So, you need to show off your product without dragging prospects into a 45-minute Zoom? Good call. This guide is for B2B sales teams who want to build interactive, self-serve demos in Storylane—and don’t have all week to figure it out. I’ll walk you through the real steps, flag the stuff that actually moves the needle, and warn you about the stuff that sounds cool but just burns time.
Why bother with interactive demos?
Let’s be honest: nobody wants to sit through a canned video or book a call just to see if your product even does what they need. Interactive demos let buyers poke around and get a feel for your product on their own time. For B2B sales, that means:
- Shorter sales cycles: Prospects get answers faster.
- Better-qualified leads: Folks who try your demo and still want to talk are usually serious.
- Less hand-holding: Your team spends less time on basic walkthroughs.
But a clunky or confusing demo can backfire just as quickly. So, let’s do this right.
Step 1: Get clear on your demo’s goal
Before you even touch Storylane, get specific about what you want out of this demo. Don’t try to show everything your product can do. Instead, ask:
- Who’s the demo for? (A CTO? A frontline manager? Someone non-technical?)
- What’s the one thing you want them to remember or do after the demo?
- Are you replacing a live demo, or just making it easier to qualify leads?
Write this down. If you skip this step, your demo will end up bloated, boring, or both.
Pro tip: One focused use case per demo works better than a “tour of everything.” You can always build more demos later.
Step 2: Map out your user flow (on paper—yes, really)
Don’t start clicking around in Storylane just yet. First, sketch out the flow you want a prospect to take:
- What’s the opening screen?
- Where should they click next?
- What features or “aha” moments should they see?
- Where do you want them to end up?
Even a napkin diagram or bullet list is fine. The point is to avoid wandering, unfocused demos that leave users lost.
What works: Simple, linear flows. Don’t get too clever with branching paths unless you’re sure users will follow.
What doesn’t: Overstuffed demos with every bell and whistle. That’s how users get overwhelmed and bounce.
Step 3: Capture your product screens in Storylane
Now, crack open Storylane and start your first project. Here’s the gist:
- Install the Chrome extension. Storylane works by letting you “record” your web app as you click through it.
- Click through your product as a user would. Each click or screen becomes a step in your demo.
- Pause for key moments. If you want to add a hotspot, tooltip, or question later, linger on that screen.
Watch out for: - Sensitive data: Make sure you’re using a safe environment, not real customer info. - Weird popups or browser junk: Clean up your browser before you record, or you’ll spend time editing those out later.
Pro tip: Don’t worry about making it perfect on the first pass. You can edit, rearrange, or delete steps in Storylane later.
Step 4: Add guidance, hotspots, and interactivity
This is where Storylane shines—and where it’s easy to go overboard. Stick to what helps the user, not what looks flashy.
- Tooltips: Use these to point out important buttons or explain new concepts. Keep them short and specific.
- Hotspots: Highlight the one thing you want users to click next. Don’t scatter hotspots everywhere.
- Input fields: If your product has forms, let users type in fake info. It helps with immersion.
- Branching (if you must): Only add paths if there’s a clear reason (like showing two roles). Otherwise, keep it linear.
- Embedded media: Skip the urge to drop in explainer videos unless they actually add value.
What works: A little guidance goes a long way. Assume your user is smart, but doesn’t know your product yet.
What doesn’t: Long instructional text, forced video popups, or anything that interrupts the flow. If you wouldn’t sit through it, don’t make them.
Step 5: Polish, but don’t overproduce
Nobody expects a Hollywood production. But you do want your demo to look clean and work smoothly.
- Check for typos and placeholder text.
- Test on multiple devices. Storylane is web-based, but weird stuff happens on small screens.
- Trim dead weight. If a step doesn’t add value, cut it.
- Add your branding (sparingly). Logo, brand colors, maybe a welcome/thank you screen—no need to drown the demo in marketing fluff.
Pro tip: Have someone who’s not on your team try the demo. Watch where they get stuck or confused.
Step 6: Publish and share your demo
Time to get it in front of prospects:
- Publish to a public link (or keep it gated if you need lead capture).
- Embed on your site—especially on your pricing or solutions pages.
- Use it in outbound emails. A “Try it yourself” link gets more clicks than a PDF.
- Share in live calls. Let prospects drive, not just watch.
What works: Making the demo easy to find and try. Don’t bury it behind sign-up walls unless there’s a good reason.
What doesn’t: Expecting the demo to sell for you. It’s a tool, not a silver bullet.
Step 7: Track, learn, and iterate
Storylane gives you analytics—use them, but don’t obsess.
- Look for drop-off points. Where do users get confused or quit?
- Which steps get the most engagement? Double down on what works, cut what doesn’t.
- A/B test different flows—but keep it simple unless you’re at serious scale.
Ignore vanity metrics: Number of demo starts is less useful than who actually books a meeting after.
Pro tip: Set a monthly reminder to revisit your demo. Products change, and so should your walkthroughs.
What to ignore (for now)
- Complex integrations: Don’t get sucked into CRM or lead scoring setups until your basic demo is working and getting used.
- Trying to replace all sales calls: Interactive demos are great, but most B2B deals still need a human touch.
- Gimmicks: Gamification, badges, or confetti cannons rarely move the needle for real buyers.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, improve over time
Interactive demos in Storylane can save your sales team a ton of time and weed out tire-kickers. But the best demos are focused, direct, and easy to use. Start small, launch quickly, and tweak as you go. Don’t let “perfect” slow you down. Prospects care about solving their problem, not your clever UI tricks.
Now, go build something your buyers will actually want to click through.