A lot of people are asking what AI will do to sales jobs. I think there's a better question: what does AI make possible for salespeople that was out of reach before?
Watch the video
In two minutes, I explain what I believe that could change about your conversations, your proposals and the way you sell.
Watch on YouTube · 2 minutes · Watch the full series
The short version. Salespeople still need to hit their targets. I believe they're also becoming increasingly accountable for something more: helping everyone with a stake in an investment agree what it should achieve before anyone commits. That includes your colleagues who'll deliver it.
In four decades of working with sales teams, I've seen how hard that is to do consistently. AI can now take much of the effort out of capturing, drafting and updating, leaving you more time for the conversations that matter.
Why it's worth your time. Getting this right can mean:
more proposals that turn into decisions
larger, better-founded investments
less pressure to discount
customers who come back, and recommend you
ONE THING TO TRY THIS WEEK
Take 15 minutes and one live opportunity. List the people who decide, the people who'll use what you sell, and your colleagues who'll deliver it. Beside each name, write what you know they expect to achieve and what you're assuming. Pick one gap to explore in your next conversation.
Email me at [email protected] and tell me what your list showed you. I read every reply.
Peter
Want to go further?
Read on for a guide to the four videos and where to start, depending on your role. The newsletter above is complete; this part is optional.
Where to start
There are four videos in this first series. Each one stands on its own, so start wherever is most useful.
Can you send me a proposal? (10 min) Why your first proposal could have a different job, and how to offer a first draft your customer helps you develop.
What happens to your proposal after you press send? (10 min) Follow one proposal inside the customer's organisation, to people you've never met.
What have I got wrong? (13 min) Turn one conversation into a draft your customer corrects, with AI doing most of the drafting and you doing the checking.
Is another hour on that proposal worth it? (12 min) A salesperson and her manager use a live proposal to decide where the next hour should go, and rehearse the conversation it leads to.
If you sell, start with Can you send me a proposal?, then What have I got wrong?
If you lead a sales team, start with Is another hour on that proposal worth it?, then share What have I got wrong? with your team.
If you buy from salespeople, start with What happens to your proposal after you press send? It shows the work that often happens inside your organisation without anyone helping with it.
ONE QUICK QUESTION
