On video calls, avoid being a tiny person in the corner of the screen. Maximize your camera frame to take up as much space as possible. This conveys presence and confidence, showing the prospect you are actively engaged. Combine this with leaning in to listen to demonstrate active engagement visually.
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Instead of just describing a feature when asked during Q&A, share your screen and navigate directly to that section in your product portal. This provides tangible proof, builds trust, and helps prospects visualize themselves using the product, turning hesitation into confidence.
Most salespeople fear silence and rush to fill it, appearing insecure. By intentionally embracing silence, you reframe it as a tool. It signals confidence, gives the buyer critical time to process information, and, like a pause in a performance, can make them lean in and pay closer attention.
For prospects who have already booked a meeting, use the video's call-to-action to explicitly set expectations. Instead of a generic closing, state the specific questions you'll ask and how you'll structure the call, positioning yourself as the conversation's guide from the outset.
The fear of being on camera often stems from self-consciousness. Sending short, personal "video voicemails" to one person at a time shifts your focus. The act of creating a video for a specific individual forces you to visualize them, humanizing the interaction and replacing fear with a focus on connection.
Remote work eliminates spontaneous "water cooler" moments crucial for building trust through non-verbal cues. To compensate, leaders should intentionally dedicate the first five minutes of virtual meetings to casual, personal conversation. This establishes a human connection before discussing work, rebuilding lost rapport.
Instead of open-ended agenda items like "let's do intros," propose specific time frames, such as "Let me give you 90 seconds on me, you can give me 90 seconds on you." This small framing tactic establishes you as a professional who respects time, prevents conversations from meandering, and maintains control of the meeting's flow.
Top salespeople aren't afraid to pause a prospect to ask for clarification. While many fear this appears rude or unintelligent, it actually demonstrates deep engagement and the confidence to control the conversation. This micro-skill prevents fatal misunderstandings and ensures alignment before moving forward.
Many professionals avoid video because they dislike watching themselves. Instead of ignoring this discomfort, lean into it. Methodically re-watching your videos is the fastest way to identify and correct awkward delivery quirks, like repetitive blinking or verbal tics. This self-analysis is a critical step to becoming a more polished presenter.
Typing during a customer meeting diverts critical mental energy, causing reps to miss key verbal and non-verbal cues. Forcing pen-and-paper (or equivalent) note-taking keeps reps fully present and engaged, preventing them from being 'taken out of the play' for a split second.
To ensure speakers look directly at the lens, influencer Roger Wakefield puts a small Mario figurine on his camera. This simple trick provides a physical target to focus on, preventing the natural tendency to look at oneself on a monitor and creating a more engaging viewer experience.
