Everywhere I go lately, I hear the same prediction:
“AI is the future of sales.”
“Salespeople are becoming obsolete.”
I used to believe that too.
I believed it when the World Wide Web launched.
I believed it again when Inbound marketing took off.
But here’s what experience taught me the hard way:
People still want to buy from people.
They just don’t want bad sales interactions.
The problem was never sales itself.
It was sales that made everything about the product instead of the buyer.
That realization changed how I sell—and why I wrote Buyer First™.
Why I’m optimistic heading into 2026
Over the past few months, I’ve worked closely with the next generation of sales professionals:
- Students at Harvard Business School
- The National Intercollegiate Sales Competition
- And soon, as a guest lecturer at Emlyon Business School
What I’ve seen gives me real hope.
These future sales professionals aren’t pushy or transactional.
They’re curious, thoughtful, and genuinely buyer-focused.
What actually separates top performers today
Research from Objective Management Group found that elite salespeople don’t share the same tactics.
They share the same mindsets.
That’s what allows them to adapt—faster than anyone else—to buyers, technology, and change.
AI will absolutely play a role in sales.
But it won’t replace the human part.
It will amplify it.
🎥 Want the full perspective?
I break this down in more detail—including why mindset matters more than tools—in this month’s video.
👉 Watch the video to go deeper.
As we close out the year, I’d love to know:
What are you most looking forward to in 2026?
Wishing you peace and joy—whatever you celebrate this season.
And a very Happy New Year.
— Carole
