Nowadays, building a high-performing sales team without AI is getting harder.
In fact, 74% of sales professionals agree that AI can help them be more efficient in their role — and sales training is one area that can see a huge lift with this technology.
Read on to learn how artificial intelligence can power your sales training, along with some best practices for getting started.
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How to Use AI for Sales Training
Role-playing sales calls
Conducting successful sales calls takes practice. You have to pitch products, handle objections, build rapport, and ask the right questions, all within a single conversation.
Despite being an integral part of the job, many sales managers don’t have enough time to coach their reps. As a result, sales reps lean on pitches that fall short – until now.
AI technology can replicate real-life selling scenarios, allowing sales reps to practice their pitch and receive real-time feedback.
Take SecondNature, for example. With this tool, sales reps speak to an AI avatar, Jenny, who reacts like a real customer. She provides information about her company, responds to questions, and lobs objections. It tracks the information reps were able to uncover and how well they responded to objections.
AI can also help with soft-skill training.
For example, tools like Quantified score calls for tone of voice, wording, pacing, and active listening skills. It does this by comparing each call against the examples in its database. When a salesperson delivers a pitch that shares the same qualities as those labeled “good quality,” the AI knows the pitch is good.
Personalizing your training
Training your team is paramount for success, but it can fall to the wayside with so many competing responsibilities. Even with a traditional training program, you might be teaching the same material to everyone on your team. While this “one size fits all” approach works for some reps, it may not work for everyone.
What you need is more personalized training, and AI can help.
For example, Mindtickle is a training tool that uses AI to assess the performance of sales reps. It does this by analyzing all their interactions — from customer calls to email exchanges – and then identifies specific areas for coaching.
Ultimately, personalized training leads to better performance. With the right tools, managers can provide more impactful coaching at scale.
Offering on-demand learning
Continual learning is an important element of any successful sales team, but let‘s face it – it’s hard to make time for it. And if you’re leading a remote team, it can be challenging to find a time that works for everyone.
AI is starting to address this issue with on-demand learning. This is learning that occurs in the moment (when you need it the most) instead of at a predetermined time and place. For instance, this could be providing pitch suggestions before an important sales call.
When on-demand learning is combined with AI, salespeople can access highly relevant and timely training when it makes the most sense.
How to Get Started with AI for Sales Training
Don’t recreate the wheel
When it comes to AI, some sales leaders feel pressure to “recreate the wheel” or rebuild all of their processes around AI. This isn’t the most beneficial approach. Instead, think of AI as a tool to improve your already existing processes instead of something to build on top of.
Assess your current tech
Take stock of your current tech stack – including your CRM, communication platforms, and video conferencing tools. Assess how well your current tech stack supports your sales goals. Also, consider polling your salespeople to get a better sense of where they need more support.
Research the right AI solutions
Once you’ve identified where AI can add value, research AI solutions that align with your training needs. Look for platforms or tools that integrate with your existing tech stack and offer the features you need — such as cost, customer support, and ease of implementation.
Decide on key performance indicators (KPIs)
Clearly define the objectives you want to meet from integrating AI into your sales training. For example, you may want to reduce onboarding time for new hires or improve sales conversion rates. Regularly check your KPIs to see if you’re reaching these goals.
Back to You
How you approach AI — and choose to implement it — should be unique to your team. And, chances are, you’re already using some type of AI in your tech stack. But if you want to be more intentional about using this technology, start by auditing your current software, tools, and processes to see what can be optimized.
