The sales world is evolving, and artificial intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of this transformation. In a recent episode of the TSIA Podcast TECHtonic, Thomas Lah, Executive Director and Executive Vice President at TSIA, and Mike Fouts, Chief Business Officer at ShareFile, shared unique insights on how AI is reshaping sales within tech companies and the metrics that matter most.

Whether you’re a seasoned tech industry sales leader, or simply intrigued by the transformative power of AI, this blog is your guide to understanding and implementing the key insights from their conversation. Get equipped with the right knowledge and strategies to navigate the increasingly AI-driven sales landscape, ensuring you stay ahead of the curve.

We highly recommend listening to the full podcast episode in the TSIA Portal to comprehensively understand the topics discussed; it's a unique opportunity to gain exclusive insights and stay ahead in the ever-evolving tech sales industry.

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Verticalization: The Key to Understanding Your Customer

One of the most significant changes to the traditional sales model is the move towards verticalization. At ShareFile, Fouts and his team consciously shifted to a vertical-based sales motion, using data to understand customers' needs within different industries. This approach is essential for businesses aiming to differentiate themselves in an increasingly crowded market.

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What does verticalization mean for your sales strategy?

• Targeted messaging: By breaking customers into verticals such as financial services, legal, or healthcare, you can tailor your sales messaging to address specific pain points and industry challenges.
• Customized products: ShareFile, for example, developed industry-specific solutions, such as a product designed for accountants handling tax workflows. The result is a more precise and compelling offering.
• Smarter sales teams: Your salesforce becomes experts in their assigned verticals, speaking the language of their customers and better positioning your products as solutions to industry-specific problems.

This strategy offers better customer insights and creates more opportunities to grow your business by deeply understanding your customers' needs.

“If you want to keep differentiation and add value to the customer, you really do have to understand their workflows more intimately."—Thomas Lah, Executive Director and Executive VP, TSIA.

Related: The Metrics That Matter: How AI Is Reshaping Sales in Tech

Data-Driven Sales: Making Smarter Decisions With AI

AI and data are the bedrock of the modern sales approach. According to Fouts, ShareFile’s go-to-market strategy relies heavily on data to drive decision-making, especially when predicting renewals and reducing churn. By analyzing customer behavior and usage data, the sales team can better understand which customers are likely to renew, expand their contracts, or churn.

"We’ve built some ideal customer profiles and some visibility into customers who have the highest propensity to both upgrade and expand, as well as the highest likelihood to churn."—Mike Fouts, Chief Business Officer, ShareFile.

How does AI-driven data shape your sales strategy?

• Predicting customer behavior: ShareFile uses AI models to track customer usage and identify patterns. For instance, customers who use their products more extensively are more likely to renew and expand their contracts.
• Early intervention for churn: ShareFile's team can identify potential churn risks six months before a contract ends, helping them retain more customers and improve revenue predictability.
• Driving renewals and expansions: AI tools help the sales team spot upsell opportunities. When customers start using a product for more complex workflows, the system flags that they might be ready to upgrade.

This level of precision makes the sales process not reactive but proactive, allowing businesses to anticipate customer needs rather than just respond to them.

Related: 20 Emerging AI Use Cases for Generating Revenue

The Role of E-commerce in B2B Sales: Digital-First Strategies

Gone are the days when sales teams needed to guide every customer through the buying process. With the rise of e-commerce and digital-first strategies, ShareFile has embraced a low-touch, digital-driven sales approach. Fouts explains how the company shifted from a traditional demand generation model (where every lead is directed to a salesperson) to a system where customers can purchase independently, reducing the need for constant salesperson involvement.

Why is a digital-first model important?

• Scalability: A fully automated, self-serve sales model allows customers to try and buy without human intervention.
• Customer autonomy: Modern customers prefer to explore products independently, especially in small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). They can test the software, and if they have questions, still reach out to a sales rep when needed.
• Increased efficiency: By focusing sales resources on larger, more complex deals, ShareFile ensures that high-value accounts receive personalized attention while smaller deals run on autopilot.

This shift towards e-commerce in B2B sales isn’t just a trend—it’s becoming the standard for efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Leveraging AI for Smarter Customer Interactions

One of the most fascinating parts of the conversation was Fouts’ description of how AI enables smarter customer interactions. As AI systems gather customer data using a company’s platform, sales reps gain insights into the customer's needs before even picking up the phone.

Here’s how AI helps refine your sales approach:

• Contextual sales conversations: AI can analyze customer interactions with the product, enabling salespeople to approach them with personalized solutions, rather than generic sales pitches.
• Real-time data integration: For example, if Sharefile’s AI detects that a customer from the legal sector is using a specific workflow, the salesperson can recommend related products that enhance the customer’s experience.
• Improving the discovery process: AI now equips sales teams with the needed information, allowing them to focus on solving problems and building relationships.

By eliminating the guesswork, AI makes sales more intelligent and effective.

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AI for Quota Setting and Sales Forecasting

Another significant benefit of AI in sales is its ability to forecast sales and set quotas. ShareFile’s AI models help the company predict renewal rates and set realistic quotas for sales teams, factoring in both new business and renewals.

How does this impact your sales planning?

• More accurate quotas: Fouts explains that while the AI models aren’t perfect, they have achieved about 98% accuracy in predicting outcomes, giving the company a more reliable way to set goals and manage expectations.
• Faster adjustments: With real-time data flowing into the AI models, companies can adjust their forecasts and quotas more quickly, making them more responsive to market changes.
• Better resource allocation: AI can help identify where your sales team’s resources are most needed, allowing you to focus human efforts on the highest-value opportunities.

By implementing AI-driven sales forecasting, companies can plan more effectively and adjust quickly, ensuring they’re always one step ahead.

Related: AI’s High Stakes: The Future of Technology Business Models

Are You Ready for the AI-Driven Future of Sales?

AI is a powerful tool that’s transforming how companies approach sales. As Mike Fouts and Thomas Lah discussed, the future of tech sales will be defined by those who embrace verticalization, data-driven decision-making, and digital-first models.

Leveraging AI to understand customers, optimize sales motions, and predict future outcomes is crucial to staying competitive. The companies that adopt these strategies today will lead the market tomorrow.

So, how prepared is your sales organization to thrive in this AI-driven landscape?

Your Key Takeaways

• Embrace verticalization to strengthen customer relationships: As a sales leader, moving to a verticalized approach is critical for deeper customer engagement. By aligning your sales strategy with specific industries, you can offer more relevant solutions that speak directly to your customers' pain points. Consider how your team can adopt this approach to boost customer satisfaction and revenue.
• Leverage AI to make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of the curve: To remain competitive, shifting from gut-driven sales tactics to data-driven strategies is essential. AI can help you predict which accounts are most likely to renew, expand, or churn—allowing you to focus resources where they matter most. Integrating AI into your forecasting and quota-setting processes will also bring precision to your sales targets, empowering your team to make smarter, proactive decisions. Now is the time to start if you’re not using AI to guide your sales efforts.‍
• Adopt a digital-first sales approach to increase efficiency and scale: Professionals in B2B sales should rethink the traditional high-touch sales process. A digital-first model allows your customers to engage with your product on their terms, streamlining smaller transactions and freeing up your sales team for more complex deals. This shift increases operational efficiency and aligns with modern buyer preferences. You can maximize your team's impact and scalability by focusing on high-value activities while automating smaller ones.