Shane Gibson's Podcast – Social Selling – B2B Sales and Influence Shane Gibson

This is episode 2 of 3 for the “AI and EI for Business Success” series with Keynote AI Speaker and sales author Shane Gibson and Nick Usborne of Nickusborne.com and BeMoreHuman.ai. This podcast is formatted as a collaborative discussion where we delve into the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and emotional intelligence (EI) in business. You can find episode 1 here: “The Marriage of AI and Messy Humans.“







In this episode, we focus on the concept of collaborating with AI, exploring how it can augment human capabilities rather than replace them. We discuss practical applications, benefits, and strategies for effectively partnering with AI in various business contexts.







This is a lengthy episode so with the assistance of AI (Vidyo.ai and ChaptGPT 4o) we pulled the top 10 takeaways from the podcast that you can expect to get from listening to the podcast:







AI Podcast: Top 10 Key Points for Marketers and Sales Leaders:







1. Collaborating with AI to Enhance Human Capabilities







AI should not be viewed as a replacement for humans but as an assistant or partner. This approach amplifies human effectiveness by taking on tasks that are time-consuming or challenging for humans, such as sentiment analysis and summarization.









“AI is here to amplify our strengths, not replace us. It’s about creating an effective partnership where AI handles the grunt work, and we focus on the creative and strategic aspects.”

– Shane Gibson







2. AI’s Role in Ideation and Judgment







AI can assist in the ideation process by providing feedback on ideas. For instance, Bob Bly, a renowned copywriter, uses AI to evaluate the potential of promotional ideas, which helps him refine his concepts by removing biases and enhancing objectivity.









“It’s fascinating how AI can be a sounding board for our ideas, offering an unbiased perspective that helps us refine and improve our concepts.”

– Nick Usborne







3. Summarizing and Analyzing Large Sales and Marketing Data Sets with AI







AI excels at summarizing large volumes of information quickly. Whether it’s a book, customer service transcripts, or interviews, AI can distill key points and insights, saving significant time and effort for humans. Both Adobe Acrobat and ChatGPT 4o are great tools to help you quickly summarize and pull out vital information from dense time consuming documentation.









“Imagine the hours saved when AI summarizes a 300-page document in minutes. It allows us to focus on applying those insights rather than gathering them.”

– Nick Usborne







4. Using Meta.ai for Sentiment Analysis for Marketing and Sales







Sentiment analysis helps marketers and sales professionals understand customer emotions and feedback. By analyzing reviews and comments, AI can identify common sentiments and language used by customers, which can then be mirrored in marketing materials to enhance relatability and effectiveness.







In the podcast Shane walks through Nick’s formula for uncovering sentiment from the voice of community on platforms like Facebook and Twitter using Meta.ai and then turning that sentiment into marketing content and campaigns.









“By tapping into the emotional language of our customers,

As a podcaster, sales geek, and AI enthusiast, I am excited to share my first podcast where I have ChatGPT 4o host and interview me on my latest keynote, “AI and the Future of Sales.”







That’s right… the guest host of this podcast episode is an AI.







As a keynote speaker and author, I have been delivering keynotes on AI for sales since 2018 – 6 years ago I would not have conceived being interviewed by an AI for my own podcast as being possible in such a short time.







Video: ChatGPT 4o Hosts Podcast and Interviews Shane Gibson, Keynote AI Speaker















This is arguably one of the first times an artificial intelligence, specifically OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4o, has conducted a podcast interview – it’s definitely the first for a sales podcast.







My goal with this pioneering approach was not only to showcase the capabilities of modern AI but also to show how we can creatively leverage technology in impactful ways as sales professionals.







In this unique episode, I share with the interviewer (ChatGPT-4o) how AI is transforming sales, helping evolve skill sets required for success, and also dig into the future trends that will shape the industry. Here are the key takeaways from this interview:







Will AI Help Sellers or Replace Them?







AI will both help and replace sellers. It’s about leveraging AI to automate and augment our intelligence while doubling down on human skills, aptitudes, and creativity. If sales professionals focus on rote activities and administrative tasks, AI will replace them. However, those who embrace AI to enhance their capabilities will thrive.







The Changing Sales Landscape







I discussed the significant decrease in sales positions over the past few years. Despite fewer opportunities, these positions offer better pay for those who are qualified. This shift can be attributed to the convergence of trends, including AI and automation, multi-channel selling, and the growing need for technical skills.









“The skill set that got us here is not going to be the skill set that gets us to where we want to go in our sales career.”

– Shane Gibson







Adapting to a Multi-Channel Approach







Today’s buyers use over twenty channels to make decisions. I emphasized the importance of adapting to this multi-channel approach by understanding the nuances of each platform and leveraging AI tools to automate and optimize communication across these channels.









“We are now looking at a 20-plus channel universe for a business-to-business buyer.”









The Competency Map for Modern Sales Professionals







In “Real Results in a Virtual Economy,” my co-author Denis Cauiver and I developed a competency map for modern sales professionals. Key competencies include:









* Traditional Selling Skills: Rapport building, objection handling, and closing.







* Right-Brain Sales Skills: Creativity, problem-solving, communication, and empathy.







* Technical Intelligence (TQ): Understanding and utilizing technology, creative prompt writing, and curiosity about new tools.







* Emotional Intelligence in Digital Platforms: Adapting communication styles to different channels.







* Social Networking: Building community and adding value both online and offline.

This week’s weeks podcast episode is part one of a podcast series on using AI and Emotional Intelligence for Business Success. Joining me is Nick Usborne from BeMoreHuman.ai. Unlike our regular sessions, these podcasts are a collaborative exploration rather than a conventional interview, focusing on how AI impacts sales and marketing through emotional intelligence.







Our topic on this AI Podcast focuses on The Marriage of AI and Messy Humans and why the imperfect human element is vital for successful AI use in sales and marketing.







As always, I’d like acknowledge that both the video and audio editing as well as some of the blog content you’re reading was created with the assistance of AI.







Our Top 10 AI for Business Insights from Shane Gibson and Nick Usborne







In this podcast we discussed a lot of AI implications, challenges and tactics for sales, marketing, and business. With that said here were the 10 big takeaways:









* Leverage AI for Productivity, Not Replacement: Utilize AI to handle repetitive tasks, freeing up human creativity for strategic thinking and relationship building. This approach ensures that AI enhances rather than replaces human roles, leading to more effective and emotionally intelligent business practices.







* Balance Automation with Human Insight: While AI can streamline processes and increase efficiency, it’s crucial to maintain a balance where human insight plays a key role. Emotional intelligence cannot be replicated by AI, making it essential for tasks requiring empathy and deeper understanding.







* Be Transparent About AI Use: Transparency in using AI tools builds trust with customers. Clearly communicate when AI is being used, helping customers understand the context and ensuring they don’t feel deceived by thinking they were interacting with a human when it was AI.







* Develop AI-Enhanced Personalization: Use AI to analyze data and personalize marketing and sales efforts without losing the unique voice of the brand. This helps in avoiding the “sameness trap,” where brands lose their distinctive appeal by relying too heavily on generic AI outputs.







* Focus on Emotional Intelligence Training: Invest in developing the emotional intelligence of your team. This training helps in understanding and managing one’s own emotions and effectively responding to the emotions of others, which is critical in customer interactions.







* Utilize AI for In-Depth Analysis: Employ AI for complex data analysis, allowing human workers to engage more in decision-making and strategic planning based on insights provided by AI. This partnership can lead to more informed and nuanced business strategies.







* Encourage Human-AI Collaboration: View AI as a collaborative partner rather than just a tool. This mindset encourages ongoing interaction with AI systems to refine outputs and ensure they align closely with human expectations and business goals.







* Guard Against Over-Automation: Monitor the extent of automation to prevent a reliance on AI that could detract from customer experience. Excessive automation, especially in customer-facing roles, can lead to a decrease in customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.







* Promote AI Literacy Among Staff: Ensure that all team members understand the capabilities and limitations of AI. This knowledge empowers them to use AI more effectively and identify opportunities for its application within their specific roles.







* Innovate Responsibly with AI: Always consider the long-term impacts of integrating AI into business practices.

AI for Sales – The Power of an Exponential Mindset in Sales Organizations







Most of my sales keynotes have been focused on AI over the past six months. There’s a huge interest in investing in AI sales tools but many organizations are missing the exponential sales mindset and organizational DNA required to truly benefit. A quick disclaimer: Parts of this sales podcast summary were written with the assistance of AI and then edited by me.







In this sales podcast episode hosted by Shane Gibson (that’s me), w delve into the importance of this mindset in conjunction with AI technology. The exponential mindset itself is just as crucial as the technology when it comes to driving sales success.







Linear Thinking vs Exponential Thinking in Sales Organizations







There’s a big contrast between linear thinking and exponential thinking within sales organizations. While linear thinking revolves around improving customer satisfaction, exponential thinking is all about building customer communities and leveraging network effects. It also is often focused on growing in one direction incrementally versus expanding in multiple directions and channels at once. In the past this was of course a recipe for fragmented attention and sales disaster – today with AI sales tools this is possible.







Here’s the Youtube version of this AI for Sales Podcast:















Here are some of the key differences between linear and exponential sales strategies:









* Market Approach: Linear companies market where the customer already is, while exponential companies leverage omni-channel expansion to seek out new and untapped opportunities.







* System Management: Linear companies dedicate their efforts to building and managing systems, while exponential companies prioritize automation and scalability of systems.







* Partnerships: Linear companies tend to form traditional industry partnerships, while exponential companies actively seek out uncommon alliances outside their usual channels.







* Market Outlook: Linear companies anticipate market trends, whereas exponential companies seek to disrupt and create market change.







* Sales Departments: Linear companies typically operate with siloed sales departments, while exponential companies foster a sales culture that permeates the entire organization.







* Training: Linear companies focus on training individuals, while exponential companies prioritize collective team learning and sharing of best practices.







* Evolution: Linear companies evolve incrementally, while exponential companies continually reinvent and disrupt themselves.







* Decision-Making: Linear companies possess hierarchical decision-making processes, whereas exponential companies empower distributed decision-making across the organization.









The Mindset and Behaviors of Exponential Sellers:









* Differentiated Buying Experience: Exponential sellers focus on creating a differentiated buying experience, going beyond simply providing a better one.







* Value per Customer Interaction: Exponential sellers prioritize adding more value per customer interaction, rather than simply making more calls.







* Selling to the Entire Buying Network: Exponential sellers understand the importance of selling to the entire buying network, not just the decision maker.







* Proactivity and Leadership: Exponential sellers take a proactive stance and lead the sales process, rather than simply reacting to customer inquiries.

This sales podcast episode is focused on shifting our sales performance management from tactical to strategic. Although there are dozens of strategic shifts we can make, today we are focused on three key levers that can impact your personal and organizational sales performance.







Below you will find the video version of the podcast and an abridged version of the transcript. If you’re looking for a keynote sales speaker for your next sales conference you can contact us to book a quick discovery call.







Sales Podcast – Keynote Sales Speaker Shane Gibson on Strategic Sales Performance















[transcript begins]







Transcript:







I want to talk about strategic sales performance improvement today. Many of our sales performance improvements come down to tactics—slight shifts in interactions or key steps in our sales process. When I think of non-strategic sales performance improvement, I think of merely improving or increasing the numbers.







Instead of focusing on numbers, orders, or specific tactics, I want to delve into how we can impact performance improvement within our sales team, ourselves, or individual salespeople by emphasizing a shift in our strategic thinking. I’ve identified three levers that can alter the way we think or approach the marketplace and consistently impact our overall sales performance. While in many cases we’re thinking tactically, I want us to transition into strategy.







Strategy can also be influenced by tactics. For instance, if your organization aims to focus on larger accounts or more intricate, profitable deals, yet our salespeople still employ tactics suitable for the small to medium-sized industry, we won’t achieve our strategic result. This discrepancy shows how tactics can sometimes drive strategy. If we find ourselves able to close specific types of accounts due to the responsiveness of our marketing and sales processes, it might seem like that’s our ideal market. But often, it’s our tactics which target a specific segment.







So, when we strategically consider new targets or opportunities or evolve our external perspective on clientele and brand, it’s vital to ensure our sales tactics align with our sales strategy shift.







The three sales performance management levers I’ll focus on today are:









* Business acumen building: What does a robust business acumen building system look like? Building acumen in our sales team can be a pivotal strategic shift in our sales performance.







* A-Zone Pipeline Management: Those familiar with my seminars or podcasts know I discuss the A-zone or the 80-20 rule frequently. Here, I’ll delve deeper into how we can strategically approach our pipeline with an A-focused mindset and its effects on our sales productivity and performance.







* In-between meetings: One area to enhance our performance, pipeline, referrals, deal size, and renewals is by systematizing and emphasizing what I term “in-between meetings”. These are value-added interactions over time with key accounts outside of and amidst the essential steps in the sales process.









Building Business Acumen in Your Sales Team:







Discussing the first lever—acumen developing system—what is a system? A system encompasses a process, methodology, technology, and accountability. A reliable system has a clear process, robust methodology for each step, is technologically driven,

This sales podcast is focused on 12 Non-Negotiable Sales Truths. As a sales trainer and keynote speaker I come across people often who want to short-cut and negotiate the price of sales success. This podcast digs into some of the core truths we have to live with and work within. Following is the podcast transcript and video:







(Video) Keynote Speaker Shane Gibson on Non-Negotiable Sales Truths















[Begin sales podcast transcript]







Today, I want to talk about twelve non-negotiable sales truths. There are also twelve not-so-popular sales truths. When we discuss sales truths, one of the things we consider is our desire for success and what it means to be a successful sales professional. As sales professionals and sales leaders, we’re always seeking an advantage, trying to find a shortcut, and aiming to reduce the time it takes to move from point A to point B. However, in many instances, there are core sales truths and principles that can’t be sidestepped. They’re a reality if we aim for long-term success in sales. I will delve into these in today’s podcast. This is available on YouTube @Shane Gibson. Clips/reels will also be shared on Shane Gibson’s Instagram (@ShaneGibson), as well as @ShaneGibsonLive on TikTok. You can of listen to Shane Gibson’s Sales Podcast on platforms ranging from Spotify to Apple Podcasts and many others.







(Please note that Truth #9 was omitted in the podcast and added to the text below)







Let’s dive into these twelve non-negotiable sales truths.







Sales Truth #1 – You can never be too busy to prospect and work your funnel.







It’s crucial to understand that you can never be too occupied to prospect and manage your funnel. Prospecting is an investment for our future that we must consistently make. Often, I’ve observed (and experienced in my business) professionals getting overwhelmed with inbound tasks, client service, meetings, administrative duties, and other work commitments. We sometimes forget that prospecting is our lifeline. Part of this oversight is because results from prospecting aren’t immediate, especially with sales cycles ranging from three weeks to six months. However, top performers who secure deals regularly were consistently prospecting and maintaining their funnel weeks or even months prior. It’s essential to set aside dedicated time for prospecting and funnel management.







Sales Truth #2 – An inquiry is not necessarily a lead, regardless of their “sentiment.”







An inquiry doesn’t always equate to a lead, no matter the sentiment behind it. It’s easy to get overly enthusiastic about someone filling out a form. Still, the debate between sales and marketing teams regarding what constitutes a marketing-qualified or sales-qualified lead is ongoing. Merely because someone shows interest or belongs to a targeted company doesn’t mean they’re a genuine lead. Various other factors determine an ideal prospect. Therefore, before adding someone to the funnel, ensure they meet the qualification criteria. Sometimes, an immediately available person isn’t the right fit. By effectively filtering these inquiries, we can focus our energies on filling the funnel with the right prospects.







Sales Truth #3 – Discovery is much more than just as...