In this episode, Kyle Coleman sits down with Sam McKenna, CEO of SamSales Consulting, to discuss how sellers and sales leaders can future-proof themselves in the age of AI.

The key is maintaining human connection and relationships with buyers. Sam believes buyers still crave human interaction, even with the rise of automation. The most successful sellers focus on solving problems for buyers, not just selling to them.

Sam and Kyle dive into why many sales teams struggle to adapt their approaches, often due to fear of change and an over-reliance on tools and volume instead of quality outreach.

They discuss how AI can actually help sellers by compressing repetitive tasks, giving reps more time to develop consultative skills and business acumen. Sam also shares tactical tips like leveraging "strength of weak ties" in your network for referrals and always tying product benefits back to the specific "so what" for each buyer.

Timestamps & Key Points:

01:57 - Sam's background in enterprise sales and starting her own sales consulting firm
04:33 - Why sellers need to adapt to changing buyer preferences and focus on the human element
11:55 - Diagnosing why sales teams get stuck in their ways and rely on outdated volume approaches
16:13 - Using AI to streamline tasks and give sellers more time to develop real sales skills
24:46 - The power of leveraging weak ties in your network to find new opportunities
28:12 - Always connect product features to the "so what" for each specific buyer
33:54 - Book recommendation: "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara

Guest Info:

Sam McKenna is the CEO and Founder of #SamSales Consulting. After 16 years in enterprise sales leadership roles, including at LinkedIn, Sam started her own firm to help sales teams and leaders sell in more modern, personalized ways that cut through the noise.

Follow Sam on LinkedIn for more of her insights and check out samsalesconsulting.com for their sales playbooks and training resources.