How to run a POC or pilot
A proof of concept is a powerful closing tool or a black hole, depending on how you scope it. The difference is criteria and commitment agreed before it starts.
Never run a POC to "let them try it." Run it to prove a specific outcome that triggers a decision.
Short answer
Run a POC or pilot by defining measurable success criteria and a decision commitment up front, time-boxing it tightly, supporting it actively so it succeeds, and agreeing that a passed POC leads to a purchase. An open-ended pilot with no criteria and no decision attached becomes a free trial that stalls the deal indefinitely.
Step by step
Define success criteria
Agree with the buyer, in writing, on the measurable outcomes that constitute a pass. Vague criteria let the buyer move the goalposts after you deliver.
Attach a decision
Get commitment that a successful POC leads to a purchase by a date. A POC with no decision attached is a free trial, not a step toward close.
Time-box it
Set a tight, defined duration. Open-ended pilots drift, lose sponsor attention, and rarely convert. Two to four weeks is common.
Support it actively
Do not hand over access and disappear. Check in, remove blockers, and drive toward the success criteria. A POC that fails from neglect kills the deal.
Review against criteria and close
At the end, review the results against the agreed criteria with the stakeholders, confirm the pass, and move to the purchase you already agreed on.
Common mistakes
Running a POC with no defined success criteria, so the buyer can always say it did not quite prove enough.
Not attaching a purchase decision, so a successful POC still leads to more stalling instead of a signature.
How Ardovo runs this
Ardovo turns this from a slide no one opens into how the work actually happens. The stages, exit criteria, and plays live in the deal object, and Rook flags any deal that skips a step, drafts the next artifact, and keeps the data honest, so pilots have clear success criteria and a decision date gets followed instead of forgotten.
Frequently asked questions
When should I offer a POC or pilot?
When a deal is genuinely qualified and the buyer needs proof to commit, not as a way to revive a weak deal. A POC is a closing tool for real opportunities, so reserve it for deals where a successful proof will actually trigger a purchase.
How do I keep a pilot from becoming a free trial?
Define measurable success criteria and a purchase commitment before it starts, and time-box it tightly. A POC with clear criteria and a decision attached moves the deal forward; one without either becomes an open-ended free trial that stalls indefinitely.
Who should be involved in a POC?
The technical evaluators who run it, the end users who validate the workflow, and the economic buyer who agreed the success criteria and the decision. Keeping the economic buyer connected ensures a passed POC converts rather than dying in a group that cannot approve budget.