The evolution of sales in the wake of the pandemic — and, now, its official end — continues to shake up the way reps interact with prospects and customers. Especially when it comes to B2B sales incentives, going digital made sense when events were suspended, meetings were all conducted online, and contactless rewards were the way to go.
But even as some of those aspects of selling begin to revert to their pre-pandemic norms, virtual B2B sales incentives still have their place. They never completely replaced the advantages of talking to customers and prospects face to face, and in fact, they can do more than you ever thought to enhance those touchpoints.
Here are a few ideas for using virtual B2B sales incentives to help you increase the effectiveness of your in-person interactions so you can hit your quotas, retain business, and grow profits.
In-person events have returned in full force, but before you go spend thousands on swag, consider the advantages of offering virtual B2B sales incentives. Gift cards continue to grow in popularity, so advertising them as “booth bait” is a great way to attract more traffic and start more conversations. Plus, digital rewards give recipients instant gratification while also giving you another personalized touchpoint after they leave your booth. And don’t forget that they’re more eco-friendly than all that swag, most of which ends up in landfills.
READ MORE: Our Pro Tips on Using Virtual Gift Cards at Live Events
Getting back to meeting clients and prospects onsite is a real advantage for sales reps. There’s often something about the connection you can build face to face that just can’t be replicated over a videoconference, especially when you’re trying to make a sale. You can make that connection even stronger by reinforcing it immediately after the meeting. Send a digital reward via email to thank the customer or prospect for their time, with a personalized message reflecting your conversation. The instant delivery will show your appreciation and continue to nurture the relationship more than a physical thank-you gift or card, which would take days to arrive.
It always boosts your case when you have customers willing to share the stage with you, whether it’s for a speaking session at a conference, an invite-only industry event, or a presentation for a large prospective client. Sure, you could take them out to dinner afterward, but a personalized digital reward is often a lot more appealing and useful. These virtual B2B sales incentives can be sent to multiple speakers — before or after the speaking engagement, or both! Sweeten the pot even more while you’re together by offering an extra reward for participating in an onsite interview for a case study or video testimonial.
B2B sales incentives are a useful tool, but you need to understand the landscape for them to be effective. Check out these buyer trends that can help inform your reward strategies.
Hannah is a reformed journalist who has more than 15 years of experience and now focuses on content marketing for innovative tech companies.
Hannah is a reformed journalist who has more than 15 years of experience and now focuses on content marketing for innovative tech companies.
