10 Virtual Sales Tips Guaranteed to Add Faster Revenue [Webinar Recording]
10 Virtual Sales Tips Guaranteed to Add Faster Revenue
[Webinar Recording]
[Webinar Recording]
Lauren Bailey, Founder and President of Factor 8, gives logistics sales representatives advice on how to add faster revenue starting with the very first call. She also breaks down sales tactics for managers to better understand the sales cycle and help reps develop strategies for closing business whether the market is hot or not.
This recording is from FreightWaves’ Sales + Marketing Summit.
Lauren Bailey, Founder and President of Factor 8, gives logistics sales representatives advice on how to add faster revenue starting with the very first call. She also breaks down sales tactics for managers to better understand the sales cycle and help reps develop strategies for closing business whether the market is hot or not.
This recording is from FreightWaves’ Sales + Marketing Summit.
[“Sales Shot” Workshop Recording]
Field sales, virtual sales, inside sales, telesales, channel sales – what’s the difference? Which career is right for you? How do you succeed in each role? Watch this session to learn about the evolution of selling, when and why companies embrace inside sales, and why others don’t (and shouldn’t!). We’ll cover quick tips on what skills, attributes, and behaviors are lock-fits for the many roles in each lane and how to rise quickly to the top.
Whether you’re hiring a salesperson, searching for a new gig, or working on a promotion (i.e. BDR to AE, AE to Manager, Manager to Director), we’ve got you covered in this Sales Shot!
Field sales, virtual sales, inside sales, telesales, channel sales – what’s the difference? Which career is right for you? How do you succeed in each role? Watch this session to learn about the evolution of selling, when and why companies embrace inside sales, and why others don’t (and shouldn’t!). We’ll cover quick tips on what skills, attributes, and behaviors are lock-fits for the many roles in each lane and how to rise quickly to the top.
Whether you’re hiring a salesperson, searching for a new gig, or working on a promotion (i.e. BDR to AE, AE to Manager, Manager to Director), we’ve got you covered in this Sales Shot!
Need help adapting to the new remote selling world? Request a demo of Outreach, the #1 sales engagement platform that closes more deals faster — so your reps can achieve revenue goals from anywhere. Companies that choose Outreach can expect a 387% return on the investment over three years and an 11% increase in sales productivity (valued at $6.9M). See what the #1 sales engagement platform can do for your business today.
Lauren Bailey Transitioning Field Reps to Virtual, Sales Leadership Insight, Sales Rep Tips, Field Sales, Hiring + Retention
If you’re making the jump into sales, you are probably trying to understand the different roles and how they fit into the bigger picture. Titles change, responsibilities overlap, once you’ve read your 10th job description everything starts to sound the same. It can be confusing, I get it. So, why let’s talk about the two major segments of sales: field sales vs. virtual sales (aka inside sales).
Let’s be clear, we’re not talking about the retail sales job you had at the mall. We are talking about sales positions that lead to lengthy (and lucrative) sales careers. We’ll go over what each team does and which scenarios fit them best. Let’s get started!
First, here’s a little background on me. I grew up in the sales world. I have been a virtual salesperson, a field salesperson, a sales manager, a sales leader, a training leader, and now an entrepreneur. If it has happened in the world of sales, there is a VERY good chance I have seen it, been a part of it, or at least provided some guidance on how to handle it. Okay, enough about me. Let’s talk about field sales and virtual sales.
What is the difference between sales roles? Which should you choose? Why would companies need different types of sellers? All great questions, keep reading for answers…
Historically, there were two sides to the sales coin, virtual (inside) sales and field sales. Many years ago, virtual sales reps were the 22-year-olds fresh out of college. They were green, they were underpaid, and they were trying to navigate their way through the sales world. BUT, they were working 9-5 in an air-conditioned office. On the other hand, field sales reps were the tenured, respected, distinguished, and WELL-paid sales professionals that we all aspired to be. The field reps were wining-and-dining, jet-setting, and making the big bucks.
Today though, the lines between sales teams have blurred. Some companies have virtual sales hand-off to field sales. Some have field sales teams revolve around, or report to, virtual sales leaders. Others have only one type of sales team, either virtual or field sales. Many companies have even begun equalling the compensation between the two teams. Gone are the days when the field seller made all the money and the virtual seller made base.
In today’s sales world, most companies build and shift their sales teams based on what is required to make the sale at any given moment. Is the product brand-spankin’ new to the world? Is it something that people have heard about and have a general understanding of? Is it something that the consumers know like the back of their hand?
All products go through a life cycle:
Okay, now that we know about the product, let’s talk about who sells it.
The field sales role is one of education and extensive knowledge. Discovery is the ideal product life cycle for this role. Their sales cycle is typically long, their price point is high, and their consumer is in need of either the salesperson’s education or expertise.
Here’s an example: let’s say your company is launching a brand new product to the market. I’m talking about something that no one has ever seen before. It’s something that your potential consumers don’t even know they need yet. This type of new product will require your salespeople to be very hands-on, providing A LOT of education. The sales cycle is often 6+ months long and each deal will require a good amount of guidance. In this scenario, Field Sales is queen (or king).
Pharma is a great example of an industry that is continuously launching a brand new product (medication). Each new drug that comes out requires education for the doctors, nurses, and pharmacists that will (hopefully) be prescribing and providing the new drug to patients. Pharmaceutical sales reps will (almost) always be field sellers.
Field sales can also dip its toe into the introduction life stage, in the right scenario. A perfect example is custom-built pieces. Let’s say your company sells large-scale automated machinery.
If a customer is looking to replace or upgrade a machine on their production line, they can’t exactly order it on Amazon. This type of sale requires a salesperson to come onsite, understand the whole production line, measure the available space, and then provide the right recommendations for both seamless integration and price point. This is not a couple of conversations that end with the customer signing on the dotted line. This is months of calls and visits before the deal is closed.
Now, let’s talk about virtual or inside sales. Unlike their on-site colleagues, virtual sales teams work with customers, well, virtually. This means their interactions with the customer are on the phone, via email, or online. The inside sales role is about further explanation instead of total education. For these roles, the sales cycle is considerably shorter, maybe 1-2 months, and the consumer usually arrives with some understanding of the product or its use.
Thanks to the internet, a larger majority of products in today’s market fall to the virtual sales team. These products are typically in the introduction or maturity point of their life cycle. In these life cycle stages, the product is known to the market, it may even have competitors. People have heard of it and are searching for it, but not everyone has purchased it just yet. Maybe they’re working with your competitor, or they’ve been thinking about getting your product for some time but they haven’t had the budget. In this stage, the customer’s need for help changes from full education to further explanation. The virtual seller’s job is to help the consumer understand why your product is better and why they should buy from you.
Some great examples of this are IT products, like computers. Consumers will come to you with a basic understanding of what they need. The “sale” is more about helping them select the right model, the correct amount of storage, or choosing between a PC and a Mac.
I’m sure you’re saying to yourself, “virtual sales sounds way easier!” Before you make that decision, we should talk about the different experiences on the salesperson’s side. For field sales reps, if you are back to onsite visits, you have time to talk a little before your meeting, then you have an hour presentation, then you have might have some time for water-cooler talk after, all before you take the client to a 2-hour dinner. In one short visit, you are getting anywhere from 1 ½ hours to 5 hours of valuable time with that client.
For a virtual sales rep to get the same 5-hour “face time” as a field sales rep, you could be looking at a series of 7-10 separate phone calls. Just getting the right contact on the phone is more challenging in the virtual world. Most virtual sales reps are making anywhere from 5-10 dials for every connection. Think of it this way: it’s easier to not answer, or hang up the phone, than it is to dismiss someone standing right in front of you. Once the virtual sales rep finally gets the contact on the phone, they also have less time to ‘hook’ them. A virtual talk track has to be short and to the point. Unlike their field sales counterparts who have anywhere from 30-60 minute presentation times, virtual sales reps have MAYBE 10-15 minutes to get to the value AND bridge the client to the follow-up call. It means those virtual sales reps have to do their discovery homework and have to craft their message with the client’s needs at the top of their mind.
Whether you’re hiring sales reps or job searching for a field sales or virtual sales role, I hope these nuggets of information helped you!
Join one of our upcoming Virtual Sales Training Masterclasses! We offer 4 different classes for BDRs, SDRs, ISRs, account executives, and account managers all focused on areas like prospecting, objection handling, running virtual sales demos, closing, and more!
Lauren Bailey Sales Leadership Insight, Sales Training + Development, Inside/Virtual Sales Training Tips, Transitioning Field Reps to Virtual
Once a quarter we host an invite-only Executive Open Bar for our Friends at Factor 8. It’s a safe place to connect, share, help, and learn. This quarter’s topic was focused on transitioning field sales to virtual sales. We were joined by leaders of field teams who have gone virtual, inside teams struggling to be remote, leaders of hybrid teams, and even a sales university professor (now teaching remotely)!
Right off the bat, I was impressed with the speed many of these leaders exhibited. It’s not uncommon that I hear stories of companies figuring out their approach and strategy 6-9 months after we all went into lock down.
One inspiring leader changed their entire product line in the space of 5 weeks. Incredible.
Another immediately sourced virtual selling skills for their face-to-face sellers. Smart.
Our friend from Canada started talking about personal and team self-care and wellness a full quarter before anyone else.
Wow, we keep some good company at Factor 8. Thank you all for sharing.
Below are 15 more tips we gathered, from personal productivity to company-wide pivot. I hope you learn something new or validate an idea you’ve already had so you can take fast action like these executives did.
Hope you picked up or confirmed something. I’m grateful to our vibrant community of revenue leaders for making Q1’s learning happen. I’m always honored to spend an hour in your company.
Join us for our next Executive Open Bar. Our Q2 topic is “Leader’s Choice Challenge”. Bring an obstacle and get help from your peers. There’s ALWAYS unexpected take-aways during these sessions. Even if you don’t think you have a struggle, request an invite now (you know you’ll get one before it’s time!)
[Webinar Recording]
Virtual selling is HOT. Whether you’ve been in phone sales for years, or you are one of the thousands of “field reps” forced to move full or part-time to a world without face-to-face selling, possessing a few critical phone sales strategies can make or break you. Selling virtually is different, and it may be here to stay.
Gain a competitive difference by taking advantage of phone selling trends and adding a few key skills to your arsenal. In this session from the PPAI Expo, Lauren Bailey answers questions like:
Virtual selling is HOT. Whether you’ve been in phone sales for years, or you are one of the thousands of “field reps” forced to move full or part-time to a world without face-to-face selling, possessing a few critical phone sales strategies can make or break you. Selling virtually is different, and it may be here to stay.
Gain a competitive difference by taking advantage of phone selling trends and adding a few key skills to your arsenal. In this session from the PPAI Expo, Lauren Bailey answers questions like:
Lauren Bailey Sales Leadership Insight, Field Sales, Remote Selling, Transitioning Field Reps to Virtual, Remote Leadership
Excuse me, BUT SHOULDN’T THIS BE OVER BY NOW?!
Nine, six, and three months ago no fewer than 10 field sales VP’s told me they and their teams were “waiting to get back to normal.” I heard things like…
“Some markets are already back face-to-face.”
“My prospects aren’t in their offices anyway.”
“My team is too tenured to be compared to virtual or inside sellers.”
Well, we’re going on month 12, and things have changed – by not changing. We’re still not business as usual, and it looks like the industry hit hardest will be corporate Real Estate as more and more industries realize that virtual will always be a part of their ongoing strategy.
In fact, only a few of us still have our heads planted in the sand by saying we don’t have to adapt how we sell. I’m hearing the most grizzly, bag-carrying, face-to-face veterans embracing virtual tools and methodologies now and calling it a competitive edge. That means there’s still some time left to get out in front of your competition, and the smart money is on adaption (I’ll credit that one to Darwin.)
So if you’re with me, dear field sales leader, but still struggling with the resistors on your team, here are a few ideas from a reformed field to virtual seller to help get some buy-in:
(also known as “Telemarketing, inside sales, call centers, virtual sellers, or those 20-something flunkies wearing ball caps and baggy jeans to work”).
Instead, liken the change to the adoption of the internet. We used to send letters. We still do, but we call them emails. Sales calls used to mean face-to-face, now it means cell phones. Face-to-face used to mean over lunch, now it’s suit on top and sweats on the bottom because it’s a video conference. In other words, all that has changed is the technology folks. Don’t be a grandma.
What seller wouldn’t like more time in his or her day? Same quota but triple the potential daily meetings = higher earnings. A great field seller could meet with 2-3 (MAYBE 4) clients or prospects a day. Yeah, that’s with a tight geographical area, lots of advanced planning, and all green lights. Put that same effort into digital scheduling and outbound calling, and we can double it – MAYBE triple it. It’s like buying them a jet plane instead of a bicycle. They can literally be in any place in the WORLD at any time during the day. This is freedom! This is a bigger commission check.
Last month I met virtually with my financial planner. Those 75 minutes were in my top ten most painful should-have-been-an-hour-meeting-but-ran-long-due-to-poor-planning experiences of my life. I experienced:
I really want to go on just so I can paint this picture for you, but I’ve probably conjured enough of your own painful experiences that you get it. Yeah, your highest-paid sellers probably resemble about half of this list right now. It’s how I look when trying to play Fortnite with my kids. (“What button do I push to walk again? Oh, that’s me in a corner, I thought I was over there!”)
Most enterprise sellers, field sellers, or experienced sellers use relationships, charm, swag, and deep knowledge to close deals. They look good, they sound good, they’re respected and polished, they know the industry and their product/service better than anyone and it’s WHY you put them on the big-money deals.
And this all means bupkis if they make the mistakes above. And they’ll still fail if we don’t teach them how often to call, how to get people’s attention on unexpected phone calls, how to get the follow-up meeting, how to really engage without face-to-face environments.
The message is this:
They aren’t changing how they sell, they’re adding tools, technology, and techniques to make their existing gifts outshine their competitors virtually. Because some of their base will always prefer virtual thanks to this pandemic, and if they get there first they will not only beat their external competition but perhaps even the internal reps who don’t adapt. No reason Joe in Idaho can’t cover Susan’s accounts in Michigan anymore.
Once we get some buy-in, I suggest we start building some new baselines. Can you and your team answer these questions:
These questions subtly set the expectation that they need to get to know their business in a different way. We can’t just count the wins anymore, we’re going to have to get to know the process because the process has changed.
Finally, I’ll leave you with good news. The skills they’re missing aren’t terribly hard. Good voicemails aren’t rocket science, nor is call bridging and pre-call planning, even online demos. If a 20-year old punk telemarketer can do it, so can your team. 😉
Get more insights by watching a recent webinar I did with a few hundred traditional sellers where we covered key techniques for a digital advantage. And consider helping your team adapt by subscribing them to The Sales Bar where we have over 100 digital selling skills on tap.
Want more tips on how field reps can sell virtually? Read these articles:
How Do I Sell If I Can’t Meet My Customers?
How Do You Transition From Field Sales To Virtual Engagement?
That’s one of our specialties! Fill out the form below for more information
[Webinar Recording]
The field sales function has always been a bit of a black hole. Reps go work their territory, they bring in deals, and revenue leaders don’t ask too many questions. Then 2020 decided to flip field sales on its head. Suddenly, there was no field to work. Reps had to pick up the phone and *gasp* dial.
Now, managers and executives have a near once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a firmer grasp on the activities and metrics associated with a field sales motion. Is COVID-19 the forcing function that revenue leaders have been seeking to bring these renegade reps into compliance? Is now a chance to get more understanding on field sales activities and performance quality in order to provide targeted coaching to drive better business results? Hear from both inside and field sales experts as they share their insights on bringing field reps inside, as well as their predictions for the model’s future.
You’ll also receive our helpful phone selling guide to:
The field sales function has always been a bit of a black hole. Reps go work their territory, they bring in deals, and revenue leaders don’t ask too many questions. Then 2020 decided to flip field sales on its head. Suddenly, there was no field to work. Reps had to pick up the phone and *gasp* dial.
Now, managers and executives have a near once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a firmer grasp on the activities and metrics associated with a field sales motion. Is COVID-19 the forcing function that revenue leaders have been seeking to bring these renegade reps into compliance? Is now a chance to get more understanding on field sales activities and performance quality in order to provide targeted coaching to drive better business results? Hear from both inside and field sales experts as they share their insights on bringing field reps inside, as well as their predictions for the model’s future.
You’ll also receive our helpful phone selling guide to:
Factor 8 Sales Leadership Insight, Field Sales, Sales Training + Development, Transitioning Field Reps to Virtual
2020 has thrown a curve ball at many sales teams, but field sales teams have arguably made the most drastic changes due to the fact that most reps can no longer meet face-to-face with their prospects and clients.
Field Leaders are scrambling to figure out how their field reps can maintain relationships with existing customers without meeting in-person, while simultaneously training their team to sell over the phone to attract new business.
Ted Martin, CRO at Factor 8, recently sat down with some Friends of Factor 8 at Premier Safety, Lisa Hubbard, Vice President Digital Sales and Marketing, and Aaron Jacob, Great Lakes Regional Sales Manager, to talk about how they successfully transitioned a field sales team to a virtual selling environment.
During this interview, Lisa and Aaron shared their experiences and tips on:
1. How they made the initial transition from field to virtual
2. The challenges they mitigated during the transition
3. Their tips for other field teams making the transition
[Webinar Recording]
If you’ve found yourself stuck inside and are struggling with the fact that you can no longer meet your customers in-person, then watch this session to learn how to make the transition from field to virtual sales.
Whether you’re brand new to virtual sales OR are a seasoned sales pro who just wants to brush up on their phone skills, you’ll learn:
Whether you’re working existing accounts or calling cold leads, there’s a tip or two for everyone!
If you’ve found yourself stuck inside and are struggling with the fact that you can no longer meet your customers in-person, then watch this session to learn how to make the transition from field to virtual sales.
Whether you’re brand new to virtual sales OR are a seasoned sales pro who just wants to brush up on their phone skills, you’ll learn:
Whether you’re working existing accounts or calling cold leads, there’s a tip or two for everyone!
Lauren Bailey Sales Rep Tips, Field Sales, Transitioning Field Reps to Virtual
If you’re a seller whose “office” is face to face with your customers, you may be experiencing tougher times than the rest of us. Your world was full of vibrant interactions, personal relationships, handshakes and live presentations. You carried your world in your passenger seat and you’ve built beautiful relationships over many meals, drinks, and outings.
Welcome to virtual selling my friends. So how the hell do you transition field sales to virtual sales? We’re here to help.
Today’s blog we’re talking about selling time. What I mean is the actual voice to voice connection where you get to do your job. In the past, great field sellers could meet with two to four, maybe five prospects/contacts in a day. You likely planned meetings based on geography and how you could hit buildings in a similar location, avoid traffic, or make the most of your plane trip to the other coast.
Great news, there are no boundaries now. Time Zones are your only constraint, and great phone sellers can talk with ten people a day. If you do it right, you just got much. more. efficient.
Bad news, it ain’t easy getting people to pick up their phones or call us back these days. Not because of a pandemic, but because we don’t answer calls from people we don’t know, because we all have competing priorities and because frankly, it’s easier to ignore someone ringing in than someone walking in.
That’s why in virtual sales, we focus on getting on first. Billy Bean will tell you (shameless Moneyball reference) “You can’t get to home if you can’t get on first.”. The first base is a conversation. It happens by:
These four basic skills can literally triple your first-base average. (Is that a thing? There must be a baseball stat focused on the number of times a player gets on first?). In virtual sales, this is often referred to as “talk time”. Talk time is a leading indicator of sales opportunities. And it’s a critical one.
One: Amp up the dials my friends and resist the urge to feel frustrated.
It’s easy to curse your old pal Joe for not picking up all ten times you call. Hey, he may not even know you are calling. Or he may be ignoring you. Don’t give up. It takes about 7 tries to get over 90% of your targets on the phone. The trick is not cursing at Joe when he finally does pick up. Your job is to be genuinely happy to talk with him and NOT hold it against him that he launched you a few times. Tough, but really critical.
Two: Make yourself a call list.
I recommend segmenting by industry/talk track so you know what you want to talk about with every contact on your list. That way when someone picks up after 15 misses and you’re a bit startled, it’s an easy recovery.
Three: Be sure to bookmark these resources for more tips on improving your intros.
5 Tips For Mastering Your SWIIFT Pitch
The Ultimate Sales Script To Get A Buyer’s Attention
Four: Be sure to sign up / subscribe to get notified of more phone sales tips like these.
If you’re serious about taking your remote selling to the next level and coming out ahead of your competition, check out our top-notch virtual training on all of these topics at The Sales Bar (the only bar actually open right now). Now may be the best time to invest in yourself and your teams.
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