Making successful sales calls in the era of virtual meetings is as challenging as it ever was, yet there are still plenty of tactics that team members can deploy to boost their chances of winning over prospective customers and clients.
One much-touted aspect of popular conferencing software solutions like Zoom which can allegedly improve the impact of sales calls is the availability of virtual backgrounds. So is there any truth behind the hype, and what are the best strategies for using virtual backgrounds in your own Zoom meetings?
First impressions matter
Making a good impression is important in any context, and while virtual meetings may feel more informal than face-to-face interactions, this does not stop them from influencing people’s opinions of you.
For that reason, having a virtual background at your disposal can help to turn any sub-optimal domestic backdrop into a super-professional setting in an instant. You do not need to worry about what is going on behind you or whether your workspace is tidy; companies like Hello Backgrounds now offer a variety of Zoom backgrounds which will transport you to a place that looks picture-perfect and provide you with the ability to wow would-be clients.
Product pitches can be enhanced
Once good first impressions have been firmly set in stone, you will likely want to move on to making the pitch to potential buyers, in which case any product you have to show off to them needs to look its best.
Again, a carefully selected virtual background can be your best friend in this scenario. You can choose a neutral meeting room-style background that gives you the best opportunity to showcase the product during your pitch without anything else in the frame distracting other participants in the process.
This all ties into the appearance of professionalism that a virtual background can afford you, no matter where you need to make your calls from. This also explains why Zoom has enjoyed such rapid revenue growth in recent months, as part of the broader economic impact of the pandemic.
Other steps are necessary
While a well-chosen virtual background can be a real boon when you are on a sales call, this is not the only step you should take to ensure that your virtual meeting delivers the desired results.
You also need to be aware of your surroundings from an audio perspective, making sure to prevent extraneous ambient noise from interfering with the experience for other participants and also positioning yourself so that the microphone can pick up what you are saying without a problem.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that the virtual background will only work well if you adjust your setup to suit it. For example, using a green screen will allow for the best automated application of the background with no jarring drop-outs. Likewise wearing clothing that does not match colours in the background will also be necessary to prevent mishaps.
At the end of the day, virtual backgrounds are just one tool you need for sales call success via video conferencing solutions, so remember to prepare and practice as much as possible to maximise your effectiveness.