Enhancing Sales Strategies with AI and Relationship Building

Are you trying to use AI to speed up your sales cycle, only to find it's making your prospects' experience worse? The key is using technology to your advantage, not against you.

In this episode, I'm joined by Doug Foley, an expert in sales enablement and AI integration. He shares his insights on leveraging AI tools to build more meaningful client relationships and enhance your sales process from start to finish.

Meet Doug Foley

·  Douglas J. Foley is a strategic advisor, accomplished author, and the founder and CEO of Foley Media AI, where he architects AI-driven revenue engines for CEOs, high-growth companies, and Fortune 100 organizations. 

·  Leveraging frameworks such as his Customer Loyalty Framework and AI Sales Engine™, Doug delivers predictable, measurable growth and transformative EBITDA results. 

·  His practical, results-focused methodologies help senior leaders confidently scale and optimize their businesses.

Why AI Matters in Enterprise Sales

·  Doug shares his journey, outlining the frequent gaps he’s seen in sales enablement and how AI, when implemented strategically, can fill those voids. 

·  Many organizations only use AI for surface-level tasks like faster email writing or market research.

·  Doug urges sellers and business owners to expand beyond this "tunnel vision" and embrace AI as a tool for relationship-building and holistic sales strategy.

Practical Steps for Implementing AI

·  When leaders are training sales teams on using AI tools, Doug suggests showing them how to map out the buyer’s journey and integrate AI at key touchpoints such as post-meeting follow-ups. 

·  He stresses the importance of system-based thinking in deploying AI and highlights the significant gains in productivity and customer experience that even small changes can deliver.

Tips for Sales Leaders and Reps

·  For busy sales managers, Doug suggests starting small: introduce an "AI-first" mentality in team meetings and encourage reps to share how AI helps overcome everyday roadblocks. 

·  He emphasizes celebrating early AI wins to build momentum and foster an innovative culture.

Advanced AI Strategies

·  Here’s actionable advice for reps targeting enterprise accounts: Use AI-powered research for deeper stakeholder mapping, create hyper-relevant outreach campaigns, and build a memorable, white-glove experience for clients. 

·  Doug shares that impactful AI usage means slowing down to get ultra-targeted, which leads to better results and stronger deal pipelines.

“The biggest mistake most people make is they look at it from strictly efficiency...but they don’t look at it more holistically as how can I build a bigger, better relationship and use AI.” - Doug Foley.

Resources

·  Reach Doug Foley at Foley Media AI or on social platforms as @DouglasJFoley.

·  If you like more guidance with improving your sales skills, join my Sales Mastermind Class.

·  Thinking about starting a podcast yourself? Learn more about Blue Mango Studios. 

Sponsorship Offers

1.    This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.

2.  This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.

3.  This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.

Credits

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.