Strategies for Diverse Suppliers Engaging in Virtual Environments - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Strategies for Diverse Suppliers Engaging in Virtual Environments

3-Part Strategy for Engagement

Humanizing your Interactions & Prospecting Maintain virtual Business Etiquette Ready, Set, Prepare

Part I Humanizing Your Interactions & Prospecting

Stay engaged by any means necessary!

4

Humanizing

• ur

Interactions

Overcoming the impact of physical distancing

• Maintain Face to Face

Interaction

• Negotiation
• Critical updates
• Continue to Develop

relationships

• Do your homework
• Replace networking
• Realize that out of site could

mean out of mind

• Stay in touch
• Anticipate needs, reach out

Turn to help from technology such as…

Your camera is your gateway!

Close up Options of Virtual Platforms

• Zoom (Top Free Features)
• Zoom is idea for anyone who

works remotely or has remote team members; your own meeting room

• Host up to 100 participants
• 1 to 1 and/or group meetings
• Unlimited meetings
• Private and group chat
• Host controls

Close up Options of Virtual Platforms Cont.

• Microsoft Teams (free)
• Includes Microsoft Teams. Included.
• Maximum number of users. Unlimited.
• Unlimited chat messages and search in Teams. Included.
• Guest access to Teams
• File attachments in chat
• File sharing within teams and channels
• Collaboration on Office documents in Teams
• 250+ integrated apps and services for Teams.

Humanizing

• ur

Prospecting

What need can you meet? What problem can you solve? Knowing the best medium of communication

• Email
• Phone
• Chat or Text
• Virtual live
• In person
• Printed document

I’m glad you asked!

Digital Body Language

Use Verbal and non-verbal cues

• Pushback from camera
• Helps build trust
• Show hand gestures
• If you’re “thinking,” display thinking gestures

Display Active listening traits

• Nodding your head
• Tilting to side
• Smile
• Chat in chat box but don’t interrupt
• Um hm
• ‘Yeah,’ or ‘I hear ya’
• Use ‘attentive body language’

Part II Virtual Business Etiquette

Remember, they can see you, don’t check your teeth in the camera!

Virtual Meetings vs. Virtual Face to Face

Virtual Business Etiquette

How to maintain our professionalism in a virtual environment

• Appearance & Physical presence
• Business or business casual attire
• No jeans up top
• No busy jewelry
• No t-shirts with fancy

wording

• Waist up proper attire

Virtual Business Etiquette Cont.

• Background noise…
• Dogs barking
• Children playing
• Foreground vs. background
• Internet connection
• Lighting
• House or cell phone ringing

Types of Noise

Internet connection – buffering, poor connection, dropped call Linguistic barriers – language accents, use of idoms, slang etc. Environmental – what’s around you Physical – standing desk causes excessive moving Paralinguistic – tone, pitch, rhythm element & nuance of your speech

Virtual Business Etiquette Cont.

• Pay attention—Be actively present

during the meeting

• Mute your mic if not talking
• Don’t take calls while in meeting
• Don’t handle your cell phone
• Looking forward at all times

Example: Joy Reid

Be Prepared for anything

• Conference calls
• Video calls
• Group business meetings
• Multiple attendees on one call

Part III Ready, Set, Prepare

The best way to communicate you are nimble, agile and flexible is to come prepared for anything!

Ready, Set, Prepare Cont.

• Know your customer
• What do they purchase
• Who are their current suppliers
• What challenges are facing them

now; and in the future

• What unique needs do they have
• How can I add value
• What is my competitive advantage
• How you can impact their bottom-

line

Use virtual meetings to check in…

What should we start doing? What should we stop doing? What should we continue doing? What is upcoming that we should prepare for?

Virtual Happy Hour

• Have a ‘Virtual Happy Hour—it’s 5
• ’clock somewhere’
• enjoy a coffee and chat
• Have a glass of wine together
• Shoot the breeze
• Let your kids pop in the view of

camera

• Catch up on industry

developments

• Get to know one another
• Start a bucket list

Ideas for virtual engaging by any means necessary

Become a Virtual Conference ‘Baller’

Top 6 Rules for virtual presence:

• Be aware of your video settings
• Make sure your room has great

lighting (I use side lighting)

• Your wall art and decorations should

be appropriate for work

• Mute your microphone
• Be sure to introduce yourself if

there’s no camera in group meetings

• Become one with the camera—look

into the eye like it’s your best friend

Mute your Microphone

Whenever you not speaking Even if you’re alone Background noise is disruptive Allows you privacy

Be aware of your video settings

Don’t forget your video is on Video angles can be distracting Be sure that camera is…

Not too low Not too high That you are centered properly

Remember attendees can see everything

Make sure your room is well lit

Overhead lights are great Lighting from a side lamp Natural lighting from window Brighten up yourself Dressing appropriate attire If wearing a collared shirt—choose light pastel colors Be careful with ‘waist up only professional attire’ camera could fall

Pay attention to what is behind you

Your wall art and decorations should be appropriate for work Does your camera show too many items on your desk? Limit the amount of clutter or coffee mugs in view Meeting at kitchen table? Move dishes and other non-essentials from view Hint: Set up shop in a room that you wouldn’t mind others seeing

One-on-one & Group Video checklist

In a group call without video? Introduce yourself before talking While in a group, turn off microphone until speaking Look into the camera—make eye contact Smile, and be attentive—others are still seeing you Don’t talk over

• thers

The chat box is your friend, consider typing comments

Here are other ways technology can help

Free tools available now Improve your virtual presence Free incentives from business memberships On-line Resources Stay in touch with existing connections:

*Constant Contact *Mail Chimp

Questions and Answers

Contact Us

The Supplier Diversity office is located within the Procurement Department in Suite 330 Harbourt Hall, 615 Loop Road, Kent Ohio 44242. General Office, Email: procurement@kent.edu Phone: 330-672-2276 Fax: 330-672-7904 Veronica Cook-Euell, M.A., MBA, M.Ed. Supplier Diversity Program Manager 330-672-9195 vcook3@kent.edu

Links to more information

• https://www.owllabs.com/blog/video-conferencing-tools 10 Best

Video Conferencing Tools to choose from.

• Free virtual meeting platforms
• Microsoft Teams -

https://products.office.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/group-chat- software?

• ZOOM - https://zoom.us/
• Slack - https://slack.com/
• Uber Conference - https://www.uberconference.com/
• Go To Meeting - https://www.gotomeeting.com/