Selling in the Age of AI: Advice from Expert AEs

Ready to make AI part of your sales superpowers? Then you’re in the right place, Salesblazer.

From building stronger relationships with prospects to automating day-to-day processes, we gathered top tips from Salesforce sales experts, Account Executive Denyse Walls and Sr. Account Executive Everett Easterling, along with talent recruiters Bijou Casende and Andre Norman. Here’s what we gleaned from their recent AI conversation with National Sales Network:

Time management is everything

When it comes to high-performing sales teams, these leaders are always asking themselves one question: How can they be more intentional with their time?

For Everett, generative AI allows him to be in front of more prospects by automating manual work.

“AI allows me to focus on the conversation I’m having with my clients,” Everett shared. “I’ll have AI take notes and identify the key points of the discussion, so I can free up that mental space and be more intentional with my conversations.”

Unsure where to start? Everett recommends leveraging Salesforce AI tools, like Einstein, to draft emails with customer insights or generate summaries of sales calls. Lean on the tool to save time, conduct research, and inform your future conversations with prospects.

Use AI to work smarter, not harder

With AI, you can solve issues faster and work smarter. In fact, for Denyse, it’s all about being a “superhuman” at work.

“We do so many things at once, like having conversations with internal stakeholders and external ones,” shared Denyse. “Anything that saves time is valuable, and that’s where AI comes into play.”

Specifically, she uses AI to take a technical concept and break it down in an approachable way for her customers.

“It’s great to know that this technology is able to help us make the information more digestible for non-technical stakeholders,” said Denyse.

Her biggest advice for using generative AI tools in your tech sales role? Be specific with your prompts and think about what the most relevant information would be about this customer, like their challenges or goals.

Psssst: Looking for more AI selling tips? Then check out How Salesforce Leaders Use AI in Sales. 

Trust is a must when it comes to AI

At Salesforce, trust is our #1 value — and that applies when working with AI tools, especially if it involves protecting customer data and personal information.

There’s a lot of responsibility when it comes to open-source AI tools,” Everett mentions. “Make sure you have a good understanding of your company’s rules and work with your organization to see what level of AI you can use.”

While AI can be used to shorten the sales cycle and obtain information faster, Salesforce relies on high-performing sales professionals like Everett and Denyse to lead prospects down the cycle, build strong relationships with future customers, and educate them on data trust and privacy.

“As for the elephant in the room, no, we don’t think AI will replace us,” Denyse added. “AI is a great tool, but when it comes down to buying decisions, the human element of trust has to be there.”

Advice for job seekers in the age of AI

So now that you’ve learned how to up your sales superpowers with AI technology, how can you land your dream sales job at Salesforce? Talent recruiters Bijou and Andre have three pieces of advice.

1. Focus on transferrable skills – like influencing, prospecting, time management, and cold calling.
   If you’re new to sales, these skills are applicable across industries and provide the foundational piece to your sales experience.
   
   
2. Be able to articulate your sales experience and knowledge about the industry, showcasing your great communication and presentation skills. Plus, don’t be afraid to show off your research skills by displaying your understanding of your customer, their challenges, goals, etc. You can even bring AI research into this!
   
   “The ability to discover and understand your customer is crucial,” Bijou shared.
   
   
3. Networking — internally and externally — is your best friend. Reach out to sales professionals on LinkedIn to hear about their career journey and build connections.

“Connect with recruiters, hiring managers, and even Account Executives in the role you’re interviewing for. It always helps to have someone to talk to in the industry,” Andre suggested.

Looking to grow your own career in sales and in AI? To stay in the know on the latest Salesforce career opportunities, news, and events, join our Talent Community today.