Sales Conversation Analytics, with Howard Brown

Howard Brown, Founder and CEO of RingDNA, joins me again on this episode. KEY TAKEAWAYS Howard describes the tools RingDNA provides to help sales teams perform better to achieve better results. Howard started RingDNA in 2012, providing reps with contextual information in telephony, email, and SMS. In 2014, RingDNA started analyzing customers’ recorded phone calls for them. RingDNA helps reps to be better conversationalists and ask better questions, get to the point, and add value. Howard applies his background as a psychologist to the analysis of sales conversations at scale. A change in communication can lead to a better outcome. Science is often hard to find. Variables need to be accounted for in testing. The most important part of AI is knowing the questions to ask. There is no super cadence that works over everything. Reps require effective coaching. Is there a case for combining SDR and AE roles? Why is SDR attrition high? Why are sales closing rates so low? A single contact for the customer minimizes friction. Andy and Howard discuss learning. People learn at different rates. Be patient with onboarding. Onboarding is more than product knowledge. Howard looks for improvements in several areas. Reps should ask at the end of each call, “Did this call meet your expectations?” That will reveal the value — if there was value. Take it as an opportunity to grow. Coaches should seek single coachable moments to help their reps. To manage change, adopt one change and work at it until it is successful. Then adopt another change. Make changes in sequence, not in parallel. Productivity is more important than activity. If you arbitrarily raise your quota by 15%, have your reps been coached to become 15% better? How will they make quota if they are not better at closing? What are we measuring reps on for improvement? What are we measuring around conversations? How should they be scored? Howard explains how RingDNA telephony scores rep calls with AI. Powered by ringDNA: the revenue acceleration platform that helps businesses scale growth through AI. Visit ringdna.com/andy for exclusive Sales Enablement content. _ Formerly the Accelerate! Your Sales podcast with Andy Paul