Operating in the world of virtual sales may seem simple, but being a great online marketer requires more than just moving every meeting to a video conference.

Prepare for the meeting as if it were in person

Preparation is one of the elements of online business meetings that should not change. Meetings in person have always been an event: they included travel, hotel stays and client dinners. It also required an intensive survey of the conditions, as organizing a face-to-face meeting could be challenging, especially if you only had a chance to see key decision-makers  once or twice a year.

Now that traders are forced to work and meet remotely, they often underestimate the preparation phase. Respectively, they are unable to carry out their initial research. Before virtual meetings, it is best to first go through the mentions on the Internet and social networks, find out what clients have published and where they have been written about.

Expect the unexpected

Whether the virtual meeting is one-on-one or with a group, be prepared for any twists and turns it might take. It is much easier (mainly on the client's side) to invite someone to a virtual conference call than to get them to attend a face-to-face meeting. As a result, sellers may be surprised to find themselves part of a bigger group discussion.

That's why it's a good idea to check meeting invitations in advance to see if additional attendees have been added. Find out what their role is in advance and prepare for possible questions that you may receive from someone in their position.

Engage inactive participants

When you are facing people in a room or on a small video conference with one or two other people, they tend to be more attentive. If the group is larger than three people, some of them stop paying attention. Try to involve them in the discussion. It's a classic challenge amplified by the transition to virtual sales.

Using people's names, asking other questions, and keeping them brief are some tactics that can help. It also works well when you ask someone to summarize what they just heard in their own words. If you do this once in a meeting, everyone will be more vigilant. Others will tend to get involved and not be distracted.

Map the path

Salespeople need to be more organized in the virtual world. Sharing and tracking relevant content has always been a challenge, but it's amplified when resellers no longer interact with their activation and marketing teams in person. Create a repository for potential customer-related content - store meeting recordings and notes. This will create a digital shopping path for each customer. At the same time, keep in mind that customers themselves are starting to request a copy of meeting records so that they can return to them or share them with others who couldn't attend the meeting.

-bb-