AI Buyers Are Coming (and 12 More Sales Predictions for 2025)

Ready to take a look into the crystal ball and see what the future holds? ?? In this article, we share the top 13 predictions for sales in 2025, straight from the brilliant minds of our #Salesblazers. From AI buyers entering the scene, to the resurgence of face-to-face meetings in sales, we’ve got insights that will help you get ahead of the competition in the new year. Join the conversation in the comments and let us know your predictions! ??

?? People skills will become a bigger priority

I think sales leaders are going to realize they need to teach their teams better people skills and give them deeper knowledge of human behaviors rather than leaning so heavily on technical or product training. I’m already seeing a resurgence of ‘Teach them how to really listen’ and 'Teach them how to build trust.' If you want sales teams to differentiate, they’ve got to be really good at doing things machines can’t.

— Anita Nielsen, President, LDK Advisory Services

???♀? Agentforce for sales will revolutionize lead qualification

I think there will be a very big impact with Agentforce SDR. Many BDRs and AEs spend a lot of time qualifying leads internally. Expect to see that time go down. Plus, the additional benefits of automating communication based on deal size, prospect type, and more are exciting.

— Mark Keene II, Director of Sales and Projects, ETG Digital

?? Every sales rep will have access to personalized coaching

Coaching will be more effective and more accessible with a blend of AI and humans. We have a lot of options do to things better and that's really exciting.

— Lori Richardson, Author, She Sells

?? AI will become a powerful buyer

I think the big thing that's going to happen in 2025 and 2026 is going to be AI buying, not just AI selling. I can see it analyzing product quality, pricing across different customers/industries, how frequently it's used, adoption issues — all of it. Salespeople who play games with pricing are going to be caught flatfooted when buyers see what competitors are spending for the same product.

— Belal Batrawy, Founder, Death to Fluff

??? AI will assist sales teams in smarter, more strategic ways

Everyone thinks AI is a silver bullet. It’s not, and sales leaders will figure that out in a hurry. It’s here to assist, not replace.

That said, AI has a place. We’re already recording our external sales calls for coaching, but nobody's recording their internal meetings and using AI to see how these conversations can help move their pipeline. Let's say I have a big deal and I've got to go talk to a product developer about upcoming features. Why is that not being processed by AI and added to the opportunity record for context? We're only capturing the external conversations and trying to put a prediction around it. Meanwhile, there are emails going forth about pricing and discounts and strategy and all this stuff.

— Richard Harris, Founder, The Harris Consulting Group

?? Allbound leads will emerge as SDRs are reimagined

The notion of “allbound” leads is becoming a thing. Not outbound or inbound, but a combination of both — with marketing working alongside sales. That’s going to continue as leads surface from all corners.

I've seen a trend where some companies are moving away from SDRs because they think AI can replace them. We'll see this for a while. Then, in two or three years, they'll realize that was a massive, massive error on their end. Some companies might be leaning into, 'Oh, well, we can just have the AE tag-team with an AI SDR and then then they can handle the full sale cycle from beginning to end.' Nope. AEs just want to close. SDRs prospect for a reason.

— Lindsey Boggs, VP Sales Development & Enablement

?? B2B buyers will prefer online options and multi-channel engagement

I have a couple of predictions. First: Online B2B buying trends will continue. A recent McKinsey report showed how Millennial buyers are more skeptical [of salespeople] than prior generations of buyers. They don't want to talk to reps. They want to be able to buy online.

Second: I think the number of channels that buyers use to interact with a brand will continue to increase — beyond 10. Making a purchase is not just having a call with a salesperson and sending some emails. The buyer is on Reddit or Slack communities, they're talking to their peers, they're doing their own homework. And when they do talk to a salesperson, they don't want to talk to rookies — they want that trusted advisor. That means knowing your prospect’s problems inside and out and helping solve their problems with the best aligned solutions.

— Marcus Chan, CEO, Venli Consulting

??? Micro-events will replace large-scale conferences

I think event spending is going to shift in 2025. We're going to see companies pulling money from larger scale conferences, and putting those funds into more curated, smaller, higher-end events. Micro-events. These will feed into micro-communities that are more focused and have higher intent to engage and buy. Really, it's all about face-to-face connection. B2B leaders want to be in spaces with one another, and sometimes all we have to do is get out of the way and put them where they want to be.

— Alexine Mudawar, CEO, Women in Sales

?? Face-to-face interaction will regain popularity

The people I'm speaking to now are just sick and tired of being addicted to technology all day, every day. They're just craving a human connection. That why I think face-to-face interaction will take hold again in 2025.

That said, digital engagement isn’t going away — in fact, video is becoming more and more important, especially in sales. It adds a little human touch and it’s a pattern interrupt. It breaks up all the same old-same old posts and AI-generated copy that lurks on social feeds.

— Niraj Kapur, Managing Director, Everybody Works In Sales

?? AI will become a strategic partner, while mental health takes center stage

Two predictions from me. First: AI won't just support sales teams in 2025 — it will strategize for them. By analyzing buying signals and pipeline data, AI tools will suggest optimized outreach cadences, pricing strategies, and even tailor messaging for specific buyer personas. Sales reps who embrace these tools will shift from being order-takers to proactive deal architects. This will also force a mindset and operational change: Sales teams will need to blend analytical thinking with strong human empathy to thrive in a more tech-driven landscape. Also, sales leaders will need to invest more in upskilling teams on AI-driven platforms, while creating new KPIs that measure how effectively reps use these tools to drive pipeline and close rates.

Second: In 2025, I predict we’ll see sales orgs embedding mental health into their sales strategy, owing to major burnout trends in 2024. Think required “unplug” days, mindfulness training, and mental health scorecards for leadership accountability. Sales teams with robust wellness programs will see a measurable impact on productivity, retention, and quota attainment. Reps will favor organizations prioritizing people over pure performance metrics, driving a culture shift across the industry.

— David Appelson, Salesforce Solutions Lead, abra US

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