I recently had the honor of serving as a keynote sales speaker on AI at the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s “Sales Performance Summit,” where I presented “AI and the Future of Sales.”
One of the core concepts I discussed in my keynote were the trends driving change in the sales profession. Today’s sales landscape is undergoing profound changes, this includes hybrid selling, social sales, shifts in buying processes, and of course AI replacing and augmenting sales processes and strategies. This isn’t a few new tactics it’s a whole new mindset.
The competencies required for a successful salesperson are evolving rapidly as a result. This means as sales leaders we need a reevaluation of how sales roles are defined and how we recruit and train personnel. The big question is are our organizations and we, as sales leaders and sales professionals, ready for this disruption?
[AI Use notice: some of this blog post and video editing was done with the assistance of AI]
AI done right should both automate sales and augment sales intelligence
AI’s role in sales is increasingly centered on automation and augmentation, we in theory should have more time for valuable human interactions — provided that we harness AI not merely as a tool, but as an intelligent assistant. When we talk about intelligent assistants it’s about AI providing salespeople with better data at the right time to enhance our capacity to engage and sell to our clients.
Video clip from Shane Gibson’s sales keynote on “AI and the Future of Sales”
Omni channel buyers on 20+ channels make AI a necessary tool to keep up
Omni channel buyers are now a dominant force – from offline events, to online video, social networks, procurement sites and other digital channels they’re expecting us to be present where they prefer to learn, engage and connect. It’s no longer sufficient to operate across one or two channels such as email and phone. The challenge now lies in how effectively we can engage across a multitude of platforms, where B2B buyers are exploring and learning.
Hybrid buying habits mean our sales competency needs to be in-person and online
The hybrid buying process, blending online and offline interactions, is another facet of today’s sales environment that we delved into. Whether meeting clients in person, participating in online meetings, receiving calls, or connecting via LinkedIn, sales professionals need to be highly adaptable, ensuring seamless transitions across various modes of communication to maintain strong relationships with their key accounts. We are going to need to hop online and online several times
Great AI outputs in sales come from great human inputs
Combining emotional intelligence with technological intelligence forms the cornerstone of modern sales success. This fusion leads to enhanced empathetic engagements bolstered by technological advancements. Resist the temptation to hit the AI “Easy Button” and cut and paste an email or proposal it has created for you, add your personal insights, empathy and human fingerprints to it.
Curiosity and self-directed learning is vital for sales in the time of AI and social selling
As we move forward, the AI and tech driven sales profession demands not just individuals who are open to adapting to new methodologies, but those who are proactively learning and evolving daily. This proactive approach is essential for staying ahead in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven marketplace.
