We often describe sales as an art and a science – with science in recent years referring more to technology and automation. But what if the science part became a bit more human?
AI has been one of the hottest topics of 2023. From horror stories of leaving ChatGPT identifiers on professional emails to suspecting that every message is machine-generated, society has been trying to adjust to a new reality of co-existence.
In sales, we don’t co-exist; we optimize. How can we use AI to power the sales process? Let’s take a look.
AI in Sales
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that enables computers to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence. Virtual assistants are one type of artificial intelligence. They generate information immediately and can answer almost any question that the bot is being asked. They can respond to various lengths, as well. This fascinating technology has been around for decades and continues to evolve.
People have gotten really creative with artificial intelligence, utilizing the services for business or pleasure. In the inside sales space, AI can be very beneficial. It can help with repetitive sales tasks by automating data entry, chatting with clients, emails, demand forecasting, and lead qualification.
Data entry
AI can automate data entry for business development with recognition technology. The software extracts information from documents and inputs it into relevant fields or databases. This saves time and reduces manual errors.
Emails
AI can generate personalized emails, making them client-specific. Every subject line and email body is unique and based on past customer behavior and interactions to predict what the current customer may find relevant. This helps to improve email engagement while building customer connections.
Chatbots
Chatbots provide customer service without needing an actual human behind the keyboard. The computer can respond to a human on the other end, answer questions, and provide feedback. Bots are available 24/7, which is very helpful for people living in other countries and find it hard to get assistance during regular business hours in another time zone. Chatbots reduce wait times and can be conveniently integrated into websites, messaging platforms, and mobile applications.
Demand Forecasting
Artificial intelligence can project sale opportunities based on client interactions and historical sales results. It can analyze market trends and customer behavior. This helps businesses optimize inventory, plan resources, and make informed sales decisions.
Lead qualification
AI can help with lead prioritization by analyzing trends and figuring out what might be a good fit for your company or service. It can help evaluate needs, budget, timeline, and level of interest, ultimately predicting which leads are most likely to convert. This saves the business development representative a lot of time researching.
AI for inside sales is becoming increasingly popular as companies recognize the benefits of leveraging technology to streamline sales processes and improve success. The business development representative can use AI to focus on more valuable work activities instead of tedious tasks. By eliminating these time-consuming and repetitive tasks, BDRs use their time more wisely, focusing on strategic planning with their teams and building client relationships.
While artificial intelligence promotes efficiency and improves outcomes, having a solid team behind any project is still vital. AI is a great tool to be incorporated to enhance performance.
How are you using AI for your sales processes?
