# Demo Day Runbook

> The enablement leader's complete playbook for planning and running an org-wide demo day, from format selection through post-event follow-through.

Free guide for sales leaders. Topic: [Demos & Product Storytelling](https://www.peerlab.ai/library/topic/demos-product-storytelling/). Published by PeerLab in the [Sales Enablement Resource Library](https://www.peerlab.ai/library/). Source: https://www.peerlab.ai/library/demo-day-runbook/

## How to use it

Pick a single objective for the event, work through the pre-day logistics checklist in the two weeks prior, run the sample agenda on the day, and complete the post-event actions within 24 hours.

## What's inside

- Objective/format decision framework (certification vs. calibration vs. showcase)
- Format options table with durations
- Role definitions (host, judges, tech support, scribe)
- Pre-day logistics checklist (T-2 weeks, T-1 week, T-1 day)
- Sample timed day-of agenda
- Judging criteria tie-in to the certification rubric
- Feedback loop process
- Post-event action checklist and common pitfalls table

The enablement leader's playbook for running an org-wide demo day: a structured event where reps demo (live or recorded) in front of peers and judges for calibration, certification, or best-practice sharing.

## Purpose & Objectives

Pick one primary objective per Demo Day: don't conflate them:
- **Certification event**: reps attempt live-graded certification (ties directly to the New-Hire Demo Certification Rubric)
- **Calibration event**: established reps demo so leaders can normalize scoring across raters and catch narrative drift
- **Best-practice showcase**: top performers demo their strongest scenes for the wider team to learn from

## Format Options

| Format | Best for | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Individual cert demos (1 rep: 2 raters, private room) | New-hire certification | 20–30 min per rep |
| Live bake-off (2-3 reps demo the same scenario back-to-back, team scores) | Calibration, competitive energy | Half-day |
| Show-and-tell (top performer demos one killer scene + Q&A from peers) | Best-practice sharing | 15 min per presenter |

## Roles

- **Host/MC**: keeps time, manages transitions, handles logistics live
- **Judges (2–3)**: score using the certification rubric or a scenario-specific scorecard; must calibrate together beforehand
- **Tech support**: owns the tech-check for every presenter beforehand, on standby during for AV issues
- **Scribe**: captures feedback verbatim during Q&A/debrief for the feedback loop

## Pre-Day Logistics

**T-2 weeks**
- [ ] Confirm objective and format (above)
- [ ] Invite/assign presenters; confirm each knows their scenario/prospect persona
- [ ] Book room/platform, confirm recording capability
- [ ] Assign and brief judges; distribute rubric in advance

**T-1 week**
- [ ] Presenters submit their Demo Storyboard for the scenario they'll run
- [ ] Judges complete a calibration session on one reference recording
- [ ] Send full-day agenda to all attendees

**T-1 day**
- [ ] Run the Virtual Demo Tech-Check Checklist for every presenter's setup
- [ ] Confirm scorecards/rubrics printed or loaded for judges
- [ ] Confirm backup AV plan for the event itself

## Sample Day-Of Agenda (Certification Format, half-day)

| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9:00–9:15 | Kickoff: objective, format, rubric walkthrough |
| 9:15–9:45 | Presenter 1: cert demo + judge scoring |
| 9:45–10:00 | Presenter 1: live feedback debrief |
| 10:00–10:30 | Presenter 2: cert demo + judge scoring |
| 10:30–10:45 | Presenter 2: live feedback debrief |
| 10:45–11:00 | Break |
| 11:00–11:30 | Presenter 3: cert demo + judge scoring |
| 11:30–11:45 | Presenter 3: live feedback debrief |
| 11:45–12:00 | Wrap: results announced, remediation plans assigned where needed |

## Judging Criteria

Use the 9-dimension scoring table from the New-Hire Demo Certification Rubric as-is for certification-format days. For best-practice showcases, replace with a lighter 3-question peer form: *What's one thing you're stealing from this? What would you have cut? What question did it leave unanswered?*

## Feedback Loop Process

1. Scribe captures judge comments verbatim during scoring, not just the numeric score
2. Feedback delivered to presenter within 30 minutes of their slot, while still fresh, never batched to end of day
3. Any score below the cert bar triggers the Remediation Plan template assigned on the spot with a re-attempt date
4. Recordings and scorecards filed in the team's enablement library within 24 hours for future onboarding reference

## Post-Event Actions

- [ ] Send summary to leadership: certifications passed/failed, common weak dimensions across presenters, follow-up dates
- [ ] Update the demo storyboard library with any new proof points or scenes that scored well
- [ ] Schedule remediation check-ins for anyone who didn't clear the bar
- [ ] Retire or revise any scenario that consistently produces low scores unrelated to rep skill (may be a scenario design problem, not a rep problem)

## Common Pitfalls & Fixes

| Pitfall | Fix |
|---|---|
| Judges score inconsistently | Mandatory calibration session before the event, not skipped when time is tight |
| Event becomes a public shaming exercise | Private feedback for anything below cert bar; public forum only for showcase wins |
| No follow-through after the event | Remediation dates are set live, in the room, not "we'll follow up" |
| Same 2 people always present, nobody else volunteers | Rotate presenters by roster, don't rely on volunteers only |