It's no joke......you really are f*cked....

This is not hyperbole. I am not exaggerating.....

....if you're the kind of sales rep who prides yourself on how efficiently you get stuff done, someone who's really good at getting 'back in touch', nudging the prospect along, sharing relevant content....you'd better have a big pension pot, a trust fund, or some other marketable skillset because your days are numbered and that light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train.

Here's the real problem you face. It's human nature when faced with an oncoming train to discount reality (it's the light at the end of the tunnel). When we realize that it's a train we then discount the threat/danger.

I can hear your thoughts right now......jeeze Paul has turned into such a 'doomer boomer' (wrong! I'm Gen X....but I digress).

But I don’t wish to depress you….there is significant opportunity in this if you choose to look for it. More on that shortly, but first…let’s talk about the elephant in the room.

Here's a recent announcement from a sales tech company......

"The integration of AI in sales processes marks a transformative era. ChatOnce.ai is not just another chatbot; it's an AI-driven platform designed to engage your customers through personalized, relevant conversations that mimic your best sales reps."

So the first thing to notice is that they are saying the quiet part out loud......"mimic your best sales reps."

They go on to say "ChatOnce.ai uses its capabilities to control the conversation flow, discover pain points, communicate a unique value proposition, qualify, and hand off the conversation to a human via the optimal engagement option."

Oh, did I forget to mention that it’s trained on your company’s data and your competitors' data so there’s no ramp-up time?

And…It can access every piece of historical data in your business, every interaction…..never pulls a sickie, never develops an attitude, and is available 24/7 in every imaginable language.

“Hi Paul, welcome back, we haven’t seen you in a while. The last time you stopped by was in January to download our white paper on how ‘Green Tech is Impacting Strategic Investment’. How did you get on with that, Paul? Can I ask what prompted you to download? What brings you back?”

The service imperative is clear (no hiring or recruitment required, no onboarding necessary, no ramp-up time needed, consistent customer experience in a consistent brand voice, etc.) but this driver is dwarfed by the cost imperative. Just like the ISR role was enabled by technology, this new Cyber Seller will be enabled by technology.

So what can you do to unf*ck yourself?

Let go of your ego and take a cold hard look at your role and ask yourself what aspects of your job could be done more efficiently and/effectively by an AI agent. Don’t think about the technology today (as amazing as it is), think about what it will be like next year with ChatGPT 7.o……

Did I mention that you need to let go of your ego? Yeah, your customer might like you and they may prefer to talk to a human BUT if it impacts their cost of doing business (i.e., they can reduce their cost by working with your competitor who has integrated AI into their sales workflow), your social capital will count for very little.

You can argue that some customers will prefer to only deal with a human and I have no doubt that is true, but reality means they will be in the minority and human sellers will have a smaller pool of ‘human only’ buyers which will completely skew the power dynamic and you’ll become a commodity….

EXCEPT for those sellers who really master the human experience. Those who develop their interpersonal skills to such a level that they are sought out by buyers. Where will buyers find out about these ‘Super Sellers’?……from other buyers!

Dig your well before you are thirsty. It takes many months (even years) to master these skills.

Here are a few specific steps to get you started:

1. Self-Assessment: Take a hard look at your current skill set. Identify areas where you excel and areas where you fall short. Be brutally honest with yourself.
2. Learning and Development: Invest in continuous learning. Attend workshops, read books, and seek mentorship in areas that require improvement. Focus on mastering communication, empathy, and negotiation skills.
3. Practice: Put your learning into practice. Role-play different scenarios with colleagues, seek feedback, and continuously refine your approach.
4. Networking: Build a network of trusted peers and mentors. Exchange ideas, share experiences, and learn from others who have mastered the art of selling.

Here’s a simple first step you can take…..

Watch some people who have mastered the communication game and it will be very obvious very quickly where you stand right now.

Check out this event that’s happening next Monday to see this in action —> Sales Showdown: Master Your Message