5 Must-Do's If You're Considering A Virtual Discovery / Meet The Team Day

Prepare your Team –

Practice, practice, practice. Get everyone comfortable using video (GoTo Meeting, Zoom video, facetime, google hangouts, etc) to communicate. Please don’t forget to test the conference room or offices where the video will take place:

• Are there lighting concerns? A window in the background will make you a scary silhouette.
• Make sure your background is professional.
• Do voices echo? Test with a friend or co-worker. If your computer mic is too troublesome, consider a headset for a more professional sound and look.
• Are there disturbing environmental sounds? Close windows and consider a white noise machine (or app on your phone) to mask the garbage truck or TV.
• Can you let the rest of the team/family know you are on a call so that there are not any embarassing interruptions?
• Make sure any materials you will share are easy to access by sharing your screen. White boards and props are not easily seen.

Think about the desired outcome –

How can you modify the same content so that it is interactive and targeted to this one candidate? (I would not start with multiple candidates on the same call.) With a new normal still under development, what kinds of challenges should you expect to hear on this call?  Fear is likely to show up in a multitude of ways. How will you help your candidate work through it? Your goal should be to help them continue to make progress towards a decision and a commitment. Allowing them to postpone consideration will lead to a business slump so make sure they understand how to make progress during this time.

Create Custom Content for your Virtual Discovery Day–

It’s certain that your three fiercest competitors are also planning a virtual discovery event right now, so don’t just throw something together. Gather your most creative minds and find a way to show up differently.  Personalization works wonders when meeting someone for the first time.  Consider what is most important to this candidate today? If you don’t already know this answer, (of course you all do, you’re pro’s at this) then reach out and get input on their key issues and questions. Whatever you do… DO NOT “spray and pray” (that’s a technical term and you know exactly what it means – don’t do it!).

Time Matters…

A LOT. Think about the video conferences you have been part of in the past (dogs barking, doorbells and phones ringing, kids at home, bio-breaks, boredom, unable to hear or understand what’s being said, too many people talking at once.) Those annoyances get old quickly and make an unprofessional impact that will be difficult to reverse. Build your event with that in mind. Consider bursts of amazing content in short segments. Be concise and focused.

Prepare the candidate –

Hold a practice session using the exact technology you will rely on prior to the event. You might also consider sending (via express mail) props to make the call more fun for the attendee. Examples include brochures or other marketing materials, hometown food and/or local souvenirs, T-Shirts (of course the ones that say “all I got was this amazing franchise opportunity” ?)  or other branded tchotchke’s.

Just do it – or some version of it! 

With so many people working from home, using video-conferencing is growing by the minute. I’m guessing the web will be a bit crowded – so keep your sense of humor, have fun and let me know how your virtual discovery day turns out!