Training Employees to Make Virtual Sales Presentations

What is a virtual sales presentation?

Educating your employees on how to make a virtual sales presentation begins with learning the difference between the two most common types of presentations. A virtual sales presentation is a sales presentation that takes place over the internet rather than the typical, face-to-face type that takes place in a conference room. Presentations of the first type are usually a great alternative to business travel, and they continue to improve as technology becomes more and more advanced.

Have your employees help with scheduling

With just a little guidance from you, your employee can schedule a virtual sales presentation with very little effort. Help him to set aside a time for the sales presentation and give him instructions on how to let all of the online participants know the date and time so that they can add it to their calendars. Remind him that virtual sales presentations will work well for employees that normally would not be able to attend a traditional face-to-face sales presentation for various reasons. If he needs to add a last minute participant, instruct him to simply have the new participant log onto the virtual sales presentation and join the rest of the group.
Tell your employee that since there is no need to rent a location for a virtual sales presentation, there is very little expense incurred. Because there is no need to call around to find a location, this is also a time-saver.

Sitting in

Have your employee sit in on a few virtual sales presentations that you are conducting. This will give him a chance to see for himself all that is involved in such a meeting. Encourage him to take as many notes as he feels he may need in order to learn how to present the information effectively to your prospective new clients. As the online participants write their questions about the product or service you are offering, have your employee write down any questions about the presentation that he may have.

Role-play

Have your employee participate in role-play with you for some good practice on conducting a virtual sales presentation. This seems to be a favorite way of many managers to teach skills to their employees. You will take on the role of a prospective new client in one room, and your employee will become the host of the virtual sales presentation from another room. As he conducts the virtual sales presentation, put yourself in the role of the online buyer and write down questions about the products or services he is promoting. In your real life role as his manager, make notes about his performance, and offer suggestions on how he may be able to improve his methods of conveying important information about the products and services he will offer. Be sure to discuss these right away while they are fresh on your mind. .

Help your employee decide on content

When you are helping your employee put together a virtual sales presentation, help him decide on the type of content he will use. He should decide on which products to present to the online participants, and explain how each product will be of benefit to the prospective new clients. Offer suggestions on ways he can keep the attention of the online participants, such as a short introductory game for the participants to acquaint themselves with one another, or questions he can ask the prospective new clients throughout the presentation. Instruct him in the basics of body language, and be sure that he has sufficient knowledge of the product to convey the information effectively.

The voice is very important

We all know that it is much easier to understand someone when we can see his or her mouth move. Because online participants will not be able to see the speaker’s mouth, it is very important that you instruct the employee on how to speak clearly and at a speed that is easy for the prospective new clients to understand. The volume that he uses must also be loud enough for the participants to hear comfortably.

Equipment for the virtual sales presentation

Be sure to familiarize your employee with the equipment he will use for the virtual sales presentation. Emphasize the importance of checking the equipment he will use for the virtual sales presentation before he begins. Be sure to remind him to have his prospective new clients to check the equipment at their locations to see if it is functioning properly. Remind him that it is a good idea to get a list of online participants’ names and phone numbers in the event that he should have to handle the virtual sales presentation in an alternative way, as in the case of equipment malfunction.

The importance of follow-up

Teach your employee how to answer client questions effectively after the presentation. You should also touch on how to follow-up with a client that does not purchase your product once the sales pitch if finished.