The Evolving World of Sales
I have spent the past 30 years working with some of the greatest salespeople in the world. It has been a wonderful exchange of information as I coach them and they share their best moves in a virtuous circle.
One thing I know for sure is, great salespeople are very, very smart, so as trends have come and gone and technology has changed, the best of the best figured out the landscape and continued to thrive and outperform their competitors.
Now comes AI. The latest technology wave. It is fast, convenient and can simulate talking to a human being for information and insight. And yes, when it comes to simply ordering goods and services, it can be very efficient. But here is the catch…
Why Humans Will Always Be Better at Sales
We have done a ton of research on buying, and at the end of the day, while analyzing products or services is an intellectual process that AI can be very helpful with, pulling the trigger on the actual purchase is an emotional decision.
And who do you think is more adapt at connecting with a buyer on an emotional level…a live human being or a bot?
The answer is, and always will be, a great human salesperson, for the following reasons:
- Sales Are Built on Trust and Relationships. The decision to buy is based upon trust, and trust is established through relationships. A great salesperson builds great relationships over time, and is able to apply those relationships to closing business.
- AI Can’t Read Nuance Like a Human. A bot cannot possibly anticipate every nuance of a sale. It cannot read the other person’s body language or tone of voice or a raised eyebrow. Maybe someday but not today.
- Some Sales Requires a Personal Touch. A great salesperson often takes the conversation in unanticipated directions. Sometimes it’s personal, addressing not just the narrow goods and services, but life itself; a massive universe a bot cannot know when and how to cover.
- Selling at the Highest Level Creating a Sense of Reciprocity. A great salesperson gives the buyer a sense of satisfying reciprocity. “We helped each other.” That feels good. We cannot help a bot.
- Great Salespeople Elevate the Mood of the Buyer. Most of all, a great salesperson will lift the mood of the buyer. He or she has mastered the transfer of positive emotions. People love to hang out with energetic, optimistic, happy people because they raise their own moods and feelings. AI simply cannot replicate human emotions in this way.
AI’s Role in Sales: Where It Fits In
It could very well be that AI replaces the lowest tiers of selling like automating calls or texts, handling simple customer service requests, etc. But when it comes to relationship selling, which is basically selling at the highest level, great salespeople will always be of high value and in great demand.
