Turn Your Webcam On! w/ Morgan Ingram

Devon: What's going on, everybody? Hope you're having a good Friday, summer's off to a good start. Welcome to Gong Labs Live. I'm your host, Devin Reed, head of content strategy here at Gong. Now, before we get rolling and into today's show, let's get the comment section going. Let's get the engagement up a little bit. So I'm curious, what do you have in your cup right now? What are you drinking? What are you sipping on? Do you have coffee? Do you take it black or with cream and sugar? Or do you just go with the water, because you're into hydration? And you've got tea. I don't know. It's 9: 00 AM on the west coast here. I have three drinks because I'm extra like that, I suppose. I've gotten an espresso for my coffee. I've got most of my breakfast down, which is a protein shake. I've got a bunch of water, so I've got all three covered. Let me know what you got going on in the comments. If you're returning to Gong Labs live, thank you. We're happy to have you back. Hope you're enjoying today. And if it's brand new, if you don't know what it is, here's what Gong Lab live is all about. It's the only show on LinkedIn bringing you real talk and data on sales. So every week I sit down with different sales leaders and sales experts to break down data back sales insights so you can use them in your approach. So if you want to increase your earning potential this year, if you want to shatter sales records at your company, or maybe you just want to learn a little something and have a laugh on your Friday, then this is exactly where you want to be. We meet here every Friday at 9: 00 AM Pacific. And if you want to check out previous episodes of the show, you can catch them using the link that our show producer, Nate Hall, will drop into the chat. All right, we've got a few folks popping off. Adam has coffee and water, Joel has water, Anon has black coffee. So pretty much as expected, sales folks who like water and black coffee. Exactly the things they need to survive and get through the day. I see someone's got macha out there. Shout out to people who can stomach macho. I'm not one of them. All right, let's get today's guest up here. We have none other than Morgan J Ingram. What's going on, Morgan?

Morgan J Ingram: What's happening? So fun fact here, people talking about coffee, I've never drank coffee ever in my life.

Devon: Really? I knew you're weird.

Morgan J Ingram: Yeah, never have.

Devon: Do you have any other caffeine, or are you just not a caffeine person?

Morgan J Ingram: None, not about it.

Devon: I would love to talk. If I had time today on the show, I'd ask how you do that, because I know you're just a machine. You're putting out content, you're training, you're a constant learner. So the fact that you do that without caffeine is pretty magical. Morgan, what are you drinking then? Do you have anything in front of you?

Morgan J Ingram: So I have some Core water, but I just finished it and that's about it. So I just drink a ton of water.

Devon: There you go.

Morgan J Ingram: That's pretty much it, solid.

Devon: Pharrell Williams, who looks like he's 31 years old, but he's like 55, I asked him why he looked so good. He says, I wash my face every day and I drink a lot of water. But I want to know what he's washing his face with. Anyway, crosstalk

Morgan J Ingram: Exactly.

Devon: Morgan, this got brought up backstage and I'm really glad that you actually were the one that brought it up, because people see us on webinars. We hang out sometimes. We actually text from time to time. I don't know if people know this. So I'm curious, Morgan, are we industry friends or are we real friends?

Morgan J Ingram: So I would say that we are definitely beyond industry friends, but it's like in the middle, right? Because we are friends, but we've never met.

Devon: Right.

Morgan J Ingram: We've never met before, so I would say we are friends. I think it will go to the next level when we actually meet.

Devon: Okay.

Morgan J Ingram: We're definitely be beyond industry friends, for sure.

Devon: Okay. So we're not real friends until IRL happens, so that's fair. So let's put our relationship to the test here, okay? So maybe we'll get a little bit of insight. I've got three questions for you. They shouldn't be too hard to answer. When did we first meet?

Morgan J Ingram: We first met webinar. What was the first webinar? Dang, that must have been a year and a half ago.

Devon: I have no idea. This is my show. I ask the questions. crosstalk Hoe may webinars have done together,? Morgan?

Morgan J Ingram: Three.

Devon: Three, that's incorrect. Worst camera fail ever that we've had on a show? I don't think we've ever had one, but do you remember one?

Morgan J Ingram: No, we didn't have one.

Devon: Maybe a side step.

Morgan J Ingram: Wait, was it four then?

Devon: I have no idea, actually. I have no idea what any of these answers are. I just wanted to put you on the spot and see if I could get you going here, so all good. Anyway, I just want to have some fun with you. Morgan, I see you on my LinkedIn feed all the time. You're sharing sales tips, sometimes you make videos about making videos, which is very meta of you. So I'm curious, why are you such an advocate for selling with video?

Morgan J Ingram: So first and foremost, I actually used to not be an advocate. I used to be very nervous about it. I used to be like, I don't really know about this. And I'm a huge advocate of it because it allows you to create a human touch to somebody. And it's even more important now than it was before, because there's not a lot of face to face. And eventually we'll get back to that or whatever, but as of right now, it creates a human touch. It allows you to stand out, it allows you to be unique and different. Most people might be afraid of it or nervous. It actually allows you, at the end of the day, to articulate your emotions or feelings about everything. So that's the reason why I'm such a big advocate of it. What I say via email can be interpreted a lot of different ways. What I said on video, it's easier to interpret what I'm trying to sell you.

Devon: Definitely. For viewers, for Watchers, we'd love to hear, do you sell with video on your calls? So there's prospecting with video. We're not going to cover that too much today. I'm mostly talking about, do you turn your video on when you're selling? So we'd love to hear bonus points, if you say, why yes or why not?

Morgan J Ingram: So I do use it on every single call, whether the person's on video or not, and I'll give three reasons why. Number one is because it keeps you attentive and focused in the conversation. It's very easy to turn off your video and distract yourself while you're talking. You might be looking at notifications and stuff like that. So if you have video on, you are more locked in and focused. It's as if you're having a face to face conversation. So you can basically trick yourself to believe that. Number two is you want people to be able to see you, right? Because if I can see you, I have a little bit more trust in you, right? I can relate to you more. And also, as well in this virtual environment, it's a plus, right? So most people will comment on the mob mentality. And I actually just build rapport on sales calls. They'll be like, oh, mob mentality. And then we actually talk for five, seven minutes about it. And you got Bruce Lee back there and stuff, so people probably talk about that. So it allows to do that, right? If I don't have your video on, I don't know who you are, it's harder to build trust, harder to build emotion, et cetera. I can't really bring a great experience. Number three is when you have your video on, it also encourages other people to turn their video on. So when you're presenting, pitching, asking questions, if you ask a question that didn't really mesh with someone, you can see it. They're going to be like crosstalk And then you're like, oh wait, I messed up. Right? Or when you're saying something that makes sense, you see everyone nodding and you're like, okay, what I'm saying is good. But if you don't see people nodding and you see them going like this, it's like, maybe you need to change what you're saying. And that's what video allows you to do. So those are three things that make it important.

Devon: Fantastic, as you see me nodding along, agreeing with you. We have Marcella, Jeffrey, Anon all say, yes, I'm on video. I believe in it, and I do as well. And so what we did at Gong Lives was last year during... once the pandemic started and everyone went remote, this question came up, right? It was like, should I be selling with video? Should I have my webcam on? I can't go in person anymore. The opinion is like, yes. I think most people agree it's a good thing. But of course, we want to make sure we put data and facts behind the things that we think are true, because they aren't always the case.

Morgan J Ingram: Yep.

Devon: And so what we did is we analyzed 9, 000 deals last year in the year of... What was last year, 2020? And here's what we found. Win rates are significantly higher when webcams are involved. So not only, yes, you should use it, 127% higher when webcams are active. Now, the cool part about this one, it doesn't matter when in the sales process, early, middle, late. And it didn't matter if it was actually the buyer or the seller. It was pretty much even on that front. And so I'm curious from you, Morgan, what was your reaction when you first saw this chart?

Morgan J Ingram: Well, I was like, I guess I've been yelling the right things. crosstalk heavily validated, so I could show this to everyone, but it makes a lot of sense when you think about it, is that now I can see you. I can hear you. I know what you're about, and it just changes the conversation. So this is no shock here at all. And for people that don't want to put their webcast on, I mean, the data is telling you, you probably should.

Devon: You probably should. I'm curious. Why do you think people don't? Or why are sellers reluctant to? Or I think just reluctance. They're going to see this chart. They're going to hear it from you, Morgan, and go, okay, I believe you, but I'm hesitant to do so. Or why do you think other people are just like, I just don't believe in it?

Morgan J Ingram: So I always like to just do things in threes. It makes it easier to consume. So there are three reasons why people will not turn on their webcam. Number one has actually nothing to do with the person, it has to do with other people. So some people work in other industries. They work with other personas that don't turn their camera on. So they feel nervous. They feel like they're being judged, that they're the only person with a camera on, so they're actually less likely to do it. So I think that's probably the number one reason why people do it, is they're way too concerned about what everyone else is thinking. I, at the end of the day, don't really care what people think. I'm going to show up with my video on, because it helps me as a seller. And I know people want to at least see me, even if everyone's got their video off, like, Hey, look, we're good to go, so that is one. That's actually the most important point, is they're too worried about other people. Number two is the fact that they're just not comfortable on video. A lot of people across the board just don't like being on it. Outside of the fact that they're worried about other people, they just are like, ah, I'd rather just not be on video. They are looking at themselves, right, when they're delivering it. But I always look at the camera when I deliver. So I never actually even look at myself when I'm on video. So I don't become self- conscious in that degree. And I think three is most people just aren't used to it. Right? They're just like, ah, I've never done this before, so I'd rather just stick to what I know. Right? I know [ crosstalk 00:11:20] not putting on video, I still close deals. I still do well. Why would I do something and change my routine? There are people who, at the end of the day, don't want to change up what they want to do. They're like, Hey, I'd rather stick to what I know and not evolve and not progress. And that's completely up to that person, but I would say those are the three things.

Devon: Yeah, those are all great points. From folks in the comments, for folks that are watching, if you have any webcam tips selling with video ideas that you use, go ahead and share them. Morgan, I will cover a bunch, but would love to hear from you, and also make this nice collaborative environment. And so I think that those are all great points. I guess the next question after why is how. Right? So how can people today that are hearing this, they have a 10 o'clock call, one o'clock call, wherever you are, what are some quick tips that they can use to get started today? Maybe even if it's just that first baby step, that first thing.

Morgan J Ingram: Turn on the webcam. [ crosstalk 00:12:20].

Devon: Just go in and click, turn it on. Yeah.

Morgan J Ingram: You turn it on. Well, here's the thing. Some people don't even know how to do that part. Right? So that's actually a good point. Click the webcam because you might not even realize it's right there. Right? That's number one. Number two that I would say is I've been doing it a lot in this conversation, is I don't look at myself. I have a Mac so I look at this green dot. That's the second thing that you need to do. A lot of people, again, like I said, are very self- conscious on how they look, how they dress, what their room looks like, their place. It really doesn't matter. You should clean your place, first and foremost. You shouldn't be walking around with a dirty place. Right? But number two is I look at my camera. I don't ever look at myself, so I'm able to deliver the points that I need to deliver. I would say number three, which is really important, is be willing to use your hands, be willing to articulate certain things as I'm doing right now. Don't just be like this on the video call, right? It's going to make you still seem guarded and people don't want to talk to you. So being able to have your arms open, pointing to certain points, right, is going to be extremely helpful. And be okay with being the only person on video, know that people want to see you. They want to hear you. If you are the only one, that is completely okay at the end of the day. These are just a couple things that you can do to get better at delivering with webcam. I see a couple of things in here, like the ring light. Sure, I have a light over here as well. I also see buy a professional microphone. I mean, if you want to. I'm not saying that's necessary, right? You don't need to go to the length of getting what I have here, but just make sure that you are just in a environment that looks good. You got good stuff in the background, et cetera.

Devon: Yeah. I can't remember the research I read, but there's something when people like, Morgan, me, you and three people were in a group photo, right, and I show it to you, the first thing everyone does is find themself. And they look at themselves. And so when I go on zoom, it's this little hack, is you can turn off... you can hide self view. So when you're on a call, you can't even see yourself. And so there's two things there. One, if your buyer prospect has their webcam on, they're probably looking at themselves, not actually at you as much as you think.

Morgan J Ingram: Yep.

Devon: So that can hopefully take down some of the nerves there. And then two, like you said, to refrain from looking at yourself, you can hide that view. I want to leave with a couple of quick thoughts before we get into the speed round. It's not speed dating. It's more of a rapid fire. Don't get excited, Morgan. crosstalk.

Morgan J Ingram: I think you ruined my whole day.

Devon: I think there's a couple of things you said, so folks getting started. One is always turn yours on first, most people will follow suit. So if I'm wasn't planning on having my video on, I joined Morgan, he's selling to me, he has his video on, I'll be more likely to turn mine on. I think two is you can just ask people in a very casual way. Morgan, I'm selling to you in this scenario, your webcam's not on. Hey, Morgan, are we going to do a video call today? It can be that simple. And if crosstalk folks say no, don't pressure them, because there's some good points in the chat, which is maybe my house is a mess. It shouldn't be all the time, but I know people have kids. I'm not going to judge anyone. They might not want to show that. Or who knows what people are going through that day? You know what I mean? You don't want to force people to turn on their video. Nate Hall, our show producer, is going to share 10 tips for deal making video calls. We have this asset, it's been downloaded like 7, 000 times or something crazy. It's one of our most popular assets. So you can download this thing, pick it up, skim it. And before your next call today, make sure you check some of these boxes if you want to be as smooth as Morgan on video. All right, Morgan.

Morgan J Ingram: I'm ready.

Devon: Are you ready for the rapid fire?

Morgan J Ingram: Let's get it.

Devon: Okay. What is the J in Morgan J Ingram stand for?

Morgan J Ingram: I made it up. No, I'm kidding. No, I'm kidding.

Devon: Some people have, by the way, and so that's why I asked.

Morgan J Ingram: Bro, so here's the thing. When I first put the J there, people actually thought I made it up. Like it was just a random initial put there. No, it stands for something. It stands for Joseph, and our parents maned my middle name after Joseph from the Bible.

Devon: There you go.

Morgan J Ingram: Yeah.

Devon: Oh, I forgot to tell you. You're supposed to answer these in five seconds or less. So minus five points for that one.

Morgan J Ingram: Good. I'm doing really well right now.

Devon: You're in the hole, but, hey, it's like jeopardy. There's till a chance. Who's your sales role model?

Morgan J Ingram: John Barrows.

Devon: All right, good, because he does watch the show. I wanted to make sure that he saw that. What's the best video game of all time? And why is it Grand Theft Auto Five?

Morgan J Ingram: Halo Two is not Grand Theft Auto Five.

Devon: What's a sales best practice every sales person should ignore?

Morgan J Ingram: Connect a pitch.

Devon: What's your go- to song when you close a deal?

Morgan J Ingram: Juicy Jay, Scholarship. You got to listen to it to understand.

Devon: Oh, okay. I think actually I do know that one, bells are ringing. I thought it would be Travis Scott for you, but...

Morgan J Ingram: Oh, you just got to listen. You got to listen to it and you'll understand it. If everybody goes to listen to that song and go play it, Juicy Jay, Scholarship, you'll understand why it's the closing song.

Devon: All right, I'm on it. Next up on my Spotify. What's the one question that you get asked most often by salespeople and what's your answer?

Morgan J Ingram: How do I get more meetings? And my answer is time management, consistency and hard work.

Devon: Nice. What do you do every day to get better at either work or life?

Morgan J Ingram: I block off an hour to learn a new skill, or learn from a course that I have bought.

Devon: Enlightenment. You did well. You're pretty smooth on this. Most people put, they get a little hesitant. You're pretty quick. I can respect that. They should be on the show today. Morgan, I always enjoy hanging out with you, even though we're not real friends yet. What are you working on now? And what's the best place for people to find you?

Morgan J Ingram: I feel like I hurt Devin's feelings in the beginning and he's going to delete my number.

Devon: For five years, you had him. crosstalk No. It's funny. I was waiting for you to flip it on me. I feel like if we weren't real friends, we wouldn't be able to mess with each other. You know what I mean? There would be hard feelings. You'd get off the line, like crosstalk.

Morgan J Ingram: This guy's a joke. I'm no longer doing anything with this dude.

Devon: But where can people find you, my man? I want to give you a shout out if I can. The one- up formula podcast that you recently launched is fantastic. I was just telling you backstage, I've been listening to it as I go on bike rides. A great interview with corporate bro or Ross Palmatigran inaudible if that's how you say his last name. But go and give a quick plug on where you want people to find you.

Morgan J Ingram: Yeah, so three of my places. You can follow me on LinkedIn, to be honest. If you send me a connection request, I probably won't be able to accept it, because I'm at the cap. So you got to talk to LinkedIn about that. I can't do anything about it. Number two is Instagram @ Morgan J Ingram. That's where I spend the most of my time nowadays, and post a lot of content there, reels, videos, et cetera. And then just as Devin said, the 1UP Formula podcasts, if you're looking to learn about what are people doing outside of their lives and careers. And all this great stuff, meditation, wellness, and you're into that? Come join the conversation, 1UP Formula podcasts. And hopefully, we'll get Devin on and we actually become real friends. We're in this middle part, we're progressing though.

Devon: I'm going to start your podcast with, how would you describe our relationship? Where are we? Where is this going?

Morgan J Ingram: I feel like I just don't have enough clarity from you, Morgan.

Devon: I just need next steps, man. Hey, thank you again for joining, Morgan, always a pleasure. And thanks everybody for tuning in. I hope that we uplifted your Friday, that you enjoyed the show. follow Gong on LinkedIn, if you're not already. That's how you get a notification every time we go live, and every time we have new content that comes out. And also follow me on LinkedIn if you want to get firsthand access to the next Gong Labs report. I put out about one or two a month, so make sure you follow me to get access to that. And other than that, have a great rest of your weekend. Tune in with us next Friday at 9: 00 AM Pacific for our most controversial topic yet. There's cursing in sales and how it impacts win rates. We'll see you then.