Anyone who has had the pleasure of delivering a big sales pitch will know how nerve-wracking and rewarding it can be at the same time. There’s a buildup to that big moment where everyone in the room sways toward the idea. The look on the other party’s faces is priceless—those are the moments a salesperson strives for when giving a pitch.
Nowadays, it may be slightly more challenging for some as most meetings take place by digital means. Most sales reps will attest that they’d thrive on human interaction and now have to get used to the impersonal video calling.
If you need some guidance and a few pointers on how to pull off an effective virtual sales pitch, here are some tips to put your best foot forward:
1. Dress Sense And Manners Still Matter
Even though the people on the other end aren’t next to you to look you up and down, first impressions still matter. Dress in your best clothes, smile at everyone, and greet them with your best manners.
Opening your video call like this will make you feel more confident, and the listeners on the other side of the screen will believe it too. Don’t give the audience any reason to shut down before the meeting has even officially started.
2. Make A Friendly Conversation
After the first few awkward hellos, the audience may still need more encouragement to relax on the pitch. Think of incorporating a few fun virtual events for work to break the tension and get all the participants involved.
The more people interact with the pitch and pay attention, the more leverage it could give later on regarding decision time. Making everyone comfortable will ensure that they remain open enough to ask questions, and the salesperson gains more buy-in from everyone attending.
3. Pay Attention To Verbal And Non-Verbal Cues
Salespeople become in tune with the subtle nuances that another person would have in their body language and spoken language. They can quickly pick up when they’ve lost interest in the person they speak to by looking at these two conversation characteristics.
When doing a virtual pitch, a sales rep may have to pay closer attention as the video call doesn’t always reveal the cues they’d typically look for when pitching in person. Also, pay attention to the tone of your voice, word choice, and body language as others may be more adept at noticing this on a virtual platform.
4. Keep It Sweet And Short
Although online or virtual meetings are more convenient, digital fatigue is a genuine concern. Sometimes, the person you’re meeting with has numerous meetings during the day and knows that they need to listen to yet another pitch, and they may lose attention quicker.
Create and give a short pitch, to the point, and wouldn’t give the listener any chance to become disengaged. Don’t stray from the topic too much unless it is to answer a question from the panel.
5. Engage The Whole Audience
A huge misconception among the sales community is that they should only speak to the primary decision-maker. The salesperson would then forget how vital the leverage they could gain from the other members sitting at the meeting. Add content to the PowerPoint presentation that’d appeal to all members, not just the person expected to make the final decision.
If more than one person is in attendance, make sure to deliver the virtual sales pitch to all of them and involve them to gain that much-needed sway in the idea of what’s on the table.
6. Send A Personalized ‘Thank You’
This last step of the virtual sales pitch is the most important. Regardless of the outcome, extend a thank you to each participant. Their time is precious, so they need to hear the gratitude for them listening to what you’re presenting.
After the meeting, perhaps the following day, send an email or message them again to extend your thanks. Doing this will leave the door open for future communications, and it builds trust between the salesperson and their potential client.
Pitching The Main Ideas
Sales meetings could be challenging at their best, but having to do them virtually brings about a whole new set of points to ponder. The main elements of a sales pitch remain the same like dressing for the occasion, remembering manners, and engaging the audience.
Doing these virtually may need more noticing than an in-person meeting, but keeping the message short and to the point is appreciated by all participants. So, put your best foot forward—at the start, during, and after by ending things on a friendly note.
