As a long-time revenue leader, I've been honed in on the impact of AI in the sales landscape, and I wanted to share some valuable insights with you. Today, we'll delve into the two major outcomes of infusing AI in sales and how I think it will shape the future of prospecting and business development.
1. Peace out to Cold Emails and DMs (for the love of the game - stop doing this)
Every single day I am bombarded with cold emails and DMs with dumb headlines from reps I do not know. The majority of these messages are painfully obvious spam attempts. You are being immediately filtered...bye Felicia.
There is one little inkling of light. The top 2-3% of reps have learned the art of standing out with personalized, engaging messaging. They take the time to craft thoughtful subject lines and relevant content, making their communications truly shine amid the noise. They're authentic. Unlike AI.
2. Supercharging Existing Sales Relationships
The second outcome is where AI is actively revolutionizing the sales game. Imagine a world where all 100 cold emails you receive daily are incredibly compelling, personalized, and indistinguishable from messages written by humans. Sounds impressive, right?
But hold on – there's a catch. When every cold email is magically transformed, and you can no longer differentiate human-written messages from AI-generated ones, the end result is that they all lose their impact. We're back to square one, where the only emails and DMs worth our attention are the ones from people we already know and trust.
The Paradigm Shift in Sales and Trust
The infusion of AI in sales is creating an interesting dynamic. On one hand, it becomes easier for established salespeople with a strong network of trusted relationships to succeed. With their extensive rolodex of connections, they can still effectively engage prospects. Building and maintaining genuine relationships will become even more critical as trust will be the key differentiator.
On the other hand, this shift may prove challenging for up-and-coming sellers who rely heavily on prospecting to build their network. The playing field has changed, and while AI can assist them in crafting messages, the authenticity and personal touch of a human-crafted message will be irreplaceable.
Embracing the Inevitable Future
As sales leaders and sales professionals, we need to be prepared - there is no stopping this train. Your personal brand and the authenticity and transparency you exude is more important than ever. Companies will be under pressure to prove the authenticity of their messages, and pledges to ensure every communication is hand-written by a human may become a norm.
Adapt and Thrive
For those seasoned salespeople with a wealth of trusted relationships, the world is yours. The rewards will be immense as your ability to cultivate and leverage genuine connections will be the key to success.
For the rising stars, this is the time to adapt and find new ways to differentiate yourself. Emphasize your authenticity and commitment to building real relationships. Remember, there's no replacement for genuine human connections, and that will always resonate with prospects.
In conclusion, the rise of AI in sales will undoubtedly shape how we communicate and build relationships. Embrace the change, focus on authenticity, and continue honing your relationship-building skills to thrive in this new era of sales.
If you want to truly stand out, focus on building your personal brand. Become the thought leader, the trusted source of information. That will magnify the power of the relationships you have spent years building.
Let's Talk Soon,
Ben