Keys to Virtual Selling Success

It goes without saying, the COVID pandemic has been terrible on so many levels. But today, I want to talk about the very real impacts it has made on the way we do our jobs. 

As sales professionals, we not only need to work remotely … in fact, that’s the EASY part. What’s new … and much harder, is we now need to SELL remotely. 

Almost the entire sales cycle has shifted from a past when – sure, we were remote for early prospecting and engagement, but man, we worked quickly to close for that first FTF call, and then pushed forward with assessments, workshops, evaluations… almost all of which were on-site. And for those of us who grew accustomed to that series of events, it suddenly feels much different… and way worse. And the truth is, selling in this environment is MUCH more difficult than ever before.

As an illustration, let’s look at a sport we hold dear here in Kentucky, basketball. We are presently in the first half of the NBA Regular season, as if you could call anything regular after last year’s suspension in March and reboot in July at Walt Disney World… but, stay with me on this. Imagine you are part of a successful franchise that has at it’s anchor a remarkable power forward. Say LeBron James with the Lakers or Carl Malone with the Utah Jazz. Then suddenly, that player is injured and out for the season. Do you continue with the same game plan? Do you try to work the ball into a position that may not be ready to score? Of course not! You adapt the game plan to the conditions on the court, with the team you have today!

In the same way, we’ve all but suspended our efforts to close for FTF calls, onsite assessments, workshops and evaluations. Long gone are the days of “8 FTF calls per week” as other types of HIAs take precedence. When was the last time you set up a table top display, took your customer to lunch or invited them to golf or ANY sporting event. Of course, mileage varies, but you get the idea. We’ve essentially lost or at least diminished, a very important and effective weapon in our arsenal… the FTF interaction that not only serves to build trust, confidence and rapport with the customer, but also gives us valuable feedback to qualify and advance the deal…. And, there’s not really very much we can do about it. 

But, what we CAN do is adapt our tactics, modify our messaging, and use the tools at our disposal to engage and advance the sale, given the new conditions on the court, without the benefit of our power forward position. And that’s where I want to concentrate our time today.

So, here’s the new reality:

? Frequent handshakes have given way to occasional… and hard-earned fist bumps

? Catching someone in the office is nearly non existent, as buyers and other influencers are adapting themselves to their new working conditions from home

? Ad hoc or pre-planned over-coffee or over-lunch discussions and live in-person presentations, nearly gone replaced by phone or even better, video conferencing

? Digital research by buyers has gone into overdrive, meaning they are doing a better job than ever checking on you and checking out our company in advance.

So how do we adapt to survive and thrive in this new reality?

Let’s start with the way we can shift with EXISTING tools and skill sets, then we will get into some areas that may be completely different…. And I’m going to begin with a very yesterday approach, that is suddenly back on center stage.. the introductory email, followed by a phone call.

Now, before you get turned off by this so-yesterday approach, hear me out.

We’ve always relied on our communication skills over the phone, but now … those skills are suddenly more important than they were just nine months ago. That’s because, instead of a short conversation to set a FTF meeting, the phone call becomes ever more integral to the sales process. Plus, we may need to leapfrog past the office phone and directly to the cell phone of our customer contacts. Different, right? So, let’s unpack this in three ways:

1) Gaining Access to key influencers or decision makers

2) Engaging with them, to quickly gain their trust and confidence

3) Taking the conversation to the next level to advance the sale

As you all know, cold calling really is dead, and it wasn’t buried by the pandemic. Cold calling lost it’s effectiveness long ago, and has continued to decline year after year. But don’t confuse cold calling with making meaningful phone calls … meaning, you still need to make the call, now more than ever, but just don’t pick up the phone without first providing some context for why you, and why now! And that involves a very deliberate set of steps in advance of your first phone outreach. 

You know the drill…. Conduct your research, personalize your message and then launch a cadence that kills. What does that look like?

First, research the company and the individual you’re talking to, using all available resources. And we have access to those resources in spades:

? Company websites 

? Facebook pages for the organization as well as the individual POC

? Linkedin Company pages and individual profiles

? Discoverorg or InsideView for contact identification

? And for Federal and other public sector institutions, you may use Bloomberg Government, or Rallypoint for military contacts

Next, tailor your message in a way that’s relevant and matches of the context of your customer’s needs. We hear this all the time, but the trick lies in really doing it. For example, Lexmark Print Management has been around for years, but in 2020 we had to totally shift that solution in the DoD to enable the military’s shift form CAC enabled print release to another method, called Personal Identity Verification or PIV. So, our message shifted entirely from “We enable CAC.” to “let us help you make the transition from CAC to PIV.” And I know similar adaptations are going on with the messages delivered to your customers in Retail, Banking, Manufacturing and elsewhere. Remember, always be timely with what’s hot right now and relevant to their immediate needs… that’s the best way in.

And don’t forget to lace that messaging in your Linkedin posts, and in Tweets or even in articles you may write and post on Linkedin.

Having done all of that in advance, now you’re ready to really engage. Fire up SalesLoft and take advantage of the templates offered there by field marketing. But don’t just cut and paste… personalize each one, based on the best information you can find… again, background information about the individual and about the company or organization. In today’s world, you won’t be sitting in their office scanning photos and fixtures for hobbies and interests; instead, you will need to dig for yourself, on-line.

Adding video is a great way to improve the performance of your prospecting emails. And who doesn’t love videos? You know, just including the word “video” in an email subject line has proven to increase click-thru rates by 7-13 percent. Even more significantly, embedding a video in an email increased the email’s conversion rate by an average of 21 percent over using a static image alone. A 2020 study by Wyzowl reported that people share videos at twice the rate than any other form of content. And customers are 85% more likely to buy after watching a relevant explainer video of your product or service. 

Better still, those improved engagement benefits can play out over again and again with other potential contacts, should your primary contact forward your email around their organization.

And pay attention to your calls to action (or CTAs) at the close of every email; resist the obvious tactic of asking for a meeting too soon, but instead close for INTEREST in your early communications. Sell them on having the conversation, not looking at your solution: 

? “How does print slow down your business?” 

? “Are your employees gated by the speed of paper? 

? “Does it make sense to explore how we can help?”  

Once you’ve hit send, your work isn’t done… in fact, it’s just begun.

Remember, almost no one is in the office anymore… so, good luck trying to call their direct number and hoping they have dutifully forwarded their calls to home.. some have, but many have not. So, your job just got harder.

Call the receptionist and use these unprecedented times as a reason to gain more insight into the key players. “You know, I am really trying to reach Mr. Jones, but I am not sure he is the person responsible; could you help me?” 

It amazes me how often reps will bypass the one person in the organization who is paid to talk to everyone and has a list of names of all the key players, including their titles, direct cell phone numbers and email addresses. And if the receptionist seems unqualified or uninformed, ask for his or her supervisor, and keep going until you’ve mapped the organizational structure. And you all know the trick of offering your best guess.. “I have John Smith as jsmith at xyz.com, is that correct?”

Next, chase after the administrative assistant. Like the receptionist, many of them may be in the office, or if they are also working from home, don’t let that deter you… Ask the receptionist, “Could you please give me the contact information for his/her assistant?” Remember, the blocker can also be an incredible resource, as someone who – even now, can provide helpful information and who is consistently available to set up meetings with a person who may be very difficult to reach.

Now, let’s talk about Voice mail. Here again, mileage varies depending on your industry and relationship with the contact. There’s a lot of debate, especially when dealing with cell phones. On average, someone will call you back only 4 percent of the time. But more importantly, if you leave a good voice mail, you are setting the stage for a positive relationship, and in so doing, they will be much more likely to respond positively when they finally do answer the phone or respond to your email. But like potato chips, you should avoid the temptation to leave them with more than just one, unless there is a long period of time with no response or connection.

Let’s dig deeper into Engagement and, in particular, how to quickly earn trust and confidence without face to face engagement… no small task. The first 15-30 seconds of your first actual phone conversation is where all your advance preparation pays off. You can only make a first impression once, and – as you know, it takes only a moment for your contact to size you up and send you on your way. Be mindful, customers are often unreceptive and tend to be emotionally closed 80% of the time when called by a sales rep. This so-called “Distance Barrier” isn’t unique to selling; think of the last time you were stuck in traffic and the surprising behavior of some drivers, as they grew increasingly impatient. People often act differently behind the wheel, or on the phone, because they don’t always feel the direct connection on a personal level. And understanding their emotional state is vital to the way you engage. Remember, you are simply trying to earn the right to having the next conversation, and selling too soon can derail everything. So, instead of trying to “pull the rope” and force the customer to listen before they are ready, consider relaxing the rope a bit. Ask permission, acknowledge this may not be the best time or even the best fit. Gather insights, and Close for INTEREST. 

? “Can I send you some additional information?” 

? “Feel free to look it over and get back with me if I can help in any way.” 

It’s as easy as saying “Are you interested in learning more?”

Resist the temptation to spill all your marbles in the lobby. But of course, if the customer is game, then by all means schedule the next meeting, where the real action can take place.

In time, say a few weeks, you are back in there, pitching for a virtual meeting, and this is where you begin to gain real traction. Of course, Email and phone remain the best ways to advance to the next step, but don’t forget less conventional approaches… Linkedin Inmail – 3 times more likely to be opened, direct mail, which is often forwarded now to homes or picked up when in the office, even SMS Text where applicable. But remember, texting is perceived as highly personal and should never be used too early in the sales cycle. 

The key is to keep going, with patience, persistence and professionalism. Remember, 80% of customers eventually respond on or after the 5th attempt, so don’t give up too soon.

Suggest a specific date and time for the next call, which drives much higher response rates than other CTAs. And go heavy on the pronouns… “You, Yours, Your team” are more apt to draw response.

As I mentioned before, in our post-pandemic reality, this next step will likely not be face to face. Too bad. But it would be better if - not by phone, but instead, held as video, via MS TEAMS, Webex, GoToMeeting, Skype or Zoom video, depending which platform your customer is most comfortable using. Let them pick the platform they are most comfortable with, then we comport with their favored method – not the other way around.

As you all know, we’ve had a lot of success with industry workshops in the past, as well as assessment overviews, aimed at closing for an on-site assessment. These days, more and more customers are receptive to the idea of conducting a virtual assessment, where they send us their maps, models and usage information which they collected themselves or in combination with others. Of course, on-site assessments are the preferred method where possible, as they give us and the customer additional confidence in our proposed solution. But I encourage you to push forward with video, as that will keep the momentum going and – if done well, can facilitate the next steps.

So, let’s talk about what “Video done well” really means…

When you set the meeting, you should almost always plan to turn your Webcam on and ask the customer if they would be willing to do the same:

? “Are you comfortable turning on your video?”

? “Are you in a place where you and your colleagues can use video today?”

While there may have been resistance in the past, this has quickly become the new normal. And here’s a bonus… on average, win rates are over twice as likely when webcams are active. That’s because the distance barrier is dropped and you get the added benefits of picking up again on non-verbal cues. 

Account Managers should take the lead and set the expectations for meeting type, as well as the involvement of other team members in these virtual meetings. It is almost always a good idea to conduct a rehearsal, where roles and handoffs are clearly defined… this is even more important in a virtual world where it is easy to trip up and harder to recover.

None of us are newbies when it comes to using video, but with nearly all sales teams operating remotely these days, webcam best practices have never been more critical.

It goes without saying, every Lexmark person on the video call should dress in a professional manner (at least from the waist up), just as you would for any FTF, because this really IS FTF. Dress smart, be smart. Show up early, check your connection, and use a consistent and professional background image. No beaches or funny scenes, please. Uniformity across Lexmark attendees demonstrates good planning and a seriousness that stands out.

On the day of, I recommend a hard wire connection instead of Wifi. Turn your cell phone wi-fi to off or put in Airplane mode to preserve scarce bandwidth. If practical to do so, ask other family members to stop streaming during your customer engagement. And it’s best to disconnect streaming devices such as game systems or smart televisions. These steps will give you the best chance of having a higher quality engagement. 

For the best visual, eliminate back lighting altogether, including closing any window blinds behind you, and try to maximize the natural light in front of you. If your workspace is not conducive to natural lighting, then you may consider buying an LED or ring light to augment and give you the most clear image. And set your laptop up on a box or pedestal for eye level engagement versus the unnatural tilt we are accustomed to seeing. Mind your posture, look directly into the camera, not at your screen, and remember to smile, nod and otherwise convey that you are listening and attentive.

It’s also a good practice – once introductions have been made all around, to turn non-participant cameras off when sharing powerpoint, video or other content. That will help the transitions go more smoothly and without pixilation or disruption. And, of course, those not speaking should always mute their audio connection… and remember to unmute when it’s your turn to speak!

Now, let’s turn from how you look and come across, to what you should be looking FOR. Body language: How engaged is your buyer? Are they slumped over or leaning in, hanging on your every word? Facial expressions: How are they reacting to what you say when it comes to their pain points, customer stories, pricing, etc.? And Physical cues: Are you witnessing head nods, head shakes, and eye contact? Or do they have a blank stare? All of these cues give you valuable feedback to their emotional state and receptivity to what we have to offer.

You have hopefully had a chance to check out the resource on Elevate for the best methods to get the most benefit from your next video customer call. If not, then I strongly encourage you to do so. 

Here are some more helpful tips – beyond the mechanics, to make your video calls the best they can be:

Put first things first

Think about a successful demo flow as an upside down pyramid, where you start with the most important thing first. Your first demo point should be what you discussed most in-depth, followed by the next, and so on.

Structure your call

Successful reps approach their demos with a plan and predefined structure in mind.

Wait for the Afternoon and limit the duration of the call

When it comes to scheduling demo calls, prospects are far more likely to show up if you schedule the call between 3pm and 5pm. No show rates are far lower at the end of the date. No show rates are also lower if you book a 30 minute slot instead of 60.

Don’t Rush Pricing

Unsuccessful demos are all over the map, but often talk about pricing way too early in the call. That’s because they’re unfocused; unsuccessful demos spend 8% more time on pricing than successful demos. Successful sellers save pricing discussions for the end of the call, after they've already established value.

Nail Down Your Next Steps

Successful reps spend 13% more time scheduling next steps than their unsuccessful peers. They know it’s incredibly important to talk with the prospect about how to move the project forward together. Shorten your pitch and leave yourself enough time to work through next steps without rushing.

This brings us to another way to engage virtually, and that’s the virtual industry event. As I mentioned earlier, live events are at least temporarily suspended, and they may never come back with the same level of acceptance. So, it may be to your advantage to hop on board with live and recorded virtual events. These vary by industry, so you and your Industry Consultants may need to do your homework, but I can tell you, we’ve seen some real interest in taking our digital assets and positioning them within the microsites of these hosted events, then showing up virtually – just as you would at a live event, to make conversation and assess interest. Don’t let COVID keep you from your customer contacts.

Look, these days, our customers are still very wary of exposure to the virus and they want to get more things done digitally, and get them done while working from home. While this had always been the case with millennials and Gen Z, COVID-19 has forced older demographics, who are even more concerned about virus exposure, onboard.

Never before has it been more important for field marketing and sales to work together. Collaboration is no longer an option, but instead it's an imperative for survival. While marketing is working hard to develop new web-friendly assets, we in sales need to pick up on the prospects with lightning speed and reach them within their preferred channels of engagement. We may need to stop shining our shoes and buy a ring light or green screen. Learn to engage virtually with the same passion and zeal we previously devoted toward face-to-face meetings. Convert to virtual events with video content versus physical table top shows. And always be closing, but not for onsite FTF; nowadays for a live or pre-recorded digital experience. 

Those of us who adapt quickly will differentiate ourselves and find greater success. Those who don't will simply fail. So, the choice to adapt is yours. It will require flexibility and effort on your part, but you won’t be alone. Our sales and field marketing teams are working hard and will continue doing their best to help. We may have lost our power forward, but we still have a strong team. Together, we can do this!