Demo Pacing & Length Calculator
A six-step worksheet that calculates recommended demo length and section-by-section pacing based on deal stage, deal size, and stakeholder count.
How to use it
Run through the six steps before you build your storyboard to get a target total length and section-by-section time budget for this specific deal, then use the totals to set your Demo Storyboard's time column.
What's inside
- Base-minutes table by demo type/deal stage
- Deal size adjustment table (SMB/mid-market/enterprise)
- Stakeholder count adjustment table with a capped maximum
- Composition adjustments (exec sponsor, cross-functional committee, quick-overview request)
- Section pacing percentage breakdown (opening through close)
- Fully worked example calculation with time budget
Use this worksheet to calculate recommended demo length and section-by-section pacing before you build the storyboard. Takes under 2 minutes.
Step 1, Base Minutes (by deal stage / demo type)
| Demo type | Base minutes |
|---|---|
| First / discovery-stage demo | 30 |
| Second demo / deep-dive | 45 |
| Final / executive demo | 20 |
| POC / technical validation walkthrough | 60 |
Base minutes = _____
Step 2, Deal Size Adjustment
| Deal size tier (est. ACV) | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| SMB (< $25K) | +0 min |
| Mid-market ($25K–$100K) | +5 min |
| Enterprise (> $100K) | +10 min |
Deal size adjustment = _____
Step 3: Stakeholder Count Adjustment
| Attendee count | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| 1–3 attendees | +0 min |
| 4–6 attendees | +5 min |
| 7+ attendees | +10 min (do not exceed +15 total even if larger) |
Stakeholder adjustment = _____ (cap total from this step at +15)
Step 4: Composition Adjustments
| Condition | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Named executive sponsor present | −5 min (execs want outcomes, not a tour: compress) |
| Cross-functional buying committee (2+ departments) | +10 min (more perspectives to satisfy) |
| Prospect explicitly asked for a "quick overview" | −10 min, floor at 15 min minimum |
Composition adjustment = _____
Step 5, Total Recommended Length
Total minutes = Base + Deal size + Stakeholder + Composition = _____
(Floor: 15 minutes. Ceiling: 75 minutes: beyond that, split into two sessions instead of lengthening one.)
Step 6: Section Pacing Breakdown
Apply these percentages to your total from Step 5:
| Section | % of total time |
|---|---|
| Opening / rapport | 5% |
| Recap discovery & confirm agenda | 10% |
| Core demo | 50% |
| Proof & validation | 15% |
| Q&A | 15% |
| Close & next steps | 5% |
Worked Example
Second demo (deep-dive) for a mid-market account, 4 stakeholders, no executive sponsor, single department:
- Base: 45 min
- Deal size (Mid-market): +5 min
- Stakeholders (4 → +5 min)
- Composition: +0
- Total = 55 minutes
Section breakdown for 55 minutes:
- Opening: ~3 min
- Recap & agenda: ~5.5 min
- Core demo: ~27.5 min
- Proof & validation: ~8 min
- Q&A: ~8 min
- Close: ~3 min
Rule of Thumb
If your calculated total exceeds 60 minutes, that's a signal to split into two shorter, more focused sessions rather than run one long demo, attention and retention drop sharply past the 45–50 minute mark regardless of deal size.