Jun 20236 min read

4 Essential Aspects for Preparing a Virtual Sales Meeting

Virtual sales meetings have become the norm. They've redefined how customer interactions and salesmanship work, opening up a new playing field with its own set of rules. To thrive in this virtual selling landscape, you'll need a unique approach and an updated skill set.

To conduct a successful virtual sales meeting, it's paramount to thoroughly understand your prospect and their industry. It’s equally important to have well-prepared resources at hand during the call. You also need to make sure your environment helps you to succeed.

Let's embark on this journey to uncover best practices for your next online sales meeting.

Do Your Research and Prepare Relevant Materials

According to a report by RAIN group on Virtual Selling Skills & Challenges, being unprepared is one of the most common mistakes that salespeople make in a virtual selling environment. Being well-prepared gives you the best chance of making a positive impression and standing out from the crowd.

virtual-sales-meeting

Here are the top 5 mistakes to avoid in online sales meetings:

1) Having difficulties with the technology
2) Using bad presentations or none at all during online meetings
3) Being unresponsive to questions or concerns
4) Not being prepared
5) Having bad presentation skills

Luckily all of the above are easy to avoid by simply putting a little bit of effort into preparing for your virtual meeting.

1) Get to Know the Person and Company You’re Meeting with

In your role as a sales professional, deep dive into your potential customer's profile, identify their pain points, and understand what solutions they would value. This isn't just a best practice; it's a vital part of sales success. Buyers' decisions are significantly influenced by the behavior of the salesperson. Below are the top four factors that have an effect on the buying decision process.

Does the salesperson understand my concerns, intentions, and needs?
Can they show me what’s possible or how to solve my problem?
Are they listening to me?
Can they clearly demonstrate what the return on investment (ROI) is?

These factors underline the importance of tailoring your approach based on an in-depth understanding of your prospect. By demonstrating that you're familiar with their unique challenges, you foster trust in the solutions you offer.

👉 So you can truly and effectively identify your buyer's needs, check out our guide about Customer Needs Analysis: Converting Challenges into Solutions →

2) Tailor your Presentation to the Unique Challenges of your Prospect

Creating an engaging sales presentation is the next step. However, with the stats in mind, it's clear that your pitch should not only tell a compelling story but also highlight potential solutions to your prospect's problems, reflect their needs and intentions, and clearly articulate the ROI.

Keeping your presentation simple and clean is a best practice. Make sure to engage with your audience and to ask questions. Essentially you should aim to have a conversation with your prospect and your presentation should help you guide the conversation - not distract them from it.

Learn more about how Showell can help to tailor your presentation easily →

How to Tailor Your Sales Presentation to Meet the Needs of Your Audience

If you use a standard deck with dozens of slides about your company and how great you are, chances are the person you’re meeting with will lose interest. The presentation should be short and sweet and based on the needs of your prospect/customer. It should provide a solution to their problem and clearly communicate the ROI of your solution.

Listening

The Importance of Listening

Equally important is your ability to listen. Virtual selling requires a keen sense of attentiveness. Let your prospect express their thoughts, ask questions, and show genuine interest in their responses. This interaction builds rapport, shows empathy, and promotes a positive customer experience.

Be Ready to React to Any Topic That Arises During The Meeting

Preparing a tailored slide deck and being prepared to discuss certain topics will get you far. But to go the extra mile, you should also be prepared to react to surprising questions or requirements during the meeting. Having easy access to all of your sales and marketing materials is a must. You need to be able to easily pull the requested information on the call. Finding the information after the call and sending over an email is an unnecessary step for your sales process that can be easily eliminated.

3) Control Your Environment and Professional Appearance

The impression you make in a virtual sales meeting is significantly shaped by your environment and appearance. It's crucial to ensure your environment is clean, clutter-free, and appropriately lit. Aim for a calm, neutral background to maintain focus on you and your message.

Here are practical tips to ensure you come across as professional in your virtual meetings:

Check Your Environment and Equipment

Camera: Use a high-quality webcam if available. Set your camera at eye level to simulate direct eye contact.
Audio: Use a good headset or an external microphone. Laptop mics are often not very good.
Background: A clean, uncluttered real-life background often looks more professional than a virtual one.
Lighting: The best lighting setup is to have the main light source in front of you. Avoid light coming behind you as it causes the camera to reduce the exposure and makes you look blurred.

Test your setup, dress for success, and be engaged on the call

Test your equipment beforehand: Hop on a call with a colleague to make sure your audio is crisp, the video is clear, you’re positioned correctly and your background is not distracting.
Dress Appropriately: Your appearance should mirror the professionalism of an in-person meeting.
Keep Eye Contact: Stay centered in the frame and look at the camera when speaking to simulate eye contact.

4)Have Sales Materials Always Ready for Virtual Sales Meetings

Being prepared goes beyond knowing your prospect and their industry. It also involves having your sales materials at your fingertips, ready to share at a moment's notice.

Here's why this practice is vital:

Adaptability: Virtual sales meetings are often fluid, with conversations shifting and evolving based on the prospect's feedback. Having a suite of sales materials ready allows you to pivot swiftly, showcasing relevant content that addresses your prospect's concerns as they arise.

Credibility: Nothing undermines your professionalism like scrambling to find a piece of content during a live call. On the other hand, smoothly pulling up the right material at the right time enhances your credibility and underscores your preparedness.

Efficiency: Time is of the essence in any sales interaction. Being able to instantly access your sales materials streamlines the meeting, making it more efficient and respectful of your prospect's time.

Engagement: Well-prepared sales materials - be it slides, videos, infographics, or case studies - can significantly boost engagement. They provide visual and cognitive breaks from monotonous discussion, stimulate interest, and aid comprehension.

Given these reasons, it's wise to invest time in organizing your sales materials in a way that's easy to navigate during a virtual sales meeting. It's not just about being prepared; it's about being proactive, ensuring that whatever turn the conversation takes, you're always one step ahead.

To summarize

Success in the arena of virtual selling requires meticulous preparation. Understanding your prospect, having materials available, tailoring your presentation, controlling your environment, and presenting yourself professionally lay the groundwork for a winning virtual sales meeting.

Ready to apply these insights to your next online sales meeting?

At Showell, we understand the power of a compelling sales presentation. Book a demo to talk with a Sales Enablement expert and experience how our platform can elevate your virtual sales meetings and help you avoid common pitfalls.

Take control of your virtual selling experience and watch your sales soar.

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