Is Generative AI the End of Selling as We Know It?
A Thought Experiment from the Frontlines
Lately, I’ve been wondering about the implications of using tools like ChatGPT—not just as an assistant but as a potential credibility argument in my sales pitch.
Let me take you through this thought experiment.
The Pitch That Changed the Game
I’m pitching Luxury fashion brands on an opportunity that feels innovative and necessary: focusing on influencers on Substack. The strategy?
Listen to what these thousands of influencers are saying.
Engage with them meaningfully.
Build avatars based on the content they generate.
To refine this pitch, I turned to ChatGPT, feeding it rich data from Substack—content mentioning the brand, content about sustainability, and the intersection of these topics with fashion. I asked it pointed questions:
Which function within the brand would benefit the most from this approach?
Could this opportunity address the brand's top three challenges?
The result was a solid pitch, sharp and tailored. But here's where my doubts creep in.
Who Do They Trust More: GPT or Me?
The people I’m selling to aren’t strangers to Generative AI. These are industry leaders deploying corporate AI models within their companies, fully aware of the power and limitations of tools like ChatGPT. And so, I ask myself:
Do they trust GPT more than a sales rep like me?
If yes, why not let GPT take center stage? Should I send them the link to its analysis instead of delivering the pitch myself?
What if, instead of traditional sales meetings and demos, I propose a collaborative GPT session? Imagine both buyer and seller sitting together, prompting GPT to evaluate the partnership's potential, guiding the discussion towards a buy/no-buy decision.
Of course, the key starting point would be for both parties to agree on which AI to use, ensuring trust and alignment from the get go.
Is Sales at an Inflection Point?
It feels like sales might be undergoing a seismic shift. The landscape is filled with startups leveraging Generative AI to:
Hire sales reps
Train sales reps.
Support sales reps.
Even replicate sales reps (https://www.11x.ai/)
But what if Gen AI doesn’t just support sales but
Diagnose the problem.
Propose tailored solutions.
Recommend adjustments—whether it's pricing, features, or strategic fit—to maximize ROI.
The AI wouldn’t just facilitate; it would mediate, offering unbiased, data-driven insights that both parties could trust.
Are Startups Solving Yesterday's Problems?
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: humans are great at solving yesterday’s problems, like extending their home when their kids are gone.
My Next Move
For now, I’m sticking to the human element, while subtly integrating AI into the process. But I’m tempted to experiment with transparency:
Sharing GPT’s analysis directly with potential clients.
Framing the pitch as a joint discovery process rather than a one-sided conversation.
Because if the future of sales is AI-powered collaboration, then the best thing I can do today is embrace that shift—before it makes my role redundant.
( ideas are mine, typos are mine, structure and style are somehow from GPT, although it’s trained on my past “human” written blog posts)