What we don’t need is another podcast episode about how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the face of business. We’ve heard a million of those. We all know the world is different than it’s ever been, and it’s likely not fully going back.
What is helpful, however, are methods and strategies to continue to deepen relationships. To really connect with people, away from Zoom, in order to continue to develop enablement and connection.
Which is why on this episode of the Sales Engagement podcast, we’re talking with a panel of sales professionals from all across the industry, all about enablement, connection, and what it takes to deepen relationships.
Here’s our panel of standout guests:
- Samantha Hembree, Content Marketer & Producer at Outreach.io
- Joe Hornagold, SDR Manager at BrightTALK
- Shay Keeler, Director of Sales at Outreach.io
- Mohammed Kiswani, Senior Account Executive, Commercial at Outreach.io
- Michael Wilde, Account Executive at Honeycomb.io
We chatted about why being comfortable in your own home on Zoom is key, how to stay connected in the Zoom world that we live in, why a Zoom meeting may at times be the most efficient way to connect, how to help sales reps while live on a call, and more.
Getting Comfortable in Your Home
Getting comfortable in your space is step number one to connecting with your prospects and creating enablement.
(Like it or not, COVID-19 changed the way we all work, and it’s highly unlikely that we’re going fully back to the way it was.)
Most of us are going to be utilizing some sort of hybrid work approach. Time in the office, time at home, and virtual time with people that used to be face-to-face.
Towards the beginning of the pandemic, it seemed like everybody was trying to curate their home space. Making sure the right artwork was on the walls, nobody dared come into the background, and the cats and dogs and kids stayed out of the office.
But if that’s not your reality, why would you pretend?
Sure, you don’t need a million distractions, but if you’ve got a pull-up bar in the back of your Zoom shot or your cat keeps wandering behind the camera, not only does that reflect the current state of your life, but it reflects your humanity. It’s who you are. Why would you try to hide that? Because one thing that transparency can do is build rapport.
Building Rapport by Being Human
Aside from being true to the person that you are, the humanity you’re displaying in your virtual interactions can help build rapport early on in a prospective relationship. Because that old saying is true, people don’t buy from companies, they buy from people.
And the boring black Zoom background might minimize all distractions, but it also doesn’t give your prospect much of an idea of who you are.
It doesn’t allow them to connect with you. Maybe there’s a guitar in the background, or a garden. What better chance to connect over a mutual enjoyment of something than early on in the relationship?
All missed if you try to squash down your humanity and individuality in the name of “professionalism.”
How Virtual Work Has Created Enablement Opportunities
While the virtual world we’ve been living in has come with it’s own set of challenges, it has also created a wealth of opportunities for connection and enablement.
In real life, in the past, unless you were very intentional, you probably weren’t transcribing meetings or recording every interaction you had with anybody. Now, in this virtual world, all it takes is a click of the button and you have a record of your meetings.
Admittedly, Zoom isn’t everybody’s favorite thing. But it has most certainly maximized efficiency, especially when partnered with some of the new technologies and plugins available.
It’s freeing up time for sales professionals, allowing us to spend more time building rapport with the customers and prospects.
We get to do what we do best: invest in people and create relationships.
For more stories of successful enablement, make sure to check out the entire episode wherever you get your podcasts.
For more engaging sales conversations, subscribe to The Sales Engagement Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.
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