While everyone needs to practice social distancing in these times of uncertainty caused by the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, it doesn’t mean that your sales need to stop or even slow down at all.
For sales representatives who aren’t used to working from home, or rely on in-person meetings to pitch leads and nab the sale, a societal change like this may seem daunting if you don’t have the right tools. This is why we’ve put together a handy list of screen-sharing software to help you find what works best for your sales process and business.
1) Crankwheel
Crankwheel is the number one screen sharing app used in our offices. If you’ve ever been given a Solargraf demo or training by one of our reps, it was done with this app. Crankwheel offers both free and paid plans at multiple tiers to fit your needs. The free plan grants your team 15 meetings a month, while their highest level Department plan is $495/month.
Using this software is as easy as running the extension and generating a unique link for your prospect to click to access your screen from any device. Crankwheel also allows you to grant your viewer remote access to your mouse/keyboard.
2) Slack
Not only is Slack one of the most-used in-office text chat apps for remote workers, but it also offers audio/video calls and screen sharing. While we don’t recommend you use this directly for sales, it can be a lifesaver for your team, allowing you to stay in touch with everyone wherever they are. The screen sharing functionality can help you work through any issues your team may be having with their computers, proposals or account settings.
Slack offers a free plan while a yearly Standard plan will cost you $6.67 per person/month and unlocks group video calls and unlimited archive storage of your files and conversations.
3) Zoom
Popping up at the forefront of this pandemic, Zoom is a video conferencing/screen sharing app used by everyone from yoga teachers to DJs hosting online dance parties. One-on-one meetings in Zoom are free while larger meetings with more participants are limited to a 40-minute maximum.
While 40 minutes may be more than enough time for your calls, paid plans start as low as $14.99 per host/month and unlock premium features such as cloud storage for recordings and reporting.
4) Microsoft Teams
Often used as an alternative to Slack, Microsoft Teams has also seen an increase in users as of late. Teams offers a free plan and can be bundled in with other Office apps such as Word and Excel starting at $12.50 per user/month.
This software allows you to create workspaces for your office and offers text chat, video calling, and screen sharing to make sure everyone is on the same page throughout the workday.
5) Google Hangouts
Originally a feature of the now-defunct Google+, Google Hangouts allows you to start public or private meetings at the click of a button. Anyone with a Google account can create and share meetings simply by heading to hangouts.google.com and choosing either “video call”, “phone call” or “message” depending on your needs. The service is free to anyone with a Google account and includes free screen sharing during meetings.
6) Join.me
While often overlooked, Join.me offers powerful remote meeting tools to help you get in touch with your prospects and make the sale. With features like integrations with Office 365, Outlook, Slack and Google Calendar, this app can easily become our one-stop-shop for all your team and sales needs.
To use Join.me for sales, you simply need to generate a meeting link for your prospect and wait for them to connect. Join also offers a free plan while upgrading to their LITE plan will cost you $10/month billed annually.
7) Skype
Somewhat overlooked lately, Skype used to be at the forefront of telecommunication software. Even though many other calling and screen sharing apps have popped up since Skype was launched in 2003, it’s still a great solution for anyone looking to chat and share their screen while working remotely.
Once installed, you can call anyone with the app to go over your sales proposals and answer their questions. Skype is free to use if both people on the call have the app but for a fee, it will also allow you to call landlines and cell phones.
8) GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting is just one of the long list of products offered by LogMeIn, a company who provides multiple tools for businesses looking for communication and collaboration solutions. GoToMeeting offers video conferencing and screen sharing for up to 150 participants and starts at $12 per organizer/month. You can also share your screen from your mobile phone or tablet with GoToMeeting for when you’re really on the go.
You can also choose to add GoToWebinar, LogMeIn’s online seminar software for an extra $20/month if you were thinking about hosting webinars for leads and potential clients about your products or the benefits of solar energy as well!
9) Screenleap
The beauty of Screenleap is that it comes with no bells and whistles. It’s a simple screen sharing app that takes the headache of creating an account, buying a subscription and installing an app out of the equation.
Just head over to https://www.screenleap.com/, click “Share your screen now!” and you’re done. You can share your whole screen, a specific tab or application open on your computer and send a link to view to anyone you’d like.
Couple this with a phone or video call and you have an easy, no-frills remote sales toolkit. Screenleap’s free offering requires no account creation but limits your meetings to 40 minutes/day. Upgrading to their basic plan will cost you $15/month.
10) Mikogo
Another barebones screen sharing app, Mikogo offers a browser-based solution for people looking to meet and share information together. With nothing to install for participants, you should have no issues getting your leads into your meetings and pitching them. Mikogo’s Standard plan will cost you $14/month.
In Closing
Paired with the right solar sales software, having a good screen sharing app will allow you to continue selling solar systems without a hitch. Solargraf is here for you in these times with features that support remote sales such as e-signatures, custom live proposals, financing, permit and stamp orders, and full team management capabilities. Request a demo today and get ahead of other solar companies struggling with the “new normal”.
In closing.
Just because things look rough, it doesn’t mean that business has to slow down or stop altogether. With a few adjustments to your sales and quoting process, as well as the addition of a good solar panel software solution, it can be business as usual for you and your team.
At Solargraf, we want to help you in these hard times and have a special offer for new clients to take the worry about having a reliable tool to help you work remotely off your hands. Book a free demo today to hear how we can help!
This article appears in our Remote Sales Toolkit, access more articles here.
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