| In the traditional sales model, presentations are | | | | locations of the potential clients, thereby saving |
| made in person at the client's place of business. | | | | both time and travel expense. |
| Today, however, rising fuel costs have translated | | | | |
| into higher airfares and gasoline prices. As a result, | | | | Presentations and Product Demonstrations: By |
| the travel budgets of companies around the world | | | | enabling prospects to view the sales professional's |
| are straining at the seams. Similarly, company | | | | computer screen, desktop sharing allows the |
| executives are recognizing that traditional business | | | | salesperson to easily present information about |
| travel consumes a significant amount of a | | | | the company and its products and services. The |
| salesperson's time, thereby negatively impacting | | | | salesperson can also turn over control of the |
| employee productivity. Both travel costs and a | | | | desktop to a participant, allowing him or her to try |
| salesperson's time increase the cost of on-site | | | | the product or browse through various parts of |
| meetings, and represent resources that could be | | | | the presentation. This hands-on experience gives |
| better leveraged to generate additional sales. As a | | | | the prospect a clear understanding of the benefits |
| result, businesses are increasingly seeking less | | | | of the product or service. |
| expensive technological alternatives to on-site | | | | |
| sales presentations. | | | | Building a Virtual Bridge: When some members of |
| | | | a potential client's company can attend an |
| This paper explores computer desktop sharing | | | | in-person meeting but other key personnel cannot, |
| solutions as a means of leveraging resources to | | | | desktop sharing allows those who can't be |
| drive sales success. Specifically, this paper | | | | physically present to participate in the meeting to |
| addresses four questions: | | | | attend from a remote location. |
| | | | |
| | | | Cold Calling: During cold calls, the sales |
| What is desktop sharing and how does it work? | | | | professional can quickly initiate a desktop sharing |
| What are the benefits of desktop sharing? | | | | session and invite the prospect to review the |
| How can desktop sharing tools be used in sales? | | | | company profile and view slides or other |
| What features should an effective desktop | | | | information about the product or service. |
| sharing tool include? | | | | |
| | | | Immediate File Sharing: During an online meeting, |
| Although business travel and on-site sales | | | | desktop sharing allows the sales professional to |
| presentations are sometimes necessary, many | | | | provide potential customers with any material |
| on-site pitches can be replaced by online | | | | they may request. This capability communicates |
| presentations at a fraction of the cost. | | | | efficiency and a commitment to customer |
| Effectiveness and efficiency increase, positively | | | | support. |
| impacting both the sales professional's and the | | | | |
| client's bottom lines. | | | | Closing the Sale |
| | | | |
| Desktop Sharing: A Simple, Innovative, | | | | Desktop sharing is a powerful tool for closing |
| Technological Tool | | | | sales and shortening the length of the sales cycle |
| | | | and increasing revenue streams. |
| Desktop sharing is an innovative software | | | | |
| program that allows one or more people in | | | | Document Collaboration: Desktop sharing |
| remote locations to view the primary user's | | | | streamlines the process of working on proposals |
| computer screen. Using a Web-based interface, | | | | and contracts, since it allows both the salesperson |
| the user can show others any document or | | | | and the client to modify proposals together in real |
| application that is open on his or her desktop. | | | | time. |
| | | | |
| Desktop sharing is initiated when the presenter | | | | Team Leader Involvement: A salesperson's upline |
| invites others to participate in a session. The | | | | or supervisor can sometimes be instrumental in |
| presenter begins the session, and participants join | | | | closing a sale. Desktop sharing solutions enable |
| via the Internet, using a unique session ID. During | | | | sales team leaders to join a sales presentation |
| the session, the presenter's screen - including | | | | without ever leaving the office, thereby enhancing |
| mouse movements, documents, and applications - | | | | the interaction and increasing the client's level of |
| is visible to the participants. The participants | | | | satisfaction. |
| simultaneously interact with the presenter by | | | | |
| phone or audio conference call. | | | | Client Authorization: When a sale hinges upon the |
| | | | go-ahead from a potential client's higher-level |
| The Benefits of Desktop Sharing | | | | manager, desktop sharing solutions can smooth |
| | | | the way to closing the deal by allowing managers |
| By delivering sales presentations online, desktop | | | | to attend meetings without ever leaving the |
| sharing allows sales professionals to increase the | | | | office. In addition, the flexibility inherent in the tool |
| effectiveness of their presentations while | | | | makes it possible to initiate or reschedule a |
| leveraging their time to reach more clients and | | | | presentation at a moment's notice. |
| prospective clients. | | | | |
| | | | Customer Support |
| Through the use of desktop sharing technology, | | | | |
| sales presentations are amplified with visual | | | | Once the deal is closed, desktop sharing tools can |
| components. The instantaneous, real-time delivery | | | | be utilized to enrich the relationship with the |
| of documents, slides, or software applications | | | | customer. |
| allows for better communication and increased | | | | |
| flexibility in addressing the specific needs and | | | | Transitioning to Customer Support: Desktop |
| concerns of the customer. | | | | sharing can become a bridge to provide the |
| | | | customer with the support needed to implement |
| As a Web-based tool, desktop sharing enables | | | | the company's product or service. For example, |
| the sales professional to make a presentation | | | | desktop sharing can be used to introduce the |
| instantly to anyone, anytime, worldwide. Because | | | | company's customer support team and walk the |
| a session can be accessed by anyone with an | | | | customer through the support services offered. |
| Internet connection, traveling to a customer's | | | | |
| place of business isn't necessary. This not only | | | | Follow-Up Meetings: Desktop sharing can also be |
| represents a significant savings in travel costs, but | | | | utilized to conduct follow-up meetings, during |
| also a tremendous savings of time, allowing the | | | | which the sales staff can stay in touch with new |
| salesperson to exponentially increase the number | | | | customers. A series of weekly conferences, for |
| of sales presentations he or she can initiate. | | | | example, can go far in demonstrating a |
| | | | company's commitment to their new clients. |
| Desktop Sharing in Sales | | | | |
| | | | Customer Retention: Similarly, desktop sharing |
| Lead Generation | | | | can be incorporated as a way of keeping in |
| | | | regular contact with existing customers. Inviting |
| Many companies have found that desktop | | | | customers to educational seminars, new product |
| sharing quickly becomes a critical tool to generate | | | | launches, and company news events are just |
| leads. | | | | three of the ways that desktop sharing can help |
| | | | ensure customer satisfaction and pave the way |
| Breaking Down Geographic Barriers: As part of | | | | for future sales. |
| the salesperson's repertoire, desktop sharing | | | | |
| provides sales professionals with the ability to | | | | Features of Effective Desktop Sharing Products |
| schedule online meetings with larger groups of | | | | |
| prospective customers, regardless of their | | | | There are a number of desktop sharing solutions |
| geographic location. Web conferencing allows | | | | in the marketplace. To ensure maximum |
| companies to gather leads in new markets | | | | accessibility and security, you should consider a |
| without incurring the travel expenses associated | | | | number of factors when selecting a desktop |
| with reaching these prospective customers. | | | | sharing program. |
| | | | |
| Passive Lead Generation: Companies can, through | | | | In order for clients and potential clients to |
| their websites, offer visitors the opportunity to | | | | embrace participating in a multimedia sales |
| register for informational online meetings or for | | | | presentation, there cannot be any barriers to |
| the launch and demonstration of a new product | | | | accessing the technology. From a technological |
| or service. Potential customers self-select as leads | | | | perspective, this means that the desktop sharing |
| through the registration process. The data | | | | product should enable participants to connect |
| collected from registrants and from those | | | | through corporate networks, firewalls, and proxy |
| attending the online meeting can be used by the | | | | servers. They must also be able to connect using |
| company's team of sales professionals to convert | | | | a variety of operating systems, such as |
| leads to customers. When a company archives | | | | Windows, Mac, and Linux. Similarly, customers |
| their informational meetings and educational | | | | should not be required to install software in order |
| seminars on their website, potential customers | | | | to participate in sessions. |
| can register to download or listen to the | | | | |
| information, which generates additional passive | | | | In order to facilitate spur-of-the-moment |
| leads. | | | | presentations, participants should be able to |
| | | | connect using any Internet browser and without |
| Existing Customers Become New Leads: Desktop | | | | having to register or submit any personal |
| sharing allows new products, services, or specials | | | | information. The desktop sharing interface should |
| to be shown in order to upsell or cross-sell | | | | be intuitive and easy to use. |
| existing customers. Current customers make | | | | |
| excellent prospective customers for new | | | | From the presenter's perspective, a desktop |
| products, and desktop sharing enables a | | | | sharing tool should allow him or her to show his or |
| salesperson to upsell or cross-sell without having | | | | her computer screen without first having to |
| to make an on-site sales call. | | | | upload the content to a presentation server. |
| | | | Likewise, he or she should be able to hide |
| Educational Seminars Hook Prospects: Online | | | | confidential screen areas and have the ability to |
| meetings can also be utilized as a non-sales | | | | pause transmission in order to browse through |
| marketing tool to present live educational | | | | confidential files. In order to facilitate discussion, |
| seminars to potential customers, who then | | | | the participants should be able to highlight items on |
| become qualified leads. In contrast to online | | | | the presenter's screen. |
| meetings that introduce a company or a specific | | | | |
| product or service, the topic of an educational | | | | Finally, a desktop sharing solution should have |
| seminar serves to address a common challenge | | | | strong security features. Transmission should be |
| faced by the company's potential customer base. | | | | encrypted to the best practices standard, and |
| For example, a company that provides shopping | | | | connections to individual sessions should be made |
| cart software might hold an educational seminar | | | | using unique, random session IDs. |
| on cost-effective marketing techniques to drive | | | | |
| traffic to e-commerce sites. The information | | | | Leveraging Resources to Boost Revenues |
| gleaned from the attendees of these lead | | | | |
| generation seminars can be passed on to the | | | | With tight travel budgets and time at a premium, |
| sales team, which can convert sales by using the | | | | using innovative tools to conduct remote sales |
| collaboration features offered by desktop sharing. | | | | presentations can leverage both your time and |
| | | | the time of your clients. Desktop sharing solutions |
| Qualifying Leads | | | | can reduce routine business travel costs and |
| | | | increase productivity. The result is the ability to |
| When marketing tools, such as white papers, | | | | reach more prospective clients and an acceleration |
| recordings of product demonstrations, and | | | | of the sales cycle. When sales presentations can |
| customer testimonials, are posted on a company's | | | | start with a click of the mouse and reach |
| website, potential customers self-select by | | | | customers and potential customers around the |
| downloading or accessing the materials. This | | | | world, the result is an increase in the bottom |
| process begins the selling process prior to a sales | | | | line.Mark Patrick Zondler is responsible for |
| team member contacting a prospect. | | | | software development and global operations at a |
| | | | software company that develops simple, |
| Similarly, an online meeting utilizing desktop | | | | easy-to-use, secure business communication tools |
| sharing technology can drive prospects to | | | | for small and medium-size enterprises. Mark |
| download or access supplemental materials that | | | | developed the technological vision for and defines |
| can further pique their interest and speed up the | | | | the long-term development plan. He has several |
| sales cycle. | | | | years experience in developing and operating |
| | | | Internet software systems. Prior to |
| Sales Calls | | | | BeamYourScreen, he co-founded Allegro Solutions, |
| | | | a Singapore-based software firm specializing in |
| Desktop sharing is most useful during sales calls, | | | | dynamic price negotiation and online auction |
| and represents a tremendous savings of | | | | systems. Mark also worked in the consulting |
| resources. The salesperson can invite one or | | | | divisions of IBM and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He |
| more prospects to a presentation or project | | | | studied business administration in Germany, |
| demonstration, regardless of the geographic | | | | Singapore and France. |