Mike Schultz's Blog, page 19

How to Tackle the Top 8 Virtual Selling Challenges [SlideShare]

The RAIN Group Center for Sales Research has kept its finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the world of sales as we transition to virtual selling.

Since beginning our research in Q2 2020, we’ve surveyed 528 sellers and buyers on their virtual buying and selling experiences.

Our analysis has uncovered the top challenges of virtual selling, many of which buyers themselves have said are a deciding factor for purchase decisions.

In the presentation below, we share the top challenges sellers face as they transition to virtual selling and how to tackle them.

One Thing Top Sales People Get Right (and How to Stop Talking So Much)

"Willy: I don't know why—I can't stop myself— I talk too much. A man oughta come in with a few words. Charlie's a man of few words, and they respect him.

Linda: You don't talk too much, you're just lively."

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

We all have sympathy for poor Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. He knew he talked too much, but he couldn't figure out why. And he couldn't stop talking too much even though he wanted to be like Charlie, a man of few words, who was respected by all.

Let's face it: salespeople talk too much.

Virtual Training Won't Work Here

In a meeting with a top sales officer at a large company just before Coronavirus, we were discussing virtual training. He said, “I’m just not into virtual training.”

I asked, “Why’s that?”

He responded, “It can be really challenging, from a seller’s perspective, to make it relevant in their world. Having them sit in front of a computer screen with content fed at them isn't a dynamic learning experience. I don’t see our sellers doing that or getting anything out of it.”

New Book! Virtual Selling: How to Build Relationships, Differentiate, and Win Sales Remotely

2020 has flipped sales on its head and driven unprecedented levels of virtual interaction. Sellers are faced with more challenges than ever.

You can’t sell the same way you did before. You need to adapt, pivot, and change almost everything you did previously. If you want to thrive in sales today, it'll require you to transition to the new world of selling virtually, and take the "new norm" by storm.

Whether you’ve been in sales for years or you’re just starting out, learning how to sell remotely can feel intimidating.

Sales Prospecting Offers: 6 Proven Approaches for Generating Meetings

Value is at the center of all sales activities, including prospecting.

Often, discussions with our clients about buyers value focus on the reasons that buyers ultimately buy from you, using the 4 Whys:

Why act?
Why now?
Why us?
Why trust?

Virtual Sales Skills & Challenges: 18 Need-to-Know Stats

Developing relationships, collaborating online, leading virtual sales conversations, gaining and keeping attention, leveraging technology, making the ROI case, delivering value—these are challenging regardless of the selling and economic environment.

But are they more difficult in a down economy while many sellers are transitioning to virtual sales? Are some sales skills more difficult to apply than others in a virtual environment? Where are sellers succeeding and failing according to buyers today?

Want to Build Greater Rapport Virtually? Do This One Thing

88% of sellers find developing relationships virtually challenging. It’s one of the biggest challenges sellers face today.

Many sellers lament that it’s just not the same as meeting someone face-to-face. They struggle to connect and build trust.

Fortunately, it’s possible to develop strong relationships even when you can't connect with buyers in person. 

One of the easiest ways?

Virtual Training Best Practices: How to Get and Keep Attention and Engagement

Engagement Threshold (noun): The point at which attention is captured and maintained, and below which is lost.

We teach the concept of the engagement threshold to sellers that need to hold buyers’ attention in virtual sales meetings.

When we teach it to sellers, we need to gain and keep their attention.

It’s never been easy, but in a virtual environment, it’s significantly more difficult.

Complimentary Report: Virtual Selling Skills & Challenges

What are the top challenges sellers face as they transition to virtual selling?

How effective are sellers in the virtual space?

What factors have the greatest influence on buyers' purchase decisions when buying virtually?

Make the Transition to Virtual Training: 3 Keys to Success

Since the global pandemic of 2020 began, virtual training has become imperative. But designing and delivering effective virtual training is the exception more than the norm.