How to Make Your Initial Zoom Meetings More Engaging Whether You Can See Your Customer or Not | Julie Hansen - 1515

While we might be in a post-pandemic world, the myriad of zoom calls is here to stay. But, for any professional, creating and maintaining professional virtual relationships is more complex than in-person. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald is joined by actor, author, and founder of Selling On-Video Master Class Julie Hansen to learn how to better engage our virtual audiences.  When transitioning from theatre to camera, she had to practice communication. When everyone went virtual, Julie noticed other people struggling (as she was) to communicate through a camera. So, she created her masterclass to teach skills salespeople could apply to their virtual sales techniques. She also wrote an Amazon bestselling book, Look Me In the Eye, to further educate people in virtual communication. Communicating with a client whose video is off can be challenging. The value of having your video on is huge. Even if the prospect is unseen, looking at the camera as if they’re speaking will create a stronger relationship. Salespeople tend to assume the worst - that the client is bored, disengaged, or not paying attention. And that attitude tends to bring out the worst in the salespeople, resulting in skipping ahead and rushing through content. Visualize the prospect having a great reaction, even if you can’t see it, because it encourages you to maintain positive momentum. Resist the urge to watch yourself: Never have your own image on; you’ll focus on your faults and be entirely out of the moment. (Remember, It’s not a mirror!) While Julie recommends setting your camera as close to the screen or image as possible, remember that humans are precise with eye contact. So even if it’s off by only a couple of inches, most people will recognize that. In general, look directly at the camera whenever someone else is speaking. (Yes, it’s counterintuitive, but it’s true!) How can you better engage with virtual prospects? Break the passive pattern of the virtual call - especially if there’s more than one person. When we get in front of a screen, we're trained to be in a receiving mode- looking at something, reading something, or typing something. We aren’t usually engaged with other people. To break that, use the power of eye contact. People will feel more compelled to respond when you look at the camera. Whenever you want someone to respond to what you’re saying, look directly at the camera (rather than the screen) to indicate you’d like a verbal response. In-person communication utilizes much more body language than we realize. But if your face has nothing to say, why are you on video? Being expressive will help book more meetings. Julie’s major takeaway? Don’t expect this to be something you’ll figure out independently. While you can minimize the importance of these skills, recognize others are perfecting this craft to deliver great virtual communication. And they’ll make their customers feel seen and heard.  To contact Julie, follow her on Twitter @acting4sales, LinkedIn (@juliehansensalestraining), or