Have you ever tried to make a sale over a zoom call but found it difficult to communicate effectively and build trust? Having a computer screen between you and your next sale adds an extra layer of difficulty, but fortunately, there’s some things you can do to help you get better at closing sales virtually. In this article, we’ll provide you with strategies that we use to shorten the sales cycle and close more deals virtually.
Think about it – if you and your team are not leveraging the latest tools and tactics you’re missing out on potential sales and leaving money on the table. So, buckle up, get ready to learn, and let’s dive into the best virtual sales strategies to help you crush your sales goals!
In particular, you’ll learn:
What are Virtual Sales?
Virtual sales, also known as virtual selling, involves integrating video technology into the sales process. This can range from conducting sales meetings over a video platform to using AI-powered chatbots, self-selection tools, and video resources for sales enablement.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual selling has become more common and widely accepted due to a shift in workplace arrangements.
Telehealth visits, online education, and remote work have all become the norm, and the same goes for sales. Buyers have become accustomed to connecting virtually, and they now prefer it. According to research from McKinsey, only about 20% of B2B buyers say they want in-person sales to return.
But why is virtual selling so effective?
For starters, it allows businesses to reach a wider audience without the constraints of geographic location or physical storefronts. It also saves costs, as businesses can avoid expenses related to travel, physical stores/offices, and other overhead costs.
Moreover, virtual selling enables businesses to provide a personalised experience to their customers through digital education. With the use of video resources and other digital tools, businesses can also educate their customers about their products and services, thus increasing their trust and confidence in the brand.
Virtual Sales Strategies
To succeed in the world of virtual selling, it’s crucial to have solid virtual sales strategies in place.
Here are some effective strategies to consider:
- Provide your sales team with the right equipment
- Train everyone on how to use the technology you provide
- Role play
- Establish the CRM as your single source of truth
- Record the call
- Request all cameras to be on
- Use lighting and framing to improve your appearance
- State the purpose of the call
- Don’t overshare your screen
- End with clear direction
Let’s discuss these in more depth.
Provide your team with the right equipment
It’s essential to provide your sales team with the right equipment to conduct virtual sales effectively. It might not be possible for you to get the best equipment out there, but it’s worth investing in high-quality webcams, microphones, and headsets. If possible, you should also ensure that your team has access to a reliable high-speed internet connection.
Here’s some equipment you might want to invest in:
- Camera: Logitech c920s pro hd
- Mic: Blue Yeti USB Microphone
- Headset: Jabra Evolve 2
Train everyone on how to use the technology you provide
It’s not enough to simply provide the equipment – you must also train your sales team on how to use it effectively. This includes training on the video platform you use for virtual sales, as well as any other software or tools your team will be using. Don’t assume everyone knows how to work a laptop, webcam and video call software. Take time in training your team to use the technology you provide and you’ll ensure that your prospects have the best possible virtual experience with your sales team.
Role play
On sales calls, we will come across objections and receive a mix of positive and negative responses. This forces us over time to develop our skills in setting the scene, objection handling, talking points and more.
Roleplays with your colleagues are crucial and allow you to hone in and sharpen those skills. Rather than try a new talking track in front of your prospects, you’re testing it out with your colleagues instead. They’re great for getting feedback from different perspectives in real-time, and you also learn new skills at a much faster pace!
The confidence we gain from repetition allows us to perform better in our sales calls, which impacts our communication as a whole, since a large part of what we communicate is not necessarily what we say, but how we say it.
Establish the CRM as the single source of truth
We know that constant learning and improvement is core to building and maintaining a strong sales team. One way you can do this is by recording all sales calls, notes and history, so that your sales team can access this and learn – both from their wins and their losses.
That’s why it’s absolutely essential for your CRM to be viewed as your team’s single source of truth. What does this mean?
It means holding your sales team accountable to using the CRM for tracking, recording and managing their sales deals. It’s a two-fold effect, where you’re able to track your teams performance and subsequently identify if and where they need support and training.
Record the call
It’s easy to opt out of doing this, but it’s the single most important part of successful virtual sales! Why, you ask? Because recording the call allows you to:
- Review the call and identify areas for improvement
- Keep a record of important information discussed during the call
- Give all team members visibility into the sales process
Focus on creating a culture where recording calls is normalised, otherwise you’ll be missing out on one of the greatest benefits of virtual sales.
It’s important to note that creating the right culture around call recording is crucial. It should be positioned in a way where the team understands and knows that it’s to help the team’s overall growth, rather than micro-manage.
All cameras should be on
When on a virtual sales call, it’s crucial that everyone has their cameras on. It’s fundamental in establishing a personal connection with that person and building trust. How would you feel if someone you couldn’t see was asking you to spend $1000? I’m sure you’d be far less skeptical and more trusting if you could see their face.
Studies show that when both cameras are on, close rates are about 40% higher.
You can ensure this happens by asking ahead of time in an email. Explain why you need their camera to be on. Say something like “We need to see each other to get to know each other, and so that I can see that you’re fully understanding some of the complex things I’ll be showing you, to prevent us from making any mistakes.”
Use lighting and framing to improve your appearance
Lighting and framing are also essential factors to consider when conducting virtual sales. Good lighting can help to make your team look more professional and presentable, while proper framing can help to eliminate distractions and keep the focus on the sales conversation. These little one percenters contribute to establishing you as the authoritative leader and expert in the call.
State the purpose of the call
At the beginning of the virtual sales call, it’s important to clearly state the purpose of the call. This helps to set expectations and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Don’t overshare your screen
While screen sharing can be a useful tool for virtual sales, it’s important not to overshare your screen. It’s a sales call, so you don’t want to spend the entire time with your prospect looking at a screen. You want to spend a good amount of time actually selling to your client, which happens when you talk to them face to face (virtually that is).
End with clear direction
Finally, it’s important to end the virtual sales call with a clear direction on next steps. This could include scheduling a follow-up call, sending additional information, or moving the customer along in the sales process. By providing clear direction, you help to keep the sales process moving forward and increase the likelihood of a successful sale.
How to Shorten the Sales Cycle when using Virtual Sales Meetings
In order to generate more sales revenue, there’s two metrics you should focus on:
- Increasing sales close rates
- Shortening the sales cycle
The sales cycle is the average length of time it takes to close a deal from the moment it enters the sales pipeline. By shortening the sales cycle, you can save sales reps time and close more deals in the same amount of time.
How exactly can you shorten the sales cycle when all of our sales conversations are happening over a virtual Zoom call and emails?
Make your sales email a video
In today’s fast-paced business world, people don’t have time to read long emails, furthermore, they don’t want toInstead, send a short video email introducing yourself and your product or service.
Videos are a fantastic way to establish a personal connection with the prospect and make a lasting impression. Plus, studies show that video emails with the right subject lines can increase open rates and click-through rates.
You can use a video recording software like Loom or Vidyard to help you with this.
Use better subject lines (Hint: use “video” in your subject line)
Your subject line is the first thing a prospect sees in their inbox, so make it count. Use clear, concise language that conveys the value of your offer. Avoid generic or spammy-sounding subject lines that are likely to be ignored or deleted. And don’t be afraid to test different subject lines to see what resonates with your audience.
One thing you might want to try is to mention the word “video” in your subject line. Did you know that merely mentioning the word video in an email subject line increases the open rate by 19%?
The word “video” in an email subject line can increase open rates by 19% and click rates inside the email by 65% (Campaign Monitor)
Use Assignment Selling
One of the most effective ways to shorten the sales cycle is to use Assignment Selling. Assignment Selling is part of the ‘They Ask, You Answer’ framework and is when we assign “homework” to our prospects in the form of educational blog articles or videos anytime during the sales cycle.
Assignment Selling can be implemented at various stages of the sales cycle; before the first sales call, after the first sales call, before a deal is signed, and so on.
Here’s an example:
“Hi, Harry! I’m looking forward to meeting with you next Wednesday. I’ve attached a guide to read before our meeting that will answer all your questions in advance and go over options you need to consider.
This way, when we meet, we can make the most of our time together and focus on your specific needs. If you can’t read this before our meeting, let me know and I will reschedule for a better time. Can you confirm you’re able to do this before Wednesday?”
Assignment Selling has a bunch of positive effects, including:
- More sales because you’re now a trusted advisor, no a salesy salesperson
- Saves time on educating your prospects
- Strengthens good-fit leads and weeds out bad-fit prospects
- Increases close rates and shortens the sales cycle
Ultimately, if you want to shorten the sales cycle, Assignment Selling is the single most effective way to do so. Learn more about how you can implement Assignment Selling as part of your sales process in our Comprehensive Assignment Selling Article.
So, what’s next?
Now that you’ve familiarised yourself with these strategies, it’s time to go out and close some deals over a zoom call!. When you jump on your next virtual sales call, remember to:
- Provide your sales team with the right equipment
- Train everyone on how to use the technology you provide
- Practice by using roleplay
- Establish the CRM as your single source of truth
- Record the call
- Make sure all cameras are on
- Use lighting and framing to improve your appearance
- State the purpose of the call
- Don’t overshare your screen
- End with clear direction
- Use Assignment Selling before and after the call
If you liked this article and if you want to close more deals, you might be interested in these: