The sports industry is dynamic and fast-paced, offering both exciting opportunities and unique challenges. To stay ahead in Sports Business, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) is essential for both individuals and organisations.
Traditionally, sales with its unstructured, variable, people-driven approach, lagged behind other functions like finance, logistics, and marketing in adopting digital technologies. However, AI is now revolutionising sales, with 37% of sales organisations already experiencing its benefits. McKinsey reports that over half of daily sales tasks can be automated with current AI-driven technology.
- AI increases productivity by automating repetitive tasks such as note-taking, call analysis, and prospect research.
- AI enhances sales performance by predicting lead conversions, identifying new prospects, and scoring leads based on intent.
In this post, I highlight top AI-driven sales tools and their benefits:
AI-Powered CRM Systems
CRM tools manage relationships and interactions with current and potential customers. The rise of AI pushed the boundaries of customer relations, providing companies with rich sources to analyse and understand customer data. However, according to research by Freshworks, only 12% of CRM users use an AI-powered CRM tool in their processes.
As CRM tools become more intelligent with AI, they offer more accurate sales insights and help companies make better decisions in sales processes. This is usually through sales forecasting (for example, prospects most likely to close, prospects to target next, or new customers that may be interested in what you’re selling). But also through predictive lead scoring, and assisting in reducing customer churn rate.
HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zendesk Sell, Salesforce Sales Cloud and Zoho CRM are some of the best AI-driven CRM systems on the market.
Chatbots
The days when these were just little pop-ups on websites are gone. Modern AI chatbots engage in legitimate conversations with customers, answering questions, recommending products, and assisting with purchases around the clock. Tools like Intercom, Drift, Freshsales, My AI Front Desk, and ChatSpot handle inquiries, process orders, and provide 24/7 support, enhancing customer satisfaction and freeing up human resources.
Virtual Assistants
AI virtual assistants handle routine tasks, allowing salespeople to focus on relationship-building and strategy. Tools like Scheduler AI, Clockwise, and Kronologic manage appointments, schedules, and administrative duties.
Calling Systems
Tools are now available to set up outbound or inbound calling systems with AI, where you have an AI call potential customers, or answer when they call.
AI Transcription, Call Summaries & Analysis
AI tools like Avoma and Otter automatically transcribe sales meetings and summarise calls with high accuracy – obviously, only do this with the discretion of all participants.
These summaries can include action points and be emailed to participants, ensuring follow-through on the next steps. While these are basic tasks, outsourcing them to AI saves huge amounts of human resources that could otherwise be used on higher-value tasks, like closing more deals.
AI can also analyse sales calls to extract insights about customer needs and sentiments, offering feedback and identifying opportunities. This capability helps salespeople improve their techniques and prioritise actions to close deals more effectively.
AI can then recommend the next deal actions for each sales rep in real-time based on all the information related to that deal and the stage it is in. In this way, AI acts like an always-available sales coach and manager, guiding reps towards the exact steps needed to achieve maximum sales productivity.
Generative AI
Generative AI helps sales teams by automating email writing, proposal responses, note organisation, and CRM updates – enhancing salespeople’s customer interactions and assisting sales managers.
Tools such as ChatGPT and Claude are free and can be leveraged for exactly this. Content at Scale can write personalised and compelling sales emails or letters, automatically, at scale, using Generative AI.
These tools use natural language processing algorithms to create engaging messages tailored to each recipient’s unique interests and needs. This kind of personal touch doesn’t just save time. It also increases open rates, click-throughs, and conversions – vital metrics in any successful outreach campaign. It’s not just a “Dear Customer” email anymore. AI can analyse a person’s preferences, browsing history, and interactions to tailor recommendations and messages.
You can also create sales videos and imagery far faster and easier than what was previously possible. For example, BHuman is an AI video tool for creating presentations, quote requests, and demos.
Automatic Competitor Analysis
AI tools like Crayon provide real-time competitive intelligence, tracking competitor activity across various online sources and delivering daily insights. This helps sales teams stay informed and strategically adjust their approaches.
Sales Coaching
AI can even coach you to sell. Tools like Quantified use realistic AI avatars to simulate sales calls, offering training and scoring rep skills. Tools like Lavender and Demodesk provide email coaching and demo creation, enhancing sales proficiency. Vidyard AI Script is a convenient tool that creates sales scripts you can use during meetings.
Lead Analysis
AI is making lead analysis and sales intelligence far easier.
Gong uses AI to capture and analyse all of your interactions with prospects and customers, then turns that information into intelligence you can use to close more deals.
Trender.ai is an AI tool for B2B contact intelligence, with which any sales professional can automate the process of finding top leads across the web. The tool also provides AI-powered research capabilities that surface deep insights about these leads, so you can close them more effectively.
Seamless is another tool that enhances lead generation and sales intelligence.
Personalised Outreach
AI-driven tools like Postaga and FastOutreach.ai optimise outreach and cold emails, ensuring personalised and effective communication with potential customers. Sendspark facilitates personalised video communication.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, AI isn’t just a tool. It’s a sales ally that can handle the nitty-gritty tasks and offer feedback and suggestions, leaving sales professionals with more time to do what they do best – building relationships and closing deals.
