Seminar Overview
First, we will review the overview of this seminar. The following content was presented.
How Sales Will Evolve Through AI and Data Utilization! - Introducing Improvements for Each Sales Process -
May 30, 2024 (Thursday) 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Speakers (Titles omitted, same below)
Celebricks, Inc. Executive Officer, Company CMO / Director of Sales Research Institute / Sales Evangelist
Shoya Imai
uSonar Co., Ltd. Representative Director and Co-President
Katsuhito Nagatake
Online Format
What Was the Discussion About?
In this seminar, we covered the general sales processes of "List Building," "Contact Establishment," "Sales Preparation," and "Sales Meetings." From the perspectives of both Mr. Nagatake and Mr. Imai, we discussed how sales styles (mindsets and operations) were handled before the use of AI and data, and how they are drastically changing with the integration of these technologies.
The discussion began with introductions and included comments and questions from the audience.
The session featured demonstrations of cutting-edge sales styles, such as recorded sessions using generative AI, leading to a passionate discussion. The event concluded by sparking interest in the future of AI- and data-driven sales styles.
Below, we introduce a portion of their discussion on how things have changed between "Before AI/Data Utilization" and "After AI/Data Utilization."
Part 1: List Building: Prioritizing and Identifying Companies to Approach Now
When conducting new business development, what criteria do you use to build your target list?
Regarding list building in the traditional sales style, uSonar President Nagatake noted, "Isn't it common to build lists based on industry, region, revenue, and profit? This leads to competitors targeting the same companies, turning your approach into a 'red ocean.'"
Mr. Imai of Celebricks added, "It is difficult to prioritize leads when using methods that simply collect past business card information." They agreed that such list-building methods fail to clarify which companies a firm should truly focus on, leading to inefficient, scattershot approaches.
In contrast, how does the list-building process change in the new sales style that leverages AI and data?
First, Mr. Nagatake proposed utilizing corporate data that provides a competitive edge, such as intent data and credit data.
"By combining these with the basic attributes used in traditional sales, you can gain a deeper understanding of a company's characteristics. This enables a 1-to-1 approach," says Mr. Nagatake.
Intent data, which has been gaining attention recently, refers to data based on digital behavioral history, such as visualizing which target companies are visiting your website, which pages they are viewing, and identifying the keywords they are interested in and searching for.
Highlighting the benefits of using intent data, Mr. Nagatake emphasized, "Because you can approach prospects while understanding the 'needs' and 'timing' that are crucial in sales, you can increase your conversion rate. By proposing the information the prospect wants at the exact time they are ready to engage, sales becomes a welcome service rather than an intrusion."
Meanwhile, Mr. Imai suggested using generative AI during the list-building phase. "For example, you can pick dozens of companies that have become targets for closing and have generative AI analyze them. This allows you to clarify the factors that strongly influence successful orders and prioritize your target list accordingly," he stated.
★★★★ Links to Other Articles Below ★★★★
★★★★ Links to Other Articles Above ★★★★
Part 2: Contact Establishment: The Key to Higher Conversion Rates is "High-Accuracy Targeting" and "Expertise"
The next topic was the comparison between old and new methods in the "Contact Establishment" process.
First, what were traditional sales methods like?
Mr. Nagatake recalled, "We would make calls during our spare time, such as between meetings, which was inefficient."
Mr. Imai added, "Because we couldn't prioritize companies within our lists, we tended to make random calls, which often resulted in using generic, templated scripts."
How does the new sales style using data differ? Mr. Nagatake again recommended the use of intent data, stating, "By using intent data, the rate of setting up meetings after reaching key persons increases significantly."
Mr. Imai explained the importance of deepening one's understanding of the prospect's industry to project an "expert" image, making the prospect feel that "it is worth talking to this salesperson." By leveraging generative AI, it becomes possible to efficiently collect the same specialized information as the prospect. The seminar detailed specific methods for achieving this.
Part 3: Sales Preparation: Streamlining Preparation Through Centralized Information and Generative AI-Driven Strategic Perspectives
The third topic was "Sales Preparation."
Sales preparation requires a significant amount of time for information gathering. However, both speakers reflected that in the traditional sales style, they could only collect superficial information, such as past meeting history or basic online data, often leading to "winging it" during the actual meeting.
In contrast, regarding the new sales style, Mr. Nagatake stated, "It is essential to first consolidate information—including corporate and industry data, case studies, and reasons for past wins or losses—into a single database."
Mr. Imai emphasized the importance of using generative AI to prepare for meetings with a broader strategic perspective. He introduced a method of using generative AI to simulate a meeting by acting as the prospect's representative. He explained that the key is to adjust the difficulty level by setting conditions such as industry, company name, job title, and the prospect's motivation for adopting the service.
[Reference Article] Six Scenarios for Leveraging AI in B2B Marketing ▶︎
Sales Meetings: Capturing Customer Insights Through Data and AI
The final topic was the "Sales Meeting" itself. Regarding this process in traditional sales, Mr. Nagatake noted, "We would try to uncover needs while building a proposal on the spot." Mr. Imai added, "It often turned into a parade of product strengths and features, masquerading as problem-solving."
What about sales meetings in the new style? Mr. Nagatake said, "Because we understand the needs and timing from the start based on data, we can move directly to the closing phase." Mr. Imai added, "By using generative AI to test hypotheses beforehand, we can better capture the prospect's insights."
In closing, Mr. Imai stated, "The purchasing environment changes in every era. Because the purchasing environment changes, the way we sell must also change, and we must continue to learn. Furthermore, we must not let the AI and data utilization introduced today become just a passing trend. It is necessary to master these as practical skills and research how to use them effectively for your own company."
Feedback from Viewers
In the post-seminar survey, viewers commented:
"I had heard of intent data but didn't know its actual effectiveness, so this was very helpful."
"It gave me a healthy sense of urgency that if I don't use generative AI, I will be left behind by the times."
"I learned about new use cases, such as practical examples of role-playing using generative AI."
We received many positive comments. (Thank you to everyone who watched!)
