By Ellen Barnes Pfiffner, EBP Business Consulting

When compared to other formats (such as tradeshows, seminars, forums, meetings in sales offices, social media, sales, and visiting the customer’s office), twenty-eight years of ABPM research (Benchmarking Research on the Effectiveness of Briefings) shows “Executive Briefings are the preferred method for customers to obtain information on solutions.” It is not a surprise because we make the briefing all about the customer. We personalize the day, customize the content, and make the experience impactful. We may even serve them a favorite dessert.

While many other customer events are cancelled, the briefing program has a key role in supporting customers and account teams during this challenging time. A virtual briefing enables people, regardless of their location to use video, audio and content to share information and data in real-time. We believe that by using a few best practices, virtual briefings can be delivered effectively because they are highly customized, personalized and relatively small events. Some companies are even sending dinners and desserts to customers’ homes!

Below is a summary of what virtual briefings can accomplish and when are they a good substitute for an in-person briefing.

 

What can a virtual briefing accomplish?

  • Enables people to exchange ideas and information

  • Provides customers access to your leadership and SMEs

  • Keeps your company top-of-mind

  • Supports customer-centric brand

  • Is a vehicle to hear VOC

  • Maintains relationships and communication

  • Erects a competitive barrier

When are they a good substitute for an in-person briefing?

  • Given current restrictions and the cancellation of all other customer events, virtual briefings are a viable alternative

  • Distance is not an issue, the reach can be global

  • People can participate, regardless of situation or location

  • Ideal for the size of a briefing audience and scalable agenda

  • Can be engaging, personalized and customized

  • When you want more than a phone call or text to a customer and can’t have an in-person briefing

  • To bring together a geographically-dispersed, “all-star” team of executives and thought leader

 

Experience has shown that customers who felt encouraged and important during challenging times are retrained and express their loyalty with purchases after the crisis period.

 
 

Many briefing professionals are working day and night developing a strategy for Executing Effective Briefings. This article, the third of a series on “Executing Effective Virtual Briefings”, discusses who to target for a briefing, how to engage account teams and identifies best in class practices for engaging customers in virtual briefings.

EBP Tips

If you have a briefing scheduled over the next few weeks, offering a virtual briefing is a viable alternative to traveling to a center. The briefing team will have to coordinate with the account team to help understand customers’ expectations. Situations and customer needs are changing daily and lead times for virtual briefings need to be short and responsive.

Successful virtual briefing agendas are concise and action driven. The customer’s immediate needs and interest may be very different now than when the briefing was first booked. The goal of the virtual briefing may now be to provide customers with information they need for business continuation or to use your products for work at home solutions. The briefing team may need to level-set with account teams. While we realize the pressure sales are under to drive revenues, the best objective may be show support and not to do hard selling at this time. The objective of briefings during the pandemic may be customer retention, enhancing relationships, and fostering executive communications between companies.

In addition to converting already-scheduled briefings to virtual, it is also important to reach out to the account teams of your most strategic and largest customers to schedule briefings. Maintaining relationships and retaining these customers is critical. The account team may say, “I can simply have a cell phone call to liaise with my customer and can do so without involving the briefing program staff.”

Research shows the “simple call” will not be as impactful as a virtual briefing! The reasons for their push back may vary. Some account managers may not be familiar with virtual briefings and others are unsure of the technology and don’t want to embarrass themselves in front of the customer. To win over sales, hold a “mini-virtual-briefing” one-on-one for your top sales people. They can experience the value of a virtual briefing with a customized agenda and the participation of subject matter experts and your executives. It is also important to attend sales management meetings to reinforce the value of a polished and professional virtual briefing.

Many companies, including your competitors, are developing the capabilities to demonstrate products, collaborate, and utilize technologies to heighten the impact of the virtual briefing. Dassault Systèmes is considering a product called BeamPro, a robotic device, to give tours of their centers, increase group collaboration and enhance virtual interactivity. Other companies are employing interactive collaboration and whiteboarding software. Where they are able to, some briefing teams are using their centers as “staging” for virtual briefings. They leverage the branding, assets, and content of the center.

To ensure your virtual briefings are polished and professional, a best practice is to provide training for your discussion leaders and executives. In addition to virtual etiquette, there are skills and techniques that increase presenters’ confidence and make topics more interactive.

In summary, a virtual briefing is a good alternative for supporting customers during this crisis. Many companies are saying “retention is the new growth strategy.” The briefing team leads the demanding planning process, supports crafting shorter agendas, helps executive and discussion leaders prepare, and provides skilled facilitation. Jesse Hanz, Director of Experience Centers at Schneider Electric reports, “Account teams are requesting briefings, executives are seeing the value of virtual briefings, and customers appreciate the access to thought leadership and solutions.”

Ellen Barnes Pfiffner, M.Ed., CMM – Ellen is the principal of EBP Business Consulting and offers benchmarking, tools, and consulting to executive briefing programs globally, on-site ABPM Competency courses, and customized training programs including Facilitation Skills. EBP Business Consulting offers on-site and virtual ABPM Core Competency courses, benchmarking and consulting to executive briefing programs.

Note: My mother named me Ellen, our family name is Barnes, and I married Tim Pfiffner. When I started consulting to Executive Briefing Programs 15 years ago, I just knew I had to name my company EBP Business Consulting. I welcome your questions and feedback. Contact me online or at 214.789.3571.