From sales managers to account executives (AEs), here are Dunlap’s favorite ways to use ChatGPT to increase your sales and be a more productive sales manager.

Accelerating research

Especially when it comes to research, Dunlap advises: “Don’t go to Google first, go to ChatGPT and say exactly what you want to do.”

Dunlap advised sales development representatives (SDRs) to speed up their research process about a company or industry and become experts. You can even customize ChatGPT’s teaching methods, for example, by specifically requesting a quiz game about a company.

“I try to set up a meeting and learn more about this company,” he said. “Literally within five minutes, it can summarize research that would otherwise have taken me two hours.”

Understanding trends

Dunlap said ChatGPT can be used to create more personalized outreach strategies for prospects.

Dunlap called his strategy “The Triad Methodology.” He recommends focusing on industry trends, trends within the position you’re interested in at the company, and how you can support those two aspects.

For example, if you’re trying to sell to a publishing company’s HR department, Dunlap suggests asking ChatGPT about current trends in the publishing industry and HR.

“And then: What are the trends in publishing specifically for talent acquisition executives?” he said. “And how do we address the trends in publishing and specifically for HR executives with our work?”

Skaled’s CEO said that most senior decision makers prefer “direct communication” and therefore personalized messages indicating trends within a company’s industry or field are more attractive to prospects.

Dunlap said there was “absolutely no reason to ever send an email” without saying, “Here are the top three trends we’re seeing and I think we can help – let’s set up a time to meet.”

Preparing for discovery calls and later-stage deals

To make initial calls to prospects, Dunlap uses a custom GPT that already contains his company’s data and general information. He then inserts a link to the prospect to learn about their business history.

Dunlap also likes to use the voice tool on the ChatGPT mobile app before heading to a meeting.

In addition to making initial contact with a company, he also recommends using a custom GPT for later deal preparation. The chatbot can generate information such as value propositions or your competition before speaking to your customer.

“What are the two most important ways I should position myself against the competition,” Dunlap said. “What are the two or three things I should avoid that they might be stronger at?”

Instead of having to rely exclusively on other leaders to discuss these scenarios, using GPTs in “role plays” can also help with preparation, he said.

Dunlap said he used to make these preparations in the middle of the night, but now he goes straight to ChatGPT.

“So that’s my trick to close more deals,” he said.

Personalized training

For sales managers who lack the bandwidth to create personalized training plans for team members, Dunlap says ChatGPT offers the opportunity to develop customized curricula.

“Each of them has their own areas where we’re growing,” he said. “Those are the areas where they’re good. Those are the areas where they’re trying to double down on their commitment.”

“I can say, ‘Hey, I’m working on this with one of my direct reports,'” Dunlap said. “Help me put together an eight-week training program with 45-minute meetings. Give me a detailed agenda for each meeting so I can work through ‘ABCs’ with them.”

In addition to training employees, Dunlap enjoys creating quizzes and detailed curricula for his personal learning process.

“If you want to learn a certain skill, you don’t need a salesperson to do it for you,” he said. “You can do it yourself. Create your own plan.”

Accelerate sales rep onboarding

“If you don’t implement generative AI, you’re probably going to double your sales rep’s training time,” he said.

Dunlap said GPTs can help people learn more about their selling partners, their products and their value propositions without the need for “30 conversations” by sparking conversations themselves.

“I can teach you the basics and after the tenth conversation you will already be able to speak the language,” he said.

He recommends again Conduct “role plays” with GPTs to learn more about the company’s industry and buyer personas.

“I’m going to come in and ask you a question about this person, and I want you to give me a new 10-question quiz on it,” he said.