Mastering the Art of Hybrid Virtual Selling: Thriving in Today's Sales Landscape

During delivering a Live Virtual Workshop on Strategic Selling to CxO in my role and responsibility, Priscilla, a participant with over 20+ years of client-facing experience said, “Let’s get this over training. I got to get back to visiting my clients as usual.” In today’s environment, comments like these are not uncommon – reluctance to change is a constant of human behaviour and the world of hybrid selling is challenging for even veteran sellers. At the end of another LVC session on the Insights and business models, Peter, a sales representative, commented, “In our work, in-person meetings are all you need, all these tools, links and resources (you just showed us) are no good.” The number of people resistant to virtual selling in the last several months has soared to new heights, but this is not a sustainable mindset for the future.

Absolutely, it's understandable that some participants may feel reluctant or resistant to transitioning to virtual selling, especially when they have a long history of in-person client interactions. The world of selling has evolved and is evolving, and adapting to virtual selling is becoming increasingly important. Here are some of my key points to address in response to these comments:

Hybrid Virtual selling in today’s environment

Virtual selling is not new. What is new is the speed at which it is being adopted under the current circumstances – at some organizations, by force, and at others, with great reluctance, as in the examples of Priscilla and Peter respectively. Mindsets like theirs are present in all sales organizations and purchase departments and represent the innate human response to a perceived threat, fight or flight.?

The person will either take flight, mentally checking out, experiencing denial, and waiting for the storm to pass, or they will fight, taking action to sell virtually, but longing for things to be “back to normal”. These Salespeople don’t realize that virtual selling is here to stay and that its adoption cycle has shortened. In fact, virtual selling can be a significant advantage if they get a few things right. Welcome to the world of Hybrid Selling, where Salespeople strategically mix face-to-face with virtual client interactions to boost their productivity and results.

Does this imply that, once the physical access to clients is back, Salespeople will hardly leave the office? Nope. Or will building a great business relationship with new and potential clients happen online with the same effectiveness? Also, no. Still, looking ahead to the future of Salespeople like Priscilla and Peter, it is easy to picture them being outperformed by more dynamic colleagues, those who keep using hybrid virtual selling as another weapon in their arsenal, to make an impact. Question - But how?

Thinking of how to embrace the Hybrid Selling, here are my 12 rules of engagement. Here's how You, the Sales and Consultant professional, can do it:

• Embrace Hybrid Selling: As mentioned above, the future of sales likely involves a hybrid approach that combines both virtual and in-person interactions. You should be open to blending these approaches strategically.
• Continuous Learning: Encourage you to invest in continuous learning. Be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in virtual selling, such as effective use of virtual tools, online presentation skills, and virtual relationship building.
• Leverage Technology: You should become proficient in using technology and virtual selling platforms. This includes understanding how to conduct engaging virtual meetings, use sales enablement tools, and analyze digital data for insights.
• Maintain Relationship Building: While virtual selling offers efficiency, it's important not to sacrifice the human element of building relationships. You should find ways to establish rapport and trust in virtual interactions.
• Adapt to Client Preferences: Recognize that different clients may have varying preferences for virtual or in-person meetings. Being flexible and responsive to these preferences is key. Flex your muscles to adapt and adopt.
• Effective Communication: You should focus on clear and effective communication in virtual settings. This includes active listening, asking relevant questions, and providing tailored solutions.
• Strategic Use of Resources: You can strategically use virtual tools to streamline processes, increase reach, and enhance client engagement. For instance, webinars, virtual product demonstrations, and online proposal presentations can be powerful resources.
• Measure and Adapt: Encourage you and sales teams to track the virtual selling effort and effectiveness, and make data-driven adjustments. Analyzing what works and what doesn't is essential for improvement.
• Collaborative Learning: Foster a culture of collaborative learning where you and sales teams share best practices and insights related to virtual selling. Peer-to-peer support can accelerate adaptation.
• Resilience and Agility: Help yourself to develop resilience and adaptability. The sales landscape will continue to evolve, and being agile in response to change is a valuable skill.
• Long-Term Perspective: Encourage yourself and your team professionals to adopt a long-term perspective. Virtual selling isn't a temporary solution but a significant aspect of the future of sales. Start with with the change in you.
• Client-Centric Approach: Remind yourself that the client's needs and preferences should guide your approach, whether virtual or in-person. Client-centricity remains paramount. That's the key.

In summary, while hybrid virtual selling is here to stay, it doesn't mean that in-person interactions will become obsolete. Salespeople and Consultants should prepare for a hybrid selling environment, where they strategically blend virtual and in-person approaches based on client needs. Those who adapt, embrace technology and prioritize client relationships in this evolving landscape will be well-positioned for success in the future of sales. Have you already transformed to Hybrid mode, or on the path of transformation, or missing the light to transform? Answer - after it takes, time is short and don’t stand to be outperformed by other dynamic colleagues.

Dear Esteemed Colleagues Victor Femi-Fred, FIMC, CMC Suleiman Shaik Krishnan Nair Vinod Kumar Thekkepat Suresh Iyer Hwan Seung Yang Tim Kelpsas Neha Gopal (neha.bh3) Claire Lamb Alok Kejriwal Yousef Abdul Qader Bronyck Stokes Horrigan Bridget King Kowdinya Kumar Dharmavarapu ( DK) Li Li Chua Ramanathan T (Rama) Venkat Ramaswamy Hamel Shah Ana Paula De Jesus Assis Sandeep Menon Surag Menon Sanjay Naidu Hemanth Kumar M. Harbinder Singh Vaidyanathan (Vinod) Venkataraman Suresh Jayanthi Tariq Ahmad - please do add your views and insights. Cheers!