AI in Sales: Transform Your Team with Microsoft 365 Copilot

Selling is no easy task. Sales professionals increasingly find themselves burdened with administrative tasks that consume valuable time and energy.

A staggering 79% of sellers report the need to support more customer accounts than ever before. Moreover, 70% of their working hours are dedicated to administrative activities, including research, planning, generating proposals, data entry, and internal meetings.

This challenge underscores a critical dilemma: as the demands on sales teams intensify, their ability to focus on what truly matters — building relationships and closing deals — becomes compromised.

Enter Artificial Intelligence (AI), a transformative force poised to alleviate these burdens and empower sales professionals to reclaim their time for strategic, revenue-driving activities. And, with so many AI tools available in the market, sales teams have a wealth of innovative solutions at their fingertips to tackle these challenges. 

AI-driven solutions are redefining success for sales teams by enabling them to automate repetitive tasks and streamline workflows.

With AI, sales professionals no longer need to spend countless hours on manual data searches and entries, creating proposals and presentations, or organizing customer information.

In this blog, we will explore the impact of AI in sales — its top capabilities, things to consider when selecting the right AI tool for your sales team, and 5 practical applications with step-by-step scenarios using Copilot for Microsoft 365.

Read on to uncover how you can harness AI to streamline operations, optimize workflows, and elevate your sales strategy to new heights of efficiency and effectiveness! 

In this blog, you will find:

🛠️ The Rise of AI in Sales

🔍 How Can AI Help Sales Teams: 5 Examples

✔️ 3 Factors To Consider When Choosing An AI Tool For Your Sales Team

💡 5 Practical Applications of Copilot for Microsoft 365 in Sales: Step-by-Step Scenarios

🏅 Accelerate Customer Research & Sales Preparation with Copilot

📑 Create An Unsolicited Proposal with Copilot

🎯 Targeted Prospecting with Copilot

📃 Create Personalized Offers with Copilot

🎙️ Make A Customized Pitch with Copilot

✈️ Experience Copilot for Microsoft 365 with ProServeIT's Pilot Launch

🏁 Conclusion 

The Rise of AI in Sales

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is ushering in a new era for sales teams. AI is projected to manage 60% of sales tasks by 2028, a significant leap from 45% in 2023. This exponential growth underscores AI's pivotal role in transforming how businesses approach and execute their sales strategies.

AI technologies are not just enhancing but fundamentally reshaping every phase of the sales process. From initial prospecting to closing deals and beyond, AI-powered tools offer unmatched capabilities that significantly boost efficiency and effectiveness.

In business to business (B2B) sales, where relationship-building and strategic decision-making are critical, AI provides invaluable support.

As AI technologies continue to evolve, their integration into sales strategies will become increasingly seamless and indispensable.

Embracing AI is not just a technological advancement but a strategic imperative for businesses aiming to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving marketplace. By harnessing AI's capabilities to automate tasks, enhance decision-making, and personalize customer interactions, sales teams can unlock new levels of success and drive sustainable growth in B2B sales.

In essence, the rise of AI in sales signifies a transformative shift towards smarter, more agile sales practices. 

👉 Check out how Microsoft 365 Copilot can supercharge your team's productivity!

How Can AI Help Sales Teams: 5 Examples

From automating mundane tasks to sales forecasting, AI has emerged as a transformative force in sales, allowing sales teams to streamline operations and significantly enhance customer interactions. 

Here are 5 examples of how AI can help your sales team:

1. Automate Repetitive Tasks

Imagine a world where your sales team operates like a well-oiled machine, effortlessly tackling mundane tasks while focusing on what truly drives revenue — building relationships and closing deals.

One of the most valuable contributions AI can make to sales teams is the automation of repetitive tasks.

Sales professionals often spend a considerable amount of time on mundane activities like data entry, scheduling meetings, and updating records in customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

By leveraging AI-powered tools, these tasks can be completed swiftly and accurately, freeing up valuable time for salespeople to focus on high-value activities.

For instance, AI can handle the scheduling of meetings based on calendar availability, send automated follow-up emails to prospects, and update customer records instantly after interactions.

The automation of these repetitive tasks not only improves efficiency but also reduces the likelihood of human error, ensuring that sales teams work more effectively.

👉 TIP: AI-powered chatbots operate 24/7, engaging with prospects and customers instantly to provide real-time assistance. AI Chatbots address inquiries, share product information, and handle routine queries, freeing up sales reps for more high-level tasks.

2. Lead Generation

Say goodbye to the days of manually tracking and managing outreach! AI is revolutionizing sales productivity and accelerating the growth of sales pipelines like never before.

Generating high-quality leads is a critical component of any successful sales strategy, and AI can be instrumental in this area.

AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data from various sources including your website, email, CRM, and more, to identify potential leads that might be a good fit for your products or services. By assessing patterns and behaviours, AI can predict which prospects are most likely to convert and prioritize them for your sales team.

This targeted approach improves the efficacy of lead generation efforts, reducing the time spent on unqualified leads and increasing the chances of closing deals.

AI tools also excel in segmenting leads based on specific criteria and predicting which leads have the highest potential to generate sales.

By leveraging machine learning models, AI analyzes lead data and identifies relevant features for segmentation, drawing insights from historical patterns. 

3. Sales Analysis & Forecasting

In sales, gaining a competitive edge hinges on the ability to foresee trends and seize opportunities before they emerge.

AI excels in analyzing complex data sets and providing actionable insights, making it a powerful tool for sales analysis and forecasting. Through advanced analytics, AI can evaluate historical sales data, market trends, and customer behaviours to generate reliable sales forecasts.

These predictive insights enable sales teams to make informed decisions, plan their strategies effectively, and allocate resources more efficiently.

AI can also identify patterns and anomalies in sales data that human analysts might overlook, offering a deeper understanding of what drives sales performance.

This capability allows sales managers to refine their tactics, optimize their sales processes, and ultimately drive better outcomes.

4. Follow-Up & Upsell Opportunities 

Picture this: A sales strategy where every follow-up is perfectly timed, and every upselling opportunity is seamlessly identified and capitalized upon. Maintaining consistent follow-ups with prospects and identifying upselling opportunities can be challenging for sales professionals juggling multiple tasks.

AI can significantly streamline these processes by tracking customer interactions and providing timely reminders for follow-ups. Moreover, no more generic templates — with AI, each message will resonate with the recipient!

AI can also analyze the purchase history and behaviour of existing customers to suggest relevant upsell opportunities.

For example, AI might recommend additional products or services that complement previous purchases or identify high-value customers who are likely to be interested in premium offerings.

This proactive approach not only enhances customer satisfaction by offering personalized solutions but also drives additional revenue through effective upselling strategies.

5. Quickly Create Sales Documents & Materials

Tired of spending endless hours crafting sales documents that may not hit the mark? AI is a game-changing solution when it comes to this.

Creating compelling sales documents and marketing materials is essential for effective communication with prospects and customers. AI can expedite this process by generating high-quality content tailored to specific audiences.

Using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms, AI can draft proposals, create personalized email templates, and even produce marketing collateral such as brochures and presentations.

These AI-generated documents maintain consistency and professionalism, allowing sales teams to present their offerings in the best possible light.

Furthermore, AI tools can update and customize materials based on real-time data and customer preferences, ensuring that the content remains relevant and engaging.

This capability enables sales teams to respond quickly to opportunities and deliver impactful messages that resonate with their audience.

3 Factors To Consider When Choosing an AI Tool For Your Sales Team

When selecting an AI tool for your sales team, there are several factors to consider to ensure you maximize the benefits and optimize your workflow. The right AI tool can significantly enhance your team's performance, streamline processes, and improve customer relationships.

Here are 3 factors you should look for when choosing an AI tool:

1. Data Security & Privacy Compliance

In sales, safeguarding sensitive customer information is crucial. 

An advanced AI tool should also conduct automated compliance checks regularly. These checks ensure that all sales activities adhere to relevant laws and regulations, thereby minimizing the risk of non-compliance penalties. Prioritizing an AI tool with these features is essential for safeguarding both your business and your customers.

An AI tool like Copilot for Microsoft 365 can ensure that this data is managed securely, reducing the risk of data leaks. It does so by enforcing compliance with data protection regulations through monitoring and managing data access and usage. 

2. Integration With Existing Systems

For an AI tool to be effective, it must integrate seamlessly with the systems your sales team already uses. Copilot for M365, for example, can integrate with tools like Outlook and Teams, streamlining communication and collaboration. This integration enables your team to manage emails, schedule meetings, and collaborate on documents without the hassle of switching between different platforms.

Additionally, it is important that the AI tool integrates with your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Copilot, the world’s first AI copilot natively built into both CRM and ERP applications, exemplifies this integration capability. Centralizing customer interactions and data ensures that your sales team can access vital information quickly and efficiently, thereby fostering more effective customer engagement and strategic decision-making.

3. Training & Onboarding

While having a powerful AI tool at your disposal is advantageous, it is equally important that your team knows how to use it effectively. As such, the process of training and onboarding is crucial.

Look for AI tools that offer comprehensive training resources and support to ensure that your team can fully leverage its capabilities. Whether through tutorials, live support, or extensive documentation, the ease of onboarding can greatly influence the tool's adoption and efficacy in your sales processes. Ensuring that your team is well-versed in using the tool can lead to improved performance and a quicker return on investment.

👉 Looking for a smooth and effective adoption? As a certified Microsoft Solutions Partner, ProServeIT is well-equipped to guide your integration with Copilot for Microsoft 365.

By carefully evaluating these factors, you can choose an AI tool that not only meets your sales team's needs but also enhances their efficiency, security, and overall productivity.

5 Practical Applications of Copilot for M365 in Sales: Step-by-Step Scenarios

Copilot for Microsoft 365 is purpose-built to effortlessly integrate across the Microsoft ecosystem, offering intelligent support across multiple platforms, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Loop, and more. This integration allows sales professionals to use AI within the tools they already know and trust!

👉 Check out this video to learn more about Microsoft 365 Copilot!

👉 Microsoft Copilot for Sales includes Copilot for M365 and connects with your customer relationship management (CRM) platform to bring sales insights and next-generation AI into the flow of work.

Let's explore 5 scenarios that will provide you with actionable steps and prompts to help you harness the full potential of Microsoft Copilot to maximize productivity and close more deals.

1. Accelerate Customer Research & Sales Preparation with Copilot 

Leveraging AI tools like Copilot to optimize customer research and sales preparation can positively impact key performance indicators (KPIs) such as opportunities pursued and close rates. This will ultimately drive revenue growth and improve employee experience. 

Here is how you can use Copilot to accelerate customer research and sales preparation:

Step 1: Customer Outreach

➡️ With Copilot, you can draft a customer reach-out email with a friendly tone and proposal to meet.

✒️ Prompt: Draft an email to a prospective customer telling them about [X Product/Service] and proposing a meeting. Make the tone friendly. 

Step 2: Customer Research

➡️ Use Copilot to gather information on the customer, pulling from their company website and annual reports.

✒️ Prompt: Describe the key factors that influence customer purchasing decisions for [X Product/Service] in [Y Industry].

Step 3: Prepare For Customer Conversations 

➡️ Use Copilot to prepare for customer calls by creating a meeting agenda with exploratory questions to identify customer needs, pain points, and possible solutions.

✒️ Prompt: Prepare an agenda for a 25-minute meeting for my exploration call with topics and questions that I should ask.

Step 4: Create Presentation Outline

➡️ With Copilot, create a presentation outline for a sales product pitch.

✒️ Prompt: Create a presentation outline that includes [X Company’s] mission statement, target customer, and the benefits of implementing our product or service.

Step 5: Prepare For Objection Handling

➡️ To prepare for objection handling, you can prompt Copilot to simulate a customer conversation.

✒️ Prompt: Act like a CTO in the technology industry who is apprehensive about the cost of implementing [X Product]. Simulate a conversation discussing the value and benefits of [X Products] offering.

Step 6: Prepare For Cold Calls

➡️ Improve future customer outreach by prompting Copilot to write a cold call script.

✒️ Prompt: Write a 30-second cold call sales script, highlighting 3 benefits of [X Product] for [Prospect] based on [Paste Information in Chat Box].

2. Create an Unsolicited Proposal with Copilot

Creating an unsolicited proposal requires research, strategic planning, and effective communication. With Copilot for Microsoft 365, you can streamline the entire process and ultimately increase close rates and maximize opportunities pursued.

Here is how you can use Copilot to create an unsolicited proposal:

Step 1: Identify Leads

➡️ Use Copilot to gather a list of leads, enriched with data from a marketing automation platform plug-in built using Copilot Studio.

Step 2: Perform Company Research

➡️ Use Copilot to summarize information from the customer’s company website and annual reports to understand financials, goals, and challenges.

👉 Tip:  Rapidly pulling information such as IT spending changes and new product releases from lengthy documents can save time and help to target the proposal.

Step 3: Gather Product Information

➡️ With Copilot, gather product information and create a summary of how the recommended products will help meet the customer’s specific goals.

👉 Tip:  Gathering product information from multiple sources and asking Copilot to prepare a summary can save time and increase accuracy.

Step 4: Generate The Proposal

➡️ After creating a summary of the customer and product information in Word, use Copilot in PowerPoint to create a great presentation including images and tables.

✒️ Prompt: Create a presentation from [Insert File].

Step 5: Customer Meeting

➡️ Copilot in Teams can suggest talking points during customer meetings.

➡️ With Copilot for Sales in Teams, you can view AI-generated sales tips, related information, and answers to customers' questions during Teams calls.

Step 6: Send Proposal To Customer

➡️ With Copilot in Outlook, you can turn the meeting notes and action items into an email for all participants. Even more, Copilot for Sales adds relevant product information to the email.

Learn more about Microsoft Copilot for Sales:

5 Steps to Adopt Microsoft Copilot for Sales for Your Business

3. Targeted Prospecting with Copilot 

Efficient and targeted prospecting is essential for maximizing sales opportunities and nurturing leads effectively. Copilot offers powerful tools designed to streamline these processes, enabling you to engage with potential customers strategically and drive meaningful outcomes.

Here is how you can use Copilot to enhance your prospecting strategy: 

Step 1: Get Sales Context

➡️ In Outlook, use Copilot for Sales to scan an email from a potential customer, including context from your CRM system.

Step 2: Update Your CRM

➡️ Use Copilot for Sales in Outlook to save the email to your CRM and update its record.

➡️ With Copilot for Sales, you can update records in your CRM system directly from Outlook where you are communicating with your customer.

Step 3: Score Leads and Prioritize

➡️ Use Copilot in Excel to extract CRM data into Excel, score leads based on propensity criteria, and create useful charts.

Step 4: Nurture Leads & Prospecting

➡️ In Outlook, prompt Copilot for Sales to create personalized outreach messages tailored to the interests and needs of each high-priority lead and opportunity.

Step 5: Conduct Meaningful Engagements

➡️ Set up a call to follow up on the prospect. In the Teams meeting, use Copilot for Sales to provide talking points and sales insights from your CRM system.

👉 Tip:  It is important to build credibility with your customer by having the right background information and talking points while you meet!

Step 6: Analyze Conversations

➡️ Review the sales meeting recap generated by Copilot for Sales in Teams. The recap includes an analysis of customer engagement, sales KPIs, and suggested action items.

4. Create Personalized Offers with Copilot 

Crafting personalized offers tailored to customer needs is crucial for driving key performance indicators (KPIs) such as close rate, revenue per sale, and opportunities pursued. Copilot provides essential tools to streamline this process, ensuring offers are strategically aligned with customer objectives and preferences.

Here is how you can use Copilot to create personalized offers:

Step 1: Analyze Customer Goals

➡️ Use Copilot to review recent email threads, previous meeting notes, and public information to understand the customer's objectives and priorities.​

👉 Tip:  Having a comprehensive understanding of what the customer aims to achieve is crucial for crafting a compelling offer.

Step 2: Draft Personalized Offers

➡️ Use Copilot in Word to draft tailored offers that align with the customer's goals and the insights gathered from the analysis.​

Step 3: Optimize Deal Terms 

➡️ Based on customer objectives, ask Copilot to recommend several options for deal terms to speed deal closure.

👉 Tip:  Suggest deal terms that are beneficial for both parties, considering both the customer’s needs and your business objectives.​

Step 4: Simulate Negotiation Scenarios

➡️ Use Copilot to create potential negotiation scenarios, helping to prepare for various customer responses. 

Step 5: Finalize The Offer

➡️ Use Copilot in Word to refine the offer details, ensuring clarity and addressing any potential concerns the customer might have.

👉 Tip:  Ensure that the offer is clear, comprehensive, and ready for presentation, minimizing the risk of misunderstandings.​

Step 6: Close The Deal

➡️ Use Copilot in Teams to assist in the final negotiation phase, providing talking points and recording action items.

5. Make a Customized Pitch with Copilot

Delivering a customized pitch that resonates with your audience requires thorough preparation and strategic insight. Copilot empowers you to enhance every aspect of your pitch, from initial brainstorming to crafting compelling proposals tailored to your customer's unique needs.

Here is how you can use Copilot to make a customized pitch:

Step 1: Prepare For a Discovery Session

➡️ Use Copilot in Loop to generate ideas and enhance collaboration in preparation for the customer discovery session.

✒️ Prompt: Brainstorm ideas for [Purpose].

Step 2: Research The Company

➡️ Validate your ideas and learn more about your customers by asking Copilot to summarize their online annual report.

➡️ Ask Copilot for a summary of the account, pulling in CRM insights with Copilot for Sales.​

Step 3: Review Interactions

➡️ Prompt Copilot to create a bulleted list of notes prior to the meeting using recent customer email threads to understand the customer asks.

➡️ Use Copilot to prepare a script for the call.

✒️ Prompt: Help me prepare for [Insert Meeting].

Step 4: Update The Sales Presentation Deck

➡️ Use Copilot in PowerPoint to add a new slide to the presentation deck tailored to the specific interests and needs of the customer using details from the email summary and visuals relevant to their industry. 

Step 5: Summarize The Meeting

➡️ After the meeting is over, review the meeting recap from Copilot in Teams for key points and action items.

➡️ Copilot for Sales provides an analysis of sales keywords and KPIs — data that can enrich your CRM system.

Step 6: Create The Proposal

➡️ Create the final proposal by prompting Copilot in Word to generate a draft, adding information from the customer meeting. 

👉 Tip:  Improve the quality of the proposal by asking Copilot to make improvements and focus on specific topics.​

Experience Copilot for Microsoft 365 with ProServeIT's Pilot Launch

Are you ready to transform your sales operations and boost your team's efficiency and effectiveness with Copilot for Microsoft 365? With Copilot, you can seamlessly improve customer insights, optimize sales strategies, tailor personalized outreach, and streamline internal communications.

Don't miss this opportunity to outperform your competitors and achieve significant business outcomes. Contact us today to discover more and leverage our Copilot for Microsoft 365 Pilot launch offer to quickly integrate this cutting-edge AI tool. Experience the capabilities of Copilot for Microsoft 365 and unlock a new level of productivity and success for your sales efforts.

Conclusion

Harnessing the power of AI across various stages of the sales process can transform the way you engage with clients and close deals. From lead generation and personalized offers to tailored pitches, AI tools provide invaluable support at every critical stage. By integrating insights and automating routine tasks, sales professionals can concentrate on building relationships and delivering exceptional value to customers.

Leveraging advanced tools like Copilot for Sales and Copilot for M365 is not just a luxury — it is a necessity. AI tools equip sales teams with the insights and efficiency needed to stay competitive, boost customer satisfaction, and drive business growth. Embracing these technologies ensures that your sales process is strategic and customer-centric, paving the way for sustained success.