5 Truths About Virtual Selling
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2025 5:25 am
Listen to Jeb Blount’s Sales Gravy Start Up Story on this Failing Forward Podcast Episode
So, back to the question about whether your customers will accept virtual selling. Here are five important truths:
Most customers prefer to meet face-to-face prior to making an important or risky decision.
When prospects and customers are given a choice to meet face-to-face, most will.
If the only option to meet with you is on a virtual sales call—phone or video—most prospects and customers will accept that option.
The majority of your prospects and customers will be comfortable with at least some of the steps of the sales process being virtual.
Most of the hang-up about getting customer to accept virtual selling is with you, not them.
It’s Easier to Blame the Customer Than to Look in the Mirror
When I’m teaching inside sales professionals virtual selling skills, the biggest fear is engaging stakeholders by phone (weird but true) and on video calls.
Jeb, you don’t understand. I hear those same words kazakhstan telegram data every week, in every Virtual Selling Training session. They say, “Our customers prefer to communicate through email.” Or, “It’s really hard to get our customers on video calls.” Or, “Our customers prefer to meet face-to-face.”
I’ve heard it all. There are a thousand excuses and justifications for why salespeople can’t do something.
“Our buyers are different.”
“It doesn’t work like that in our industry (company, culture, country).”
“The buyers we deal with won’t get on a video call.”
“My customers only meet face-to-face.”
“The buyers in our industry just commoditize us.”
It’s mostly BS. Just lies, excuses, and delusions that sales professionals throw out to justify their fear of a particular tool or technique. It’s easier to blame it on their customers than to look in the mirror.
The Real Secret to Getting Customers to Accept Virtual Selling is Asking
So, let’s just cut to the chase. The people you call on will happily schedule and jump on virtual calls with you. You just have to ask.
So, back to the question about whether your customers will accept virtual selling. Here are five important truths:
Most customers prefer to meet face-to-face prior to making an important or risky decision.
When prospects and customers are given a choice to meet face-to-face, most will.
If the only option to meet with you is on a virtual sales call—phone or video—most prospects and customers will accept that option.
The majority of your prospects and customers will be comfortable with at least some of the steps of the sales process being virtual.
Most of the hang-up about getting customer to accept virtual selling is with you, not them.
It’s Easier to Blame the Customer Than to Look in the Mirror
When I’m teaching inside sales professionals virtual selling skills, the biggest fear is engaging stakeholders by phone (weird but true) and on video calls.
Jeb, you don’t understand. I hear those same words kazakhstan telegram data every week, in every Virtual Selling Training session. They say, “Our customers prefer to communicate through email.” Or, “It’s really hard to get our customers on video calls.” Or, “Our customers prefer to meet face-to-face.”
I’ve heard it all. There are a thousand excuses and justifications for why salespeople can’t do something.
“Our buyers are different.”
“It doesn’t work like that in our industry (company, culture, country).”
“The buyers we deal with won’t get on a video call.”
“My customers only meet face-to-face.”
“The buyers in our industry just commoditize us.”
It’s mostly BS. Just lies, excuses, and delusions that sales professionals throw out to justify their fear of a particular tool or technique. It’s easier to blame it on their customers than to look in the mirror.
The Real Secret to Getting Customers to Accept Virtual Selling is Asking
So, let’s just cut to the chase. The people you call on will happily schedule and jump on virtual calls with you. You just have to ask.