For decades now, the line between inside sales and field sales has been growing increasingly blurry. This was already true well before technology and the pandemic changed how many sales teams operate, and today, the distinction has even less meaning.
The reality driving this change is that the benefits of inside sales continue to grow rapidly, while traditional field sales has shrunk in correlation with the decreasing frequency and efficacy of face-to-face meetings. These changes have forced sellers to adapt considerably and quickly, but they also present an opportunity.
In this blog, we'll discus what organizations can do to take full advantage of the benefits inside sales has to offer.
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Today’s B2B decision makers are not only comfortable with remote live interaction, but multiple surveys have shown that many of them actually prefer it. This is a huge benefit for inside sales teams, yet, few organizations have taken full advantage of the opportunities this preference offers.
First, live remote interaction requires inside sellers to know the techniques of holding people’s attention. The tendency for attention to wander when the interaction is taking place on Teams, Zoom, etc. is often underestimated. If an inside seller can master the tactics of holding attention while earning trust and rapport, this alone can help them stand apart from their competitors.
For example, data reveals that the average attention span on remote live interaction is approximately 10 minutes. Attention time expands considerably when everyone is on camera. Rather than asking the other parties to turn on their camera, simply having the inside seller use their own camera will most often cause the other parties to do the same.
If, for some reason, someone does not turn on the camera, the seller can politely indicate that they want to ensure they are meeting expectations. One part of doing so, is being able to register the reactions of those on the call, so a request such as, "can I therefore ask everyone to turn on their camera" will often do the trick. Obviously, if anyone does not wish to do so, the inside seller will have to proceed respectfully and allow them their preference.
Even with everyone on camera, however, maintaining everyone’s full attention still can be a challenge. The best way to ensure full attention is to use what psychologist label a pattern interrupt. This can be as simple as calling on one of the individuals on the call for a reaction. Or, to pose a question to the group relative to something that is being discussed, that asks for insight or further consideration.
The key is to use surprise as a tool. Even something like self-interruption can be effective if delivered in an honest tone. For example, planning/finding a time in the discussion or presentation to say something akin to "that reminds me of something I recently experienced when speaking to others in your role." Being able to evoke a TRUTHFUL statement regarding other conversations will generally pique interest.
A full review of attention-grabbing techniques is beyond the scope of this blog. But consciously working to maintain attention and not relying on group discussion or presentation content to keep the call participants engaged makes the exchange more compelling and memorable.
In the absence of the face-to-face camaraderie that in-person meetings can provide, it's more important than ever to ensure remote interactions are a conversation and not an interrogation. Pre-call planning to ensure that the inside seller has every opportunity to create value during the exchange is critical.
A thorough study of how a seller can create value before a purchase has been made (in other words create value independent of the service or product a seller represents) requires the ability to harness three value-creating techniques:
Revealing to the buyer a problem they are experiencing but may not recognize, or revealing the seriousness of an issue the customer has but assumes to be minor.
Revealing to the buyer a solution they did not know was possible.
Brokering one or more capabilities the seller’s organization can provide that will benefit the buyer, but is not part of the solution the seller is presenting.
In fact, the study that revealed these three value drivers and further explanation of them is contained in our McGraw Hill business best seller, Escaping the Price Driven Sale.
It isn’t always possible to employ one of the three value creating techniques in every call. But inside sellers should know how to recognize the triggers for when it is possible and work to master the three tactics that allow sellers to create value before the decision maker completes their decision journey.
Mastering these three value creating techniques is a powerful tool for inside sellers, but it does not come intuitively for most inside sellers. It is a skill that needs to be taught and practiced. Several factors contribute to this challenge. The most significant that research has revealed as the "two rules of persuasive professional dialogue":
Rule #1: Customers put a higher value on what they tell a seller and on their own conclusions than they put on what a seller tells them.
Rule #2: Customers put a higher value on what they ask for than they put on what a seller freely offers.
Many inside sellers casually and frequently violate these two rules, sometimes without even realizing it. How often do sellers offer important information like their insights, opinions, etc. without the buyer ever drawing their own conclusions? Reflect on how often an inside seller offers a demonstration, proposal, etc. without ever being asked for such by the customer.
Inside sales teams who can harness the power of creating value AND abide by the two rules always become more effective in maximizing the benefits of inside sales. This is the essence of what many refer to as consultative selling.
Lastly, immediate follow-up is critical to increasing the benefits of inside sales. Too often inside sellers are casual about following up on a conversation even if the decision maker has made no specific request. Sellers should always make several attempts to book the next appointment before ending a remote sales call. Doing so affords the inside seller an opportunity to include either a summary of the conversation and/or additional information along with the invitation to the next call.
Sellers should beware statements from buyers such as, "I’ll get back to you in two weeks", or, "call me next month and we’ll schedule another conversation, but in the meantime send me some information I can share with my colleagues." In every case, the inside seller should seek to schedule a specific time and date for the next interaction to ensure the full benefits of inside sales are realized.
To fully appreciate the extent of inside sales' potential, it's important to embrace and recognize it's numerous differences from conventional outside selling. There is a different cadence to the strategy and skills driving success with inside sales, and it requires a different perspective than simply seeing inside sales efforts as nothing more than mirroring your approach from person-to-person meetings to remote sales call execution.
Tyler Vance works closely with the participants and managers of Funnel Clarity’s training programs to ensure they achieve their expected results. Throughout Tyler’s career, he has experienced both a seller’s and buyer’s point of view bringing a unique perspective when working closely with Funnel Clarity clients. Whether Tyler is answering questions from participants, running a coaching session, webinar series, or working with managers to develop a reinforcement plan, he brings a unique and fun element into every part of his role.
