Sense Making Sales with AI
There's a distinct memory etched in my mind of when I first embarked on my sales journey, back when SPIN Selling was the 'be all and end all' of sales techniques. It was the talk of every sales conference, the cornerstone of every sales training course. Over time, the tide turned, and we began to delve into Value Selling and later, Challenger Sales. Today, however, I'm here to share my thoughts on the next evolutionary step in sales: Sense Making Sales, and to how Sales and Buyers can benefit.
Sense Making Sales isn't just another sales technique; it's a new approach that resonates with the changes we're seeing in buyer behaviour. It’s a strategy rooted in understanding, interpreting, and communicating complex information in a manner that empowers customers to make well-informed decisions. This method aims to guide customers rather than simply provide them with an information overload.
Three key takeaways that sum up Sense Making Sales are:
Simultaneously, we're witnessing the rise of AI-powered sales, a seismic shift that is redefining the landscape of our industry. AI is automating repetitive tasks, optimising workflows, improving communication, and enhancing our understanding of customer behaviour through advanced analytics. This technology allows us to focus on the essence of our role: building robust and trusted relationships with our clients.
But what does this mean for buyers? How have their demands changed in light of these technological advancements and novel sales approaches?
So, in the face of these changing buyer demands and the advent of AI and Sense Making Sales, what does the ideal sales persona look like?
The 'Sense Making Seller' is the archetype we should strive to embody. They excel at guiding clients through complex decision-making processes, turning heaps of information into comprehensible insights, and instilling confidence in the client's decisions. The Sense Making Seller employs AI not as a replacement but as a tool, a means of enhancing their workflow and gaining deeper customer insights. They understand that, while AI can streamline and augment their work, it's the human touch that makes the difference.
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The future of sales is at an exciting intersection of innovative approaches like Sense Making Sales and cutting-edge technology like AI. The seasoned sales professional who can master this blend of technique and technology will be in high demand in the coming years. They'll be the ones shaping the future of our industry.
I am eager to contribute with my experience and skills to a forward-thinking company that shares this vision.
A few interesting articles here:
A smart application of AI with Sales Enablement: Mediafly - Generative AI for Revenue Enablement | Mediafly
Project Specialist
1yI find your article very interesting and inspiring because it is giving us a positive view of the recent new fear of technological development. I deeply believe that evolution and technological progress must overcome the barriers of our fears thanks to the vision of new possibilities. In this sense "Sense Making Sales with AI" is certainly a new way for our evolution.
Supply chain account manager, buyer, data analyst and green belt lean six sigma.
1yGreat article. More and more companies decide to recruit customer success manager instead of account manager or sales individual so they can retain their position within a customer. Companies understand the value stream will come from developing solutions with customers tailored to their need and not a standard solution in the hope to attract customers. AI will certainly help in this domain plugging the gap in the sales process with a data driven decision making approach for both parties on product development, risk assessment and ultimately ROI.
Sales Area Manager | Vendite e consulenza software alberghiero | Trainer |
1yAlways enlightening Sergio, these precious thoughts about new scenarios. No fear at all. Just opportunities!
Sales Director @SolarSmart.ie
1yVery interesting and on point on many aspects. If it’s true that a partnership is equally successful for the sales person and his customers , I think an equally big shift and evolution is required from the buyers standpoint too. Transparency, dialogue , clarity about requirement and rules of engagement, willingness to work together , being able to say yes , no , not now etc and articulate why so that the sales counterpart knows and understands and can ultimately either leverage all the resources needed to deliver what is expected or frankly walk away without hard feelings.