Sometimes, no matter how slick your demo looks in the builder, things go sideways when you send it out. If you’re sharing product demos with prospects using Demostack, you’ve probably run into issues—links breaking, logins failing, or that one prospect who swears your demo’s “just a blank screen.” This guide is for sales, solutions engineers, and anyone who wants demos to just work. Let’s cut through the guesswork and fix what’s actually broken.
1. Demo Link Doesn’t Work (404s, “Page Not Found,” or Dead Links)
What’s going on:
You shared a demo link, but your prospect can’t load it. Maybe they see a 404 error, or the link just spins forever.
Things to check:
- Did you publish the latest version?
- Demostack lets you build and preview demos, but you have to actually hit “Publish” before sharing.
- If you copied a link from Preview mode, it won’t work for others.
- Check for typos in the URL.
- Sounds basic, but this trips people up all the time.
- Expired or deleted demos:
- Demos can be set to expire after a certain date or be deleted. If you can’t load it either, check your demo list.
- Workspace or environment mismatch:
- Sometimes, links are tied to a specific workspace or environment. If you move demos around, old links can break.
What actually works:
Always grab links from the “Share” button after publishing, not from your browser address bar. Bookmark the Share step in your process if you keep forgetting.
What to ignore:
Don’t waste time clearing your browser cache or having prospects “try a different browser” unless you’ve checked the above. These are rarely the root cause for dead links.
2. Prospects Can’t Access the Demo (Authentication & Permissions Headaches)
What’s going on:
Your prospect clicks the link, but gets stuck on a login screen, sees “access denied,” or can’t get in without a password.
Things to check:
- Is the demo public or private?
- By default, some Demostack accounts restrict demos to logged-in users or people within your org.
- Check the sharing settings: “Anyone with the link” is best for most sales use cases.
- Password protection:
- If you set a password, prospects may not notice the prompt or may fat-finger it. Keep passwords simple, or skip them unless you must.
- Email domain restrictions:
- Some demos are locked down to specific domains (e.g. only @yourcompany.com emails). Make sure restrictions match your audience.
- Single sign-on (SSO) confusion:
- If SSO is enabled, prospects outside your org won’t be able to log in. Usually best to avoid SSO for external demos.
What actually works:
Do a quick test: open the link in an incognito/private browser window. That shows you what a prospect sees—no special access, no logins saved.
Pro tip:
If security is a real concern, consider a one-time access link instead of locking down everything with SSO or passwords. It’s less hassle for prospects and still keeps things private.
3. Demo Loads, But Content Is Blank or Broken
What’s going on:
Prospects open the link, but the demo is missing images, data, or entire sections. Sometimes it looks fine to you, but not to them.
Things to check:
- Data source issues:
- If your demo pulls live data, check if that source is available to external users. Demos work best with static/fake data to avoid this.
- Embedded media:
- Videos or images hosted on internal servers won’t load for outsiders. Host assets somewhere public, or use Demostack’s upload features.
- Browser compatibility:
- Demostack usually works in any modern browser, but super-old versions of Internet Explorer or locked-down enterprise browsers can cause trouble.
- Network restrictions:
- If your prospect is on a corporate VPN/firewall that blocks certain domains, assets might not load.
What actually works:
Use Demostack’s built-in mock data or screenshots whenever possible—don’t rely on live connections for high-stakes demos. Always double-check the demo from a non-corporate network if you’re sending to big enterprise prospects.
What to ignore:
Don’t obsess over every visual glitch. If your demo’s main story comes through and only minor styling is off, move on. Fix only what prospects actually complain about.
4. Demo Behaves Differently for You vs. Prospects
What’s going on:
You run through the demo and everything’s perfect. Your prospect reports buttons that don’t work, missing steps, or flows that dead-end.
Things to check:
- Session state:
- If your demo relies on cookies, session variables, or user state, it might behave differently for each viewer.
- Role-based content:
- Demos that simulate different user roles can get out of sync. Make sure you’re sharing the right demo for the right persona.
- Feature flags or A/B testing:
- Sometimes, your product’s own feature flags sneak into demos. They shouldn’t, but double-check if you see inconsistent features.
- Outdated browser extensions:
- Rare, but some extensions (ad blockers, privacy tools) can break embedded demos.
What actually works:
Keep demos as “stateless” as possible—reset between sessions, and don’t rely on previous user actions. If you must demo multiple flows, make a separate link for each persona or use-case.
Pro tip:
Ask prospects to send screenshots or screen recordings when they hit issues. It saves hours of “what do you see now?” back-and-forth.
5. Interactive Elements Don’t Work (Buttons, Forms, Clicks)
What’s going on:
You built a click-through demo, but now the buttons are dead, forms don’t submit, or nothing responds to clicks.
Things to check:
- Demo “freeze” settings:
- Some Demostack demos are set to “read-only” or “view only” by default. Check your demo’s interaction settings.
- Linked steps:
- If navigation isn’t mapped out correctly, clicks won’t do anything. Make sure every button is linked to the right next step or screen.
- Unsupported features:
- Advanced form logic, integrations, or API calls often don’t work in sandboxed demos. Stick to simple flows.
- JavaScript errors:
- If you customized your demo with scripts, a single typo can break things for everyone.
What actually works:
Before sharing, run through your entire demo in “prospect mode” (incognito window, not logged in). Click every button. Fill every form. If something doesn’t work, fix it or remove it.
What to ignore:
Don’t try to make your demo a full replica of your production app. Focus on the story you want to tell—the rest is just noise.
6. Email Notifications or Integrations Don’t Fire
What’s going on:
You set up a demo where prospects should get a follow-up email or trigger an integration (like Slack), but nothing happens.
Things to check:
- Demo vs. production environment:
- In most cases, Demostack won’t send real emails or trigger live integrations from demos. This is a feature, not a bug—it prevents accidental spam.
- Integration settings:
- If you must demo integrations, use sandbox/test accounts and explain to prospects what’s real and what’s simulated.
- Delayed triggers:
- Some integrations have delays or batching. Don’t expect instant results.
What actually works:
Be transparent: if an action in the demo won’t trigger something real, tell your prospect up front. Or, show a recording of the real thing if you want to prove it works.
Pro tip:
Set expectations before you share. “This demo won’t send you real emails, but here’s what would happen in production.” Saves you from looking unprepared.
7. Tracking & Analytics Don’t Match Reality
What’s going on:
You want to know if prospects are viewing or interacting with your demo, but the analytics are off or missing entirely.
Things to check:
- Demo analytics settings:
- Make sure tracking is enabled in Demostack and that you’re looking at the right time range or segment.
- Ad blockers:
- Many users block analytics scripts, so you’ll never get 100% accurate numbers.
- Multiple views from the same person:
- If a prospect refreshes or shares the link internally, it can mess with your numbers.
What actually works:
Use demo analytics as a rough signal, not gospel. If you need confirmation someone viewed your demo, just ask them. Don’t waste hours debugging tracking for a handful of prospects.
Quick Checklist: Before You Hit “Send”
- Publish your demo—don’t use preview links
- Double-check sharing settings (public, password, domain)
- Test in an incognito window and on a different network
- Click every interactive element
- Use static data and public assets
- Set expectations about integrations and notifications
Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast
Perfect demos are a myth. Most of the real issues come from overcomplicating things: too many steps, too much live data, too many permissions. Stick to simple, shareable demos. Make changes based on real-world feedback, not what you think might go wrong. If you keep running into blockers, cut features until your demo just works.