As hybrid work settles in, video calls have become a must in sales. So much so that 77% of B2B professionals now prefer video calls to phone calls.

That’s actually good news for you. Compared to phone calls, video callers benefit from increased engagement and productivity.

But these new sales communication technologies also bring significant challenges. Behind your screen, you still want to show your prospect your most human and professional side. 

Firm believers in the benefits of remote selling, we provide you with the best tips to close more deals from video.

Why make a video sales call?

While sales reps have been forced to adopt video calls during the COVID pandemic, they are now using them as a value-generating communication tool.

Through video conferences, you reduce the friction of physical meetings and make it more interactive than a traditional call. No wonder B2B professionals have widely endorsed them for their flexibility and convenience. It doesn’t get easier than that! 

Here’s why you should make video calls: 

• Greater chance of getting an appointment.
• Better engagement rate through visual contact.
• Less travel and time wasted in commute.
• Easier to prospect and reach out to international customers.

Do you want to upgrade your remote selling processes? Keep on reading!

Successful video sales call: 6 tips

Compared to physical customer meetings, video calls have technical constraints that you can turn to your advantage. 

Here's how you can better connect with your prospect virtually: 

#1 Making it easy to book a time slot 

The first step - setting up a joint meeting - is often one of the most time-consuming. For good reason: it can take up to 7 or 8 email exchanges to find an available time with your prospect. But there are ways to make this process more efficient.

Many automated calendar tools already exist on the market (Calendly, Doodle...). You can share your virtual calendar link with your prospect so that he can take the most-fitting time, or book it on his own calendar. If you own the clock, you might choose the schedule that put your prospect in the best conditions.

According to an analysis by leadmanagement.org, Wednesday and Thursday are for example the two days with the highest chance of leading to a decision. Fridays may also seem like a good option, but your prospects usually have a harder time making a decision before the weekend. The most convenient time is usually in the evening, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., when everyone has completed their daily tasks. 

At these moments, the odds are on your side!

#2 Setting up your video environment

The way you present yourself to your prospect can either support or undermine your selling pitch. Fortunately, only you are in control of your call’s video and audio settings.

To ensure your credibility, you can follow these best practices: 

• Setting up your video device for a standing posture. You can put your camera up high to make the interview more dynamic and improve your posture.
• Optimizing video settings: you can use a close-up light to keep your face illuminated (and not make your prospects think you live in a basement). You can also attach an HD-quality webcam to your computer.
• Dressing well: well-chosen clothes show that you are professional in all circumstances.
• Removing all distractions: distracting background, ambient noise, and unmuted microphones can reduce your prospects' valuable attention.
• Making sure you have a good connection: this one is obvious, but it can cause interruptions very damaging to the conversation.

It's up to you to manage your video equipment like a pro.  

#3 Humanizing the interaction

You've already experienced it yourself: Zoom, Google Meet, or Team meetings are hardly genuine and natural interactions. It's hard to be yourself in front of a screen... 

You can implement these small adjustments to spice up your exchange: 

• Starting the call with a mutual introduction and asking for the full name of each participant. You want to know who you're dealing with, so you can personalize your approach. 
• Getting everyone to turn on their camera. Engaging your prospects to show their face is already a step towards a deal. 
• Smiling and using humor. To lighten the mood, it's always good to leave some room for small talk or a few jokes.  
• Making the conversation interactive. Without a mutual exchange of ideas, your prospects will always listen half-heartedly. You might need to engage your prospects throughout your pitch with questions ("do you understand", "do you see where I'm going with this?").

A sales call doesn't have to be a serious and boring exchange, it's a discussion like any other! 

#4 Presenting dynamic elements

One great thing about video calls is that you can display visual background materials throughout the conversation. You can add more information to the conversation and make the interaction more dynamic. For example : 

• A compelling presentation or infographic of your product to serve as a background to your sales pitch.
• Videos and visual animations to catch the attention and tell a story.
• Graphics, charts, and case studies that provide concrete figures.
• Photos of your team to put a face on your company and if necessary introduce the people who will intervene later.

Catching your prospect's eye is a persuasion job chewed up in half! 

#5 Keeping the prospect talking

As you already know, successful sales reps let their prospects talk about their underlying issues and needs. By letting them speak, you make sure you understand their problem, and you show that you are listening to them. On top of that, you save time and avoid misunderstandings. 

Yet, you still have an important role to play. You need to lead them through carefully prepared questions and address their personal situation: 

What are your company's priorities regarding this topic? Why or why not? What are the daily difficulties you face in fulfilling this mission? Which solutions have you already used to address this issue? What are your expectations for a new vendor?

A well-asked question can move a matter forward much more than a statement ever would. 

#6 Sending a report of the meeting

Your job as a salesperson doesn't end when you leave the video call. As soon as you're done with the meeting, you can retrieve the recording and the notes you've collected. You can then send a follow-up email to your prospect to share the minutes and input from the discussion.

This will also give you the opportunity to remind him/her of the next steps and deadlines. If you don’t like manual note-taking, there are tools that allow you to transcribe and take notes automatically. Feel free to use them!  

Analyzing your virtual sales calls: the power of data 

Customer data is no longer the domain of technical experts. It fuels the daily work of your sales representatives. And it all starts with your phone or video call’s voice data.

Behind every word, intonation, and phrasing of your prospects are essential details about their state of mind. You can get a lot of valuable insights about their level of interest and receptivity to your message. 

Analyzing this data helps you go beyond your subjective perception and measure the real performance of your call. It also allows you to deliver personalized feedback and coach and train your sales team. 

There are numerous sales intelligence tools on the market to support remote sales processes. 

Closing more with AI-guided video meeting: Noota

As conversation intelligence experts, we have designed a tool that helps you make the best impression in a video call. It provides several features tailored to your sales goals : 

• A transcription and automatic note-taking tool to track the conversations and share best practices.
• Real-time sentiment analysis to assess your prospect’s level of interest and measure your performance.
• Meeting guidelines to structure your pitch and questions during the video call.
• AI-based recommendations to optimize your behavior in real time.

Do you want to supercharge the performance of your remote sales team? Try Noota for free.