With the advent of the pandemic, selling methods have obviously changed in one big way: because of covid restrictions, most of the selling is being conducted virtually, over videoconferencing or even the phone.
This month we are exploring the ways in which selling has changed in this new environment, and ways in which it has definitely stayed the same.
In this new environment, you should allow yourself a bit of freedom to adjust to it. The steps we have provided in the blogs earlier this month should allow you that freedom and arm you with enough confidence to begin winning in virtual selling. When you have gained that confidence, you should then focus on being flexible.
Vision in Flexibility
What does being flexible mean in this context? It means being able to tell when your presentation is going well, or not. When it is going well, you should capitalize on it, when you can, and even acknowledge the fact that it is going well with the participants in your meeting.
Conversely, you should also be able to know when the presentation is not going well—and this is where that vital flexibility kicks in. When a presentation is not happening as it should, you need to be able to pivot and take things in a different direction.
Second Level of Preparation
As noted in our last blog post on preparation, research is crucial when preparing for a presentation, and in fact, is the foundation for that presentation.
From that research, you should also be able to predict any possible negative reaction to that presentation, which could happen. That prediction will pave the way for an alternative presentation direction, should it be required.
For example, we discussed in the last blog that your research, as much as possible, should include what your product or service will address with the prospect.
Following along this line, you might have prepared your presentation to address the basic issues that your product or service will handle within your prospect company.
But perhaps you suspect that they already have a competing product that addresses these issues, which they are not happy with. You were not able to confirm this in your research, so you want to be prepared for it if it comes up during the presentation. If it does, you can then switch to “plan B.”
Drilling the Second Level
Just as you drilled the presentation itself, so should you drill this alternative—or more than one if you think it might be needed.
Once a presenter has prepared and has the initial presentation down well through drilling, those drilling with the presenter can throw in comments or questions that indicate that the presentation might not be going so well, and the presenter can then go in the alternate direction.
For the possible alternative presentation, you should prepare graphics, charts, or graphs as needed, too, just as you did for the primary presentation.
So, in this new virtual selling environment—learn to be flexible!
