Yeah, we're David in a world of Goliaths.
The SaaS landscape is full of solutions, right? Pretty much any use case you can think of, and there's a tool that's just right for it. And yet, the search for the perfect demo automation solution continues. So much so that I had to develop my own solution because I just couldn't find the right tool to do what I needed to do, as a very frustrated and overworked Sales Engineer.
I wanted a tool that simplified demo creation for me. Now. And I wanted a tool that my sales rep could use on their next call - no messy deployments, no learning curve, and no coding experience required. A simple, effective, smart solution for busy, overworked sales folks. Enter, SmartCue.
I get it. You've probably never used SmartCue. Or see it in action. Maybe this is even the first time you're hearing of us. That's understandable: we're the new kids on the block, after all. This is why I'm comparing ourselves with other players out there that you have heard of. And I'm being honest (as honest as I can be, given that SmartCue is my brainchild!).
Simply put, SmartCue is demo creation software that takes the grunt work out of demo creation - Sales Engineers, Sales Enablement Managers, or Product Marketing teams can rapidly create custom, personalized product demos with loads of contextual cues. This is a double win: time saved on making demos, and time saved in meetings that they no longer need to attend, because the sales reps are confident enough to deliver the demos themselves, without the SE in the room.
How? Contextual cues. SmartCue presents cues to the presenter (and only to the presenter!) based on where they are in the product. It also provides a step-by-step demo playbook or demo flow, so the sales rep can simply follow the flow. It's a little bit like having a second brain (or an SE!) in the room. Without needing to do all this additional admin, the sales reps can focus on what they do best: selling your product.
There are things SmartCue can do better than most, and somewhere we have ways to go. This comparison with Goodmeetings and Outreach lets you assess whether SmartCue might be a good fit for you: now, or in the future.
Goodmeetings vs Outreach vs SmartCue
Parameters | Goodmeetings | Outreach | SmartCue |
Deployment speed | 1-2 weeks | 4-6 weeks | Instant, all you need is a chrome extension |
Training requirements | Webinars, videos, documentation, and live online training. | Webinars, videos, documentation, and in-person training | None. So far, no one has asked us to train them. |
Works with your demo environment | Web-based screen sharing. | Yes. | Yes. No integrations are necessary. |
Lets you customize demos on the fly | No | No | Yes |
Create Demo Playbooks | Yes, the sales rep or sales engineer uploads all decks, demos, and materials in advance of the meeting. | Sort of | Yes. Even if you decide to move through the playbook in a non-linear fashion, it cues you with what's left to cover |
Do presenters need scripts? | Yes. There are AI-powered cues, but these are related more to the audience, than the product itself. | Yes | No. Contextual cues basis where you are in your product |
Simplifies demo creation | No. It provides conversation intelligence (in the form of AI cues), but doesn't actually help with demo creation itself. | No | Yes. Simply add the cues for any feature, function, button, link, image etc. of your product. You can have several of these on each screen. Combine screens into a demo flow. |
Manages your demo library | There are content management features. | No | Yes |
Export to video | Yes. | Possible through integrations with other tools. | Yes, through Loom integration |
Export to PDF | NA | If you're using slides, yes. | Yes. Can also include notes taken during the demo to make great leave-behinds. |
Note taking allowed | No | Yes | Yes |
Edit dynamic text | No | No | No, as it uses your own demo environment |
Content analytics | Performance Analytics, Coaching cards | Basic Analytics | Know where your reps spend the most time in the product, whether they followed the playbook, how much did they deviate, and much more |
Integrations | Yes | 90+ integrations across CRM, ABM, email, chat | Over 200 planned integrations in 2023! |
Support | Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base, Chat, Phone support. | Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base, Phone support | Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base, Chat |
Key Benefits
Outreach: Outreach is a BIG tool. And like all big tools, it takes a little getting used to. But once you're up and running, you'll love the engagement functions, the automated sequences for customer contact, and of course, the ability to A/B test your email and call strategies. I also really like the AI-powered action-outcome pairs which help salespeople zero in on the most impactful sales actions. When it comes to demos though, there's not much here that saves time or boosts confidence, or minimizes practice time.
Honestly, I see synergies with SmartCue.
Goodmeetings: is great for helping peers learn from one another, and from their own call recordings. The tool spits out performance analytics and AI suggestions in real time, allowing sales reps to pivot accordingly. Of course, it also provides these analytics to sales leaders who can then feed them into coaching and training interventions. However, it doesn't really simplify demo creation, nor empower sales reps to do away with cumbersome scripts.
This is where SmartCue can add enormous value. Imagine doing great demos, then watching the recordings to adjust for soft skills alone, as the product piece is completely covered by SmartCue anyway.
Why our clients chose SmartCue
There are some things you can only do on SmartCue. For instance, SmartCue sits atop your demo environment, and even your production environment!
As long as you've created a demo using SmartCue, it's in the library. Now, if your client wants to explore a screen that isn't covered by your current demo, but you have covered in another demo, have no fear! SmartCue can pull cues from linked demos. So you can go into screens you haven't practiced, with confidence, knowing that you have all the information and cues you'll need to deliver the goods and answer whatever questions come up.
SmartCue's demo dashboard screen is where you can see all demos created by you and your team.
SmartCue also helps keep track of the agenda - the client wants to explore functionality out of turn? No problem! No need to madly flip through slides or move your demo video back and forth. Just go into your demo as always, and SmartCue will cue you on the basis of wherever you are in your product. When done, it will cue you into what you can cover next, based on your agenda.
Also, no more cumbersome and long-drawn-out emails covering the demo play-by-play. Take notes within SmartCue itself, and export them as a PDF. This way, everyone gets exactly what you're referring to when you ask a question, provide additional information, or clarify something: because your notes are in context.
Of course, the core function of the tool is to make demos super simple to make for Sales Engineers, and super simple to deliver for Sales reps. No more starting from scratch, no more scripts, no more memorizing jargon (or anything!) EVER.
Smart, right?
