3 ways screen sharing software can accelerate your sales cycle

Screen sharing is one of the best ways for all meeting participants on a web or video conference to (literally) get on the same page.

It’s simple: Someone clicks or taps a button in the conferencing solution, and then they’re able to show everyone else what’s currently on their display. That could be a single app like a set of web browser windows, a document (PowerPoint deck, Google Doc, etc.), or even their full desktop. 

No matter what’s being shared, screen sharing sessions enable better collaboration. Think of how many times something got buried in your inbox, or was shared in a chat message, but you couldn’t seem to find later on. Screen sharing addresses those issues by allowing presenters walk viewers through a workflow or asset in detail, point by point, in real time.

Is screen sharing the solution to sales cycle difficulties?

It’s no surprise, then, that the distinctive features of screen sharing software can give a big boost to sales agents – a screen share can convey a lot of information very quickly and clearly. That’s perfect in the context of today’s often protracted and fragmented sales cycles: 

• According to CSO Insights, almost half of all new sales to B2B customers take at least 7 months to close.
• More than one-third of respondents (35.9%) felt that their communications with customers needed improvement.
• Poor alignment between sales and marketing teams was another widely cited issue, with many salespeople pointing to lack of well-defined processes at their companies.

Screen sharing solutions can provide much-needed relief and support for sales agents facing these long cycles and communications challenges. Let’s look at three big ways that screen sharing capabilities can help accelerate and streamline sales. 

1. Seeing is believing

The brain is much better at retaining visual information than written or spoken words. By one estimate, it holds on to 65% of images after three days, but only 10% to 20% of non-visual data. 

For a sales prospect, this gap can be the difference between buying what you’re selling and taking a pass. Imagine only describing a product’s lifecycle and features to a potential customer (or sending an email about it), versus being able to actually show it to them in high definition.  

With screen sharing, it’s practical to give the prospect a full walkthrough. Along the way, the sales professional can demo key features in detail, answer questions, and generally give the lead better insight into how the offering works.

Screen sharing has become more popular for these types of in-depth demonstrations. At the same time, it’s important to look for screen sharing solutions that enable the most streamlined experience possible. Prospects should be able to join and participate with ease, e.g. with just the click of a button. That way, they can get right into viewing your screen share.

2. Personalization, made easy

Personalized demos close more deals. After all, every customer wants to know how the product/service being sold will address their particular pain points and benefit their operations. So what is the best way to personalize your sales demo?

One reliable approach is to focus mainly on the features that the customer is most likely to use. For example, if you’re selling accounting software to a client that leases a lot of its equipment, it would be important to highlight how the platform handles lease recognition and various forms of regulatory compliance.

Doing so is easier with screen sharing software. A versatile solution lets your sales team share a variety of assets that can clarify how pivotal features work:

• By sharing your entire screen, you could show how to open the app, navigate to the correct interface, and perform test actions. 
• Alternatively, you could share a video or animation that provides another look at how the product works in the real world.
• Other assets like documents and applications can be shared to add more context and fill in details, for example in response to customer questions.

3. Demo from anywhere and any device

Like the workforce as a whole, sales teams are gravitating toward mobile and remote working arrangements. Allowing sales personnel to work from almost any location has its upsides and downsides, with key implications for an organization’s sales cycle.

On the positive side, the increased flexibility can help keep employees happy by letting them set up their own working environment and proceed at a more self-directed pace. However, there can be some risks when it comes to building camaraderie across the sales team and ensuring that sales professionals can stay productive anywhere. 

This is where screen sharing via a web/video conferencing platform can help. A solution like Webex lets you conduct an engaging sales demo, as long as you have a reliable internet connection and a mobile or desktop device to run the conferencing app. 

Such flexibility across devices can save sales teams the need to make costly trips to customer locations. Plus, high-quality audio and video alongside the screen share means that the online meeting can feel just like an in-office gathering.To learn more about how to use screen sharing for a better sales cycle, get started with a free plan of Webex today.

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