What it means to build a digital relationship
Many online meetings are still too impersonal. Someone presents a document that is either good or bad. The level of interaction is too low. Your counterpart doesn’t get a word in. You can do better!
Because even in online meetings, the same rules apply as in any other conversation or meeting: you need an icebreaker.
You have prepared well, just as you would for other conversations, and you know who you are meeting. Present yourself as a person and a representative of your company. Speak as you normally would. Use the camera actively and ask questions. Selling means asking and listening. This applies online at least as much as it does in the real world.
Parking objections
When handling objections, everything that usually applies to handling objections still holds true. The first rule for a professional is to separate objections from excuses. You should, of course, do the same online.
In addition, you have the option of having many solutions already prepared and open in individual slide sets, which you can then show as needed. Ideally, you should also document the customer’s objections using a whiteboard tool.
In general, from a sales psychology perspective, an online meeting is just like a face-to-face meeting, and all the rules of objection handling apply here as well.
How do I prepare for my online appointment professionally?
First of all, you prepare just as you always do. Meetings are meetings. If they are poorly prepared, without clear goals and a concrete plan, they will also go poorly in the real world.
What is new:
- Maintenance of technical infrastructure: Use modern equipment and do not skimp on technical hardware.
- Prepare all the documents that will be required.
- Non-linear appointment design: Create your PowerPoint presentation so that you can “switch” to currently relevant content as needed.
- Maintain a consultative selling style.
- Switch between different formats:
- Begin the initial meeting with a short(!) introduction of your company.
- Use an interactive part and ask many questions for the status assessment and needs analysis (documentation on a whiteboard solution).
How do I come across as professional and likable online?
Authenticity is crucial. In addition to the obvious mastery of the tools used and the professional preparation of all materials, this includes a good introduction and professional structuring of the appointment. However, emphasizing the relationship level is very important: let them experience you as a person!
Further tips:
- As banal as it sounds: practice! Participate in as many online appointments as possible.
- Technical glitches happen and mistakes are human.
- Watch online tutorials.
- Just do it!
- Turn on the camera and align it at eye level.
- Blur the background or replace it with a suitable background image.
- The background can also be changed during the meeting to match the topic.
It always comes down to adapting the virtual tools to the level of the relationship. At the beginning, it’s about professionalism, then increasingly about personal proximity. You will notice here that it’s about the same mechanisms as in the real world, just adapted to the online medium.
Know-how…
Agree on ground rules
- Before the meeting, send your potential customer an email with the agenda and outline the meeting process.
- During the meeting itself, briefly clarify whether the announced process remains the same or if additional points should be included.
- Clarify whether follow-up questions are allowed/desired, or if questions will be collected and answered at the end.
- These ground rules can also be briefly outlined in the invitation email.
- At the start of the online appointment: Present the ground rules for the chat within the chat itself.
- Important: If you agree on ground rules, you should also ask for agreement to these rules. Your customers will be grateful that you have a concrete plan.
How do I introduce myself professionally in an online meeting?
You don’t need stilted language for online meetings. Introduce yourself as you normally would. The more naturally you conduct your online meetings, the more pleasant it is for your counterpart.
How do I switch between presentation and conversation?
You are probably familiar with this: the distinction between a conversation, a workshop, and a presentation is becoming increasingly difficult. We have an appointment with a customer that starts as a normal conversation, then you present yourself, the company, and an initial idea for a possible solution. Then there is a workshop phase that is interactive, and at the end, you summarize everything and agree on the next steps.
This means we have meetings that are significantly more complex than before. You have to switch flexibly back and forth between different communication formats. The good thing is: you can plan these phases better here.
- Start with a little small talk
- Share screen (presentation of the company/portfolio on a few slides)
- End presentation mode
- Switch to a whiteboard
- Questions for the customer regarding status assessment and needs analysis
- Live documentation of results or answers on a digital whiteboard
- Summary of the appointment
- Scheduling the next steps
The presentation of the workshop phase is immediately available to all participants at the touch of a button. If you do it right, you save yourself tedious documentation.
At a glance
- Build a relationship with your conversation partner digitally as well.
- Establish ground rules for the online appointment; this helps with structure and procedure.
- Park objections in the best possible slot.
- Avoid doing all the talking yourself.
- Create smooth transitions between presentation and conversation.
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