HappyGilmore

Account Executive

Is being on camera mandatory for sales training?

Hey Savages,

Wanted to get your take on something. We started the first of what was hinted at many sales trainings today, over Zoom. This comment wasn't made by the enablement person from my org, but from the sales trainer (who we paid to run these sessions).

He said "I'd encourage everyone to turn their cameras on to make it interactive, actually this should be mandatory."

My thought is if I'm being asked to spend 2 hours a day, 4 days this week doing a training, I'll turn my camera on if the SVP of sales asks me to, not some sales trainer.

Thoughts on this statement from the sales trainer?

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28 comments

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TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

if i was the sales trainer, i would say the same thing. think about when we do demos and how much it sucks when everyone is off camera.

Now.....i also agree with you. sales training normally sucks. so i dont fault you for being salty.

But i am a camera on kinda guy.

Keep us posted on the drama.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

I feel the same. My current company is pretty camera off, but everywhere else the default has basically always been camera on.

It's killer spending that much time without seeing anyone.

HappyGilmore

Politicker

Account Executive

For sure and for some more context on this, the comment was made halfway through the call not upfront.
Wouldn't mind if it was asked upfront, but the timing I thought was just a hair odd.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

He might have felt attention was waning..

oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

…or expected, reasonably so, that cameras would be on from the start.

Flipping your script, do you like running a Zoom disco or demo with a room full of no-cam prospects? Nothing worse than screaming into an empty room. I think the ask is reasonable.

HappyGilmore

Politicker

Account Executive

Great perspective tbh thanks for this

oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

I get the annoyance factor. But still…

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

I'm with OC. These kind of things, in the before times, would have been done sitting in a room together. The company has paid a fair bit of money for that, and probably want it to be as close to that as possible.

I'm surprised that the trainer didn't open with that tbh.

HappyGilmore

Politicker

Account Executive

Agree with you on the opening piece or even a note from our enablement director beforehand

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Either/or. Always best to make the expectations clear from the get-go.

SalesBeast

Politicker

Sales Leader

It’s only 2 hrs a day. They prob pay you decent money. Don’t be a pile and just participate w camera on. Why even fight it..

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I'm on the side of picking one's battles.

HappyGilmore

Politicker

Account Executive

Of course and again, totally fine to go on camera if that's the case, was simply stating my feeling at the time that comment occured.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I get it. I’m not a fan of early morning internal meeting cams, and my internal oppositional defiance personality gets annoyed.

Then I remind myself that I used to get myself to the bus stop by 7 to get to work, and all I have to do is walk from one room to the next.

oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

Hallway traffic sucks though.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Only if someone gets between me and the coffee.

HappyGilmore

Politicker

Account Executive

Touche.

Phillip_J_Fry

Opinionated

Director of Revenue

Turn your camera on and spend all two hours picking your nose.

886GFl

Praised Answer

Account Executive

Throw on the camera. Turn self view off because it’ll help with zoom fatigue and it’s way more natural. You aren’t looking at a mirror when you talk to others irl haha

Phillip_J_Fry

Opinionated

Director of Revenue

Not sure how having your camera on makes it 'interactive'. They're just trying to make sure you're engaged and not on your phone. You could probably get away with keeping it off, but more than likely your higher ups would hear about you 'not being a team player'.

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

yes.

oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

Absolutely- and to which question was this an answer? Doesn’t matter.

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

Director, Revenue Enablement

Here is my stance for what it’s worth. If you’re going to be off camera be paying attention and ready to be called on.

If you’re off camera because you are doing other stuff then don’t attend.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

I mean I get it, there going to be asking tons of questions and need to make sure people are involved and paying attention

pirate

Big Shot

🦜☠️ Account Executive

I have camera on for maybe first and last 30 minutes or even 15 minutes of that call or ask a question with camera on. I think 2h is too much to be constantly on

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Nope. That's a good way to shut folks down when you need them to actually listen to the material. That's my opinion as a trainer.

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

Account Executive

Camera on, camera off. Not my problem at all. Don’t like me having it off, cry a river somewhere.

Shit like this makes working for some people a miserable waste of time. Like seriously, can’t people try to worry about things that matter v trying to control people.

Sales trainer sounds like an absolute loser.

TheHypnotist

Executive

-1

Sales Manager

I'd kick your ass off the training if you didn't have the camera on.

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HappyGilmore

Is being on camera mandatory for sales training?

28 comments

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