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November 12, 2024
"What's that?"
Every time I mention a new AI tool I'm testing, I get the same response. So I'm starting this series to share how I'm adapting common AI tools for actual sales work. No marketing hype, no theoretical cases - just practical testing and real applications.
Think back to your last strategic account review. Mine typically involved:
Opening dozens of browser tabs with company videos and product demos. Manually taking notes while watching each one. Trying to remember which video mentioned that key integration or strategic initiative. Switching between notes trying to piece together a coherent story. By the time I finished the research phase, hours had passed, and I still wasn't confident I had captured everything important.
This isn't just my experience - it's a common pain point in B2B sales. We're expected to deeply understand our accounts, but the sheer volume of information makes this increasingly challenging.
NotebookLM is Google's take on an AI-powered notebook. What caught my attention was its ability to process various content types, especially video content. During testing, I fed it several YouTube videos and website content, allowing it to process what would typically be hours of review.
The key difference is its ability to maintain context across multiple sources. Rather than treating each piece of content in isolation, NotebookLM can synthesize information across all your sources.
I decided to test NotebookLM by researching Strama (my own company) as if I were a sales rep preparing an account plan. Instead of watching multiple product videos and scanning websites individually, I fed NotebookLM several video sources and website content.
When I asked about integrations, NotebookLM pulled together information from across multiple videos, identifying that Strama integrates with Salesforce, NetSuite, HubSpot, and Zoho, along with meeting platforms like Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet. What would have required scanning through multiple videos happened in seconds.
The tool's strength lies in its ability to process and connect information across sources. Ask a specific question about features or integrations, and it pulls relevant information from across multiple videos, providing consolidated answers.
The audio summary feature was a pleasant surprise. It generates a natural-sounding discussion between two voices, summarizing key points from all your sources. For those who prefer audio learning or want to review information while multitasking, it's another way to digest the research you've collected. Think of it as turning your research notes into a quick podcast summary.
However, like any AI tool, verification is crucial. During testing, I found myself double-checking key information against source materials, especially for critical account details.
After several weeks of testing, I've found NotebookLM most valuable as a research accelerator. Rather than trying to reinvent your entire workflow, start with a specific task like account research or competitive analysis. Let the tool handle the heavy lifting of processing information while you focus on analysis and strategy.
This is the first in a series looking at how we can adapt different AI tools for real sales work. There are a lot of interesting tools out there - the key is finding practical ways to use them in our daily workflow. Stay tuned for the next review.
