Our teammate, Brad Gruber, Client Development Manager at Granite, wrote a new blog for our team that we want to share:
If we fast forward our lives 10 years to 2030 and look back on the days of COVID-19 and the global pandemic, what are we going to remember? I’ll start with how the world virtually shut down on Friday the 13th, yes, Friday, March 13, 2020. It was the beginning of when the proverbial “shoe dropped.”
We’ve all had to adapt, trying to stay healthy and positive. Business life altered. Speaking as a salesperson, I’ve had to adapt to this “new normal” and make a living selling technology through partners in the channel. Before the lockdown, I would travel to see partners, have strategy sessions and meet with prospects in person, roughly 60 percent of the time. That’s no longer the case.
Adapting with technology has to lead us to the all-important/all-powerful video conferencing solution. And I love it! It’s not nearly as personal as an in-person meeting but given we’re in a global pandemic, it’s not a bad alternative.
Seeing someone on screen psychologically encourages a more authentic human connection by merely turning on the camera. Seeing someone online who you have never met in person removes that “stranger” feeling. And, because you see another human in the same situation, it helps build a bond.
So, here are three reasons, when you either hosting a call or are invited to be on one, be sure to turn on that camera!
- Increased Engagement: Video drastically improves engagement, especially for a call where you are hosting, or there are a large number of participants. The saying goes, “out of sight out of mind,” and by turning on your camera, you essentially become “in sight and mind.” People also are less likely to zone out or multitask because that activity becomes evident when the camera’s rolling. My dad always told us shake hands with a firm handshake and make eye contact. Well, virtual eye contact is pretty powerful as well.
- Improved Conversation through Non-verbal Cues: If you can’t see someone, you can’t fully get a read on the situation. Smiles of appreciation, a head tilt of confusion, a nod of agreement, all these non-verbal cues are simply missing when you can’t see someone’s face or body language. When you engage with a partner or prospect, you get a pretty quick read on their interest in the conversation. You can tell when they perk up or when their interest fades. You can use these to guide the discussion.
- Boosted Confidence: As a salesperson, it is crucial to be confident in your approach, what your selling and your ability to sell it. Don’t confuse confidence with being “cocky,” there is a big difference. It’s a delicate balance because we have to be confident, but also humble and appreciative. When you’re on camera, those on the other side can see your confidence. I always wonder why someone would not want to turn on the camera. I get it, bad hair day, etc. But, if you’re preparing to go to a business meeting, you’re going to clean up and make yourself presentable ahead of time. It should be no different with video meetings.
In summary, Mother Teresa once said, “Every time you smile at someone it is a gift to that person, a beautiful thing,” and I couldn’t agree more. So, please turn on that camera, and give that gift yourself.
About the Author:
Brad Gruber is Client Development Manager at Granite, an ACW Platinum Sponsor. Granite delivers one-stop communications solutions to multilocation businesses and government agencies throughout the United States and Canada. Granite is the leader in aggregating Plain Old Telephone Services (POTS) and has extended its unique value proposition – “one company, one contact, one bill” – to include a range of advance business communications services, including Internet access, SD-WAN, wireless WAN, hosted PBX, SIP trunking, mobile voice and data, mobile device management, managed security, network integration and much more. For more information, visit www.granitenet.com.