Vendor demos are where most evaluation decisions are really made — and where most mistakes happen. A well-run demo reveals whether the tool genuinely fits your workflows. A poorly run demo reveals nothing except how good the vendor's sales team is.
This guide covers how to structure demos, what to look for, how to score them and how to see past the polish. For a deeper playbook, see our Demo Orchestration report.
Demo Structure
Send a demo script (before the demo)
Provide vendors with specific scenarios to demonstrate — your budget workflow, a rolling forecast cycle, a variance report. Standardize across vendors so you compare apples to apples.
Company overview (10 min max)
Let the vendor introduce their company briefly. Redirect if this runs long — you are here for the product, not the corporate history.
Scenario walkthroughs (60-90 min)
The vendor demonstrates your scenarios in the live product. Watch for workarounds, slow spots and 'we can configure that later' responses.
Ad-hoc exploration (30 min)
Ask unscripted questions. Request the presenter to build something on the fly. This reveals real product depth versus rehearsed flows.
Debrief immediately (15 min)
Score individually right after the demo while impressions are fresh. Then discuss as a group before the next demo.
Red Flags During Demos
• Extended slide decks before showing the product — compensating for product gaps.
• 'We can configure that' for basic functionality — may mean it does not exist yet.
• Vendor refuses to use your data — their demo environment may not reflect real capability.
• The demo presenter is not the person who would implement — you want to evaluate the team you will work with.
• Significant features shown as 'coming soon' or on the roadmap — treat these as nonexistent for evaluation purposes.
• Inability to go off-script — suggests the product requires significant setup to show common scenarios.