The pandemic has brought about many changes in the way business is conducted. While it was once typical for travelling salespeople to drop-in for a chat, business leaders are beginning to prefer a more distanced approach. The rise of video conferencing tools such as Zoom and Teams, along with practices such as hybrid working, mean that its often far easier to set aside thirty minutes for a call than it is to get everyone together for a presentation.
However, while video conferencing can mimic the personal touch, it cannot replace it entirely. There are still times when it is desirable, even necessary, to meet a client face-to-face. The question is, when?
Product Demonstrations
No doubt, most of us have plenty of case studies and literature we can offer potential customers to showcase the value our products or services bring, but it’s rarely a comprehensive substitute for a real-world demonstration. While it’s easy enough to talk about how your offer has benefitted someone else, that doesn’t always answer the client’s vital question of ‘How does this benefit me?’.
When your product is best showcased in person, you need to work hard to secure that vital meeting.
When Upselling or Cross-Selling Opportunities May be Available
A problem with video conferencing is that it’s often too focused or rigid. Both parties expect the conversation to flow in one direction, rather than a more naturalistic flow of conversation. Being ‘on the ground’ of a customer can help you better identify more areas where your offer can add value.
Furthermore, it’s not uncommon for a conference call to be one-to-one, or otherwise ‘small scale’ in nature. When you’re only interacting with one contact within the customer, you’re only able to hear a single side of the story. Remember that different departments often have varying needs and priorities. A call with a Sales Director may yield a sale, but you’ve missed out on the opportunity to discuss the needs of the Marketing Manager.
Even if a meeting isn’t with multiple department heads or key decision makers, you’re in a much stronger position to network or ask around to find out if there are any other opportunities for business.
When You Need to Study Body Language
Assuming good quality, a video call offers some visual clues as to what people might be thinking. However, it’s hard to study multiple faces on a screen, particularly if those faces are small, if the video lags, or if one of more parties are frequently looking down to write or check notes. Furthermore, you’re missing out on other key indicators such as fidgeting, shoulders tensing, finger strumming, or anything else that can give you a clue as to whether you’re finding the pain points, or how your presentation is being received.
When you need to study body language, nothing is more valuable than a meeting.
When the Situation is Urgent
It might seem that when the situation is urgent that a video or phone call is the quickest and most viable solution. Sometimes, that may be the case. However, consider what the offer of an in-person meeting says to the client?
Offering a face-to-face demonstrates a willingness to take the time to solve a problem. It shows that you’re able to make time for your customers. They may decline, but they’ll more than likely remember that you’re more than happy to take the time to address their concerns in person, and that will do a lot to engender trust and loyalty.
When the Sales Process is Stalling
We’ve all been there. You’ve invested time, effort, and money into a sale, but something is preventing it from going through. It’s frustrating, especially when you’re not sure what’s causing the delay.
Often, the problem is simply that the people we’ve been in contact with haven’t been able to make the sale themselves to the key decision makers. Perhaps they’ve missed something, or they simply haven’t been able to convince others of the value in your offer.
At times like this, when you already have a strong advocate within the business, it’s best to discuss a face-to-face with the key decision makers yourself. Let them ask the important questions, build rapport, sell your value, and bolster your credentials.
Additionally, face-to-face meetings can add a sense of urgency lacking from emails and video calls. Too often, we’re not “real” until people have met us. It’s easy for a decision maker with an overflowing inbox to put off answering an email. It’s a lot harder for them to procrastinate when you’re there in person.
