Ditch the virtual background

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This means showing up authentically as yourself, a human being, in a way that transcends the business conversation. Of course, I’m not suggesting you kick off your cold calls by sharing your weekend plans or political views with your prospects. But things like showcasing your quirkiness, your charming sense of humor, your knowledge of psychology or home cooking, your office background, or a whimsical story about your kids or pet, are scientifically proven to enhance your sales performance.

There are two main reasons for this:

1. Open self-expression improves confidence, and denmark telegram data confidence sells! Studies have shown that when someone acts confidently, it adds weight to their words. For example, researchers at Carnegie Mellon found that displaying confidence is more influential in establishing trust with buyers than domain expertise and past performance.

2. People buy from humans, not robots, and humans aren’t perfect. Social psychologists Elliot Aronson, Ben Willerman, and Joanne Floyd conducted a study focused on interpersonal attractiveness. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect that making mistakes (or ‘clumsy blunders’) had on likeability. Results showed that people thought to be competent, who then made a mistake (described as a pratfall) were found to be more likable. Conversely, those who were seen as unprepared and prone to mistakes were seen as less likable.

In the case of selling, this study exemplifies how showcasing your personality and having organic, human interactions, in addition to checking off customary discovery topics, is significantly more impactful than sticking solely to robotic notes and scripts.

If you’re looking for some simple and easy-to-implement ways of infusing personality into your sales motion, here are my top 3 recommendations:

Let’s be honest, when you see someone pop up in front of a Hawaiin sunset or IKEA-style modern farmhouse kitchen, your first thought isn’t “how lovely!” but rather, “I wonder what’s actually behind them”. In other words, the virtual background creates an unnecessary distraction. Not to mention they may end up focusing more on the background and the visual glitches than the words you are saying. Instead use Zoom calls as a way to humanize yourself and give buyers a sneak peek into your space, even if you’re sitting in front of a white wall or shower curtain. Your environment adds to your humanity, making you a lot more approachable, likable and engaging. Maybe you have their favorite musical instrument on the floor behind you or a book on your shelf they also loved. You never know!