Introduction
B2B sales is at a pivotal moment. Buyers are more informed, sales cycles are longer, and customer acquisition costs (CAC) are climbing. While technology, particularly AI, is often touted as the solution, the reality is more nuanced. AI must work in harmony with human expertise, reshaping how sales teams operate and how technology is leveraged. To explore this balance, we discussed various GTM related topics with a CMO of a large IT Services company. The idea was to discuss the challenges in B2B sales and how a thoughtful integration of AI and human effort can address them. The idea was to understand the challenges, possible solutions and the current workarounds CMOs are deploying to meet their numbers.
Here is a summary of the conversation, consolidated for ease of reading!
Q1: Are B2B buyers harder to engage than ever before?
CMO’s take: “If you see B2B buyers today, they are overwhelmed. Every single day, they are bombarded with over 120+ sales emails, LinkedIn messages, cold calls, and retargeting ads. It is not an envious situation to be in. The noise is deafening, and most of it is irrelevant to their needs. Yet despite all this, buyers are more informed than ever. They’ve already researched your product, read reviews on G2, and compared you to competitors before your sales team even reaches out.”
Q2: So what tactics can be deployed?
CMO’s take: “As Sales and marketing teams, we need to update our tactics. I see that we have started leveraging Linkedin better, still there is a long way to go. There are “spray-and-pray” tactics, sending generic emails and cold calls that fail to resonate. Individual prospects are treated as standalone leads instead of recognizing the buying committee’s collective influence. We are still chasing cold outbound lists instead of focusing on high-intent buyers who are actively researching solutions.”
“AI can play a critical role here, but it’s not about replacing human effort - it’s about augmenting it. For example, AI-driven intent data can identify buyers who are actively in-market by analyzing their online behavior, such as website visits, content downloads, and competitor engagement. Intent can be mapped better, since digital is the most prevalent channel nowadays. Even physical events can be mapped back to digital space. However, this data is only valuable if sales teams use it to craft personalized, human-centric outreach.”
Q3: GTM can leverage technology to cut through the noise.
CMO’s take: “Yes, it’s the human touch that ultimately builds trust and drives meaningful conversations. There can be a Human-AI Balance, where AI can surface insights, but it’s up to sales reps to interpret them and build meaningful connections. For instance, if AI identifies a prospect who has visited your pricing page multiple times, the sales rep can use that insight to craft a tailored message that addresses potential concerns or highlights specific value points. This combination of AI’s efficiency and human empathy is what drives engagement.”
Q4: Ok, your take on dropping outbound rates.
CMO’s Take: “It goes back to the same fundamentals. Outbound rates are a function of what is pitched to the buyer, and the buyers are tired of generic, automated outreach. People have become intelligent in deducing if a mail is mass-produced, and they’re not interested. Also, personalization is not saying ‘Hi XYZ’ vs a ‘Hello ABC’. Buyers know that you know their name, but what more? Do you know their pain points? Outbound isn’t dead, but the way most teams approach it that’s dead. Buyers expect personalization and relevance, and most sales teams aren’t delivering.”
Q5: You mean sales teams needs to ditch mass outreach.
CMO’s take: “The marketing and GTM teams as well. We have to tighten up. We ignore social signals and fail to leverage platforms like LinkedIn for meaningful interactions. Many a times, we focus on a single contact within an account instead of multi-threading into the buying committee. People want to be treated as the individual, and respected for their points of view. Yet, the buying happens in a group. There is a dichotomy, where AI can assist in crafting personalized outreach at scale. For example, AI-powered personalization tools analyze CRM data, social activity, and company triggers to suggest tailored messaging. But then personalization isn’t just about inserting a prospect’s name into an email. For instance, if AI identifies that a prospect recently posted about a challenge on LinkedIn, the rep can reference that post in their outreach, demonstrating genuine interest and understanding. This blend of AI-driven insights and human creativity is what makes outreach effective. While AI can suggest the right message or timing, it’s the sales rep’s responsibility to ensure the outreach feels authentic.”
Q6: What is your take on sales cycles getting longer?
CMO’s Take: “Earlier sales cycles used to take weeks. Now, they take months sometimes we are counting in quarters. Why? The simple reason is that the buying groups are getting bigger. There are more people involved in the decision-making. They could be from the finance, supply chain, regulatory, legal and what not. Everyone evaluates as per their KRAs. The average B2B deal now involves 6-10 decision-makers, each with their own priorities and concerns. If you’re not engaging the entire buying committee, you’re wasting time. Sales teams have often relied too heavily on a single champion within the target account, leaving deals vulnerable if that person disengages, or moves on, or even if promoted. It is not a linear journey but influenced by multiple touchpoints.”
Q7: How can AI help?
CMO’s take: “Falling back on AI again to do the grunt work. It should map out the buying committee, identifying key stakeholders and their roles within the organization. It can also track engagement across the account, alerting sales teams when decision-makers interact with content or visit the website. However, this information is only valuable if sales teams use it to build relationships with all stakeholders. For example, if AI highlights that a CFO has started engaging with your content, the sales rep can tailor their messaging to address financial concerns, while simultaneously engaging the original champion to maintain momentum. This coordinated effort ensures no deal dies with a single contact.”
Q8: Summarizing the future of B2B sales
CMO’s Take: “The future of B2B sales should be about balance. AI will handle the heavy lifting - data analysis, intent tracking, and process automation - but it’s the human touch that will close deals. AI can highlight the right accounts, but it’s up to marketing and sales teams to align their efforts and craft strategies that resonate. Buyers want to feel understood, and that’s something only humans can deliver.
For example, if AI identifies a high-intent account, marketing can create tailored campaigns to nurture the account, while sales reps focus on personalized outreach. This collaboration ensures resources are used efficiently.
Interestingly, this also has a direct effect on the Customer Acquisition costs. Paid ads are saturated, SEO is hyper-competitive, and cold outreach is struggling. The problem isn’t just the cost—it’s the inefficiency. Too many resources are wasted on the wrong accounts.
To summarise, we are in for an interesting time - B2B sales is undergoing a transformation. AI offers powerful tools to address today’s challenges, but it’s the combination of technology and human effort that will drive success. By leveraging AI thoughtfully and maintaining a focus on human connection, sales teams can navigate the complexities of modern B2B sales and thrive in the years ahead.”
