The role of AI in Sales and Marketing in a simple way.

The process of sales and marketing is currently the most popular place to deploy AI.? And, no wonder. It is the single most troublesome area for most SME’s.? In a new World where traditional methods of marketing are being squashed by digital and where Social networks are turning out to be just as expensive to run as PPC advertising, every single SME has their eyes clamped tightly onto either ROAS (Return on Advertising Spend) or ROI (return on Investment and Effort).? In short, the cost of a lead and the conversion rates of those leads into MONEY can make or break any SME.? Additionally, it’s a strange psychological thing, but most of my customers pay much more attentions to solutions that MAKE money than the same solutions that could SAVE them money.? It’s just human nature I guess.

The role of marketing is changing due to AI-powered solutions.? In turn, the effectiveness of Sales is increasing.? Here is a silly example to show what I mean. I use these vague, silly examples, not to be intentionally vague, but because the sheer number of actual solutions is so great, a single article would not be able to cover them.

In the Stone Ages (before AI) a Cave man would work with his Partner (They used to be called wives) to catch prey and bring it back to the cave, where the “wife” would skin it and cook it.?

In this case the Marketing role is taken by the “Hunter” and the Sales role by the “Wife or cook”.?

But, what would happen if the hunter went out, came across a sabre toothed Tiger and rather than killing it, just let it chase him back to the cave, where the cook was waiting patiently.? Picture it… The hunter is yelling to his wife as he runs past : “There you are” -? I got one.??? “cook him”!?

Or what would happen if the hunter went out and came back with a poisonous toad that, when eaten, kills the whole family?? Well, would it surprise you to learn that this happens every day in Marketing and Sales processes all over the World.?

Sales staff often close as few as 2 out of every ten leads they receive.? These leads are mostly poisonous toads or aggressive Sabre Tooth Tigers that are just not ready to be skinned or cooked. A drastic and acute waste of time.

Using AI and ChatBots to better qualify prospects can result in a doubling of sales from the same number of leads.? AI-powered marketing communications can answer critical emails better and quicker than any human can.? It can also send out personalised, automated communications, documents and videos to ensure that leads are kept as warm as a sabre tooth Tiger, but much less angry and more “Skinable”.

Quick point here.? AI is not about REPLACING people in sales and marketing. It is about making them MORE EFFECTIVE.? OFTENTIMES, TWICE AS EFFECTIVE.

So, if you have unhappy sales teams or an under-pressure marketing department, putting these tools in their hands will be like you have just invented fire.