Dawn Chubai of ‘Live Selling School’ On Mastering the Art of Remote Selling in a Post-Pandemic World
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Expand Your Vocabulary. When selling a product, it is crucial to offer vivid descriptions and live demonstrations to help your customer experience through you, what they can’t touch, taste or try on for themselves. Selling a cashmere sweater? Remote selling doesn’t allow you to have them touch it or try it on, so in describing the softness you must be more creative than using such a subjective word. Kitten belly soft gives them something they can relate to or imagine.
The global pandemic has forever altered the landscape of sales, propelling us into the era of remote selling. Today, businesses and sales professionals face the challenge of connecting with clients and closing deals without the traditional in-person interactions. Mastering the art of remote selling has become not just an advantage but a necessity. From leveraging technology and digital tools to building trust and rapport over virtual platforms, the skills required for effective remote selling are evolving. I had the pleasure of interviewing Dawn Chubai.
Dawn Chubai is an award-winning broadcaster and national TV Home Shopping Host. As the Principal of Live Selling School, she equips businesses with cutting-edge live commerce strategies, show frameworks, and talent training through her comprehensive online programs, workshops, and consultations. With nearly a decade of experience in selling products via TV and livestream shopping, Dawn has successfully generated over $30 million in sales and teaches her signature HSH Method of Live Selling to help businesses to not only connect with customers authentically in the digital age, but also unlock up to 30% higher customer conversion than traditional e-commerce.
Thank you for joining us. To start, could you share your “origin story” with our readers? How did you begin your career? What challenges did you face in the early days? How did you overcome them?
A few years ago, TV Home Shopping networks in North America started to venture into a new realm: Livestream Shopping. Inspired (and I suspect a little threatened) by the huge success of Livestream Shopping in China, they aimed to engage a broader audience by hosting livestream shopping events separate from their linear broadcasts. They knew that to stay relevant in this space with changing consumer behavior (and attrition), they would need to capture the attention of those who preferred digital shopping experiences in addition to the traditional late-night TV shoppers.
Hosting one of these Livestream Shopping events for the TV Home Shopping network I worked for was a turning point for me. It was exhilarating to see my skills being utilized with cutting-edge technology that allowed customers to purchase seamlessly without leaving the broadcast. I also appreciated the more casual presentation style (not to mention customizable) that Livestream Shopping embraced.
After that show, I delved deeply into the history and future projections of Live and Video commerce. I would do a Google search daily and learn of well-known retailers trying it out for themselves. I saw how Nordstrom and Macy’s were knocking it out of the park with their themed shows, and how Amazon Live was using influencers and ambassadors to bring personality to eCommerce. The more I researched, the clearer it became that Livestream Shopping was destined to be the future of retail. It wasn’t a question of if, but when.
While many Live Shopping software companies could offer the technology, there seemed to be a significant gap on the strategy side of things. TV Home Shopping networks like HSN and QVC have entire teams supporting on-air presentations. In contrast, businesses adopting Livestream Shopping often struggle, trying to figure out what might work or seeking advice from people who have never actually done the job.
Recognizing this gap and drawing on my extensive experience as an on-air TV Home Shopping Host, Salesperson, Sales Strategist, and Show Producer, I also tapped into my background as a media and performance coach. This blend of experience and teaching instinct positioned me as a credible authority in this space. I knew I was meant to work with brands to produce shows designed to sell and to train their Live Selling talent with the specialized skills I had honed through my direct experience and insight. Live Selling School was born, dedicated to equipping others with the expertise to excel in this space.
Because Live, Video, and Social commerce are still in their early days in North America, the biggest challenge I’ve faced is the lack of awareness among marketing teams about live commerce. Many teams are comfortable with the status quo and unfamiliar with this strategy. The only way to overcome this challenge is through education and examples. I use my Leap into Livestream Podcast as an educational tool to bring both marketers and businesses into the awareness stage. Additionally, I have started to produce and host curated livestream shopping events featuring small independent retailers on my own channels as an attraction marketing strategy. I want them to see for themselves what’s possible.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
Everything is trainable except for personality.” I was told this on the day I was offered my first job in broadcasting with zero experience and a mediocre audition. Personality and the willingness to learn what I do not know is what has enabled me to connect through a camera and onto TVs and smartphones, entertaining, educating, and engaging audiences for the last 25 years (in Broadcast and TV Home Shopping).
Personality and the ability to let it shine on virtual platforms are what makes you relatable and trustworthy. With live selling, although you have a plan for your show, there’s no script to fall back on, it’s personality that drives the show, keeps the energy high, and builds a genuine connection with the audience.
This lesson has been the cornerstone of my work, not just on screen but also in coaching others. Whether I’m working with brands to develop their livestream shows or training individuals to become effective live sellers, I emphasize the importance of bringing their authentic selves to the forefront. Skills can be taught, techniques can be refined, but personality is the unique ingredient that makes each presentation memorable and impactful.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
I used to struggle with the perception of success just because I was a person on TV, what people might think of as “celebrity”. The jobs I’ve had are “cool” but are they important, relative to the people who were making big change in the world? Over time, the more viewers I encountered, either in public or while emceeing charity events, the more I realized the impact I was having. People would tell me that I brightened their day, gave them a laugh, or introduced them to a product that changed their lives for the better. It was then that I realized the value in what I do. While I may not be saving lives, I am enhancing them in meaningful ways. I have the opportunity and privilege to bring joy, comfort, and a sense of connection to people and if everyone, no matter their job, can do a little bit of that for someone else, I believe the world can be a better place.
Ok, let’s now turn to the central part of our interview. In your experience, how has the transition to remote selling altered the traditional sales cycle, and what strategies have proven most effective in closing deals virtually?
Electronic retailing (essentially selling through technology) has been around for 50 years and so “Selling” remotely is not new. The art of selling through the screen has long been a successful sales and marketing tool for product-based retailers, particularly for brands that have both physical stores and direct-to-consumer (D2C) presence on TV home shopping networks worldwide. As technology has evolved beyond traditional linear TV, the benefits of bringing your commerce on camera can now be leveraged on laptops and handheld devices.
To close sales effectively in a remote selling environment, both one-to-one and one-to-many strategies have proven to be incredibly effective.
One-to-one remote selling, a practice luxury brands and consultants have been perfecting for years, closely mirrors the traditional sales cycle. It emphasizes personalized customer experience and relationship-building. The key here is authentic on-camera communication to build trust and the ability to demonstrate and describe products in a way that compensates for the lack of physical interaction. I like to call this helping the customer “see the feel.”
On the other hand, one-to-many livestream shopping events can accelerate the sales funnel by incorporating excitement, gamification, limited time offers, education, advocacy, and engagement. These elements drive customers to the bottom of the funnel, encouraging them to add to their cart. To succeed in this space, you need a compelling hook to attract people into your digital space, great offers, and a clear teaching approach to purchasing. Building trust, handling objections, and using strong CTAs that trigger responses from the viewers you can’t see, while addressing their individual motivations, are also crucial.
In both cases, it’s all about authentic communication, clear demonstration, and strategic engagement to convert interest into sales in a remote setting. The added benefit of one to many sales (Live, Video and Social commerce) is that you not only have a sales tool that allows you to meet the customer where “they” are, but also an incredible marketing tool. One that can offer sales long after the initial interaction with shoppable video and product education on product pages and social media.
In what ways do you believe technology will continue to shape the future of remote selling, and what tools should sales professionals be focusing on?
Every day there is a new advancement in all the ways to make for a seamless, personalized customer experience. There are already several companies already offering shopping software that can be integrated with your e-commerce platform (for example Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix). And so Livestreaming will play a big role, allowing businesses to showcase products in real-time and interact directly with customers, creating an engaging and personal shopping experience.
We are also seeing companies like BINJ predicting what customers want to buy through their Personality Driven Segmentation. Virtual reality can allow customers to “try” products online in a more immersive way. And while chatbots can provide quick customer service and support, it’s important to remember that there are and will ALWAYS be people who like buying from PEOPLE. People who only trust buying from people and therefore, companies and sales professionals still need to develop strong communication and presentation skills for livestreaming and remote interactions.
Sales professionals should focus on tools that improve communication and engagement. This includes video conferencing software with good features, systems that help track customer interactions, and technologies that let customers see and experience products better online. Simple tools like chatbots are helpful, but the human touch is irreplaceable.
By leveraging these technologies and honing their livestreaming skills, sales professionals can make remote selling as effective and personal as in-person interactions, ultimately leading to more sales and happier customers.
How can sales teams maintain and build rapport with clients in a fully remote environment, especially when face-to-face interactions are limited?
The only way to get face to face time…is to FaceTime…or Zoom or Teams. Treat check ins and sales calls with the same care and attention. If in the past you dressed in a suit for a meeting, make the same effort. Create a professional environment virtually. If you can’t share a coffee in the office, can you perhaps send them a digital coffee card along with your invitation for a “follow up” or check in? Try to bring the personal experience back into play especially when connecting through technology.
Can you share a story of a challenge you faced in adapting to remote selling, and how you overcame it?
One of the biggest challenges with remote selling is that what works in person isn’t necessarily available in the same way when selling remotely. In-person interactions allow you to convey confidence, warmth, and trustworthiness through eye contact, gestures, and posture. These non-verbal cues play a crucial role in building rapport and making a sale. However, when selling remotely, these elements are significantly limited or altered by the digital barrier. It may be a little easier if you are dealing one-on-one with a client, but in my case, as a TV Home Shopping Host, it is a one-to-many remote selling experience, which means they can see me, but I can’t see them. I had to adapt my approach significantly. I put myself not just in one customer’s shoes but in all of them. This meant expanding my vocabulary to vividly describe products, honing my storytelling skills to create a captivating narrative, and amplifying my authenticity to build trust and connection. I imagined the diverse needs and perspectives of my audience, tailoring my presentations to resonate broadly and deeply. By doing so, I ensured that each viewer felt personally addressed and valued, bridging the gap created by the screen and making my remote selling as effective and engaging as in-person interactions.
Can you share a success story of a remote sale that exemplified innovative tactics or approaches in the post-pandemic world?
One of the standout success stories in the post-pandemic world involves Genesis and their 1 hour Show on The Shopping Channel in Canada. Genesis wanted to introduce their brand to a broader audience in a way that went beyond traditional commercials. They decided to leverage the reach both on TV and Digital using a seasoned TV Home Shopping Host with a Car Expert.
During the event, the TV Home Shopping Host brought their unique ability to connect with the audience, using engaging storytelling, showcasing the features in a way that made it feel as though you were sitting in the car yourself and of course all the benefits that would appeal to the many different customer motivations. The Car Expert had the ability to provide in-depth knowledge and answer questions, offering viewers an intimate and comprehensive introduction to the brand. This dual approach allowed customers to get a feel for the brand’s luxury and innovation in a way that a standard commercial could never achieve.
Here is our main question. Could you list and briefly explain “5 Key Strategies for Mastering the Art of Remote Selling” based on your experiences and insights? If you can, please share a story or example for each.
1. Expand Your Vocabulary
When selling a product, it is crucial to offer vivid descriptions and live demonstrations to help your customer experience through you, what they can’t touch, taste or try on for themselves.
Selling a cashmere sweater? Remote selling doesn’t allow you to have them touch it or try it on, so in describing the softness you must be more creative than using such a subjective word. Kitten belly soft gives them something they can relate to or imagine.
2. Leverage Authenticity and Build Trust
One of my strongest categories as a TV Home Shopping Host was Beauty and I think part of it was because I was not afraid to be vulnerable to demonstrate the transformation possible for the customer or in some cases the ease of use (If I can do it…so can you!)
Before selling makeup, I would always show a picture of me “before” with no makeup on. In doing this, they could see that I was a real person (just like them) with uneven skin tone and dark circles. I would emphasize that I did the makeup myself sharing any personal techniques to take away an intimidation.
3. Incorporate Demonstrations
Telling someone that a product has stretch is not nearly as impactful as stretching it on the camera. Telling someone how “simple” it is to make fancy coffee using the machine you are selling isn’t enough. You need to not only show them…but then go the next step further to describing how it tastes and makes you feel (see strategy 1)
4. Work through the Layers of Why
Dig deep into the reasons why a customer might want or need your product. Understand their motivations and address them thoroughly.
For example, if I were selling a lipstick, I would formulate my pitch (hook, CTAs, Permission to Buy, Objection Handling, Proof) based on the following INTERNAL conversation (imagine the customer countering every statement you make with the word “WHY”
You need this red lipstick…why?
Because it is universally flattering on everyone…why?
The formulation works with your own PH, so it automatically becomes that “perfect for you” red, This ONE TUBE works for all skin tones, no expensive trial and error…ok why do I need a red lipstick?
Studies show that the colour red gives people confidence…why does that matter?
Who couldn’t use a little more confidence…and it doesn’t have to cost a lot to get it…You might not be able to afford a red power suit…but a lipstick that makes you feel like you can take over the world? Add to Cart!
(you can go down as many layers as you like!)
5. Optimize the Virtual Selling Environment
The virtual environment is not just a platform; it’s a crucial part of the selling experience. Pay attention to your background, ensuring it is clean and professional. Use proper lighting to make sure you are well-lit and visible. These considerations help create a more engaging and trustworthy experience for the customer. How you do anything is how you do everything. Wear pants instead of PJ bottoms and unless you wear bare feet to in person meeting, consider wearing your shoes. The client may never see anything below the waist, and they may have just rolled out of bed, but YOU know how you showed up for the client and I truly believe it sets your own “tone” for the call.
As we wrap up, how can our readers follow your work?
Programs, workshops and free Live Selling Resources are available at LiveSellingSchool.com and I also invite you to listen to and subscribe to my Leap into Livestream for Small Business Podcast! You can also find me @dawnchubai on all social platforms
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein, a seasoned entrepreneur with over two decades of experience as the Founder and CEO of multiple companies. He launched Choice Recovery, Inc., a healthcare collection agency, while going to The Ohio State University, His team earned national recognition, twice being ranked as the #1 business to work for in Central Ohio. In 2018, Chad launched [re]start, a career development platform connecting thousands of individuals in collections with meaningful employment opportunities, He sold Choice Recovery on his 25th anniversary and in 2023, sold the majority interest in [re]start so he can focus his transition to Built to Lead as an Executive Leadership Coach. Learn more at www.chadsilverstein.com
Dawn Chubai of ‘Live Selling School’ On Mastering the Art of Remote Selling in a Post-Pandemic… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.