So many times, when technology is being used in the course of a sale, the ”tried and true” gets lost. It’s like throwing the baby out with the bath water. The baby - in our case the “tried and true” - is the most important aspect. You still need to establish rapport and trust. You still need to find out the real problem in order to create a solution that will really solve their problem. And you still need to demonstrate how your solution will solve that problem. So while some things must be adapted, others do not.
The top challenge of virtual sales is getting the buyer’s attention and keeping the buyer engaged. Use of skills like relating, discovering and advocating must be adapted for the new delivery format, but they must still be part of the process. The use of visuals to get their attention and keep them engaged is different when you are in person than when you are meeting virtually. Preparation and planning how you will keep them engaged without overwhelming them with too much information becomes even more important.
It can become a vicious circle if there is too much focus on the virtual aspect of the process or not enough focus on the virtual aspect of the process. (See what I did there?) A good balance of focus in your preparation between the technology and the sales/buying process will help a salesperson to get the outcome that he desires of his interaction.
