being more compelling and memorable on virtual sales calls
As companies expand inside sales teams and decrease the number of “feet on the street,” the importance of being effective in sales meetings conducted by phone or web conference grows. Today, inside and outside reps alike are spending more time connecting with prospects and customers remotely versus face-to-face.
A U.S.-based market-sizing study done by InsideSales.com (now Xant) found that of the 5.7 million sales professionals in the country, more than 47 percent were inside salespeople. But that doesn’t mean remote meetings are only relevant to them. In fact, the same survey found that more than 45 percent of outside sales reps’ time is spent selling remotely—a substantial jump from just years before when they ran a similar study.
Virtual sales calls are a big deal. But are they actually effective? Are salespeople making the impact they need to stand out in these environments and drive positive outcomes? There are a lot of opinions and schools of thought about how to succeed in remote meetings. But there hasn’t been much research. This study was developed to change that—and answer one key question: What approach makes you the most memorable, compelling, and impactful on virtual sales calls?
B2B DecisionLabs worked with Dr. Nick Lee, a professor of marketing at Warwick Business School, to develop a research simulation aimed at determining the most effective approach for being impactful in a phone or web conference selling environment.
The simulation tested a range of approaches, some more participatory and interactive than others. Specifically, the study was designed to assess the effect of these approaches on attitude/disposition and recall—two critical measures of effectiveness when it comes to engaging prospects in these environments.
