How Custom ChatGPT Recommends Next Steps to Drive Sales

Something that brings the topic of custom ChatGPT to drive sales is that I've talked to many sales leaders as an advisor and consultants in the sales and revenue enablement industry. From my research and discussions, the two biggest problems that face sales reps and managers are:

1. Where should I focus—meaning, where should I spend my time?
2. What should I do next for each deal or situation?

This article is about answering question 2, what should a rep do next in each opportunity?

The question plagues sales reps—and entire teams. It's the number one reason deals don't move forward. Reps get stuck and don't know how to get buyers to take the next step. Sometimes the answer is easy and obvious. Sometimes it's not. What doesn't work in all cases is to do nothing—which is often the case when a rep gets stuck.

Let's dive into the following steps and see how this new ChatGPT AI technology can help "break the ice" and get reps unstuck in deciding what to do next to move buyers forward in the deal.

The Power of Custom ChatGPT in Sales

Before moving forward, I'd like to quickly weigh in on Large Language Models and ChatGPT AI technology. I've produced technology that helps sales and marketing teams [revenue teams] operate more efficiently and effectively. But we're all now at a serious inflection point.

I have never seen any technology that has close to the same potential to help revenue teams, period. This stuff is fantastic. It connects so many dots that before were left unconnected. It can make sense of data and information in seconds that before, even the most carefully crafted analytics and algorithms just could not. Its recommendations and insights are incredibly accurate and relevant. Its ability to analyze and create content like personalized emails, business cases, and even customized buyer presentations is astounding. And don't even get me started on what it can do for marketing.

Excited? Yeah, I'm pretty happy. Why? Because the industry I am part of [Sales or Revenue Enablement] can now bring more value to our customers than we ever could before. And not just more matter—dramatically more deal. And we can do it in a much more customized way—thanks to the breakthroughs in AI.

First, Why Reps Get Stuck

A Custom ChatGPT can look at the data and information surrounding a sales situation, quickly make sense of it, and then recommend logical next steps. It does so in seconds. Can reps do this manually? Yes. They can. And some do. But it's not the norm. And it takes time to do it. So many reps don't. They focus on the deals where the next steps come easiest—where the answer is a "no-brainer" or when buyers push them to the next steps. But what about all the deals where buyers would take the following steps if a logical next step were proposed or if the information they needed was provided to agree to the next meeting? And moving those opportunities forward makes the difference between a healthy pipeline and one starving for good, beneficial deals.

How Custom ChatGPT Helps with Sales?

A Custom ChatGPT sifts through the sales activity data and information [which that AI helps collect] to determine the deal's status. It looks through recent emails, web meeting transcripts, and notes in the CRM [if they exist and probably don't]. It uncovers things like buyers' needs and questions they may have. If it doesn't find sufficient information, it may ask to rep for help—which is only logical. Then, it helps the rep by writing a suggested email for the buyer and may even recommend content from their sales library to include. It may also recommend a phone script or meeting topics to cover with the buyer. In short, it "breaks the ice" and gives the rep a good starting point—mostly ready for action—to take the next step.

Benefits of Custom ChatGPT in Recommending Next Steps

It's simple. More deals move forward. Fewer deals stay stuck. A Custom ChatGPT helps reps and managers move more deals forward faster. More deals get a good, solid follow-up with logical next steps. Buyers don't need miraculous information to move forward; they need relevant information and next steps. Custom ChatGPT AI provides this push.

When a rep gets up every morning, they get a list of deals with logical next-step recommendations for every arrangement they should follow up with that day. What a dream for a sales leader! No more relying on gut feel, emotion, memory, or hoping they use the CRM. This technology takes us beyond all that. The AI analyzes the rep's list of opportunities or accounts and then creates a set of follow-up recommendations for each.

Limitations? Maybe a Few, But Not Many

Are the recommendations perfect? Maybe not. That's why they are "recommendations." But how often are the rep's next steps perfect? Let's not let "Perfect" be the enemy of "Really, Really Good."

"What about hallucinations? Doesn't AI have these things called hallucinations?" Yes, it can. Hallucinations are guesses or extrapolations made by the AI, usually when it doesn't have the correct information to work with. This can be prevented with the proper guardrails in your Custom ChatGPT solution.

Will This AI Replace Sales Reps Entirely?

Reps and their managers stay in charge. This AI will not replace sales reps—especially in the complex sale—anytime soon. But it will give them a good shove and a lot of needed assistance. Sales reps can take the recommendations, modify, change, or redo them. The most important thing is that these suggestions by the AI give agents at least a starting point—something to shoot at. In most cases, this is all they need to get moving to take the next step with a buyer.

How Custom ChatGPT Enhances Overall Sales Performance

The practical applications of Custom ChatGPT in suggesting the following steps are endless. During initial prospecting, it researches buyers and assists in identifying key pain points and tailoring the approach. During the sales cycle, It studies past successful interactions to provide insights into the most compelling messaging and value propositions for each buyer. In the negotiation stage, it provides guidance based on successful past deals. Post-sale, it can help by suggesting upsell opportunities, renewals, or follow-up actions to nurture customer relationships.

Maximizing the Use of Custom ChatGPT in Sales

To truly harness the potential of Custom ChatGPT, it's crucial to follow some best practices. Feeding Custom ChatGPT with quality activity data is essential. The good news is that AI helps with data collection, but that's another story. Regular fine-tuning of the information and integrating feedback from sales leaders refine the recommendations to align with your sales objectives. And that is part of the incredible power of this technology. You can easily make adjustments that affect changes in what and how the system makes the recommendations. It's like having the strategy steering wheel in your hands. Pretty amazing.

Getting Started

Sounds good, but how hard is all this to get going? It's not bad at all. Two connections points: to your CRM, email, and calendaring system, and you're off to the races. If all you want the system to do is provide information and answers to product and sales questions, it's even more accessible. But, if you're going to do it, I would put the correct information in to get the tremendous next-step recommendations. That means information about your accounts and opportunities [CRM] and activity data [email and calendar data, i.e., Microsoft Exchange data].

As you go forward, you'll want to consider integrating Custom ChatGPT into other sales systems and workflows for optimal use of this technology. But that is certainly something to consider after you get going.

Looking at the Future of Custom ChatGPT in Sales

As technology advances, so does Custom ChatGPT. With potential improvements in natural language processing, machine learning, and data analysis, Custom ChatGPT's capabilities will continue to enhance. Integrating Custom ChatGPT with other sales tools and systems can further magnify its impact, leading to more efficient and effective sales processes.

Imagine this for a minute. I need a customized PowerPoint deck to present to a buyer at my afternoon meeting. "Damn, I just haven't had the time to get to it." No sweat, with a Custom ChatGPT solution, I ask. "Create a personalized presentation for Jill Thomas at Siemens. Please include her needs and some relevant product slides."

"Boom." It's done in your inbox. And it's done in just a few seconds. In your branded, corporate-approved format. It looks like you spent a couple of hours putting it together. But you didn't. Your Custom ChatGPT did it in about a minute.

Wrap Up

We are at a significant inflection point. Custom ChatGPT is transforming the sales landscape, offering personalized recommendations that boost sales success. Custom ChatGPT is a valuable assistant from prospecting through the sales cycle into negotiation and post-sales activities, helping sales reps and leaders make informed decisions, take action, and achieve better outcomes. By implementing this new AI tech, sales teams can gain a competitive edge and drive revenue growth.

My strong recommendation to you is not to wait. Look into this technology and do it quickly. Top organizations are already moving. Get on the cutting edge of this trend. There is simply no reason not to.

Author:

Pete McChrystal

CEO, Accent Technologies

www.accent-technologies.com

800-771-6011