Tales from the crick: The art of demo.

Equipment demonstrations (demos) play an important role in the evaluation of new systems. As well as the excitement of exploring emerging technologies, a well-organised demo can help guide procurement decisions and support funding applications. However, it is easy to underestimate the substantial effort required both before and following the demo to maximise its potential impact. Here, we discuss how our approach to demos at the Crick Advanced Light Microscopy Science and Technology Platform (CALM-STP) has evolved over the last few years, emphasising the importance of a documented approach that combines quantitative with qualitative comparisons and engages with your user base in order to build up support for any potential system purchase.