The Hidden Cost of Demo Friction: Why the Software Sales Model Is Failing & How to Fix It

Insights and Key Takeaways

Buyers Expect Self-Service, But Vendors Keep Blocking Them

One of the biggest insights I’ve uncovered from my work in customer research is that buyers don’t want hand-holding—they want access.

The “talk to sales first” model is outdated.

Chase summed it up perfectly:

That’s how people actually buy today.

They research on their own time, explore products outside of work hours, and make decisions based on experience—not a 30-minute scripted demo.

Yet, 90% of software demo engagement happens outside of business hours, and most vendors don’t accommodate that.

Instead, they force prospects into a rigid sales process that slows down everything.

Actionable Fix:

If your website still says “Book a demo” as the main call-to-action, rethink your approach.

Give users a self-service demo or instant free trial option.

Make it as seamless as possible.

The Current Sales Process Adds More Friction Than Value

There’s a fundamental disconnect between how vendors think software should be sold and how buyers actually want to buy it.

Too often, vendors treat software evaluations like a multi-stage interrogation process rather than a low-friction experience.

The worst part? It’s costing them deals.

Chase shared a story that stuck with me:

I’ve seen this firsthand in my own research.

CISOs, directors, and security engineers are impatient with outdated sales motions.

If they hit a roadblock trying to explore a product, they move on.

The biggest issue?

We assume buyers want to talk to sales early in their journey. 

They don’t.

They want to understand the value of the product on their own terms.

When we force them into slow, manual processes, we introduce unnecessary friction that kills momentum.

Actionable Fix:

Rethink where and how prospects access your software.

If a potential customer can’t try your product without scheduling a call, you’re losing business.

Vendor Fear of Transparency Is Outdated—and It’s Hurting Revenue

One of the most frustrating pushbacks I hear from vendors when I suggest open demos is fear—fear that competitors will steal their IP, that prospects will misunderstand the product, or that untrained users will have a bad experience.

Truth time!

1. If your competitors want to see your software, they already have. (Ever heard of fake email accounts?)

2. If your product is strong, people will see the value. If it’s not, that’s a bigger problem.

3. You’re losing deals because of hesitation, not because of competition.

Chase hears the same excuse all the time:

Buyers are looking for trust.

When they feel like a vendor is hiding something—by requiring endless calls and approvals just to try the product—it kills confidence in the solution.

Actionable Fix:

Make your trial process transparent and accessible.

Let buyers explore your software without forcing them through layers of approvals.

The New Sales Model: Automate, Personalize, and Reduce Friction

So what does a more optimized picture of cybersecurity and IT sales look like?

• Self-service demos drive engagement.

• Automation reduces manual lead qualification.

• Sales engineers should focus on closing, not pitching.

Here’s what vendors need to do to fix the broken sales model:

1. Enable Instant, Self-Service Access

• Replace “Request a demo” with “Try Now” buttons.

• Remove mandatory scheduling and approvals for product exploration.

2. Automate Data Collection and CRM Syncing

• Capture time spent, features tested, and integration attempts.

• Use this data to prioritize high-intent buyers over generic leads.

3. Shift Sales Engineers to Late-Stage Deals

• Free up SEs from repetitive demos and deploy them where they add the most value—validating real opportunities, not clicking through a scripted walkthrough.

4. Treat the Sales Funnel as a Hands-On Buyer Journey

• Stop relying on PDFs, gated content, and webinars as the primary conversion mechanism.

• Instead, let buyers engage with the actual product first, before interacting with sales.

The Cost of Not Changing

If you’re still using a high-friction sales model, you’re actively losing deals.

We know buyers want a seamless experience.

We know traditional demos slow things down.

We know automated, self-service demos convert better.

So why are so many vendors still clinging to outdated processes?

The companies that adapt and remove friction will win.

The ones that don’t?

They’ll keep wondering why their pipeline is stalling.

Next step: If you’re a marketing or sales leader, ask yourself:

How can we remove friction in our sales cycle within the next 30 days?

Let’s start fixing the problem.

Until next time,
Dani