Sales training and coaching have always been two key ingredients to sales success. But in today’s fast-moving landscape, traditional methods alone aren’t enough to drive consistent, scalable results.
That’s why a growing number of organizations are turning to AI sales coaching and training.
Those who do it well are seeing big results. Recent research shows that companies using AI in their sales training and coaching strategies can see a 95% increase in sales productivity and 50% shorter sales cycles.
AI sales coaching and training isn’t just about automation. It’s about giving sellers real-time feedback, personalized guidance, and the tools to win more deals.
But how can you start leveraging AI in impactful ways?
In this post, we’ll explore how innovative organizations are tapping into AI sales training and coaching to boost sales team performance, close more business, and accelerate revenue growth.
What is AI sales coaching and training?
AI isn’t exactly a new concept. But in the past few years, we’ve seen rapid adoption of AI in both the personal and professional realm. The world of sales is no exception. A recent survey found that only 24% of revenue organizations aren’t using AI sales tools.
A recent survey found that only
aren't using AI sales tools
So, what is AI sales coaching and training?
AI sales coaching and training involves leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to create and deliver personalized coaching and training at scale. When revenue organizations strategically use AI in their sales coaching and training, sellers can master the skills they need to be successful in their roles. That means they’ll close more deals, and revenue will grow.
How does AI coaching and training work?
We’ve defined what AI coaching and training is. But how exactly does AI coaching and training work?
Innovative revenue organizations leverage AI in several ways to deliver effective sales coaching and training at scale. Let’s take a closer look.
Data analysis
Data is foundational for artificial intelligence. Fortunately, most organizations have access to plenty of data. But compiling and making sense of that data is another story.
AI compiles data from various sources, including call recordings, reports, and customer interactions – among others. Then, it analyzes the data to provide insights to inform coaching and training.
For example, AI sales training software can help sales leaders pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of each of their sellers. AI can also provide recommended steps for closing skill gaps.
Sales managers can also use a tool like Mindtickle Copilot to find answers to questions like “Which region is struggling with objection handling?” or “Which managers are coaching their reps the most?”
Personalized training and enablement
No two sales reps are the same, yet organizations often provide all sellers with the same training and enablement.
With AI sales training software, organizations can deliver tailored training and learning paths based on each rep’s strengths and weaknesses. That way, each rep can access relevant resources to build lagging skills.
In addition, sales reps can ask questions without having to wait for a response from a subject matter expert. AI analyzes existing content to provide an answer and can share additional resources for the sales rep to learn more.
Speedy learning content creation
Any sales enablement professional knows that launching an impactful program can take time. But with AI sales training, you don’t need to start from scratch.
An AI sales enablement tool like Mindtickle Copilot enables teams to quickly and easily create practice and reinforcement modules that help sellers retain and apply knowledge in the field.
Real-time sales coaching
When done well, sales coaching can greatly impact sales productivity and performance. However, traditional sales coaching techniques are labor intensive, and sales reps must wait for their manager.
With AI sales coaching, sales reps get real-time feedback they can use to make improvements right away.
For example, a sales rep can record a role-play and get AI-powered feedback immediately on improving their pitch. The rep can use this feedback to practice as often as they’d like without pulling in their sales manager.
AI sales tools also record and analyze sales calls and provide real-time scores and detailed recommendations for improvement. Sales reps can use these AI sales coaching tools to hone their skills and improve sales outcomes. Managers can also look for trends and use this intel to deliver targeted coaching to each sales rep.
Interactive, engaging practice opportunities
Some sales coaching tools like Mindtickle also feature interactive, AI-powered role-plays. Sales reps can practice their pitch on a realistic AI bot. The rep gets feedback throughout the experience, which they can use to hone their skills before money is on the line.
Data-driven content recommendations
Most sales reps have ample content available. However, they often spend too much time searching for the right content for the right scenario and base their decisions on hunches or gut feelings.
AI can recommend the most relevant and impactful content based on data, including past performance and customer activity. A sales training tool like Mindtickle Copilot can also draft contextual emails that sales reps can send about the content.
Ongoing measurement
Ongoing measurement is key to understanding the impact of sales training and coaching – and identifying areas for improvement. AI sales training software enables organizations to track and analyze the right metrics. This helps organizations understand the impact of their sales coaching and training and make data-based optimizations.
How does AI sales coaching and training benefit sales reps?
Today, many revenue organizations are starting to embrace AI sales coaching and training. According to a recent survey, some of the top use cases include:
- Analyzing call recordings
- Empowering sales reps to get answers to customer questions in the flow of work
- Serving up recommendations for training
- Suggesting content for sales reps to use
- Gaining insight on seller performance
It’s easy to understand why organizations adopt AI sales coaching and training, as it delivers many powerful benefits for sales reps.
Personalized, relevant training and coaching
Sales reps only have so many hours in the day. With AI sales coaching and training, they no longer have to waste their time on generic training and coaching. Instead, sellers can easily access tailored training and coaching opportunities.
Skill development
With AI, organizations can better understand the skills and behaviors key to success in each role. Then, AI can deliver personalized training and coaching that helps each sales rep build the right skills.
Interactive practice opportunities
Sales reps need opportunities to practice the skills they’ve learned. With AI, sales reps can engage in interactive role-plays and get instant feedback. That way, they can hone their pitch before money is on the line.
Real-time feedback
Sales reps want feedback, but often, their managers are too busy to provide it. With AI sales coaching, sales reps get real-time feedback. AI can analyze sales calls to identify opportunities for improvement. Sellers can then incorporate this feedback to improve the outcome of a deal.
On-demand enablement
Questions can arise at any time of day. With AI, sales reps can get the answers they need when needed. There’s no need to wait around for a subject matter expert.
Relevant content recommendations for every buying stage
Sales reps spend far too much time searching for the right content for the scenario. With AI, sales reps can get content recommendations that are proven to be effective in similar scenarios.
More time to engage with buyers and close deals
Salesforce research found that sales reps spend less than 30% of their time actually selling. AI automates and streamlines many time-consuming tasks, leaving sales reps with more time to engage with buyers and guide them to the finish line.
Use cases of AI sales coaching
AI sales coaching can be applied in a number of ways to support both sellers and sales managers in meaningful, scalable ways. Let’s take a closer look at some practical use cases where AI is making an impact.
#1 Onboarding new sellers faster
The faster new sellers are onboarded, the sooner they can start contributing to revenue growth. AI sales coaching helps ramp these new sellers by delivering reinforcement, AI role play practice exercises, and on-demand support. This ensures effective, accelerated onboarding – without overloading sales managers and enablement teams.
#2 Call analysis and performance insights
AI sales coaching tools automatically record and analyze calls to identify patterns, strengths, and areas that need improvement. This gives sales managers instant insights into where each seller needs more coaching and support – without needing to review hours of recorded sales calls.
#3 Real-time role play and targeted feedback
Sellers can use AI role plays to practice pitches, discovery, objection handing, and selling skills. AI role play tools provide instant feedback on factors like tone, pacing, and use of filler words. Sellers can use this feedback to refine their skills and improve their performance on calls with real-life customers.
#4 Just-in-time enablement
Sellers often need support and information outside of scheduled training or coaching sessions. With the right AI tools, reps can ask questions within the flow of work, like “How do I respond to a pricing objection?” They’ll receive immediate, contextual answers and recommended content, which boosts their confidence and reduces their reliance on sales managers or enablement teams.
How can Mindtickle Copilot improve your sales training and coaching programs?
Ongoing sales training and coaching are key to ensuring your reps are always ready to conquer any deal. With AI sales coaching software, you can deliver effective training and coaching programs tailored to each seller’s unique needs.
Getting started with AI sales coaching and training can feel overwhelming. But with Mindtickle Copilot, it doesn’t have to be.
Mindtickle enables sales leaders to quickly make sense of data and gain insights to make better decisions. For example, sales managers can quickly understand the strengths and weaknesses of each of their sales reps. Then, AI can create personalized learning paths to empower each sales rep to strengthen their weaker skills.
With Mindtickle Copilot, enablement teams can quickly and easily create enablement experiences that help sellers retain knowledge and build skills. For example, you can ask Mindtickle Copilot to create an assessment that tests whether or not sellers have retained what they’ve learned in a training module.
Mindtickle’s platform also empowers sales reps to access on-demand coaching. AI provides a score for each recorded role-play or sales call and tailored feedback for improvement. There’s no need to wait around for manager feedback.
Mindtickle also allows sales reps to engage in interactive role-plays with an AI bot, where AI delivers feedback throughout the role-play experience. These realistic scenarios prepare sales reps for real-life experiences.
Mindtickle Copilot also makes it easy for sellers to prepare for any prospect interaction. For example, a sales rep can use Mindtickle Copilot to ask what objections a prospect brought up in their last call. Then, AI can surface the right content to address those objections. Mindtickle Copilot can even draft a contextual email for a seller to send to the prospect when sharing the content, which saves time.
Finally, Mindtickle Copilot can help you track and analyze the right data to understand how your AI sales coaching and training is impacting outcomes – and where there are opportunities for optimization.
Ready to see firsthand how Mindtickle can empower your business to deliver sales training and coaching that supercharges sales performance? Schedule a live demo today.
FAQs
1. What is AI sales coaching and training?
AI sales coaching and training is the practice of using artificial intelligence to deliver targeted, data-driven learning and practice experiences to better support sales reps. AI sales coaching and training tools analyze data, identify sellers’ strengths and weaknesses, recommend targeted training and role plays, and provide real-time feedback – all at scale.
2. What are the features to look for in an AI sales coaching and training platform?
Look for platforms with features that enable personalized training and coaching at scale, such as real-time call analysis, AI role plays, and immediate feedback on performance. The best AI sales coaching and training platforms also offer content recommendations, just-in-time enablement, and analytics to measure coaching effectiveness and sales impact.
3. What are the best AI sales coaching and training tools and platforms?
Some of the top AI sales coaching and training platforms include Mindtickle, Allego, Seismic, and Highspot. Each AI sales coaching and training platform offers strengths, ranging from real-time call analysis to personalized learning paths – among others. The best choice depends on your team’s goals, size, and existing sales tech stack.
AI Sales Coaching in Mindtickle
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By Poornima Mohandas
