How about a virtual coffee? Discovery Call rethought
How about a virtual coffee? Discovery Call rethought
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, many employees have been working from home. Other companies were already relying on remote working before the crisis. The result: face-to-face meetings between sales employees and customers or prospects are becoming rarer. But the exchange is valuable for both sides. A new format for telephone discovery provides a remedy: virtual coffee.
The virtual cup of coffee is now commonplace in English-speaking countries. So far, the concept has mainly helped users in software sales to get into conversation with their customers. However, other sales teams outside the software universe can also benefit from this type of conversation. As always, the right implementation is crucial.
VIRTUAL COFFEE: WHAT IS IT?
What sounds like a break and a cozy chat is ultimately nothing more than a qualification meeting between a sales representative and a prospective customer. However, "a cup of coffee" sounds much more informal, don't you think? Associations with the classic discovery call, which is often perceived as an unpleasant sales event, fade into the background.
Background to the Discovery Call
The sales discovery call is considered the most important conversation in the sales process. It determines the future relationship with the customer. On the one hand, it is about finding out whether a "fit" really exists. "What challenges does your counterpart face?" or "Can your solution help them with these challenges?" are important questions that need to be answered. These are fundamental enablers for building a business relationship.
But almost more important is a less objective point: you need a personal relationship with your counterpart to take the next steps. This is exactly where the virtual cup of coffee comes in. Because it helps to build trust and rapport between the conversation partners. You can deliberately choose a relaxed start to the conversation and use the first five to ten minutes for some nice small talk. Of course, you should not lose sight of your goals when qualifying.
In the following, we will talk about the best way to win over a prospect for a cup of virtual coffee together. Then we'll talk about how a virtual coffee can help you in the sales process.
Commitment guaranteed: How to invite your lead for a virtual cup of coffee
Sent out lots of invitations, but the response rate leaves a lot to be desired? In this section, you will learn how to set up coffee dates with interesting leads.
Cold call invitation
If you go into too much detail during a cold call or ask too many questions, you often ruin your chances of winning over the customer. The other person usually doesn't have much time if they are called "cold". Instead, the aim of cold calls is to first arrange another appointment where the parties have enough time to talk in peace.
What might such an invitation look like?
"If this is an interesting topic for you, let's have a virtual cup of coffee together! We can use this opportunity to get to know each other and briefly discuss your current challenges. Do you have half an hour on Wednesday afternoon, e.g. at 3 pm?"
As with any cold call, you should ask yourself the following questions before inviting them:
- Who is my target group?
- What is the job/position of my (desired) conversation partner?
- What industry does he work in?
If you are aware of these points, you can better prepare for the conversation and respond more specifically to the interests of those involved. The better tailored the invitation is, the more interest you will arouse in your addressee. The number of confirmations of virtual coffee appointments will show this.
Invitation via LinkedIn
Alternatively, you can make an appointment for the virtual coffee via social networks. LinkedIn is particularly suitable for acquiring new customers, as the focus here is on professional relationships. In addition, salespeople on LinkedIn can approach the relevant decision-makers directly. This also pays off when inviting them to a virtual coffee. LinkedIn is ideal for viewing the profiles of potential contacts and gathering initial information.
As with a cold call, you should first define your target group and industry. Before making contact, however, you should take a look at your own appearance: Is your profile professional and meaningful? If you are unable to correctly classify the role of the other person and their interest in the exchange, you will be critical of the invitation. Conversely, a successful presentation significantly increases the likelihood of an appointment being made via the platform.
Look for common interests when addressing the person. You can mention these in the first message to secure the attention of the interested person. Alternatively, address challenges that they might be facing at the moment. Always focus on the other person's interests and talk about topics that are relevant to them.
If you hit the mark with your message, your contact will reply. A virtual coffee is the perfect format to deepen the exchange.
A virtual coffee - casual discovery call
Have you been accepted for the virtual coffee? Now the preparation for the discovery call begins. In addition to the content and structure of the call, which should follow the GPCT principle, there is another important to-do: you should definitely create an appropriate setup for your virtual coffee.
1. the setup
- Create a "professional" setup for a video call: A virtual coffee doesn't require studio-level lighting. Be dressed professionally, aim the camera to capture your face and upper body, and make sure there's no clutter behind you. There are now practical green screen features in many applications that limit the amount of effort required. To best mimic eye contact, move the video window on your screen as close to your camera as possible.
- Have an actual drink: Eating and drinking together creates a sense of connection. Have a cup of coffee or tea ready for the appointment. It can also be a cup of water. The main thing is a cup! After all, you've arranged to meet for a virtual cup of coffee, haven't you? You should maintain the casual conversation situation you have announced.
- Set a clear start and end time: You should set the appointment as short as possible, but also as long as necessary - a virtual coffee is a meeting of 15 to 30 minutes maximum. We need to be as respectful of our time and the time of those invited as we would be in a normal meeting scenario. A relaxed environment does not allow you to flout these conventions.
Do you fancy an informal, digital exchange? We are available immediately!
2. discovery according to the GPCT principle
The GPCT principle(Goals, Plans, Challenges, Timeline) is an effective framework for qualifying potential customers. The following questions are well suited to developing a quick yet in-depth understanding of your counterpart:
Goals
If you ask about the goals, you can also deduce challenges or problems from the answer. This is important in order to get a picture of the other person. It makes sense to identify quantifiable goals. After all, your own solution is measured by the extent to which it contributes to the achievement of objectives. The following questions are suitable for understanding the other person's goals:
- Does the company have specific goals for the relevant area?
- Are there any personal goals that go hand in hand with this?
- What is your counterpart's top priority this year?
Plans
In the next step, you should find out which plans are intended to achieve these goals. For example, you can look at which measures have already been tried out in the past. Which approaches have been discarded and which have proved promising? This will give you a feel for the attitude of the person you are talking to towards new solutions and approaches. This is crucial, as you want to gain an internal advocate for your product. You can ask these questions over a virtual cup of coffee:
- What was done last year? Which approach worked and which did not?
- What will he or she do differently this year?
- Are the necessary resources available to implement his or her plans?
Challenges
This is probably the most important point in the discovery call, because this is where it becomes clear whether the product being offered is actually a viable solution for the person interested. The statements can therefore be decisive for your future relationship. Normally, companies want to avoid changes as long as they are not urgently needed. Only if the consequences of the unresolved challenges are substantial enough can you convince customers to change. This is the task of the sales demo. You can check the potential for this with the following questions:
- What obstacles are preventing your counterpart from implementing his plans and achieving his goals?
- Why are these points in particular so crucial for the company?
- What are the consequences if he cannot solve the challenges?
Timeline
Once you have understood the person's challenges, timing is key. You should clarify what timetable he or she is following and when the target should be reached. Being aware of the pressure of deadlines can speed up the sales process and accelerate decisions that have been held up for a long time. The following questions are also helpful:
- Does the other person have alternatives that he or she is currently considering?
- Which of these goals currently has top priority?
3. the individual pitch
If you have followed the four points of the GPCT method during the virtual coffee, you now know exactly whether your solution can be a way out or not. If there is a fit, you should now take the opportunity to explain why your solution is exactly the right one for their situation.
It's not about giving a complete demo. Focus on the most important pain point and show from a high-level perspective how your product solves the problem. With this impression, you can conclude the meeting and plan the next steps.
Virtual coffee brings new momentum to Discovery
In software sales and in English-speaking countries, virtual coffee is already a widely used customer acquisition tool. It is a good alternative to "classic" discovery by telephone. The more informal setting not only facilitates the initial appointment, but also helps to establish a relationship with the person more quickly. Nevertheless, the informal setting should not be at the expense of the information content and the achievement of objectives. It is important to find a healthy balance here. A discussion guide can help you to give this type of meeting a clear structure. We recommend: Test whether the virtual cup of coffee also makes it easier for your sales team to start conversations with potential customers.
