In March of 2020 I received a mandatory meeting notification. It was an all-company meeting to discuss the corporate response to looming school shutdowns that were happening across the country, right at the beginning of our yearbook delivery season. The meeting was virtual, on Zoom, a tool I had only used once or twice. Cases of COVID-19 were on the rise, and suddenly what seemed like a bad dream became reality for millions of Americans. That year, my son’s school closed its doors on March 13, and did not open again until September. For the first time in my life, like millions of workers around the world, I navigated working from home. My third grader used my laptop in the mornings to attend Zoom class and I used it in the afternoon, often with my two-year-old on my lap, to check in with my customers and to attend the daily virtual meetings with sales management. I get exhausted just thinking about those days as I tried to understand what was happening in the world, worried about my kids’ safety, struggled with my own mental health, and was removed from friends and family. It felt ludicrous to continue with work as usual when everything seemed upside down. But, that’s what I did, along with so many people around the world. I figured out a “new normal” and did the best I could. Part of the new normal included utilizing online video conferencing more than I ever had before, and I was not alone. The video conferencing platform Zoom reported 10 million daily meeting participants in December 2019, but by April 2020 that number exploded to over 300 million daily meeting participants. Google Meet and Microsoft Teams also saw exponential growth during this time, making it more accessible than ever for meetings to take place virtually. Now, it’s common for sales professionals to guide a prospect through the entire sales process without ever meeting them in person. This presents unique challenges. So much of the art of sales is recognizing small non-verbal cues, but doing that is much more difficult over video, and it’s nearly impossible without any personal face-to-face interaction at all.
According to research from Gartner.com, “80% of B2B sales interactions with buyers will occur in digital channels by 2025.” The study goes on to say buyers enjoy the convenience of the digital sales journey over the face-to-face interaction. Buyers have unparalleled access to information. When they realize a need, they research their options and contact a sales professional when they are ready to negotiate terms. In a recent “Buyer Preferences Study,” Kornferry.com reports on how this change affects the traditional sales process: “Ideally, sellers would be involved when buyers are analyzing their needs or identifying possible solutions. But only 43% of buyers reported engaging sellers during these phases — a significant decline from 2018, when 56% of buyers engaged sellers in these phases. One in five study participants finished evaluating solutions and resolved outstanding questions on their own. Only when buyers want to negotiate deal terms and conditions, or more concerning, want to implement the solution after choosing it, do they finally decide to engage with sellers. Troublingly, the number of buyers who wait until these later stages is double the 10% reported in 2018.”
How can sales professionals connect with prospects and provide customized solutions if they never get the opportunity to meet face-to-face?
Here are four recommendations for navigating a fully digital sales process:
• Personalization is key.
Even in the digital environment, prospects expect sales professionals to know their needs and challenges. Use your prospect’s name frequently in your conversations. Reference stories and conversations they previously shared with you. Talk about their company’s unique situation. These efforts show you are invested in their success and are working to bring them meaningful solutions.
If your company has the capability, you can customize a Digital Sales Room (DSR) with pertinent information curated especially for your prospect. A DSR is a secure microsite where all the information for your sale is housed during the sales process. It is a space where sales professionals can engage, collaborate, and share valuable customized information with prospects. This online space acts as the hub for your sale and builds trust between you and your prospect.
• Bring value early in the interaction.
Your prospect likely reached out because they are already interested in your offering. Share insights or offer free resources that are directly relevant to the prospect’s needs (white papers, short trial of your product, invitation to a virtual Q&A with the CEO, etc.) This establishes you as an expert who is invested in their success rather than someone just looking to make a sale.
• Follow-up must be relevant.
With each additional touch point, provide value and reinforce the relationship. Instead of sending an email to “touch base” provide an insightful blog post about a topic of interest to your prospect. Even if they don’t read it, this shows you understand their needs and are committed to finding meaningful solutions for them.
• Be personable.
It’s even more important in this virtual environment to show your personality. The warmth of your voice, the thoughtfulness of your solutions, and the tone of your emails all remind the prospect that you are a person—not a robot.
Sales is a relational business.
At the end of the day, sales is a relational business. Whether you build rapport in person or through virtual channels, the same basic tenants apply. Be curious about your prospect’s needs, be intentional about the products and services you propose, and be a trusted resource who guides them through the buying journey. The tools may change, but the heart of sales remains the same.
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Are you a sales professional looking for support in your quest to reach the next level of your career? Connect with Rebecca Kilday on LinkedIn or Instagram for information on all things “sales,” including practical advice from seasoned professionals, hard lessons learned, and what it truly means to Sell INSPIRED.
