Your Sales Aura Can Beat AI
1982. The Human League album Dare became the first electronic pop worldwide smash.
The London branch of the Musicians' Union were not happy. They began a campaign to ban the synthesiser. That LP's Producer Martin Rushent became a figurehead against such moves. In echoes of today, he argued that music created in part with electronic componentry was not a threat, but opportunity. There to embrace, augment and further possibilities.
Down the years, I've often cited what in the 1930s Walter Benjamin termed aura. In an age when machine-replicated paintings caused similar ructions, he suggested a work lost its essence without that spirit of the person creating it.
"That which withers in the age of mechanical reproduction is the aura of the work of art."
"Even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be."
Today, we've had emergence of authenticity as main character vibe. Occupying prominence as essential for genuine human connection.
No matter the slick corporate over-produced collateral, it can be received second-best to transparent, raw, personality driven pitching.
I've been pitched by AI-gen'd content. The day in which this is indiscernible from something done by a salesperson is not yet with us.
It is easy to forget when 'content' that'd take us ages appears after a writing a mere sentence of instruction, that people buy from people.
After all, when everyone sells using AI, where's yer difference?
As of now movies are starting to state 'No AI Used'. Will something similar emerge within Sales?
Yes, we can still use AI to help us. But we mustn't lose sight of our key unique; us ourself.
We've been here before. As but one example, remember our arena's clamour for e-auctions early in the first decade of the century? Automation soon rowed back.
I'd still bank that for a good while yet, the ultimate solution buying decision will remain the preserve of an actual person. And whether they appreciate it or not, they will overwhelmingly make their choice based on emotion. Which is a quality we alone must continue to address.
How we make ourselves central to the buyer's thoughts in such way will set us apart for some time to come.