“Can you give me a demo of your product?” That’s how I’m beginning just about every Zoom these days. Here’s why…

A Demo’s Worth a Thousand Words

I used to go straight to the deck. But over time, I realized the same deck could describe a dozen companies.

You’re going to “democratize access to X” or “help teams collaborate on Y.” Okay, great, but what does that really mean?

Nothing makes things clearer than seeing the actual product.

A demo lets me see how well the software really works. I can also judge its level of design — fetching, or frightful?

The Best Founders Give the Best Demos

But a demo helps me do a lot more than evaluate the product. I also learn a lot about the founder.

Is he fluent in the product? Or does he struggle to use the very tool his company produces?

A good CEO knows the product inside and out.

Brian Chesky has 7,000 employees at Airbnb. Still, he obsesses over every button.

Finding Vaporware

Demos also help me figure out what’s real and what’s not. Is the product fully built-out, or is this founder selling vaporware?

It’s fine if you haven’t built out every feature yet. But today’s product needs to provide real value and be easy to use.

Demo Like a Pro

Founders should practice giving a demo of around 2-5 minutes. This is enough to give investors an idea of what the product does and how.

Go through the key workflows in your product. Taking Uber as an example, you would show me how to request a ride, know where the car is, and pay.

You can also record this as a Loom and send it along with the deck to prospective investors. Here’s an excellent demo to use as an example. It comes from Dan Siroker, founder of Rewind AI.

Demos Change Minds

Last year, I passed on a marketplace startup. The product didn’t seem differentiated enough.

The founder asked for a second meeting, and took me through a detailed demo of exactly how his platform was different from the competition.

He was right! So I made the bet.

I’m very grateful to him today. The company just passed $5 million a year in revenue and is one of my best investments.

A great demo changes minds and gets you checks.

So, No More Decks?

Decks still have their place. They provide a lot of financial information that a demo can’t.

I want to know about your product. But I also need to know the numbers — revenue, CAC, burn, etc.

Ideally, I’d like a Loom and a deck before we meet. At the meeting, we can run through the product together and do some Q&A.

Wrap-Up

A demo is a founder’s best opportunity to stand out. A great product speaks for itself.

Don’t get lost in PowerPoint hell. Show investors what you’ve built — and blow them away.

Are you a fan of demos? Leave a comment and let us know!

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