How to Improve Your Lead Generation in a Big Way and on Autopilot

Generating leads without human intervention, 24/7, is possible today. All it takes is a minimum of automation and interaction, which means a chatbot.

You might say, "I already have one." I'm not talking about traditional chatbots. Forget those. They're outdated. The ones I'm referring to are no longer just answering basic questions; they are trained for sales by text or voice. These new chatbots can make cold calls, conduct preliminary interviews for job candidates, and sell products or services. They can send documents, schedule appointments, and remind you about consultations, all while perfectly syncing with your CRM.

Here’s a diagram illustrating the process:

Recently, a CEO told me, "Pat, you'll see, in six months bots will be making outbound calls to other bots, setting up meetings, and having conversations." This is possible today, even sooner than he predicted.

Back to our topic: lead generation.

What about salespeople? Will chatbots replace them? Here are my predictions.

Automation that includes a chatbot specialized in customer support lead generation will become the norm. These bots will be capable of setting up or proposing appointments and upselling.

Bots will be trained to coach salespeople, analyze their pitches, and help them improve their arguments and responses.

Chatbots won't replace salespeople; they will assist them by preparing and training them, sorting high-priority leads from less promising ones, and allowing them to focus on those with a higher probability of conversion.

Replacing your sales team with bots risks dehumanizing your business. Talking to a bot can be frustrating; personally, it drives me nuts with its polished, politically correct manner. I much prefer talking to a human, even with their flaws. With a salesperson, there's at least a conversation, a bond. You can ask them where they live and have a real interaction. With a robot, none of that. It's dry and impersonal. Again, it's a tool, not an end in itself.

Takeaways:

In summary, it's now possible to enhance and expand your lead generation sources by complementing your sales force with bots operating 24/7. Chatbots can take over repetitive and tedious tasks, allowing your salespeople to focus on customers and close sales while improving their skills. They have a lot to gain. And so do you.

In addition to writing on LinkedIn and other media, I help general and dental clinics harness the power of AI to help them focus on what matters most: their patients. You can find me on Medium, and see what I’m up to here. Feel free to send me your comments!