The concept of virtual selling isn't new, but it took off in recent years as remote work expanded exponentially during 2020😀.

In a heartbeat, we went from-

Happy hours to virtual happy hours.

From conferences to virtual conferences

From selling to virtual selling📹

It's no wonder that modern business is an increasingly remote affair. With employees scattered across different time zones and fewer meetings to facilitate face-to-face 🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏻 interactions.

It becomes critical for salespeople to know their product line inside out and how best to use new technologies like Skype or Google Meet as necessary!

In today's market, you need to be adaptable and versatile if your business wants long-term success.

Let's explore the power of virtual selling in this post….

What is Virtual Selling?

Definition

The term "virtual selling" refers to a group of procedures and technologies through which salespeople interact with consumers remotely, often replacing in-person face-to-face conversations.

The pandemic has created a new opportunity for companies everywhere. As virtual selling allows sales teams to work with prospects in-person, 🛫traveling no longer needs to be done at every 🤝meeting; this saves time and money while increasing efficiency when it comes down to understanding each other better than before!

Put simply, virtual selling is any aspect of the sales process in which a traditional face-to-face meeting has been replaced by online technologies.

So instead of traveling out into the field and making an appearance with you or your product there at one point (which could take hours), imagine if you were able to communicate virtually through video software for less time!

In 2021, as a sales organization, you need to ask yourself these questions:

  • How ready are my teams for success🙌?
  • What can I do in the next year or two that will help prepare my sales team and give me confidence they're up for this challenge of selling 📈 virtually?
  • Who has experience teaching new ways of doing business, so we don't miss out on all those opportunities by being behind our competition?

3 Techniques for Virtual Selling You Need To Follow

Before scoring a virtual meeting with the prospects, you need to get convince the prospect that your product is worth the investment somehow! This is where video email comes in.

You can send video email from the tools you are already using like Gmail or HubSpot and send an attractive intro video to make a connection with the promising prospect.

Let's take a look at the techniques below to get a good grasp of video in virtual selling.

1. Provide Value From the 30 Seconds

Video email is a great way to connect with your customers and build relationships. It's better than a boring old wall of text messages, which can quickly feel overwhelming or spammy!

Video emails provide even more information than simply text, allowing you to connect with the recipients in person and introduce yourself.

Prospects will discover how your products will appear in reality and how fantastic a purchase might make them feel - all with a witty introduction video delivered directly to their email account.

Give your viewers a reason to stick around 🪝 by giving them something they won't find anywhere else. Give it all in 30 seconds or less with video messages!

A short and motivating introduction often sets a positive tone for the rest of the video. It's also an opportunity to give viewers some background or "why" they should care about what you have to say (e.g., "With these particular car seats, safety is no accident.").

Start by talking about how you can help them, not why they need help in general (e.g., "The best way to protect yourself from identity theft happening at work."). You should also try to end on a high point to leave watchers with something positive and worthwhile.

The best way to get a meeting with your prospects is by delivering value from the very beginning. This will provide them with an opportunity for insight and help frame what sales reps discuss throughout the video. They can see what you offer is  unique and how it solves specific needs or challenges.

2. Engage Your Prospects

You can't make a sale without first establishing a relationship with your prospects. It's important to build trust and show that you care about your prospect's needs by educating them on the benefits of what they are looking for!

According to a study by Corporate Visions - asking for input or requiring the prospect to do any activity can increase seller credibility and information recall.

So, make sure to engage your prospects with your video. Here are some different tactics you can employ when engaging a prospect while selling virtually.

9 New Sales Outreach Ideas For 2022
Learn how to contact decision makers effectively and get them interested in your product.

3. Use Screen Recorder Video or Other Visuals to Make Your Message Dynamic

It is important to note that virtual buying experiences can be highly distracting. Your sales deck needs significantly more animation; the movement of slides through information with punchy copy🚀 will help overcome this "stimulation threshold".

Screen Recorder Videos

Our research shows you need three times as many slides for the same amount of communication when talking face-to-face versus on an online platform like Skype (or other similar programs). Therefore you can use Videoform's screen recorder feature to show the demo of your product with flying colors.

What Does Virtual Selling Look Like?

Virtual selling is about more than just conducting meetings through video, but it's also an opportunity to use the latest technology and digital tools for customers' experience with you throughout different activities. Let me break down what virtual sales could look like:

1. Video Prospecting

Video prospecting is an up-and-coming trend in sales, specifically about lead generation, and it's quickly becoming one of the most effective methods for reaching prospects on their devices.

Video Prospecting

Video prospecting involves using tools like Videoform to create personalized and engaging videos.

A personalized video gives the viewer a sense of uniqueness. It can be recorded with just your webcam with no requirement for special equipment. The choices are endless with these videos, so get creative today and see how many different ways to tell stories online🙌🏻.

It is more of a one-on-one conversation between you and your prospects. They are great for marketing and sales to attract leads and close more deals faster.

When the prospect is interested in your virtual sales pitch, they will click on the "book a meeting" button or request a demo through the CTA button provided in the video.

2. Sales Meetings

Sales have been a life of compromises since the pandemic. In-person meetings have given way to virtual conversations conducted via video conferencing tools like Zoom, Meet, and Skype, all with an output tone that's professional but not too stuffy or stiff.

Sales meetings

If you're a person that normally makes their sales over the phone, it's time to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Why not use video?

Using video for virtual sales is a far better way for you to study your prospect's body language and build a more personal connection.

It is a powerful tool for connecting with people, and it might not be the same as meeting in person, but it's pretty darn close and can offer important insights to sales professionals.

Virtual sales meeting lets you see their face-to-face expressions😄, which reveals so much more than emails ever could!

3. Meeting Follow-Ups

Email follow-ups are a great way to stay in touch and check on progress. You can also use them for some lighthearted chatting, like when someone asks how your weekend was or thanks for the coffee!

Follow-up

What do you typically see during meeting follow up? Sending a follow-up video message which includes the point discussed in the previous meeting is a great way to stay on the prospect's radar.

How to Kick Start Your Virtual Selling With Video?

The use of video for marketing purposes is becoming more popular. Whether you're trying to sell your product or bring in new customers, the right footage can go a long way toward selling what it means to see the emotion on someone's face when they experience something first-hand!

It turns out video can be your best replacement for in-person interactions, with so many ways you have at capturing attention and fostering personal connections quickly.

Then, through video analytics, you can see who watched your video and how much of it they watched. This gives you insight into if the video ever actually made it to the decision-maker.

Here are the types of video that helps you kickstart your virtual selling:

1. Synchronous Video

Synchronous video communications enable a small group of participants to communicate and collaborate using audio, video, and screen sharing technologies. It is a great way to make sales calls between two parties.

Synchronous video

The video tools used for the synchronous video are:

  • Meet
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Team
  • Webex
  • Facetime

2. Asynchronous Video

In a nutshell, asynchronously recorded video is delivered like a voicemail. It's great for lighter prospecting, call follow-up, and check-ins.

Asynchronous Video

An asynchronous tool like Videoform makes it easy to create and deliver videos. It only takes minutes to make and send each video, making it more efficient than writing emails or attachments that can take up space on your pile of work.

It includes:

  • Real time delivery
  • CTA's to attract prospects
  • Facility to not be around real time like a zoom call
  • Can check video emails and reply at convenience
  • Can can be sent over emails

According to sales experts who used Videoform, video messages have helped reduce the need for lengthy emails, cold calling, and chat messages by half.

Some Virtual Selling Tips You Need To Know

It's never been easier to sell remotely. Companies are beginning to realize that embracing remote selling can lead them towards a better sales process and, ultimately, more successful employees who can build trust.

To build a resilient organization and improve business development opportunities incorporate virtual selling tips into your sales process.

1. Be Comfortable to Use Video Messages

Video messages are a great way to get your message across. They're often more engaging and personal than text-based communication, which can be useful when you need the recipient's full attention or want them to feel truly connected with you.

Video messages

VideoForm has helped Ryan, the Founder of Legitfit, realize that people are more likely to take the time out of their day to watch a video than they would be from an unannounced phone call. Now, he books meetings with prospects and close deals at record rates because his videos stand out among other sales strategies as one-of-a-kind content.

Hence, as a salesperson, it is your responsibility to master the art of sending video messages and give the prospect in conversation an opportunity to get to know you instead of forcing them to buy.

2. Train to Facilitate Virtual Meetings

Virtual meetings are becoming more popular as a way to ensure inclusivity and efficient use of time.

Train your sales team members to facilitate virtual meetings with online training on planning, distribute information for participation, and lead the discussion through creative activities. It will help keep things interactive without sacrificing efficiency.

Virtual Meetings

You can easily learn how to talk interactively with a couple of practices with your teammates in no time. You can also do this by using the team sharing feature of Videoform that helps you collaborate with other sales associates and decision-makers.

The ability to do this is essential for virtual selling, and mastering these skills can make a long-term difference when interacting with prospects online.

3. Be Results Driven

The virtual sales process is more important than ever because many companies have adopted remote work and benefit from face-to-face video interactions.

Be Prepared

You can easily get the prospects to book a meeting with video emails at their own pace and build relationships. However, once you are at the meeting, it is important to be prepared to share presentation materials:

  • Copies of past work
  • Customer testimonials
  • List of questions in case there's any confusion about what was communicated during the meeting
  • Pens and paper, so you're not scrambling around looking for something when you need to jot down some points

A well-prepared SDR is always at an advantage in virtual meetings as they have higher quality in sales conversations.

Remember, your team's success depends on having the best video quality possible. A background that blends well with your Zoom or Videoform is a must if you want to avoid getting stuck in limbo when switching between the meeting and sharing screens.

This happened to me once on a video conferencing tool, but I just kicked myself for not taking extra care of my computer's specs beforehand!

4. Master the Art of Using Visuals During the Meeting

The first time you go into a meeting in the virtual world, it can be daunting. You might not have been to one before or know what's going on.

Therefore, it is vital that you master the art of using visuals during your meetings so it won't seem intimidating for the prospect in attendance and will help move along smoothly!

Use Visuals

For example, you'll be surprised to know that salespeople who fail to use visuals cross 86%.

The best way to do this is by thinking ahead about any graphs, charts, pictures, videos, etc., which may come up in conversation and keeping it handy.

5. Build Your Questioning Skills

The ability to ask good questions is a key skill for any salesperson. This is an example of questions being asked during the trial period:

  • What do you like about this product?
  • Do you have any problems with it?
  • Have you tried anything else but found yourself unimpressed by its lack of features and quality performance level?
Questioning Skills

Just shoot a video email to catch up with the prospect in a casual yet professional way. This lets the prospect know you care about their experiences and allows you to discover any pain points.

6. Build Curiosity Into Your Presentation

Don't you want to know how your sales presentation will be different from the others? Curiosity is a natural human trait that can bring out more of someone's personality and give them an excuse to buy.

Build curiosity into your presentation by asking questions or giving a free trial even before they ask for it. So prospects have something else on their mind other than the price!

Curiosity is one of those key skills salespeople need when pitching their services. Without building intrigue into your presentation, there won't be any potential customers, which leads to fewer opportunities!

Also Read: 10 Virtual Selling Best Practices You Must Know in 2021

Does Your Virtual Selling Process Need Work?

If you are looking to improve your sales, it may be time to take a look at your virtual selling process.

Marketing research shows that the most successful companies in this space have good customer service and follow-up with their customers after they buy or inquire about products.

If you need help getting started improving your marketing strategy with video, contact us today for professional guidance. We can help you create an actionable plan that will produce better results than what you are currently achieving on your own!

Use Videoform to connect with prospects in a more personal way and close sales. It is better than sending blank text-only messages that just get ignored.

If you are ready for the new reality of virtual selling, sign up for VideoForm with a free trial and see if it fits your sales needs.