Although we live increasingly digital lives, the old adage remains true - people buy from people. The challenge businesses face is how to digitally represent empathetic human qualities whilst maximising the opportunities that virtual interaction tools now bring. Running a sales meeting virtually requires a different etiquette from more traditional physical meetings, as it is easier for people to switch off. Therefore, the salesperson running the meeting should ensure that their content and tools used as part of the meeting keep the buyer engaged and actively involved in the conversation. Gamification has proved to be highly effective at maintaining buyer engagement whilst extracting valuable information - this could be something as simple as a quiz before or during the virtual meeting.

Another thing to consider is customer-centric marketing, which means being able to listen to your customers’ wants and needs, before adapting your content accordingly to address what you know about them directly. Technology around us is now so powerful and easy to use that a salesperson can record a short, personalised video on their mobile phone and share it with the buyer or customer quickly. This allows the salesperson to inject their personality and even a sense of fun into the conversation, which is always a great way to strengthen a relationship.