The Comedian Demo Identity

Comedian Demo Identity can think on their feet and keep an audience engaged. But their tendency to speak off the cuff can get them into trouble.

Biggest strengths of the Comedian Demo Identity

• They’re knowledgeable and engaging – they can work a room, but have the business and/or technical chops to back it up
• They are adaptable and can respond to almost any situation
• They are perceptive to how the audience reacts, allowing them to respond in real-time

Biggest risks for the Comedian Demo Identity

• They can get ahead of themselves, which means they’ll say things before they’re thought through
• They can accidentally make an audience uncomfortable with a bad joke
• They don’t like when the audience doesn’t respond, which can quickly bring down their own demeanor

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How does The Comedian deliver a demo?

• Comedians like to have fun when they’re presenting. More than any other demo identity, they feed off the energy of the room – they almost have a sixth sense of others emotions
• A Comedians hallmark is crowd work – they are quick on their feet, and can quickly adapt their presentations to almost any situation, whether it’s a hostile audience member or a technical failure.
• Comedians never run a demo the same way twice – they will often add different comments or jokes in a live demo depending on the audience.
• Comedians like to have a structure to their demos and hate being unprepared, but they also want freedom within the structure to adjust their talk track based on the room.
• Comedians like to run their demos their way, and will often create custom content to fit their approach. Comedians are comfortable in front of audiences and know their solutions well, which allows them to have a more relaxed approach to their demos or presentations.
• Comedians are strong when conducting discovery on the fly and adjusting their presentations to what the audience wants to see.

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What are The Comedian’s presentation blind spots?

• The Comedian’s style can sometimes get them into trouble – while their jokes and comments can elevate a demo and build rapport, they can also just as easily bomb and make an audience member uncomfortable.
• Because Comedians are so quick to perceive audience reactions, even minor ones, they may work a bit too hard to fix things – which only calls more attention to what happened.
• Comedians don’t do well when they are constrained, so this style is less effective when presenting to a more reserved audience. This style can also make it difficult for some colleagues to partner with them as they never quite know what the Comedian will say.

What are the Comedian’s most common demo fails

I’ve made a huge mistake, Slow your roll, Let me Google that for you

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How can Comedians deliver better demos and presentations?

• Let others take charge of the meeting when appropriate – especially if you are in a sales support role and not leading the account.
• Try to slow down and synchronize your words and thoughts – it’s OK to take a beat before answering.
• Talk to your sponsor before the meeting and learn about the client’s culture to determine how much “runway” you have in a meeting.