Over the last four months, the world has experienced a drastic change in practically every sphere of life. What has impacted the business sectors is the need to engage with their target audience in a virtually advanced setup. Though this digital advancement was gearing for change and was nearing its execution way before the pandemic, the global events today did force businesses to fasten the virtual model and embrace it as quickly as they could… some might say the virtual engagement has been setup practically overnight for a few businesses.
This kind of extensive change is challenging since it does require acclimatization and adaptation at every level. With this sudden yet positive outlook, one needs to progress to a more productive outlook, even look at their use of technology, and if need be re-consider changing their business model. Despite endless predictions on sales dipping or revenue going for a toss, some forward-thinking businesses and optimistic sales professionals think differently. They agree with the fact that this interruption is merely an opportunity for the introduction of virtual selling.
LinkedIn’s State of Sales survey which focused on B2B in the US found sales professionals are accelerating their own digital practices where 77% of respondents are having more video meetings. What’s more? 51% are sending more emails and 57% are making more phone calls. It is believed, the concept of virtual selling has quite swiftly become a normal approach to business operations and will thrive post-covid19 world.
Here’s why,
Virtual Sales Are Not Subjected to Boundaries, It Connects a Global Market
Globalization is more than just a fad, in today’s world, it is has become a necessity that is increasingly connecting the world. Consequently, sales professionals need the flexibility to engage with more customers beyond borders and nowadays are developing an extensive approach by leveraging technology to expand their reach. Initiating an effective sales strategy that works from a distance not only widens a business’s horizons but also proves to be cost-effective. Gone are the days where sales professionals were geographically within proximity of a customer. Today, businesses are choosing sales professionals based on their acumen and expertise to close deals, and not their postal code.
Recent research from McKinsey shows that the emerging economies’ share of Fortune Global 500 companies will probably jump to more than 45 percent by 2025, up from just 5 percent in 2000 and 70 percent of them will most likely come from emerging markets. That being said, the growing globalization and sales’ collaborative efforts are here to stay.
Virtual Sales Are More Viable to Changing Needs of a Consumer
To ensure a sale happens, sales professionals often track their potential customer’s changing demands and constantly need to adapt. With sales gone virtual, no longer do sales individuals arrange travel plans, initiate face-to-face meetings, or handle unforeseen changes to suit the customer’s availability— the physical presence is practically taken a backseat for good. Now the only changes that might happen are over virtual calendars and those are inexpensive and effortlessly manageable. In the current scenario and days to come, tracking the priorities of a customer, adapting to their needs, and providing a solution is far easier and less time-consuming. A smarter business model to choose, virtual sales can be made for customers in Europe being serviced by sales professionals in India, Sri Lanka, or any part of the world.
Virtual Sales Promise Constant Availability and Drives Trust
The greatest asset for a sales professional is his/her power to convince his potential buyer on how the product or service in question is exactly what they had been looking for. Now a more effective way of building that relationship and trust is having umpteen conversations, gaining in-depth knowledge, and addressing a buyer’s challenges. In a traditional setup, it can be time-consuming or even inappropriate to contact a consumer more than often to take down inputs. With virtual sales, a salesperson uses technology, initiates more conversations, can record, and refer to interactions to offer better deals and even understand a consumer’s goal.
Fool-Proof Tips for Delivering the Perfect Virtual Sales Pitch
To create a lasting impact and a fruitful outcome of a virtual sales call, you not only need to adapt to the change but also master the art of engaging a customer virtually.
- Make your first 60 seconds count: Though it may sound clichéd, the first 60 seconds can make or break your game in a virtual setup. Initiating with the value your product or service adds is a great start.
- Be Conversational: The idea that works best in virtual sales is having the ability to frame a conversation that addresses the customer’s pain points and allows you to help them. You need to be conversational and not just deliver a predefined presentation.
- Keep Them Engaged: If you dive into a sales pitch without giving your audience an element of surprise, you are bound to lose their interest. Your virtual sales call is not simply a video call, it’s the window to share marketing collateral. Be it a quick 15-second preview or an animated presentation, it is crucial to keep your customer involved.
It is more than evident that virtual sales are here to stay. Be it for businesses hiring third-party sales services to increase their sales or encouraging their own sales professionals, the virtual selling is going to be an asset. A lot of companies have come to terms with outsourcing their sales without needing to invest in skilled professionals or expensive technology tools. Keeping in mind a long-term strategy, sales professionals now need to polish their skills on technology tools and learn newer ways to entice their audience as it is quite certain that the current situation we are in today, will likely be the new normal of our future.
