Jeb Blount | Use Virtual Tools to Do More in Less Time With Better Outcomes

Use virtual tools to do more, in less time, with better outcomes   Out of necessity, we are moving into a digital world in which almost every step of the sales process involves the use of virtual tools. The challenge is, not all salespeople know how to use these virtual tools and it’s inhibiting sales growth.    Jeb Blount has been doing virtual sales since 2015. As he recognized the increasing need for sellers to be tech-savvy, he wrote  Virtual Selling and realized that there is so much more than integrating videos in the sales process. Virtual sales include integrating all the virtual communication tools, both the synchronous and asynchronous. The question was how to utilize all these virtual tools for sales and blend these into a viable way to sell and prospect. We say “blend” because face-to-face selling isn’t always available, especially in this season of people’s social distancing. Being able to use virtual tools makes the sales process more efficient and productive.    Virtual calls, for example, is a good prospecting technique. Instead of getting on a traditional call, try getting your potential client on a video conference.  Face-to-face offers a better opportunity to build a relationship with your prospect. You can also save time with a virtual call because you don’t have to travel for a meeting. This frees up time to manage other activities in the sales process. The more people you get to talk to, the bigger your pipeline will be. Virtual tools are starting to reshape the way we think about selling as these tools help in shortening the sales cycle and improving closing ratios.  Changes in the sales methods The great recession brought about the existence of BDR and SDR. Now, with the pandemic, the landscape of sales is changing again. We have to make changes in the process and technology is the answer. Necessity is the mother of virtual selling but not all salespeople are keen on using technology. Even Gen Zs and millennials are struggling to use technology in effectively running omnichannel. Salespeople have to learn to adapt and adjust to stay competitive.    People who are looking to go virtual have to learn new skills like email etiquette and working with a camera. Fear of being in front of the camera, and speaking to an online audience, has to be overcome.    Familiarity isn’t something that comes easy without face-to-face conversation. With people becoming more tech-savvy, however, you can achieve the same level of familiarity using social selling and personal branding. Ask prospects if they would be interested in a video call. You will be amazed by the number of clients who jump at the opportunity. Organizations need to teach their reps that virtual calling and using virtual tools for selling is the closest facsimile to face-to-face. There are now multiple ways to build and create relationships. Studies show that there is almost a 50% increase in closing when someone is able to see a face, even virtually.    Internet traffic is rising. It’s projected that in a couple of years, 86% of the traffic will come from videos. HubSpot also did a study on prospecting and video messaging. The study revealed that video messaging is a powerful virtual tool as it increases email conversation rates to 400%.    Video is king. Are you part of this selling process? #VideoSales   Learning video calls etiquette You may not be comfortable facing the camera but that can be remedied. It’s important to consider perfect framing so that your clients can see you properly. Position yourself so your clients can see your hands as trust is built when hands are visible. When you’re talking to the client, lift your hands up, make gestures, and don’t be afraid to emote with your hands. If you’re able, you can stand up. You can create depth by leaning forward or stepping back.  You can use your body to attract attention. A study revealed that people look at themselves 70% of the time when on a video call. This is something salespeople should avoid. Instead of looking at yourself, look at the camera in order to be perceived as making eye contact. Because of the limitations of video calls, you want to be mindful of projecting in a way that builds trust.  Consider investing in good quality equipment to ensure high-quality video call content. As you’re able, you can hire people to set-up your mini studio but know that you don't have to wait for that as you learn, practice, and build your skillset.    Choosing the right virtual tool for sales  Productivity comes from choosing the right communication channel that will give you your desired outcome while spending the least amount of time and energy. This current season is a good time for sales leaders and CEOs to take their entire sales process and research the best communication channels so their sales reps can meet buyers wherever they are. This would allow sales reps to be more productive, make more sales calls, and reduce the total cost of the sale.    Combining video messaging with direct messaging such as WhatsApp, Messenger, and LinkedIn will improve your chances of closing sales even more. We are at a time where we have more channels and more avenues at our disposal so build your skillset and connect with people more than ever before.    “Use virtual tools to do more, in less time, with better outcomes” episode resources Connect with Jeb Blount via LinkedIn, Twitter, and his official website. If you are interested in more sales stories, you can talk to Donald directly. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns. This episode is brought to you in part by Crmble, the easy-peasy CRM for Trello that helps you manage your contacts and leads without investing in complicated solutions, sync all your data, manage custom fields, and get powerful reporting on your sales. Try Crmble now for free at www.crmble.com/tse. This course is also brought to you in part by TSE Certified Sales Training Program. It’s a course designed to help new and struggling sellers to master the fundamentals of sales and close more deals. It will help them elevate their sales game. Sign up now and get the first two modules for free! You can go and visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals also call us at (561) 570-5077. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes so tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings to every episode you listen to. You can also read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore this huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day free trial. Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.