Bite-sized chunks of interaction
Client interactions need to be broken down into smaller, bite-sized bits in a virtual setting. Most of my clients, for example, report having shorter but more frequent calls to discuss a new opportunity. This has to do with many factors, including the rapidly changing environment that we currently face, the fatigue that sets in when you are on the phone or staring at a Zoom screen for more than an hour, the narrower bandwidth of human communications afforded by virtual interactions, and so on.
More rapport building
Sometimes, when you’ re in a virtual mode, it’ s easy to just plunge into the business conversation. You’ re not in someone else’ s office, and the natural tendency to chat and connect on a personal level gets pushed aside by a task orientation. Take a few minutes at the start of a call to get to know the other person.
Supplemental media
Now is a good time to surround your virtual interactions with additional media- for example, articles, well-done digital brochures, videos, podcasts, interactive demonstrations, and so on. Use them to bring your personality, your experiences, and your solutions more vividly to life.
Better listening
You need to become an even better listener. Even on video, you don’ t get the same clues about how the conversation is going. It’ s easy to talk over the other person because of the signal delay and also- if you’ re on the phone- because you don’ t see the other person’ s body language( e. g., their facial expression may telegraph that they want to say something, but you don’ t see it).
Better questions
Thoughtful questions- what I call Power Questions- are always critical, but even more so now. Why? Because it’ s hard to feel personal warmth over the phone, and questions are important both because of the substance they uncover and because they telegraph your sincere interest in the other person. Studies show that people who ask good questions are perceived as more likable. Fresh, thought- provoking questions will help you overcome some of the limitations of virtual communications.
More effective use of your voice
For example: Sameness is the enemy of the speaker. Modulate your tone, volume, and cadence / rhythm to keep the listener engaged. Slow down to make
an important point. Lower your voice to convey seriousness( that’ s right- lower it, don’ t raise it).
Pause more often and for longer periods of time than you would if you were face to face. These silences invite the other person to speak, and they help ensure you don’ t talk over them.
Project energy and enthusiasm
Even more than normal. If you have a soft voice and you don’ t tend to inflect your speech that much, you can come across as low-energy on the phone. Again, studies show that high levels of enthusiasm make you more likable and interesting to others.
The critical challenge is to master the core principles and steps of the business development process. Adjusting them to a virtual world is actually the easy part.
Dr. Clifford J. Ferguson is the Managing Partner of Rainmakers, and Board Member of Glad’ s House Kenya. You can commune with him on this or related matters via email at: Drcliffordjferguson @ me. com.
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