“Mike, I have no idea what has happened to my sales team. They are failing miserably at securing net new client meetings.”
This was a quote from a VP of Sales whose team we had trained three years prior during the pandemic, helping them to make the switch to selling over Zoom.
My response: “Dan, trust me…you are not alone. I am hearing this from a number of sales leaders. My question is, where have all the sales skills gone?”
Sales skills, e.g., prospecting, securing net new meetings, client meeting plans, effective questioning, and objection handling are key in driving sales success. To quote the great Bob Dylan:
“The times, they are a changing.”
And that they are! At Butler Street, we have a saying:
Change is never change when it’s the logical next step.
The ability to change requires an ability to learn. To give your sales team a competitive edge, consider harnessing the power of ChatGPT as the logical next step, but not without understanding the pros and cons of doing so.
Pros of Using ChatGPT to Enhance Sales Skills:
Improved Target List: Through the right set of prompts, ChatGPT can act as a virtual prospecting coach, helping your team refine their targeted accounts and personas to increase success rates. You can validate the financial and operational outcomes of your desired persona and ensure you’ve got the right targets whereby you can create value.
Net New Meeting Success: Once you have the right targets, ChatGPT, again, using the right prompts, can guide your sales team to create compelling outbound phone scripts, emails, and messages that engage prospects - dramatically increasing the odds of securing a meeting. ChatGPT can provide a great starting point for personalization, value statements, and scripts for potential objections while prospecting.
Client Meeting Planning: Preparing for client meetings is time-consuming, but ChatGPT acts as a virtual meeting planning assistant. It assists your sales team in creating meeting agendas, suggesting relevant questions, and providing insights on client pain points and goals. Streamline meeting preparations for more impactful and productive client interactions.
Effective Questioning: At Butler Street, we have a Simple Truth: “You are defined in the eyes of the customer by the quality of questions you ask.” ChatGPT can serve as a practice partner, helping your sales team improve the quality of questions they ask. By simulating various scenarios and providing feedback, ChatGPT refines your team's questioning skills, leading to more meaningful conversations and a better understanding of client needs.
Objection Handling: Anticipating and being able to effectively handle objections are critical to a salesperson’s success. With simulated objection scenarios and guidance on effective responses, ChatGPT can provide scenarios and scripts that your salespeople can practice, equipping them with the confidence in handling those objections.
Cons of Using ChatGPT to Enhance Sales Skills:
Garbage In, Garbage Out: I shared earlier that you are defined in the eyes of the customer by the quality of questions you ask. It is pretty much the same thing with ChatGPT and how you structure the prompts. You must be very specific with your wording to get the response structure you want.
Lack of Human Context: “Technology for transactions, people for relationships.” At the end of the day, it is still people buying from and selling to people. While ChatGPT aids in skill development, it lacks the nuanced understanding and Emotional Intelligence (“EQ”) of a Butler Street sales trainer or an accomplished sales manager/coach. Some scenarios require the adaptability and emotional intelligence of a human coach to guide salespeople optimally.
Limited Real-Time Adaptation: As of this writing, ChatGPT's responses rely on pre-existing data up to 2021, potentially overlooking real-time changes or industry-specific knowledge. Salespeople should combine ChatGPT's suggestions with their industry expertise and up-to-date information to maximize effectiveness.
Emotional Intelligence Development: Building EQ is vital for understanding the customer’s operating reality and building relationships. While ChatGPT offers guidance, it may fall short in addressing the emotional aspects of conversations. Salespeople should continue developing EQ through training and mentorship for enhanced sales effectiveness.
At Butler Street, we understand the transformative impact of AI technologies like ChatGPT in optimizing sales performance. We specialize in sales training designed to “win the relationship, not the deal.” If you win the relationships, the deals follow.
We help organizations leverage ChatGPT effectively. Our expertise lies in bridging the gap between automation and developing sales skills to help your sales team unlock their full potential. Please join us for a free webinar integrating ChatGPT seamlessly into your sales process, and how to leverage this powerful tool for unmatched success.
