Virtual selling on Zoom or in-person selling?

This is a question that did not even exist a few years ago. The idea of calling clients and leads online instead of going to their offices was considered blasphemy. Clients used to respond very negatively. It used to signal you don’t even care to come to my office to present your services or goods. Just until a few years ago, the recommendation would have been a straight no. Avoid virtual selling at any cost! Show your clients that you care for their business. Go there. Build real rapport.

However, one thing happened that changed the sales context: COVID. COVID altered all our habits and made it normal, sometimes even preferred, to have virtual conversations. If you think about it, virtual work existed way before the pandemic, and yet all companies were extremely reluctant to embrace it. A few months later, people adjusted to the necessity until the emergency became the norm. Workers have become so comfortable with virtual environments that now they are a priority when choosing to accept or reject certain job offers.

Buyers have changed ever since. They are used to having a good portion of their meetings online every day. They enjoy the comforts of having meetings from home. They love the efficiency of virtual meetings, where less time is spent on pleasantries, and we go straight to business. They learned to pay more attention. Before, after a few minutes, people would experience mental fatigue. Now, it seems people experience more fatigue during in-person meetings. The new generations are used to consuming information via screens. Paradoxically, their attention span might be lower with in-person meetings than with virtual meetings. Yes, the world has changed, and buyers are now welcoming virtual meetings more than ever.

Virtual meetings are exquisitely cost-efficient for your company and save you plenty of time wasted in traffic. You could have way more videocalls than in-person calls in one day. Needless to say, you can reach out to far prospects that geographic distance would otherwise render impossible to reach. The technical functionalities of multiple videoconferencing software now render the conversation quite enjoyable and interactive. You can solicit questions via chat. You also allow buyer managers to come and leave the meeting without the discomfort of having to leave the room. In addition, buyer managers can connect from their offices, their homes, and their hotels. You don’t need to gather everyone in the same room. Virtual meetings make it easier for you and easier for many buyers.

Now, the disadvantages of virtual selling are still present, so we need to be careful. Personal connections are much more difficult to establish. It does not work when you need physical product demonstrations. Buyers feel a little bit of discomfort with privacy and security concerns. Last, buyers want to feel considered and appreciate that you are willing to spend time and effort to go to their offices.

Solutions?

First, don’t impose the virtual option. Let the clients choose between virtual and in-person modalities. You show that you are available if they care to build personal rapport. If they prefer the efficiency of the virtual call, you welcome the possibility.

Second, keep the virtual modality for the early meetings and move to an in-person modality when the relationship is warm enough. When things start getting serious, you need to have face-to-face interactions.

Third, invest in technology to make a stronger virtual experience. Online, the screen becomes more important. You appear in a small window on the side. You cannot rely on your presence to fill the room. You need a powerful and stimulating presentation.

Fourth, constantly ask questions and involve the buyers. In the room, you can easily gauge the buyers’ interest. From their expressed interest, you can adjust your conversation by stressing major points while quickly moving on when you perceive lower interest. It is more difficult to gauge interest virtually, so you need to constantly involve buyers.

Conclusion: virtual selling is good, but only if used parsimoniously and as a complement to in-person selling.

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