Artificial intelligence is here, and it’s shaking up sales. What started as a tool for streamlining tasks is now influencing every stage of the process—from prospect research to proposal writing to forecasting deals.
But is AI all it’s cracked up to be? Or is it just adding more noise? This week on Sales Logic, Meridith Elliott Powell and Mark Hunter get candid about how AI is changing their own businesses, what’s working (and what isn’t), and why emotional intelligence might matter now more than ever.
The AI Reality Check
Meridith kicked things off with some honesty: “I’m not really sure I’m using AI as well as I need to be using AI.” Still, she’s diving in and already seeing big returns. For her, the game-changer is personalized prospecting and research. Suddenly, bidding on four projects in a weekend feels possible, not painful.
“The speed at which it has given me to provide what I think is a far better proposal for my client,” Meridith explained, “which, and I really want to emphasize that, it doesn’t take me out of it. It educated me so that when I get on the platform and deliver, I’m going to deliver so much better a presentation.”
Mark pushed back with a word of caution. There’s pressure from above; investors want smaller sales teams and bigger AI impacts, but so far, the results look mixed. “Investors are adamant that they employ more AI to reduce headcount, to get rid of the SDR role, to get rid of the BDR role, to get rid of all of these functioning salespeople that aren’t truly bringing what they say value right now.” The irony? Many companies still aren’t seeing measurable ROI. Mark’s take: AI is excellent for gathering insight, not for replacing relationships.
The Personal Touch Isn’t Dead
The best salespeople won’t be replaced by bots. Instead, they’re learning to use tech as a lever by automating what shouldn’t take up their time so they can focus more on selling, not less. “AI is a starting tool. It’s not a finishing tool,” Mark pointed out. “The person who takes AI and uses it to write the email completely and send it out, they are doing themselves a huge disservice because that is going to scream loud. You can tell when you get an email that’s AI generated.”
Meridith agrees. “It’s made me really think about, do I need to ask my executive assistant to do this or can I do it? Is it the highest and best use of her time?” The bottom line is let AI handle the drudgery, so sellers can spend more time building client relationships.
AI for Forecasting and Sales Development
One area where AI is quickly proving its worth: sales forecasting and pipeline management. Meridith shared, “Being able to not have to guess at probability, but to use some of those tools to weigh in, I feel like takes a lot of work and, and really gives you some honest feedback that you need as a, as a salesperson.”
But can AI replace key sales roles? Mark’s answer: not quite. “SDR roles are going to become much more minimized. Here’s a risk that I see…the problem is, if we do away with SDRs, who’s going to train the account executives?”
The Future: Evolve the Role, Don’t Eliminate It
The rise of AI means sellers need to adapt. Meridith puts it simply: “Don’t eliminate the SDR role. Think about how you evolve it.” In other words, let AI handle the grunt work; let humans do what only humans can.
SDRs, for example, are becoming “signal interpreters,” not just pushing deals along, but spotting subtle changes, new opportunities, and risks no bot could ever detect. There’s incredible value in that.
“AI is one of the best things that’s ever happened to the sales field, because I know as a sales leader, my biggest challenge was how do I get people out of the busy work and how do I get them client-facing?” Meridith said. There’s no longer any excuse for hiding behind paperwork. AI is pressing sellers to face the customer, better prepared and ready to show real value.
Prompting Matters, Emotional Intelligence Matters More
Prompting isn’t just a technical detail. It’s what separates good results from garbage output. “While AI can make people more efficient, it also amplifies bad selling. Garbage in, garbage out,” an audience member observed…and the hosts agreed.
The close? Great sellers will only get better with AI, but nobody can afford to rest on their laurels. As Mark summed up: “Use it to enhance what you do, not replace what you do. That is absolutely imperative.”
Recommended Reading
If you want to jump deeper into the topic, check out “AI Mind Shift” by Ford Saeks—a book recommended by this week’s hosts for anyone starting their AI journey.
Lightning Round: Top 10 Emotional Intelligence Skills for Sales
- Self-awareness—be clear on your strengths, weaknesses, and emotions.
- Listen to understand, not to respond.
- Motivation—know what drives you internally.
- Curiosity—relentlessly ask questions.
- Empathy—truly feel what your client is feeling.
- Brutal honesty—with yourself and in client communication.
- Social awareness—read the room and adjust your style.
- Accept silent moments—be comfortable with pauses.
- Communication—connect and communicate clearly.
- Never stop learning—embrace a growth mindset.
AI will change the sales world, but emotional intelligence will set you apart. Use both, and your competitive advantage just keeps growing.
Question: Mark Caton on Spotify asks, “I think a valuable podcast would be to address how sales people are utilizing AI, and perhaps how the SDR role is being automated with so many AI agent tools.”
Book: AI Mindshift by Ford Saeks