7 Ways You Drive People Crazy on a Web Conference

May 15th, 2012 by Todd McCormick Posted in Conferencing, iMeet, Meeting Tips, PGi, Tips and Tricks, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Web Conferencing

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We all know how to approach a sale in person—maintain eye contact, give a firm handshake, etc. But how well are you trained for virtual sales presentations and video conference calls? (Only 7% of you, according to a Corporate Visions study on Effective Selling.)

It can be more difficult to build trust and rapport during a web meeting than in person. Here are seven mistakes to avoid on your next video call—so you can take your sales leads to the next level.

1. You Get Distracted. Whether it’s your spouse texting about what’s for dinner, or the rowdy co-worker two cubicles down, anything that detracts your attention from your client will annoy him. Sure, you’re busy, and you may be tempted to check your email while on the call, but don’t. Your lapse in attention will make your client feel like he isn’t your #1 priority, and it may decrease the likelihood of you closing the deal.

2. You Neglect What’s Behind You. Whether you’re working from your kitchen or in an empty meeting room, be aware of what’s behind you. A lamp sprouting out of your head might not be the best way to go. It’s easy to remove pictures from the wall and relocate hardware. I recommend placing your company logo or conversation starter within view. It can help break the ice early in the call. For more, check out my blog on how to set up your workspace for virtual meeting success.

3. You Ignore the Hubbub Around You. Also be aware of who is around you. Aim for silence, so everyone on your web conference can focus. If you must take a web conference from a public space in your office, ask your co-workers to keep the noise down.

4. You Don’t Use Video Clips (or Have Them Ready if You Do). Nothing communicates more information per minute than video, so use it! Not all conferencing options out there let you upload and show clips during presentations, so make sure this is something you’re getting. Also be sure to upload all of the clips before your meeting starts.

5. You Skip Practicing Your Presentation. Just like you would for an in-person meeting, you need to know what you’re presenting, inside and out. Work on deleting the vocalized pauses from your speech (“uhs” and “ya knows”). If you use gestures, make sure they can be seen on camera. Practice with your webcam ahead of time to see how your presentation will look to others.

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Two Steps to ROI with Web and Video Conferencing

May 8th, 2012 by Todd McCormick Posted in Conferencing, iMeet, Meeting Tips, PGi, Tips and Tricks, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Virtual Sales Strategies

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Sign up for my video webinar—Put Your Prospecting on Steroids—with sales expert Josiane Feigon TODAY at 2pm ET.

What if you could connect with your clients without the downtime or the costs that travel causes? Welcome to the Innovation Manifesto.

Kiss the faceless productivity sink of conference calls goodbye. Then say a vide-hello to increased productivity, collaboration and teamwork—no matter where your team members are located.

Last week, I shared how to compare vendors and select the right features when shopping for video conferencing products. Now we’ll look at the how to calculate the ROI you could get from using them. (Aberdeen estimates an average return of 120%!)

STEP #1: The Questions to Ask

How easy is it to connect?

There’s nothing that will start a meeting off on the wrong foot like asking participants to input a long sequence of numbers. In fact, more than 50-75% of web conference s start more than five minutes late, thanks to difficulties in joining the meeting (Wainhouse).

2. What’s the quality?

Audio should be crystal clear and not drop your connection. Videos should stream without hiccups. “Can you see me now?” is NOT a question you should have to ask.

3. How can participants connect?

Does the program require users to download a file, or can the video meeting be accessed online? Is there an app participants can download to their smartphones or tablets?

4. What will this cost me?

Are there setup or support costs? Will you have to pay per-minute or per-user?

5. How do we access support?

The web conferencing service you use should offer 24/7 support, as well as multiple ways to access it (i.e. web or telephone).

STEP #2: Calculate Revenue

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Compare Video Conferencing Vendors + Select the Right Solution

May 1st, 2012 by Todd McCormick Posted in Conferencing, iMeet, Meeting Tips, PGi, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Virtual Sales Strategies, Web Conferencing

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Sign up for my video webinar—Put Your Prospecting on Steroids—with sales expert Josiane Feigon next Tuesday, 5/8 at 2pm ET.

Not all video conferencing tools are designed with the end user in mind. For example, many platforms can work okay when two people want to connect, but what happens if you need to host a meeting of 10—let alone 500?

With so many video conferencing solutions on the market, it can be hard to find the right one unless you’re some kind of telecom expert. Here are some of my secrets for choosing the right features, support and scalability in your video conferencing solution.

STEP ONE: Assess the Pain

Also look at how your team is currently trying to reach your objectives.

Are you spending thousands of dollars unnecessarily to travel to client sites?

When your sales team connects with buyers, is each interaction meaningful and profitable?

Ask your salespeople for their pain points in interacting with prospects and customers. Unless you want to keep getting the same results, you need to do something different.

STEP TWO: Determine Use + Get Rich Quick

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15 Most Common Questions about Video Conferencing for Sales

April 24th, 2012 by Todd McCormick Posted in Conferencing, iMeet, Meeting Tips, PGi, Telecommuting, Tips and Tricks, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Virtual Sales Strategies

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More and more, sales professionals are using video conferencing technology like iMeet to get results with the online sales call. Here are some of the most common questions I get from salespeople who are thinking about improving their sales by getting face-to-face with their prospects online:

1. Q: How does PGi train its own sales reps to use iMeet?

A: Our reps live and breathe with the application. We record our online training sessions and review video presentations with sales leaders.

2. Q: Can you use iMeet with social media tools and social networks?

A: Absolutely. Once I have my room in iMeet, I can post it anywhere. I can invite prospects via LinkedIn or Twitter.

3. Q: Can iMeet share documents?

A: Yes. A file cabinet is part of your iMeet meeting room. You can put PowerPoint and video in your file cabinet and bring them to any video meeting.

4. Q: How many people can be on an iMeet video call?

A: At one time, 15 guests can be live with streaming video. They can collaborate and build relationships throughout the sales cycle, not just at the beginning and end. Instead of having phone calls and exchanging emails in between quarterly in-person meetings, all you have to do is send out a link to whoever you want in your video conversation.

5. Q: Is iMeet in other countries?

A: We are in 12 countries now and expect to increase that number.

6. Q: Does iMeet integrate with CRM?

A: Not yet, but we expect to by the end of 2012.

7. Q: Does iMeet charge for video time?

A: You get unlimited video and audio for $69 per user per month with iMeet. Price breaks begin at five users, and there are discounts for annual and multi-year deals.

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6 Ways to Project A Powerful Nonverbal Presence—Best Practices for Communicating with Customers Online (Part III)

April 17th, 2012 by Todd McCormick Posted in Audio Best Practices, Collaboration, Conferencing, iMeet, Meeting Tips, PGi, Tips and Tricks, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Virtual Sales Strategies, Web Conferencing

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This is Part III of a three-part blog post about effective nonverbal communication during online meetings and video chats. Read Part I and Part II.

While it’s hard to gauge prospects’ true reactions and respond appropriately on the phone or over email, video eliminates the guesswork. When you see someone’s face and hear their voice, less is lost in translation. Successful sales people use this additional information to deliver a more compelling message, overcome objections, and get prospects to say yes—quickly and decisively.

Before each video sales call, take a few minutes to review these 6 principles.

Remind yourself to mirror and match. For instance, if your customer is more reserved, relax your tone of voice and lower your pitch to show you’re on the same wavelength. You’ll know your sales call is going well when they start to mirror your body language in return.
Pay attention to volume, pace, and pitch. You can use your tone as a powerful tool to focus others’ attention on what you want. I recommend nailing this down by practicing your pitch out loud.
Your eyes are your window to the sell. Turn on your webcam for a minute or two, and practice looking directly into the

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Best Practices for Communicating with Customers Online: Engage with Your Body Language (Part II)

April 10th, 2012 by Todd McCormick Posted in Audio Conferencing, Collaboration, Conferencing, iMeet, Meeting Tips, PGi, Tips and Tricks, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Virtual Sales Strategies, Web Conferencing

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Want to learn more about video? Sign up for our webinar today at 2pm EST with Josiane Feigon—#Vote4Video: The Sales Tool You Can’t Do Without.

Did you know you exchange approximately 800 nonverbal messages during the average 30-minute sales call?

Every salesperson should have at least a rudimentary grasp of how to use body language to support your sale. (If not, check out these body language sales basics, such as eye contact, use of hands, posture, etc.).

The trick with online meetings is that you don’t have the entire body to work with. Your webcam focuses on your head and perhaps your torso. That means making eye contact with your camera, relaxing your shoulders, and bringing your hands into view to emphasize certain points.

Begin with a Smile. There’s nothing revolutionary about this concept, but we often forget to do what we know. By starting online meetings with a smile, you amp up your tone of voice, upgrade your appearance, and communicate confidence. You’re much more likely to forge a quick connection with the other people in your meeting.

Maintain an Open Body Position. Open and expressive movements invite collaborative communication. Sit up straight, and avoid leaning too far back in your chair. Hold your arms away from your body to avoid looking defensive. However, if you notice your prospect responds by pulling back, try to be more subtle with your gestures.

Eye Contact = Bulls Eye. As you and your prospect communicate, focus your gaze directly on the camera. Eye contact is a key element for building trust. Even a brief look away could send the message that you’re not listening, and derail your sale.

body language, eye contact, face-to-face, iMeet, Nonverbal Communication, video conferencing, virtual meetings

Best Practices for Communicating with Customers Online (Part 1)

April 3rd, 2012 by Todd McCormick Posted in Collaboration, Conferencing, iMeet, Meeting Tips, PGi, Tips and Tricks, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Virtual Sales Strategies, Web Conferencing

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Want to learn more about video? Sign up for our webinar on 4/10 with Josiane Feigon—#Vote4Video: The Sales Tool You Can’t Do Without.

It’s highly likely that your prospects don’t have time for long, face-to-face sales pitches. That leaves salespeople with email and the telephone.

Of course, the people you’re trying to reach receive 200+ emails a day. Of those, perhaps a handful are relevant and wanted. According to InsideView, over 90% of C-level execs never respond to email blasts or cold calls.

When you limit communication to email and telephone, you miss out on one of the most important aspects of closing the sale: nonverbal communication. With a phone call, you lose body language but retain vocal cues; with email, you have even less to work with.

Many sales professionals are correcting this problem by finding new ways to leverage nonverbal communication during online meetings and video chats.

At least 55% of communication is nonverbal—93% if you include tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. During online meetings, you can use nonverbal cues to reinforce your message. Some experts say these meetings can be even more powerful than in-person meetings because you can use technology to focus in on the most important source of nonverbal communication: facial expression.

Here’s the first of three major areas where you can harness power of nonverbal communication in an online meeting:

Mirror and Match

Researchers at Boston University Medical School studied people in conversations. As conversations progressed and rapport was established, the participants began to coordinate movements such as blinking, hand motions, and head nods. They even began to match one another in voice pitch and rhythm.

Mirroring and matching is the process of entering your prospect’s world and matching your mind with theirs during conversation. This sends the nonverbal message that you’re in tune with their state of mind, and helps establish rapport.

Watch BNet’s Carol Kinsey Goman discuss effective mirroring:

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10 Immediate Benefits of Video for Sales Teams

March 27th, 2012 by Todd McCormick Posted in Conferencing, iMeet, Meeting Tips, PGi, Tips and Tricks, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Virtual Sales Strategies, Web Conferencing

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Want to learn more about video? Sign up for our webinar on 4/10 with Josiane Feigon—#Vote4Video: The Sales Tool You Can’t Do Without.

How do sellers benefit from incorporating video into their sales calls and sales management processes? Here are 10 quick gains sales teams can see as soon as they turn on a webcam:

Reduce the costs

associated with travel for field reps. Using video, outside reps can leverage their in-person selling skills – such as nonverbal communication – without the time and expense of travel.

Spark more engaging interactions between inside reps and customers. We’ve all heard the phrase “death by PowerPoint.” When you’re on a faceless conference call or hiding behind a PowerPoint, you missing out on fully connecting with your customers. Getting face-to-face adds dimension to the online sales call.
Maximize sales and marketing investments in inbound leads and nurturing campaigns. The cost-per-lead for inbound leads is substantially less than outbound leads. More companies are investing in areas like social media to supplement or enhance their marketing efforts, and building out their inside sales forces. With video, you allow inside sales reps to retain the human component of selling.

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What nonverbal messages do you send during virtual meetings?

March 20th, 2012 by Todd McCormick Posted in Audio Conferencing, Conferencing, iMeet, PGi, Tips and Tricks, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Virtual Sales Strategies, Web Conferencing

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I’ve said before that up to 93% of communication is nonverbal. But did you know that you exchange approximately 800 nonverbal messages during the average 30-minute sales call? (Source: The Art of Nonverbal Selling, Gerhard Gschwandtner)

On a sales call, your nonverbal communication will always say more than your words. What nonverbal messages are you sending to clients and prospects?

body language, communication, gerhard gschwandtner, mirror and match, Nonverbal Communication, tone of voice

4 Proven Communication Techniques for Successful Virtual + Online Meetings

March 13th, 2012 by Todd McCormick Posted in Collaboration, Conferencing, GlobalMeet, iMeet, PGi, Tips and Tricks, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Virtual Sales Strategies, Web Conferencing

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Modern business moves at breakneck speed. Your prospects don’t have time for long, face-to-face sales pitches. But when you limit communication with prospects to email and telephone, you miss out on one of the most important aspects of closing the sale: nonverbal communication. According to Microsoft, buyers receive 200+ emails a day. Of those, just six are relevant and wanted. They ignore voicemails and deny meeting requests. With a phone call, you lost body language but retain vocal cues; with email, you don’t even have that. It’s no wonder so many are turning to online meetings to correct this problem. At least 55% of communication is nonverbal—93% if you include tone of voice, facial expressions and body language. Why cut your communication effectiveness in half?