3 Tips To Improving Your Virtual Sales

By Jennifer Bleam, MSP Sales Revolution

Many of us have been thrown into the world of virtual selling without any training or advice. Selling in a virtual environment is different from in-person selling. It is important to recognize the differences and adjust to those variations, so your close rate doesn’t suffer a drastic hit.

Body Language

During a face-to-face sales call, an expert salesperson can pick up on non-verbal cues that indicate running out of time (glancing at a watch,) boredom (staring into space,) or simply nods of agreement. A sales leader can adjust to each of these things…but not in a virtual environment: these cues are no longer visible.

To combat the lack of visible indications, you must adjust. Vary the pace of your speech frequently; add “slightly longer than comfortable” pauses. Both tactics serve to keep the audience’s attention. You should also pause much more frequently for questions, feedback, and thoughts. Plan where these attention grabbers will happen, and how you will cement your audience’s attention.

Create Friction

Because your prospects are sitting in a chair all day, their energy levels drop. Be cautious, because as energy levels drop, their emotional levels drop as well. This is a problem in sales because sales decisions require emotion.

Make your audience move. This forces them to engage, which causes their energy to increase. Brainstorm several ways to create “friction.” Ask them to take notes, draw a sketch, or write things down. Some ideas include:

• Ask them to jot down the steps in your sales process, discovery process, or onboarding plan.
• Explain the main three things that make you different and prompt them by saying, “You’ll definitely want to write these down.”
• Identify a place in your sales presentation where you can compare two things (two types of support offerings; two types of support providers; two types of salesperson; two approaches to backup; etc.) Direct them to create two columns. And guide them through adding a title to each column; the prospect will automatically start filling in the columns as you are talking.

This tactic keeps your prospect from being lulled into a stupor from listening to a talking head in yet another online meeting.

Technology

Be sure to send a meeting agenda before critical meetings. State what technology you’ll be using, so your prospect can be prepared. Will you be using video, computer audio, or phone? Should they be prepared to share their screen, or view yours? State what Plan B is if either of you run into technology gremlins.

Control your environment and technology. Be early to the meeting, so you have time to mentally prepare. If you are comfortable and confident, your prospects will relax and trust you. Remember that details matter. Approach this virtual sales call like you would approach a selling situation in a conference room. For example, if you wouldn’t show up in a dirty t-shirt in the physical world, don’t do it for a virtual meeting. If you turn off cell phone reminders and close your email during an in-person sales meeting, do the same for a virtual sales call.

This is still a sales situation, and your goal is to close the deal or move the opportunity forward. That means that you should consider the angle of your camera, the lighting, and the background. Sit up straight, look straight into the camera lens (not the screen,) and show up as a sales leader.

As we navigate this new world of virtual selling, be flexible, and give yourself some grace. Recognize the differences between face-to-face sales and virtual sales. You’ll adjust to this new situation quickly and realize that the fundamental sales strategies are still effective.

About The Author

Jennifer Bleam is the owner and founder of MSP Sales Revolution.