Web Conferencing To Close By

Today, the most important sales opportunities happen in a virtual space. But what’s the good of virtual meetings if they end up frustrating customer and sales rep alike, with dropped calls, lagging connections, or unreliable support? To put it simply, not all Web conferencing/virtual meeting/collaboration tools are created equal. Select the wrong one, and you’ll be irritating (not impressing) your prospects. Here’s what you need to know about choosing collaboration technology that improves your chances of closing the sale.

“Complex” does not equal “impressive.” Web 2.0 is about meeting your customers where they are, with the information they need, when they need it. Programs that require a degree in engineering to download and install are more likely to turn your clients off, rather than impress them. According to a recent white paper sponsored by Citrix, “From Lead to Close: 4 Strategies to Win Deals Faster,” salespeople “should look for solutions that enable them to set up meetings in a matter of seconds, not ones that require planning weeks ahead of time.” Go for a solution that offers the functionality you need and they can easily access and incorporate.

Two-way communication is essential. Most salespeople see value in being able to present remotely to large groups. But what about when it comes time to answer questions from your audience? Yes, demos and presentations are key, but possibly more important is the ability to respond to your customers’ concerns and collaborate in real time. Easy chat/dialog functionality, and two-way voice and text communication should be on your basic list of capabilities.

Think beyond the sale. How do you envision using your virtual meeting space? Internally, externally, or both? Will you need recordings, file sharing, desktop sharing? Do you want your customers to be able to view self-hosted slideshows and presentations automatically, or do you want them only to reach your material through a live host?

Ask for input. Since hopefully you won’t be using your new technology in a vacuum, it makes sense to ask future participants to weigh in. Check in with the marketing department to see what they think. Ask your biggest customers and hottest prospects if they’re already using a solution they can recommend. And share resources and ideas with your sales colleagues in other fields.

Don’t be afraid of the new. The latest thing coming down the pike is social media integration with virtual event platforms. The idea is to deepen the event experience and increase opportunities for engagement and collaboration. As Rucel Mangrobang, Director of Professional Services at global webcasting and virtual event company ON24, points out, “Social webcasting allows us to increase the size of the screen.” As a company, ON24 predicts that its new social features, particularly Twitter integration, will drive more traffic to webcasts (as well as traffic to the hosts’ websites) and allow companies to develop stronger relationships with current and potential customers.

For more tips on leveraging online collaboration technology, download this full white paper from Citrix: From Lead to Close: 4 Strategies to Win Deals Faster.