As AI provides customers with unprecedented information, the ability to build genuine trust and relationships—akin to doing business on a handshake—will become the key competitive advantage. AI provides the information (the yin), but human connection provides the authenticity and trust (the yang) needed to close deals.

A salesperson's primary defense against AI is their ability to engage in real-time, synchronous conversations. By defaulting to email and keeping clients at a "digital arm's length," reps are performing tasks that AI can easily automate, making their roles increasingly redundant.

Instead of defaulting to one method, sellers should strategically choose the communication channel (phone, video, in-person) that offers the highest probability of success for the lowest investment of time, energy, and money for any given situation.

As AI automates outreach, prospects will become skeptical of digital communication. Sales success will hinge on demonstrating genuine human connection through channels like video and referrals, which AI cannot easily replicate. This scarcity makes trust a key competitive differentiator.

Instead of fully automating conversations and risking sounding robotic, use AI to provide real-time suggestions and prompts to a human sales rep. This scales expertise and consistency without sacrificing the human touch needed to close deals.

The most effective use of AI in sales is not to replace core selling activities but to handle low-value 'grunt work' like research, list building, and follow-ups. This strategy frees up a salesperson's time to focus on irreplaceable human skills like listening, building trust, and navigating complex emotions.

As AI handles analytical and data-driven tasks, the critical skills for salespeople shift. Emotional intelligence, listening, communication, and influencing decisions are no longer secondary 'soft' skills but have become the essential 'hard' skills that drive success and cannot be replicated by machines.

Whether it's older sellers who only work in-person or younger sellers who only use digital channels, becoming "single siloed" is a mistake. To maximize success and income, salespeople must become proficient across all communication methods, from phone calls to emails to face-to-face meetings.

As AI floods marketplaces with automated, synthetic communication, buyers experience fatigue. This creates a scarcity of authentic human interaction, making genuine connection and emotional intelligence a more valuable and powerful differentiator for sales professionals.