Back in 2015, I was introduced to Jonah Goodhart, CEO of MOAT. Jonah is a well-known ad-tech leader with many exits to his name (you can read more about Jonah here) but, at the time, I knew him primarily as an early investor and board member of Right Media.
Jonah is a nice guy and even today (three years later) I remember having a positive conversation with him. However, what really stuck in my head is what happened after we finished the stated agenda of our call. Jonah said (more or less) – “while I have you on the phone, let me show you our product” – in an instant, before I could even ask why, he had a screen share up with about 20 pre-loaded browser tabs open. He then launched into a comprehensive product demo covering every aspect of the MOAT viewability product. The demo was flawless – like he had practiced it a thousand times.
I remember walking away from the call a little puzzled. Why did Jonah Goodhart just spend an extra 20 mins on the phone with me to deliver a product demo?
Two years later (in 2017) MOAT is purchased by Oracle for $850M. Thinking back to my call with Jonah I now understand why he stayed on the phone with me. It wasn’t because a demo was part of our phone call – it was because a demo was part of every conversation he had.
When you work at a product company, everyone you talk to from potential investors, to clients, to employees, to friends at a bar want to know about your product. Every conversation is an opportunity to leave a positive impression no matter who it is or what the stated purpose of the conversation is.
Seeing a product demo can also be one of the most memorable experiences and one that people are likely to tell their friends and colleagues about. By delivering a product demo, you’re empowering someone to become a product (and brand) advocate for you.
After I saw the demo from Jonah, I remember having a conversation with one of my co-workers. I told him, “I met Jonah Goodhart – nice guy. I’m not really sure why he gave me a product demo. The product looked really great though, you should check it out!”
That’s the lesson I learned from Jonah Goodhart: Always Be Demoing.