Virtual Selling: The New Normal

The pandemic has forced many industries and sectors to pivot and adapt to new ways of interacting with customers. One such way is moving things online. Gartner defines virtual selling as “the collection of processes and technologies by which salespeople engage with a customer remotely with both synchronous and asynchronous communications”[i].

Virtual selling or remote-based offices are not new phenomena; many of my customers have forgone the physical office in favour of remote work as this was deemed efficient and a sign of the times. The pandemic has only accelerated this trend. According to recent research by Gartner, 80% of B2B sales transactions between sellers and buyers will occur through digital channels by 2025[ii]. Furthermore, Gartner’s research suggests that sales organizations will shift resources away from seller-centric to buyer-centric interactions, while also investing in automated, digital-first engagement with customers[iii]. Therefore, the onus is on us as sellers to adapt, prepare and lead our organizations in this shift.

As you have read in previous articles, I am a huge proponent of in-person customer visits. Over the years I have learned how important face-to-face communication is to building relationships and to closing win-win partnerships. The pandemic forced me to rely on virtual tools and the challenge was how to translate my successful face-to-face selling style into high-quality virtual sales presentations.

PIVOTING TO VIRTUAL SALES

Pivoting to virtual sales presentations was a bit of trial and error for me at the beginning. I did not have the online presence I have today, nor did I have the technology I have today. It has been a steep learning curve, but as you may well know by now, I thrive on challenges.

So, I started out with what I do when faced with a new challenge; I researched and read up on virtual selling. I relied on Gartner and LinkedIn posts from sales leaders to understand the theory, and I looked to the growing online sales community to understand how they were adapting their sales techniques to the virtual world. By understanding how others were doing it, I could pick and choose the best practices and apply them and tweak my sales techniques. It has been an iterative process and I continue to learn new things each time I host a virtual sales presentation.

As with my in-person sales, I always plan for a virtual sales presentation. I make sure there is an agenda sent to participants before the meeting to serve as a clear guide. I structure the agenda so that my objectives are clear. “Zoom fatigue” is a real consideration as I plan my virtual sales presentations. In the beginning, the online meetings were a novelty, and it was fun, but within a few months, the fatigue of being on camera all day long was obvious. It is why I make a point of holding shorter meetings. It helps keep everyone focused and guarantees that I have succeeded in moving forward to the next steps to accomplish the objectives.

As with my in-person selling, I have a sales kit that I share during the presentation. To follow-up, I send this onward to my customers. It is good practice to do this as it keeps the customers engaged but also confident that the information will be readily available and can easily be referred to as the sale progresses.

I also do not leave attendance to chance and check in with the customer before a virtual sales presentation to verify which senior leaders will be available. I tailor the presentation and insert information that would be important for decision-makers to know. At the start, I found that virtual sales presentations would get passed to junior people at the customer’s office who would have to report up the chain. By ensuring that the senior leaders are present, I can be the one delivering the important information and am on hand to answer any questions. 

Virtual sales presentations also require a different kind of internal preparation. In face-to-face meetings there are natural pauses, we can read body language and can easily follow the conversation. In the online world, these helpful nuances in communication are not as obvious or are at times lost. So, I have made it a point to do quick trial runs with the colleagues who will be joining me to make sure we have our topics covered, speaking points ready, are able to address any type of customer questions, and in some cases are ready to troubleshoot should the technology fail us. For example, if I am presenting, I have a colleague taking notes and monitoring the chatbox for potential questions. Or a colleague volunteers to moderate the roundtable portion of the meeting so that I can remain focused on providing value to my customers.

I am not a fan of presentations where there is only one speaker, in this case, me. I try to recreate as much as possible the in-person sales experience during my virtual sales presentations. I keep my speaking time to 10-20% of the entire call and the rest is devoted to a roundtable discussion. To get the discussion going, I always have pointed questions ready. I also build in longer than normal pauses during a presentation to allow the customer to engage with the information I have just presented and offer any feedback or ask questions. Sometimes, I break my own rule and talk for longer than anticipated. I chalk this up to being passionate and wanting to convey my insights and my interest in the business. I think trying to keep to a specific time forces me to be concise and deliberate in what it is I want to say. This has worked for me and I find that I am better at communicating as a result. 

Build in a feedback opportunity for customers. I find this is especially important and a way to keep the customer engaged. Feedback can be negative, or it can be positive, but it is always important to get it as it can only make the next virtual sales presentation I do better.

THE UPGRADES

I mentioned earlier that when I first started the virtual sales presentations, I did not have the technology I have today. The lack of this technology made the experience unpleasant for both me and the customers. To fix this, I began investing in things that would not only improve my ability to deliver great presentations, but it would make the customer's experience considerably better.

Nothing kills the momentum quicker than a choppy video feed. I have countless examples of a frozen screen with a less than flattering image of myself starring at customers. Or the audio was delayed. A quick fix for me was to upgrade my internet service package to get the fastest download and uploads speeds. After this quick fix, I have not had to experience that dreaded frozen face. 

With virtual sales, I am always on camera. This has been an adjustment for me, as prior to the pandemic it was rare that I needed to turn my camera on. We usually had teleconference calls and I was visiting customers in-person. Now the video is what connects me to customers and replaces the in-person experience. Through my camera, I can maintain a connection with my customers and pick up on body language and tone of the conversation as mentioned in this article.

To avoid the blurry out-of-focus image, I decided to upgrade my camera as my goal is to make my virtual sales presentation as close to an in-person sales presentation as possible. I did some serious research on this and I bought the Logitech Brio 4K camera. This camera offers an improved video performance for a reasonable price. Bonus, this camera comes with a superior built-in microphone, so I not only come across crystal clear in the image but in sound as well. Speaking of sound quality, I also got myself a lavalier mic for times when I know I may be pacing or using my hands as a communication aid.  

I never really paid attention to lighting, but in doing virtual sales presentations, you cannot have a good image without proper lighting. My office is full of natural light and I always thought that this was the best type of light. But as everyone knows, the weather can change on a dime and one minute I am in a sunny room, and the next minute I am in a dark cave. I have even had a customer comment on this during a presentation. So, I got a video light kit and wow. Game changer for my virtual sales presentations. I have these lights, but a ring light can also do the trick. The main takeaway is you want consistent lighting throughout your presentation. It looks way more professional.

On a final note, I have found that I do not like to sit for virtual sales presentations. As mentioned above, I want my virtual sales presentation to be as close to the real in-person sales presentation as possible. So, I stand, and to help me with this I got a sit-stand desk that I can adjust depending on the needs of the day. I have positioned the equipment I have described in such a way that anytime I need to jump on a virtual sales call, presentation or meeting, I raise the desk and I am ready to go.

A FEW SIMPLE TRICKS

• It is one thing to have all the equipment, it is another thing to make sure it all works. Log into a video call early to make sure whatever platform I am using, Webex, Teams, or Zoom is working. I have had days where sometimes they work no problem and other days, they are glitchy or just will not load.
• I have already mentioned this, but cannot stress this enough, test the equipment with a colleague who is also attending the call. Doing this allows me to make sure that the video, audio, and lighting are all working and set.
• As hard as it sounds, talk into the camera, not the computer screen. I have really worked on this and it makes a difference with customers as they see you speaking directly to them, rather than off to the side. 
• Distractions are real and even more so since many are working from home. To mitigate, I have kept my virtual sales presentations short (30 minutes maximum) and I will have questions peppered throughout my presentation to keep my customers engaged.
• Dress professionally. Dressing well taps into my pre-presentation energy and conveys that I am serious and present with the customer.
• Finally, some calls are great to have a record of for future reference but also for me as a learning tool. If recording, I always ask for permission.

VIRTUAL SALES PRESENTATIONS ARE HERE TO STAY 

Virtual selling and the use of virtual sales presentations have taken some getting used to, but now, almost a full year in, I hardly remember what things were like before the pandemic. In sales, efficiency is key and the reliance on virtual platforms during this pandemic has highlighted the efficiencies gained by moving our work and interactions online. These efficiencies have allowed me to be more strategic with my time and more focused on how I work.

Virtual sales presentations have allowed me to continue interacting with customers, from across North America easily and frequently. Previously, it would be impossible to visit all within a short window of time and deliver a presentation. Often, I would make an annual trip and spend a day or two with each. Now, I can seamlessly interact with them all even during the same day and week. I can also honestly say that my relationships with customers have improved and I have a lot more facetime with them.

I do not know how much longer this pandemic will last. I know I am anxious to return to some semblance of what was before, interacting with customers face-to-face and attending conferences and tradeshows. However, I have learned how important it is to adapt and to make the most of things. Virtual sales have presented a modern way of selling that is definitely here to stay.

[i] Gartner_Inc. “Definition of Virtual Selling - Gartner Sales Glossary.” Gartner, www.gartner.com/en/sales/glossary/virtual-selling.

[ii] “Sales Transformation Strategies - The Future of Sales.” Gartner, www.gartner.com/en/sales/trends/future-of-sales.

[iii] Ibid.