The good bad and ugly of AI in sales

Same Side Selling Podcast

Ian Altman discusses the pros and cons of using AI in sales. He emphasizes that AI should be used as a tool to assist, not replace human efforts. Poor use includes AI-generated emails sent without editing, which often fail to engage customers. Effective use includes leveraging AI for drafting and summarizing tasks, such as using Otter.ai for meeting transcriptions and show notes. Altman advises against using AI for outreach or intake, citing examples of AI mishandling scheduling. He concludes that AI, when used intelligently, can enhance engagement, efficiency, and client connection, ultimately improving sales outcomes.

Biggest Mistakes

• Ian discusses common mistakes people make when using AI to create emails or letters for prospects.
• He explains that while AI can draft messages, they often fail to resonate with the customer's perspective.
• Ian shares an example of an AI-generated email that passed the "smell test" but would not have been effective.
• He emphasizes the need to put oneself in the customer's shoes to ensure the message is genuinely engaging.

Best Practices

• Ian shares how his team uses Otter.ai to record and summarize meetings, saving time on transcription and note-taking.
• He explains that Otter.ai's AI tool generates show notes with minimal editing required, enhancing efficiency.
• Ian mentions that AI tools like Otter.ai can help in analyzing speech and summarizing conversations accurately.
• He discusses the potential of AI to improve over time, such as using it for role-playing to better engage with customers.