Post-COVID-19, Artificial Intelligence and Being Relevant

There has never been more demand for ways to translate strategy into action and action into outcomes.

The way companies sell, and consumers buy, has dramatically changed; especially post COVID-19.

Bold changes are needed to support those changes.

Technologies to support the new virtual selling process are and should continuously be changing.

Onboarding has to be quicker and more effective.

Getting agents and advisors into production sooner has to be scalable, cost-effective and skill-development-sustainable, with development assets and systems playing a more critical role.

We have to have a method, system, and platform to help agents and advisors:

Stop missing sales targets.
Replace anemic pipeline(s) with robust functions, so finding specific prospects and company information is at agents' and advisors' fingertips, and sequenced the way they want to see it.
Accelerate win rates with actionable data and resources.
Reverse decreasing average deal size and margins.
Slow and reduce customer churn turnover.
Even out production peaks and valleys, so we produce consistently.

How do we do all this, on a budget and while seamlessly implementing these changes?

That's where I'm at right now, in the research and planning phase.

It's amazing how many companies are now marketing their services to the sales industry. Some seem useful, others seem like Johnny come lately, and a couple I'm going to try.

Because a lot of what I do has been virtual for some time, I'm always looking for a way to use services that combine or package some of the things I do anyway, like email marketing, creating landing pages, and making outbound calls.

Part of what I do is to help sales managers, agents and marketing teams improve their conversion rates by becoming more relevant to all customer interactions. I've been looking for an AI-enabled platform to store my material, scripts, email templates and rebuttals, in a way that makes the conversation with prospects more relevant, so agents can close more.

I doubt getting email marketing, creating landing pages and making outbound calls in one platform is possible. Even if I could eliminate the cost of just one of these (I know Mailchimp can do the email and landing pages) I'd consider it; I like to split test things, anyway.

It would be nice if an AI platform could deliver my content, in real time, during a call or presentation, to provide the right message at the right time for the salesperson.

(I know, I'm a dreamer, but, if an 18-wheeler can be driven across the country using AI am I really asking too much?)

I recently came across a platform by a company called Sales Talk Technology, a platform with sales intelligence, sales content, and analytics in one place.

They use the right words —workflows built-in, customization available, automate sales tasks, seamless integration into someone's current CRM, etc.

But can I upload my content, customize it for markets agents/advisors work, could SalesTalk's AI make my scripts, rebuttals, and templates available in real time, so agents and advisors could use them to improve their conversion rates, by becoming more relevant in all customer interactions, in real time?

I don't know, but that system is one of three I'm going to try; I'm telling you so, if you have any ideas, you might comment and let us all become aware of COVID-19-inspired innovation.

I know this much: We all have to make it possible for agents and advisors to be more engaging with prospects, at the right time with the right message, right?

If it was only possible. Stay tuned I'll let you know what I find out.

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Lloyd Lofton is the founder of Power Behind the Sales and the author of The Saleshero's Guide To Handling Objections.