BY Rachel Cagle
Video calls may continue to be your main line of face-to-face communication with your prospects until a COVID-19 vaccine is created. They’re a convenient way to talk with prospects from a safe distance while maintaining a human touch, but they can get boring. Staring at each other’s faces or sharing your screen the whole time isn’t effectively engaging, especially compared to the in-person meetings you’re trying to replicate. Here’s what you need to do, according to Gil Peretz, writing for SellingPower, to keep your prospects engaged, even at a distance.
Switch It Up
Instead of having your PowerPoint presentation up the entire time you’re referencing it during your video calls, switch the feed back to your face from time to time. Peretz says that these small screen changes add an element of surprise to your presentation. “Every four to six minutes, stop sharing your screen and start communicating directly with your customer. That not only grasps their attention back, but it is an opportunity for them to ask a question and stay engaged.”
Incorporate Videos
Many prospects will have concerns with some aspect of your product or service. Chances are, you’ve encountered similar hesitations with other prospects who are now your loyal clients. If your company has created a video of client recommendations, have it at the ready to show during your video calls. Consumers are more engaged by videos than pages of text, and yet another variety of screen change will help keep them engaged in the conversation.
Use Special Features
Did you know that many videoconferencing tools have special features that can help you and your prospect interact with each other? For example Zoom has a whiteboard interaction (that may require a subscription) that allows everyone to draw on the screen. Or, if you're presenting to a group of people, you could incorporate a poll into your presentation. Aspects like these add a little fun into your presentation and, as a result, help your sales performance.