Unlock Sales Success: The Essential AI Strategy Your Team Needs Now

We’ve established that AI will be inseparable from enterprise selling moving forward. Yet the prominence of AI in sales only further puts a premium on relationships in sales. Beyond following account planning best practices (still highly relevant in the era of AI), how do you ensure that you stand out and compete in a crowded selling landscape?

To succeed in the era of AI, first and foremost enterprise sales teams need to partner with account planning software that enables them to build relationships with the people that matter within their accounts. “Partner” is the key word here as the right account planning software won’t only be one that brings advanced AI features into the seller’s wheelhouse: it will be backed by a strategic partnership that ensures enterprise sellers are successful.

We’ll dive deeper into the importance of finding the right technology provider and partner in a moment. But first, we need to talk more about any business’s most vital asset as AI continues to transform work at a rapid pace: people. To truly ensure success in the world we stand at the precipice of, businesses must also look within their own walls for the talent they need to conquer the shift to AI.

Success in sales starts with your own people

In the high-stakes arena of B2B sales, where AI is shifting from buzzword to bottom-line necessity, the winning play isn’t a massive data scientist hiring spree. It’s unlocking the latent potential of your current team. Think of it as a strategic talent upgrade, not a complete overhaul. While everyone’s chasing the next AI breakthrough, the savviest revenue leaders are recognizing that deployment without skilled human orchestration is like a supercar without a driver.

Here’s the truth: today, most companies are still only dabbling in AI, not fully rolling it out. That’s partly due to the fact that the AI skills gap is a chasm, not a crack. Ed Thompson from Salesforce nails it when he points out that scalable AI adoption hinges on cultivating your internal champions. Identify those who light up at the mention of machine learning, the ones who instinctively grasp the nuances of prompt engineering. These are your future AI whisperers, the ones who will bridge the gap between technology and revenue. Invest in them, empower them, and watch them transform your sales engine.

In the high-stakes arena of B2B sales, where AI is shifting from buzzword to bottom-line necessity, the winning play isn’t a massive data scientist hiring spree. It’s unlocking the latent potential of your current team.

Additionally, imagine your marketing and sales teams – already fluent in customer behavior – now wielding AI as an extension of their expertise. This isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about creating a dynamic, adaptable workforce that thrives in the age of intelligent automation. Just as the internet’s early adopters benefited from getting there first, so too will those who master AI’s human interface gain a competitive advantage – helping to define the next generation of B2B success. Don’t chase the algorithm; cultivate the talent that masters it.

Start an AI security council

As you look towards your own existing workforce and seek to up-level them into AI aficionados, you will also benefit from a wizened group overlooking the change to a more agile and effective, AI-powered workforce.

The Wild West days of AI experimentation are over. Now is the time for strategic deployment. This means dropping piecemeal AI adoption and adopting an AI council, to steer your organization through the coming transformation. Think of it as your AI brain trust, the architects of your AI future.

Why? Because sellers are smart – undoubtedly many of them are already wielding AI tools they’ve heard about online or from colleagues and friends. While sales organizations undoubtedly benefit from this sort of ingenuity, letting it coalesce into a digital free-for-all is a security nightmare waiting to happen. An AI council brings order to this chaos, establishing clear guidelines and vetting tools to align with your strategic vision. They’re the gatekeepers, ensuring AI enhances, not endangers your business.

The Wild West days of AI experimentation are over. Now is the time for strategic deployment.

Invest heavily in an account planning practice

Finally, as we’ve already shown, relationships are the bedrock of effective selling. To truly set yourself up for success in the era of AI, you need account planning.

In the age of AI, account planning transcends traditional relationship management to become a strategic imperative. The sheer volume of data generated daily necessitates sophisticated tools for analysis and interpretation, and this is where account planning, augmented by AI, proves its indispensable value. AI empowers planners to move beyond reactive responses to proactive, data-driven strategies. By analyzing vast datasets, AI can identify intricate patterns in customer behavior, predict future needs, and uncover hidden opportunities that would otherwise remain obscured. This allows for a deeper, more nuanced understanding of each client, fostering personalized engagement, and strengthening long-term partnerships.

AI streamlines the account planning practice

Moreover, AI streamlines the account planning process, automating routine tasks and freeing up human planners to focus on strategic thinking and creative problem-solving. This efficiency is crucial in a fast-paced business environment where agility and responsiveness are crucial. AI-driven insights enable planners to tailor solutions and messaging with unprecedented precision, ensuring relevance and resonance with each client. This level of personalization not only enhances customer satisfaction but also drives revenue growth and strengthens brand loyalty.

Translating data into insights

Crucially, account planning in the AI era is more than just data; it’s about translating those insights into actionable strategies that deliver tangible results. It’s about leveraging AI to create a holistic view of the client, understanding their business goals, and aligning them with the organization’s capabilities. This strategic alignment is the cornerstone of successful account management, ensuring that both parties are working towards shared objectives. As AI continues to evolve, account planning will become increasingly vital for businesses seeking to navigate the complexities of the modern marketplace and build enduring client relationships.

Ready to dive deeper? Learn more via our comprehensive eBook to enable enterprise sellers to succeed in the era of AI. Just click the link below to get your complimentary copy of the eBook!