TC: IS VIRTUAL SELLING THE NEW NORM?

Virtual selling is becoming more commonplace, with a growing number of small business owners realizing that they need to adapt and learn how to sell in the virtual as well as the physical world. The Covid-19 crisis has significantly accelerated this process. I believe that the sales industry has changed forever. This is not something that will go back to the “old normal” as Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted.

First, I want to give you my definition of sales: Sales is making a direct contact with a viable prospect with the sole purpose of introducing your product or service.

Let me make one other distinction: Blogs, social media and general advertising may be a way of getting your name, product and service exposed to possible prospects with the hope that someone will call you. That does not meet our definition of sales.

There are three main areas where adopting virtual selling will greatly benefit you: time, productivity, and results. A well-executed virtual sales process will increase your bottom line by up to 40%. Also on the positive side, your prospects have become familiar and more accepting of virtual selling this past year and a half.

Your challenge for this week is to create a virtual selling plan for your business. You have most of the tools in the foundation part of the BizQuack Vision Based Business Plan. You have identified and thus should be able to find where your prospects are hiding. Your number one brain storming issue is how to best approach a prospect so that you can set up your virtual sales call.

The following are several thoughts on how to connect.

• Ask your data base to connect you with a prospect that they know.
• Send a snail mail letter with compelling content, describing the benefits your product/service offers. In the same mailing state that you will be calling them to set up a Zoom call.
• The term “education,” properly presented, is a good door opener.
• Make sure that you have a script written, memorized and ready to present.

Another alternative, a “lost art” is a virtual cold call. Again, a proper script should be ready. In my opinion, making cold calls is one of the greatest fears that small business owners have.

How many times in the last month, have you made a direct sales presentation to a prospect?

For those that are willing to give this a 3 month trial, e-mail me (nick@strategicduck.com), and we will set up a support and accountability system.