When I first started selling virtually, I figured I’d just use the same words, gestures, and presentation skills I did live, and voila’ – I’d have instant success! Boy was I wrong.
Taking what we do live and replicating it online simply doesn’t work. Humans are built to connect through the five senses. What happens when we can only experience another human through a screen? We miss the warmth of a firm handshake. We miss the full experience of subtle movements and body language. We often lose those little unplanned moments, the casual comments that create a closer connection that can lead us to go beyond the scheduled time frame. Often an in-person meeting, a quick meet-and-greet, can turn into something more: a lunch, a golf game, or a signing of a contract.
Research shows that empathy skills in first-generation smartphone users have dropped by 40%. Forty percent! And, empathy is the very skill needed to build trust and make sales! Think about it: digital connections are less risky, less intimate. But, it’s your ability to build relationships across the digital divide that will set you apart from the competition.
In my upcoming Master Class, The Adaptive Seller Virtual Selling Two-Part Master Class, I’ll show you how to form bonds with your clients while realizing some of the unique benefits of virtual selling.
Talk to More People in Less Time – As a society, we’re suffering from task overload. Time is the new currency, and we’re all broke. Virtual selling allows you to meet with 8-10 prospects a day compared with 2-3 when you’re busy traveling from place to place.
Work from Anywhere – Over the last decade, workplace flexibility has become a focal point, especially for millennials, who are now the nation’s largest generation in the workforce. Even Mark Zuckerberg is getting in on the action. He just announced that by 2030, at least half of Facebook’s 50,000 employees will work from home!
Access to More Stakeholders – Do you remember the expression, “A camel is a horse designed by a committee?” Increasingly, B2B buying decisions are made by a committee (an average of 11 according to research by Gartner). Virtual selling makes it easier to bring all those stakeholders together.
Wanna know more? Join me and sellers and sales leaders from across the globe on Friday, April 2nd, and Wednesday, April 21st at my Adaptive Seller Virtual Selling Two-Part Master Class. Tickets are extremely limited and this event will sell out. So what are you waiting for? Click here to get your ticket.
In the meantime, here is my virtual selling checklist for you to download and begin using right away