Learn why in-person sales meetings are your single greatest assets to closing your business deals
It seems that the more we delve into the internet age, the more our salespeople disconnect from their prospects. It’s true: social media has changed the face of consumer and B2B interactions. But, according to current research on the effectiveness of communication models, in-person sales and phone conversations still create more impact. Emails and LinkenIn messages don’t add up.
Translation: it’s time to set up a “meet and greet” or pick up the phone.
Although technology has made it made it easier to communicate, it hasn’t made those interactions more meaningful or productive. In-person meetings are more valuable today than ever. And phone calls give your customer service efforts a personal touch.
3 exclusive advantages to in-person sales (which no other strategy can offer)
1. Get to know your prospect on a personal level
Would you ever trust someone you’ve only met over the phone, or better yet, through email? Maybe in a strictly platonic, pen pals sort of way, but not in a business relationship. Not when you’re juggling money, careers, and your professional reputation. In-person sales allow you to build trust. It gives you an opportunity to bond person-to-person and develop a relationship.
2. First-hand experience with the product or service
Many businesses create products or services that people want to try before they buy. Sometimes Facebook, Amazon, or Google reviews won’t cut it. Meeting someone allows you to present to product and guide the prospect as to how and why it will add value to their lives.
What’s the fastest way to follow up and set an in-person sales meeting? Schedule a free demo of our sales follow-up software and see how it works!
3. Better understand your prospect’s environment and network
Your prospect is one person, but they have a network of people with similar backgrounds, interests, and demographics. The best way to understand your prospect (and, in the larger picture, your audiences) is by meeting him face-to-face. Experience his environment. Step into his shoes and walk around. Take notes.
The power of the sales call: why you need to pick up the phone more often
There is a reason why phone sales are still around. Although you may think a cold call is a shot in the dark, it still has a better chance of closing than one simple email (if it even reaches an inbox).
The problem is that most people don’t know how to sell over the phone. They don’t take the time to learn because, well, cold calling is dead anyway! Do yourself a favor: invest in your phone technique. It provides yet another skill set to track down leads and close bigger deals.
Pros of sales calls
- Your interactions are more personal than emails, although less so than in-person sales meetings.
- You have a direct line to your prospect, which creates more urgency and better opportunities to gain trust.
- You’re more likely to land a face-to-face meeting by getting to know each other over the phone.
Cons of sales calls
- You must break down the “I don’t know you” barrier quicker than with any other form of sales communication.
- You have a tight window to introduce yourself and give a reason for your prospect to listen.
- You can’t read body language or get a sense of the prospect’s feelings without them expressing it verbally.
Are “virtual meetings” replacing in-person sales? Maybe not!
Entire companies are “going remote” because of the technologies available to businesspeople these days. Virtual meetings are the new thing, and add a new dimension to how we interact with prospects. But do services like Skype or Facetime replace (or, perhaps, exceed) the capabilities of in-person sales techniques? Is this the new reality most people want?
Despite how fast technology advances and changes sales processes, it’s not likely that face-to-face meetings will fall into an “obsolete” category. Like pagers. Or house phones.
Take, for example, the web creation, hosting, and service giant Automattic. This company, which created WordPress and hosts close to twenty-five percent of the world’s websites, is entirely remote. Their employees stretch across the globe. Most of the workflow processes utilize virtual or Internet-based services and technologies. Their sales teams meet in virtual chat rooms or message each together.
However, Automattic places a huge emphasis on bringing together their entire organization once a year to meet in-person. These events are meant to foster stronger relationships within their organization.
What’s the fastest way to follow up and set an in-person sales meeting? Schedule a free demo of our sales follow-up software and see how it works!
Share your comments! Tell our community why you believe face-to-face sales are still relevant!