How to Use AI for Sales

No matter where your sales team is in its AI adoption journey, the rapidly expanding and evolving role of artificial intelligence is having a major impact on sales processes and performance.

In this article we continue to explore the transformative power of AI on sales that we first introduced in Sales AI: Artificial Intelligence is the Future of Sales, providing a deeper look at how the right AI technology can improve your sales processes and outcomes.

Four Ways to Use AI for Sales

AI can help your organization create solutions for common sales process pain points, including reps not making quota, not engaging with leads quickly enough, lack of value from forecasting, and uncertainty about which prospects to contact and how to engage them.

Here are four high-impact ways to integrate AI into your sales strategies:

Conversation Intelligence

AI conversation intelligence allows sales leaders to understand what top-performing reps are doing right and scale those best practices across the entire team.

One of the most powerful aspects of conversation intelligence is its ability to provide instant feedback. Reps get the coaching they need right when they need it, helping them close deals and hit their quotas.

Conversation intelligence tools also monitor all conversation performance metrics, automatically capturing video meetings for training, meeting preparation, AI-powered analysis, and ongoing coaching.

Key capabilities include:

• Faster rep ramp time: New reps can get up to speed quicker by learning directly from the insights gathered from top performers.
• Best practice libraries: Build a repository of proven sales tactics and techniques that all reps can access and learn from.
• Prioritized inbox: Focus on the most important conversations and opportunities with AI-driven prioritization.
• Coaching interface: Managers can provide targeted coaching through a dedicated interface that highlights areas of improvement.
• Revenue forecasting: Use conversation insights to improve the accuracy of your revenue predictions.
• Next-best-action: Get AI-driven recommendations on the best next steps to take in your sales conversations.

With conversation intelligence, AI surfaces the key behaviors, tactics, and techniques that make your best reps successful. This means you can replicate these qualities across your sales team, ensuring everyone is equipped with the strategies that work.

Real-Time Assistance

AI can provide sales reps with real-time assistance during phone calls as well as Teams and Zoom meetings. The technology “listens” in real time to what’s happening—and what’s not happening—on a call, providing instant guidance to your sales reps whether they need advice, help with objection handling, product insights, or technical answers.

Real-time assistance also plays a crucial role in reducing risk and liability by helping sales reps and IT managers ensure that all conversations comply with internal and government regulations.

Key capabilities include:

• Conversation guidance: Keeps reps aligned with best practices and conversational flow by offering prompts and advice in real time.
• Objection handling: Provides instant support on how to handle customer objections, improving the chances of a successful outcome.
• Dynamic battle cards: Offers up-to-date information and strategies on competitive positioning during the conversation.
• Compliance: Ensures all communications are compliant with regulations, reducing the risk of penalties and maintaining trust.

Integrating real-time assistance into your sales process gives sales reps the tools they need to succeed, leading to better performance, greater customer satisfaction, and more conversions.

CRM Integration

Integrating AI tools (such as conversational intelligence) with a customer relationship management (CRM) system (such as Salesforce) can significantly enhance your sales team’s efficiency and effectiveness.

For example, fully integrating an automated dialer with your CRM streamlines your sales process with features like prioritized dialing, voicemail drop, and automatic data capture, ensuring that every call is logged, tracked, and flagged for appropriate follow-up in your CRM.

One of the key benefits of this integration is an optimized workflow that brings hot leads to the forefront, allowing your reps to focus on the most promising opportunities first.

Additionally, routine tasks like notetaking, call dispositions, and data entry become seamless, freeing up your reps to focus on selling rather than administrative work.

Integration also provides valuable contextual buyer data directly from your CRM, including campaign source data, engagement history, and tailored talking points. This means your reps can enter every conversation armed with the information they need to make a compelling case to each prospect.

Key capabilities include:

• Enhanced productivity: Streamline your sales process with integrated tools that automate routine tasks and prioritize high-value activities.
• Automated marketing intelligence: Equip your reps with data-driven insights for every call, ensuring they are always prepared and informed.
• Prioritized next-best action: AI surfaces the most important next steps, helping your reps stay focused on what matters most.
• On-demand coaching: Reps can receive immediate feedback based on real-time data from their calls, leading to continuous improvement.
• Fast onboarding: New reps can quickly get up to speed with AI-powered tools that guide them through the sales process and provide real-time support.

Integrating AI with your CRM creates a more efficient, data-driven sales process that gives your team the tools it needs to perform its best and deliver better results for your business.

Automated Email Follow-Up

Today’s buyers expect personalized, timely follow-up emails that clearly outline the next steps. Sending AI-generated follow-up emails immediately after a conversation maintains momentum in the sales process, ensuring that deals continue to move forward smoothly and efficiently.

Key capabilities include:

• Instant email generation: Create follow-up emails automatically right after a conversation, ensuring timely communication.
• Personalized content: Tailor email content based on previous conversations, making it more relevant and engaging for the recipient.
• Streamlined workflows: Reduce the manual effort involved in follow-ups and focus more on strategic aspects of sales.

Automated email follow-up helps sales reps nurture leads and boost conversion rates by delivering tailored messaging at exactly the right time.

Give Your Sales Team the AI Advantage

Incorporating AI into your sales process offers a wealth of opportunities to enhance productivity, optimize strategies, and improve outcomes.

From conversation intelligence and real-time assistance tools to CRM integration and automated email strategies, AI equips sales teams with powerful technology to streamline operations, close more deals, and build stronger relationships with customers.

Check out our E-Book AI Playbook for Sales for even more tips for integrating AI into your sales processes.