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Insights from Anshul Gupta of Actively AI from the latest episode of the Coach’s Corner podcast
AI is changing the sales landscape—fast. In fact, according to a 2024 Ambition sales leadership survey, 71% of revenue organizations are dedicated to integrating AI into sales strategy right now—and only 42% report that their company has policy or privacy concerns prohibiting it.
What is the data telling us? It’s saying that AI is truly becoming embedded into the lives of reps, managers, and sales execs, and only the ones who embrace it will find deep success in 2025.
Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Anshul Gupta, co-founder of Actively AI, about the role of AI in modern pipeline generation and execution. Here’s a quick recap of our conversation:
Something Anshul emphasized throughout our podcast conversation was the concept of "cyborg sales reps," where AI handles data processing and automation, allowing sales reps to concentrate on building relationships and closing deals. AI should not be seen as a replacement for salespeople, but as a tool to enhance their capabilities.
Here’s how AI should be used in modern selling:
- Data processing and automation: AI can sift through vast amounts of unstructured data, identifying key prospects, and drafting relevant content.
- Efficiency: By automating manual tasks, AI enables sales reps and managers to focus on high-leverage activities such as calls and meetings or coaching and closing deals.
- Relevance over personalization: Anshul highlighted the importance of relevance in outreach. AI can help identify the specific needs of a prospect, making talk tracks more relevant.
Anshul shared some compelling examples of how Actively AI is making a difference. Companies like Justworks have seen a 25% increase in sales-qualified opportunities per SDR, leveraging the platform. This success is attributed to AI's ability to mine CRM data and provide continuity in sales development, even with high turnover rates among SDRs.
Implementing AI in sales comes with its challenges. Anshul noted that many sales teams take a reactive approach, driven by the hype around AI. He recommended a framework developed by Jimmy Chen of Sigma Computing, called MATT (Messaging, Activity, Timing, and Targeting), to evaluate AI tools effectively.
How to choose AI tools for your sales team:
- Start with a pilot: Test AI tools with a low-lift pilot to evaluate their performance in your actual environment.
- Demand integration: Ensure the AI tool integrates with your existing systems to provide real value.
- Focus on specific problems: Identify the specific problems you want to solve with AI and choose tools that address those issues.
Looking ahead, Anshul envisions a future where AI continues to take on more workflow tasks, enabling sales reps and managers to maximize their productivity. He predicts that in the next two years, AI will become even more integral to the sales process, helping reps focus on conversations and relationship-building and making managers phenomenal coaches.
AI is not just a lightning strike; it's going to become the underpinning of sales. By automating manual tasks and providing relevant insights, AI allows sales teams to be more efficient and effective. As AI technology continues to evolve, it will undoubtedly play a crucial role in the future of our industry.
