improve user journey and identifying points using frameworks like RICE and SWOT analysis. I’ve been able to benchmark zepto's offerings against user expectations  to provide a solution. Thanks to Akhil Yash Tiwari, Ashu Mishra, and Pushpak Teja for their consistent effort in providing insights and mentoring us throughout this journey.

🚀💡 Ready to launch your product? Crafting an effective demo can make all the difference! Your product’s first impression matters — it’s not just about features, but the experience you deliver. ✨ Start with a story. Make it relatable. Show how your product solves a real problem, and let that narrative guide your audience through the demo. ⚡️ Highlight key benefits. Don’t just list features; illustrate how they'll change your audience's life or work for the better. 👀 Visualization is crucial. Use compelling visuals or short, powerful videos to keep your audience engaged and leave a lasting impact. 👏 Encourage interaction. Allow prospects to play with the product, ask questions, and provide real-time feedback — turning your demo into a two-way conversation. Ready to make your launch unforgettable? 🌟 Share your thoughts or contact us on 7741919844, email us at business@appschedio.com, or visit our site https://appschedio.com for more info. What are your go-to strategies for a captivating product demo? 🤔 Drop your ideas in the comments!