When we think about how automation is changing our lives, images of a Jetson-esque world come to mind where everything just happens. Our lifestyles are curated and detailed down by the push of a button, making many of the practical activities we once took part of now obsolete. And for people in the sales and marketing world, this scares the pants off of some.
However, that fear is based more on conspiracy than it is facts. Innovations, like AI and automation, are geared towards replacing a lot of our everyday tasks, which will make our jobs not only easier, but smarter and more productive as well. Yes, it appears the automation revolution is here to stay, which is going to change the lives of sales and marketing for the greater good. Here’s how:
The Automated Revolution
Automation in the marketing and sales industry has been exploding as of recent, becoming one of the hottest trends in the industry. According to a report by Markets and Markets, marketing automation software is expected to become a $5.5 billion dollar industry by 2019. The growth of these types of programs has become tremendous money saving techniques, saving on both the time and labor over what’s otherwise considered pretty mundane tasks.
Given how much easier automation is making the marketing and sales process, it’s no wonder why firms have been making such a drastic leap to adopt these technologies. Everything from lead generations to follow-ups can be conducted with much more efficiency and accuracy than ever before, which in an industry that relies heavily on volume and metrics, is a dream come true.
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Let The Machine Do (Most of) The Work
Perhaps one of the biggest fears I hear from people is that the entire sales process is going to be replaced by machines one day. However, this could be the furthest thing from the truth. Anyone who works in AI or Automation will tell you off the bat that the goal of these services isn’t to replace the human but make them smarter and stronger at their position.
An excellent example of this is chatbots. While some believe that implementing an automated chatbot system for leads means that we can begin replacing pieces of our sales team, there are certain things that bot will never be able to understand such as emotional intelligence, tone, etc. In yet, what we can do is train bots to be smart enough to gauge responses to an end goal, such as qualifying a lead, scheduling an appointment, or even educating a potential customer on basic details. That’s the type of technology that can turn a good salesperson into a great one.
It’s true that in some cases people and firms will fall by the wayside or have to grow and adapt to the latest and greatest changes. However, the world of sales and marketing are also cut-throat businesses, where sometimes only the strongest survive. That, and the smartest.
Making Sales Smarter
One of the most exciting innovations coming about in the automated revolution is the amount of information we’re about to be able to sink our teeth into. Never before have we seen such an extraordinary system of insights and data than we do now, which is making sales and marketing teams salivate.
When it comes to automating the sales process, companies like Cirrus Insights are offering platforms like Flight Plans, a system that lists out the goals of closing a deal. Not only does the software outline the proper procedure to landing a deal, but uses smart data to pinpoint the exact times and dates someone should follow up and what they should say. This software is revamping the sales process big time, with the industry taking note.
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