How to Transform Sales Roles With AI

AI in Sales—Augment, Don’t Replace! 🚀 AI won’t replace salespeople. But salespeople who use AI strategically will outperform those who don’t. I’ve been in sales since Girl Scout cookies were 50 cents a box, and I’ve seen the game change. But nothing has been more transformative than AI. According to LinkedIn for Sales Connect monthly newsletter, AI can reclaim 29% of a rep’s time by automating admin tasks, data collection, and customer insights. The key? Using AI to amplify human strengths, not replace them. Yet, there’s a challenge: 60% of sales teams report being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of administrative work.AI can help offload up to 10 hours of non-selling tasks per week, effectively doubling selling time from 10 to 20 hours. That’s the kind of efficiency shift that drives real revenue. Here’s how to strategically automate without losing the personal touch: ✅ AI-Powered CRM: Let AI handle lead scoring, email follow-ups, and data entry so reps can focus on relationship-building. ✅ Smart Workflows: Use AI tools to automate routine tasks, freeing up time for strategic selling. ✅ AI as a Guide: Train your team to use AI-generated insights as a tool, not a crutch. Judgment and creativity still win deals! 📌 Actionable Step: Identify 3 repetitive tasks in your sales process (CRM updates, lead research, follow-ups) and integrate AI-powered automation. Measure the time saved and reallocate it to higher-value selling activities. AI isn’t the future of sales—it’s happening NOW. How is your team leveraging it? Let’s talk in the comments! #AIinSales #SalesLeadership   #WomenInSales #EnterpriseSales #1MillionWomenby2030 

Last week, I heard from a super impressive customer who has cracked the code on how to give salespeople something they’ve always wanted: more selling time. Here’s how he transformed their process. This customer runs the full B2B sales motion at an awesome printing business based in the U.S. For years, his team divided their time across six key areas: 1. Task prioritization 2. Meeting prep 3. Customer responses 4. Prospecting 5. Closing deals 6. Sales strategy Like every sales leader I know, he wants his team to spend most of their time on #5 and #6 — closing deals and sales strategy. But together, those only made up about 30% of their week. (Hearing this gave me flashbacks to my time in sales…and all that admin tasks 😱) Now, his team uses AI across the sales process to compress the amount of time spent on #1-4: 1. Task prioritization → AI scores leads and organizes daily tasks 2. Meeting prep → AI surfaces insights from calls and contact records before meetings 3. Customer responses → Breeze Customer Agent instantly answers customer questions 4. Prospecting → Breeze Prospecting Agent automatically researches accounts and books meetings The result? Higher quantity of AI-powered work: More prospecting. More pipeline.  Higher quality of human-led work: More thoughtful conversations. Sharper strategy. This COO's story made my week. It's a reminder of just how big a shift we're going through – and why it’s such an exciting time to be in go-to-market right now.

5 Ways AI is Transforming Sales for the Better 1. Smarter Meeting Preparation: AI can analyze past conversations, CRM data, and market trends to equip you with actionable insights before client meetings. This allows you to walk in prepared and focused on building relationships. 2. Personalized Content Creation: Tailor your proposals and presentations with AI’s help while preserving the irreplaceable human touch needed to deliver impactful messaging. 3. Streamlined Administrative Support: Automate scheduling, follow-ups, and CRM updates. With routine tasks off your plate, you can focus on meaningful conversations with clients. 4. Real-Time Intelligence During Sales Conversations: Leverage AI tools that provide insights during meetings, helping you address objections and personalize your pitch on the spot. 5. Continuous Improvement Through Post-Call Analysis: Use AI to analyze sales conversations, offering feedback and coaching to refine your approach for future opportunities. The Key Insight AI doesn’t replace salespeople—it enhances their capabilities. By offloading repetitive tasks, AI empowers you to focus on what you do best: connecting with people, solving their problems, and creating value. Embrace AI as your strategic partner in achieving sales success. How are you integrating AI into your sales process today? Share your experience in the comments! Found this useful ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Anthony Iannarino for more sales strategies.

Will you make AI your ride or die?  AI won’t replace all salespeople, but sales professionals who partner up with AI tools and tech will leave the rest behind. Yesterday I got to hang out with my friend, the brilliant Alexine Mudawar at the Salesforce World Tour Chicago. It's incredible how tools like Agentforce are reshaping B2B sales and other GTM functions. We heard repeatedly that AI autonomous agents like Agentforce aren't competitors for sellers or service representatives etc., they're collaborators.  We knew AI can take on tasks like scheduling or resolving service issues. Now we're seeing it happen without degrading experience.  One thing I never seem to hear enough about is how companies must invest in upskilling their teams.  Sadly, there are plenty of salespeople who engage at a more transactional level rather than consultative or serving as buyer advocates. These folks must level up in areas like creating a deeper connection, listening, and creating a sense of safety in sales conversations. That's how we differentiate. Business technology’s real power lies in the positive outcomes it creates for the businesses. But businesses must strategically establish those desired outcomes. While tools like Agentforce can play a valuable and even transformative role in the sales process—managing tasks, uncovering insights, and driving efficiencies—they can’t replace the uniquely human elements that differentiate one seller from another. At least not yet. The possibilities are mind blowing. BUT the key lies in striking the right balance between people and technology.  So, what do you need to DO as a sales leader going into 2025, a landscape where AI & Human collaboration will be a competitive edge? Here's the advice I'm giving to my sales leaders: 1. Get Back to the Basics  When was the last time you took a close look at your buyer's journey alongside the sales process? Walk through each touchpoint—where are opportunities for sellers to create differentiating value? Where are the tasks that AI can run effectively?  Y'all can’t assume this stuff-map it out. 2. Invest in Developing "Peopley" Skills  AI can’t replace the human qualities that truly differentiate in sales: empathy, active listening, curiosity, etc. The few sales leaders that I know who have worked through step 1 are now working with me now to build custom sales training on the uniquely human skills sellers need at touch points where differentiation can happen. 3. Set Clear Expectations for AI Be clear about what AI is for and what it’s NOT for. Salespeople are RESOURCEFUL and will look for every possible way to use AI to help in their plight. Define what AI will do well and what requires a human touch.  This will ensure your team uses AI to enhance their performance—not as a crutch. That's a wrap on events for 2024 - and a perfect one to end on. Thank you Salesforce Sales Cloud for introducing us to our new friend Benjamin Fox who was the best host ever. #agentforce

This graph just changed how I think about AI's impact on sales teams (and it should change yours too) I've been studying this P&G research that measured 776 people working on complex problems - both as individuals and in 2-person teams combining commercial and technical leaders. The results are crazy but not for the reason you might expect. Most companies are obsessing over the wrong AI question "Will AI replace my team?" When they should be asking "How do I use AI to make my team dramatically better?" Look at the red and yellow bars in this graph 📈 Individual salespeople using AI outperform entire teams WITHOUT AI 📈 Teams using AI create solutions that are 60% higher quality than teams without AI The performance gap between AI-powered individuals and traditional teams is MASSIVE. This completely validates what I've been seeing with clients who are implementing The Innovative Seller approach: 1. Sales teams using AI for customer research are having more meaningful conversations 2. Account executives using AI to craft personalized follow-ups are seeing 5X higher response rates 3. Sales leaders using AI for strategy development are identifying opportunities traditional thinking misses This study was conducted with ChatGPT-4o BEFORE the new "Deep Research and Reasoning" capabilities were available! If you're still debating WHETHER to adopt AI in your sales process, you're already falling dangerously behind. The real question is HOW you're integrating it across your entire revenue organization.

🤔 QUESTION FOR SALES LEADERS TO PONDER: How are you leading your sales teams when it comes to #AIforSellingEffectiveness? 🙋🏻 I'm asking because on today's "AI for Selling Effectiveness" #SalesGameChangersPodcast, Zeev Wexler and I discuss what leadership should be doing to govern, optimize and direct sales organizations on the best way to utilize AI organizationally with Cvent Vice President, #SalesOperations and Enablement Franci Hirsch. 🎤 EPISODE 780: Inside Cvent’s Award-Winning AI for Selling Effectiveness Strategies with Franci Hirsch 🎧📖 Listen to the show or read the transcript at https://lnkd.in/gmumeTbJ. 🎥 Watch on #YouTube at https://lnkd.in/gVbN4-Yb Earlier this spring, the Institute for Effective Professional Selling (formerly IES) bestowed its first AI for Sales Effectiveness Award. Out of all the submissions, only two companies showed the kind of intentional, strategic, and integrated AI adoption that truly drives results, and one of them was Cvent. Franci shared how they: ✅ Built an AI Council to coordinate efforts and avoid duplication ☑️ Embedded AI directly into sales workflows so it’s not “extra work” but the work ✅ Trained every employee — from the C-suite to the sales floor — on AI fundamentals and Cvent-specific use cases ☑️ Adopted tools like ZoomInfo Copilot and Salesloft with rave reviews from their sales team ✅ Experimented with both generative and agentic AI to accelerate productivity and enhance customer conversations Franci’s advice for sales leaders? “Before you start investing in tools, educate yourself… Really understand the foundational piece of AI so you can inspire your teams to act. AI in sales isn’t about buying tools. It’s about building the strategy, structure, and skills to make them work." ⁉️ Where's your company or your clients on their AI for selling effectiveness journey? #SalesLeadership #AIinSales #SalesEnablement #SalesOperations #AgenticAI #SalesGameChangersPodcast #Cvent #SalesEffectiveness #AIforSales #B2BSales

Struggling to hit sales targets with a lean ops team and tighter budgets? There's a smarter way to drive conversions. For lean sales ops teams, every dollar and every minute count. Scaling sales with constrained resources demands strategic focus.  Relying solely on manual processes or guesswork leaves significant revenue untapped, especially when competing with larger teams. This is where AI becomes the ultimate force multiplier. Modern AI tools are transforming how sales ops maximize efficiency and conversion without needing massive headcount. AI empowers focused efforts through three key areas. ✔ Predictive analytics for lead scoring ensures teams target the highest-potential prospects. ✔ Personalized outreach automation enables hyper-relevant communication at scale. ✔ Workflow optimization automates administrative tasks, freeing sales reps to sell. At Software Finder, our own sales ops embodies this approach. We leverage an intelligent lead scoring model that processes historical conversion data and engagement signals. This ensures our team prioritizes the warmest leads with surgical precision, leading to significantly higher conversion rates and a more efficient sales cycle. This demonstrates how smart technology consistently outperforms sheer size. For leaders, this approach unlocks a pathway to consistent revenue growth, even with slow resource scaling. It elevates the sales focus from manual effort to strategic intelligence, ensuring every action contributes directly to conversion. This is precisely how lean teams outmaneuver competitors in today's market. What AI strategies are you deploying to maximize your sales ops conversions with a limited budget? Share your insights.

Sales onboarding is broken... For years, companies have accepted 3-6 month ramp times as just the way things are. But in 2025, that’s no longer sustainable. Gartner reports that 25% of organizations will update their onboarding programs with GenAI this year—and if you’re not one of them, your reps will fall behind. AI isn’t just a nice to have anymore—it’s fundamentally changing how sellers learn, apply knowledge, and get up to speed. Here’s how: ✅ AI Role Play – Reps practice talk tracks with AI and get real-time coaching—no more waiting on a manager’s schedule. ✅ AI Tutors & LLM Search – Instant answers + just-in-time learning = reps who don’t waste hours digging for info. ✅ Automated SOPs and Bite Sized Training – Time-sucking SCORM builds? So 2024. AI now creates training materials instantly. ✅ AI Agents in Sales Tech – Personalized follow-ups, next-best actions, and automation that makes new reps productive faster. ✅ AI-Powered Coaching for Managers – No more guessing—AI pinpoints exactly where reps need coaching. But the big question: Where do you start? I put together five critical AI-driven onboarding upgrades you can make right now—no overhaul required. 💡 Read the full breakdown here: Curious—what’s the best AI-powered onboarding tool you’ve seen actually work? Drop your favorites in the comments! 👇

AI won’t fully replace Solutions Engineers, but I’m convinced it will advance the role in 3 ways: 1. Knowledge Mgmt - as the connector between sales, customers, customer success, marketing, and product…we get a lot of data points. Sometimes it gets documented, other times it’s shared in slack. Little pools of tribal knowledge and scattered documentation prevent SEs from scaling. Feeding and training AI is an easy way for knowledge mgmt to no longer be a massive headache. 2. Pre-Sales OS - think about how much time each week we waste updating notes, salesforce, slack, notion, and 16 other documents…all with the sales information. CRMs were create as the single source of truth for sales, but SE teams need their own workflows and systems (that seamlessly sync to the CRM). AI can easily update notes, create summaries, and even raise risk in POVs early. 3. Coaching - call recording and AI transcription changed the game for sales teams…now AI is advancing enough to the point where it can listen to our demos and provide feedback for us (SEs). Are we hitting the right value points? Did we capture pain points? AI coaching is a great way to help us level up. AI is definitely changing the way we work, but it’s nothing to be afraid of. The next evolution of pre-sales teams are going to use AI to their advantage to reduce wasted time and focus on being more strategic. #sales #presales #cybersecurity #b2bsales