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 with insights that left the audience eager to learn more about the AI- and data-driven sales styles that are set to become the new standard.
Below, we introduce a portion of their discussion on how things have changed between the "Pre-AI/Data Utilization" and "Post-AI/Data Utilization" eras.
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 the same lists as your competitors, turning your target market into a 'red ocean'."
Mr. Imai of Celebricks added, "With list-building methods that rely on past business card information or lead collection, it is difficult to differentiate the quality of the leads." They agreed that such methods fail to clarify which companies a firm should truly focus on, leading to a 'spray and pray' approach that wastes valuable time.
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 over rivals, such as intent data and credit data.
"By combining these data points 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 significant 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 specific keywords they are 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 moment 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 feed that data into generative AI. This allows you to clarify the factors that strongly influence successful orders and prioritize your target list accordingly," he stated.
★★★★ Links to Other Articles ★★★★
★★★★ Links to Other Articles ★★★★
Part 2: Contact Establishment: The Key to Higher Conversion Rates is 'High-Precision Targeting' and 'Expertise'
The next topic was the comparison between old and new methods in the "Contact Establishment" process.
First, what were the traditional sales methods?
Mr. Nagatake recalled, "We used to make calls during our spare time, such as between meetings, which made the process inefficient."
Mr. Imai added, "Because we couldn't prioritize companies within our lists, we tended to make calls indiscriminately, often resulting in repetitive, templated scripts."
How does the new sales style, which utilizes data, differ? Mr. Nagatake again recommended the use of intent data, stating, "By using intent data, the rate of setting up meetings after reaching the key person increases significantly."
Mr. Imai explained the importance of deepening one's understanding of the prospect's industry to project an 'expert' persona, 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, the speakers reflected that in the traditional sales style, they often only collected superficial information, such as past meeting history or basic online data, which frequently led to "winging it" during the actual meeting.
In contrast, regarding the new sales style, Mr. Nagatake stated, "It is essential to first consolidate information—such as 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 having it act as the prospect's representative. He explained that the key is to adjust the difficulty level by setting conditions such as the 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 feature pitches, masquerading as problem-solving."
How are sales meetings in the new style different? Mr. Nagatake said, "Because we understand the needs and timing from the start—consistent with our target selection based on data—we can move immediately to the closing phase." Mr. Imai added, "By using generative AI to test hypotheses beforehand, we can better capture the prospect's true insights."
In closing, Mr. Imai remarked, "The purchasing environment changes in every era. And 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 we introduced today become just a passing trend. It is necessary to master these as practical skills and research how to use them in ways that suit 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 informative."
"It gave me a healthy sense of urgency that if I don't utilize 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!)
