Chandler Sales Meetings: Preparing Live Software Demos

Start with the business point the audience needs to understand. Select a short workflow that proves that point without requiring unnecessary navigation. Identify the starting screen, the actions the presenter will take and the result the audience should recognize. This becomes the rehearsal script and the basis for fallback media.

In a hypothetical sales meeting, the goal might be to show how a manager reviews an exception and approves a next step. Opening unrelated dashboards adds opportunities for distraction without strengthening that explanation. Keep optional exploration separate from the essential demonstration.

Identify who controls the demo account, device settings, application access and network permissions. Ask the organization’s IT contact which connection methods are permitted and whether authentication, VPN requirements or security prompts could affect the workflow. Venue network access and corporate application access are separate questions.

Do not bypass security controls to make a demonstration work. If a restriction prevents the intended connection or screen sharing, ask the authorized IT owner and AV team to agree on an acceptable alternative. Confirm who can help during the meeting without assuming the production team has administrative access to the software.

Run the actual workflow through the planned presentation connection. Check whether menu labels, cursor movement and result messages remain understandable from audience positions. A screen that is comfortable at a desk may be unreadable in a meeting room. Adjust the demonstration view or simplify what is shown.

Confirm any application audio and decide which windows may appear publicly. Use approved demonstration data, close unrelated applications and follow organizational guidance for notifications and sensitive information. If remote attendees are included through hybrid production, review the shared view separately; the in-room display does not prove the remote view is correct.

Prepare approved screenshots or a recorded walkthrough of the essential workflow. The fallback should show the same starting point and outcome as the live demonstration, allowing the presenter to continue the explanation rather than introduce a different story. Check playback and file access before the meeting.

Agree on a switch trigger. An authentication block or an unavailable service may justify moving immediately to prepared media instead of troubleshooting in front of the audience. The presenter should clearly identify prerecorded material rather than presenting it as live. Decide who cues the switch and who opens the backup.

After rehearsal, avoid unreviewed changes to the demo device, application workflow or presentation files. If a change is necessary, repeat the checks it affects. Keep ownership clear: the software owner validates application behavior, IT confirms permitted access and the AV team manages the agreed presentation path.

Provide these requirements when requesting corporate AV support. Exact configurations need a quote, including any hybrid presentation requirements. Ask what information the team needs to evaluate the connection plan before the event.