For Sales Teams - 20 things that your competition is doing better using AI
Discover 20 game-changing strategies your competition is already using to dominate sales. This newsletter breaks down how top sales teams leverage AI for lead outreach and conversions.
Sales teams across industries and categories are in a race. The top ones are using AI to work smarter and faster as per their workflows, while others are stuck with makeshift techniques and tools.
We have been digging deeper in our conversations to understand the patterns.
We started talking to more salespeople about how they are using and getting outcomes from AI tools like Revenoid, Gong, ZoomInfo, Nooks, Apollo, LinkedIn and Outreach etc.
The pattern was clear:
“the teams that have enabled existing workflows, playbooks and strategies using AI are winning.”
But most people never talked about how they were doing it.
That's where we decided to break it down for you.
Not in a boring, technical way, but in a real, actionable, “this-could-change-your-quarter” way.
Why are they winning?
What are they doing differently?
How are they closing deals faster?
And we want to show how anyone could use AI to level the playing field.
At first, we thought, Is this too much? Too detailed? But then we saw a poster in our conference room:
“clarity beats complexity”
Writing this was a mix of curiosity, frustration, and hope.
Curiosity about what the best teams are doing.
Frustration at how many teams are stuck with outdated processes.
And hope — because we know any sales team can now adapt AI to their playbooks and workflows and can leverage it to win.
20 Things your competition is doing better
Sales teams leveraging AI tools like Revenoid are rewriting the playbook. .
If you’re wondering why their pipeline keeps growing, here is a list of 20 things they’re doing better (and how you can catch up).
They uncover early buying signals i.e. “strategic initiatives” level pains. They monitor reports, hiring trends, and social media to spot pain points.
They map signals to their value propositions. They align product features with strategic initiatives and pains for a deeper relevance.
They prioritize accounts with precision. They rank leads based on urgency, intent, and recency of signals.
They craft multi-touchpoint sequences. They combine email, LinkedIn, and phone outreach to stay top-of-mind.
They create hyper-personalized communication. Their emails, DMs, and call scripts reference signals, research, and conversations.
They build nuanced playbooks and frameworks. They tailor strategies for different personas, industries, and solutions.
They find relationship-building opportunities. They track events, webinars, and communities to connect with prospects.
They build authority on LinkedIn. They engage with thought leaders and post value-driven insights regularly.
They understand prospect pains deeply. They analyze strategic challenges and offer tailored solutions.
They multi-thread relationships within accounts. They connect with multiple stakeholders to ensure influence at every level.
They become a resource center for prospects. They share whitepapers, case studies, and insights to educate and build trust.
They prepare competitive landscape comparisons. They offer feature checklists to save prospects time and simplify decisions.
They partner with customers to build credibility. They co-create case studies, webinars, and stories to attract new leads.
They consistently ask for referrals. They leverage satisfied customers and partners to create warm introductions.
They map connections in the industry. They find who’s connected to who and engage thoughtfully for visibility.
They identify false positives early. They disqualify low-priority leads based on signals, saving time and effort.
They reactivate leads using historical context and buying signals. They analyze past conversations to craft narratives that reignite interest.
They add value during product demos. They showcase personalized features or tools that directly address needs.
They offer low-effort pilots prospects can’t refuse. They create short, high-impact trials with promised outcomes.
They prioritize leads from marketing and outbound. They focus on high-intent signals and nurture previously engaged prospects.
#1 They use AI to Uncover Early Buying Signals
Your competition isn’t just researching leads, they’re using AI to decode opportunities and early buying signals.
They uncover signals that point to strategic initiatives and pain points.
Tools like Revenoid supercharges this research by scanning:
Public Reports: Annual reports, press releases, and industry insights highlight strategic initiatives.
Hiring Trends: Job postings reveal where companies are investing (e.g., hiring "Cloud Engineers" signals cloud migration).
Social Media: LinkedIn updates, company announcements, and thought leadership posts.
Proprietary Data Sources: Integrates with tools like Gong, Salesforce, Outreach, etc for signals.
Example:
A software company spotted a spike in hiring for "Data Engineers" in a fintech startup. This indicated a focus on improving data infrastructure. They tailored their pitch to solve scalability challenges and booked meetings.
Many teams still lack a framework to prioritize the signals they find. Without this, they risk focusing on noise instead of actionable insights.
Top performing sales teams build a clear signal-to-action workflow. For example:
Signal → Pain Point → Value Proposition → Outreach Plan.
#2 They map signals with value props
Your competition is using AI to connect the dots between early buying signals and their product’s value.
Here’s how they’re doing it, and how you can too.
Spot the Signal:
AI scans for early buying signals like hiring trends, funding announcements, or new initiatives.Example: A company hiring for "Sustainability Analysts" signals interest in ESG initiatives.
Identify the Pain:
Match the signal to a problem the prospect is likely facing.Pain: New ESG policies mean they need compliance tools fast.
Present the Solution:
Map your product’s features to their pain point.Solution: A platform offering automated ESG compliance tracking.
Define the Outcome:
Show the prospect how your solution delivers measurable results.Outcome: Reduce compliance risks by 40% within six months.
#3 They use AI to prioritize accounts
Your competition isn’t wasting time chasing every lead.
They focus on the right ones, at the right time.
How?
By using AI to prioritize accounts based on urgency, relevance, and recent signals.
This allows them to start conversations where there’s the highest potential for impact.
AI tools like Revenoid analyze accounts and assign scores based on:
Signal Importance: Is the signal actionable and relevant? What's the order of importance?
Alignment with ICP: Does this prospect fit your ideal customer profile?
Recency: Was the signal triggered in last 24 hours, last week or last year?
This scoring system creates clear priority scores for outreach.
Your competition is using AI to track and score the following signals:
Strategic Initiative Signals:
New initiatives like “digital transformation” or “market expansion.”
Example: A healthcare company launching a telemedicine platform signals interest in SaaS healthcare tools.Growth Signals:
Rapid hiring or revenue growth indicating resource scalability.Expansion Signals:
Opening new locations, targeting new markets, or acquiring competitors.Hiring Signals:
Job postings for key roles (e.g., “Data Engineers” = data infrastructure upgrades).News Mentions:
Funding announcements, partnerships, or leadership changes.
Example
Strategic Pain → Prioritized Outreach:
A SaaS provider noticed a logistics company hiring for “Supply Chain Analysts.” AI flagged this as a top signal for operational challenges. By pitching their supply chain software, they booked a meeting in three days.
Many teams focus only on high-intent signals like whitepaper downloads. But they often ignore early-stage buying signals, which AI excels at detecting.
Your competition is closing deals faster because they’re focusing on what matters now. With AI, they know who to call, what to say, and when to say it.
#4 They use AI to craft multi-touch sequences
Your competition isn’t sending random emails or LinkedIn messages. They’re building AI-driven multi-touch sequences that engage prospects across multiple channels.
This keeps them ahead of the game.
Let’s break down how they’re doing it.
Today, prospects need 5-8 touchpoints before they respond. Your competition knows this.
They use AI to craft sequences that build awareness, generate interest, and book meetings faster than a single-channel approach.
Here’s a proven multi-touchpoint sequence your competition is using:
Day 1: Personalized Email
Subject Line: A question that grabs attention (e.g., "Struggling with scaling your [team/project]?").
Content: Reference a “strategic initiative” pain (e.g., hiring for key roles, funding news).
CTA: Offer a short call to explore solutions.
Day 3: LinkedIn DM
Reference your email: “Hi [Name], I sent an email about [pain point].”
Add value: “Here’s a [case study/whitepaper] showing how we’ve solved this before.”
Day 5: Follow-Up Email
Reiterate the pain point and why timing matters.
Highlight your unique solution and how it fits their needs.
Day 7: Call Attempt #1
Script: Focus on their “strategic initiatives” level pain point and mention the email/DM.
Personalize the conversation with historical interactions.
Day 10: LinkedIn Comment or Post
Engage with their content: Comment on a post or share something relevant.
Subtle visibility builds credibility.
Day 12: Final Email/Call Attempt
Use urgency: “Let’s align before [time-sensitive initiative like budget planning].”
Here’s how they track their sequences:
Email Open Rates: Are your subject lines grabbing attention?
Response Rates: How many touchpoints generate replies?
Meeting Booked Rate: How many sequences lead to calls or demos?
Engagement on LinkedIn: Are prospects engaging with your comments or DMs?
Many teams fail because they focus only on volume, not value.
#5 They use AI for hyper-personalized communication
Your competition isn’t sending generic emails or messages. They’re delivering hyper-personalized communication that shows prospects they’ve done their homework.
Here’s how they’re making every touchpoint feel personal—and winning more deals.
Referencing Early Signals:
They mention specific triggers like expansion, growth initiatives, hiring trends or funding rounds.Example: “I noticed you’re hiring for Cloud Architects—are you scaling your data operations?”
Recalling Past Conversations:
They follow up with continuity.Example: “In our last chat, you mentioned scaling challenges. I wanted to share a relevant case study.”
Leveraging Credible Research:
They use reports from Gartner, McKinsey, or industry leaders.Example: “Gartner predicts a 40% efficiency boost for companies adopting [solution].”
Mapping Solutions to Strategic Pains:
They connect product features to prospect challenges.Example: “Our platform reduces supply chain inefficiencies by 30%, as [Company X] achieved in 6 months.”
Sharing Proprietary Knowledge:
They offer value upfront through insights, frameworks, or playbooks.Highlighting Success Metrics:
They show measurable outcomes.Example: “We helped [Competitor] increase pipeline by 25% in 90 days.”
Example:
An SDR referenced a prospect’s recent LinkedIn post on scaling teams. The message included a relevant case study and an invitation to chat.
Result: A direct response and a meeting scheduled.
Hyper-personalized communication shows prospects you care and are paying attention. Your competition is leveraging AI to make every email, DM, and call script tailored valuable.
#6 They have built complex playbooks and custom frameworks
Your competition is using dynamic playbooks that adapt to different personas, industries, and solutions.
They are using Revenoid AI to enable playbooks that are customized to every variable. Here are some examples:
Persona-Specific Playbooks:
For CFOs: Focus on ROI, cost savings, and financial efficiency.
For CTOs: Highlight technical compatibility, scalability, and security.
Industry-Specific Playbooks:
For Healthcare: Emphasize compliance with regulations like HIPAA.
For Retail: Showcase solutions that improve customer experience and inventory management.
Solution-Specific Playbooks:
SaaS: Explain deployment speed and subscription flexibility.
Hardware: Highlight long-term ROI and ease of integration.
Each playbook includes messaging frameworks, FAQs, and objections tailored to the prospect's pain points and priorities.
Most sales AI tools lack real-time adaptability. They’re static account research or text generator tools that fail to adjust to changing prospect signals as per complex playbooks..
#7 They meet prospects wherever they hangout
Your competition isn’t waiting for prospects to come to them. They keep tracking where prospects are engaging — whether it’s industry events, LinkedIn, or niche communities.
AI tools make it easy to spot where your prospects are active:
LinkedIn Engagement:
AI monitors posts, comments, and group discussions to identify who’s talking about relevant topics.
Example: A prospect posts about attending an upcoming webinar on supply chain trends.
Event Participation:
AI scans registration lists, attendee notifications, and event hashtags for potential leads.
Example: Industry events like SaaStr or Dreamforce often list attendees publicly.
Community Activity:
Tools like Slack, Discord, or niche forums are the places for prospects to discuss and share challenges.
Example: A cybersecurity company tracks conversations in tech Slack channels to find leads.
Example:
Event Interaction → Deal Closed
A sales team noticed a key prospect attending an industry webinar. They joined, engaged with the Q&A, and followed up afterward referencing the session.
Many teams miss out on niche opportunities by focusing only on major events or LinkedIn. Smaller forums, Slack groups, and community webinars are often less crowded and highly targeted.
#8 They focus on building authority and credibility
Your competition is using AI for their social strategy and ensures they stay top-of-mind for prospects.
AI makes it easier to craft posts, engage meaningfully, and track trends:
Generating Post Ideas:
AI analyzes industry trends and prospect pain points to suggest content topics.
Example: A sales leader posts, “How are you scaling your remote teams? Here’s what I learned from working with [similar companies].”
Engaging Thought Leaders:
AI identifies trending posts from influencers and thought leaders in your space.
Sales teams comment with thoughtful insights, making their names visible.
Example: “Great point about cloud adoption challenges. We’ve seen similar issues with [specific solution].”
Here’s what they do:
Post at least 2-3 times a week on LinkedIn.
Share insights from their industry, case studies, or relevant statistics.
Comment on influencer posts 5-7 times per week to stay visible.
Highlight real-world outcomes (e.g., “We helped a retail client boost their ROI by 40%.”).
Examples
Influencer Engagement → Visibility Boost
A sales team used AI to track a post by a top industry influencer. They added a thoughtful comment about ROI metrics.
Result: The comment led to 20 profile views and a connection request from a high-value prospect.
#9 They are being more knowledgeable on prospect pains
Your competition is using AI to dig deeper into strategic initiatives and pinpoint the challenges their prospects are facing.
Sales Teams use tools like Revenoid AI to simplify what used to take hours of manual research. It helps sales teams find:
Industry Trends:
AI scans industry reports, press releases, and LinkedIn posts to identify key trends.
Example: “Retailers are focusing on improving inventory visibility in 2024.”
Strategic Initiatives:
AI flags big moves like digital transformation projects, new market expansions, or cost-cutting initiatives.
Pain Points from Public Data:
AI tools analyze signals from job postings, funding announcements, and leadership changes.
Example: A company hiring a “Data Governance Specialist” might struggle with compliance.
Your competition is closing deals faster because they understand their prospects’ strategic goals better.
#10 They Use AI for Multi-Threading
Your competition is using AI to map and engage multiple stakeholders within target accounts.
The Goal: Get buy-in from all key players—users, influencers, and decision-makers.
The Risk of Single-Threading: If the only champion leaves or changes priorities, the deal could stall—or die.
AI tools make multi-threading faster and more effective.
Here’s what your competition is doing:
Mapping the Buying Team:
AI identifies key stakeholders using LinkedIn data, CRM insights, and org charts.
It categorizes roles:
Decision-Makers: Who approves the budget.
Influencers: Who influences the decision.
End Users: Who will use the product/service.
Tracking Stakeholder Activity:
AI monitors LinkedIn activity, email responses, and past interactions to spot the most engaged stakeholders.
Tailoring Outreach to Each Role:
Personalized messaging for each stakeholder based on their priorities.
Example:
CFO: Focus on ROI and cost savings.
Operations Manager: Highlight ease of implementation.
Example:
A SaaS company identified five stakeholders in a retail account using AI. They tailored their pitch:
For the CTO: Security and integrations.
For the CFO: Cost savings of $250K annually.
For the Operations Head: Streamlined workflows.
Your competition is winning deals by building multi-threaded relationships across accounts. They use AI to identify stakeholders, engage them with tailored messaging, and build consensus faster.
#11 They become a resource center
Your competition isn’t just selling – they’re educating. They position themselves as trusted advisors by consistently sharing exclusive content that matters to prospects.
AI helps you identify the most impactful content from your organization:
White papers that solve industry pain points.
Playbooks that help prospects with best practices.
Case studies showing real-world success stories.
Example -
A SaaS sales team used AI to tailor a whitepaper for a CFO at a retail chain. The whitepaper focused on cost-cutting strategies specific to their industry.
Result: The CFO engaged with the content, leading to a follow-up call. The conversation progressed to a demo.
Prospects prefer content that’s concise, actionable, and relevant. Here’s what works:
White Papers: Deep dives into challenges and solutions.
Case Studies: Proof of success in similar companies.
Playbooks: Step-by-step guides to tackle specific problems.
Infographics: Quick, visual insights (great for LinkedIn).
Video Snippets: Short explanations of trends or solutions.
Many teams focus on sharing generic content. AI fixes this by tailoring content to each prospect’s unique challenges.
Your competition is winning trust by being a resource first and then a seller. They’re sharing curated, relevant content that solves problems and builds credibility.
#12 They keep competition landscape and feature comparison checklist handy
Your competition is winning deals by being proactive about competitive insights. They don’t wait for prospects to ask.
Instead, they come prepared with dynamic comparisons that highlight their advantages while saving prospects hours of research.
They use the following framework this to create a compelling checklist:
Identify top competitors in the prospect’s consideration set.
Map key features (focus on the ones prospects care about most).
Highlight unique differentiators (e.g., faster ROI, better customer support).
Show value over cost (not just price, but what they get for it).
Back it up with real-world examples (case studies or testimonials).
Your competition is sharing actionable comparisons that position their product as the clear choice. They save prospects time, build trust, and close deals faster.
#13 They partner and collaborate
Your competition is collaborating. They partner with customers, influencers, and industry leaders to amplify their reach and credibility.
AI helps determine where collaborations will actually help:
Webinars and Events:
For thought leadership and engaging live Q&A with prospects.
Case Studies:
To showcase measurable results and build credibility.
Interviews or Panel Discussions:
To create authentic, human connections with prospects.
Social Media Features:
Quick, engaging content (e.g., LinkedIn posts with testimonials).
Many teams focus only on big-name collaborations. But small, niche partnerships can deliver massive value, especially for targeted audiences.
Your competition is turning collaborations into lead magnets with AI. They identify the right partners, pick the best channels, and deliver stories that captivate prospects.
#14 They ask for Referrals
Referrals come with trust, credibility, and a faster sales cycle. Your competition knows this—and they’re using AI to streamline referral generation like pros.:
Monitor Customer Sentiment:
AI tools analyze Net Promoter Scores (NPS), reviews, and feedback to identify satisfied customers.
Example: Customers who rate 9/10 on an NPS survey are more likely to refer.
Track Engagement:
AI flags customers who frequently engage with your brand, like attending webinars or sharing your content.
Analyze Success Stories:
They find accounts with measurable success.
Example: A retail client who increased sales by 30% using your software is a prime referral candidate.
#15 They find common connections in Industry
In sales, who you know matters as much as what you know. Your competition is leveraging AI to map industry connections, identify warm leads, and build trust faster.
AI tools make it simple to uncover relationships that lead to warm introductions. Here’s what they track:
Social Graphs:
AI scans LinkedIn networks to identify mutual connections.
Example: A second-degree connection between a sales rep and a prospect at a target account.
CRM Data:
AI flags past interactions, like previous deals with companies in the same industry.
Conversations Across Platforms:
Tools monitor LinkedIn comments, group activity, or Slack channels to spot who’s engaging with whom.
Your competition isn’t just cold calling—they’re leveraging warm introductions to open doors faster. AI helps them map connections, engage thoughtfully, and create credibility before the first meeting.
#16 They keep looking for False Positives
Your competition isn’t wasting time chasing dead-end leads. They’re using AI to identify false positives early, ensuring their focus stays on accounts likely to convert.
AI helps spot them by analyzing signals like:
Acquisition Talks:
Companies in acquisition discussions are often not in a position to buy.
Misaligned Goals:
A prospect’s priorities don’t align with your solution’s value proposition.
Example: A startup focused on growth likely won’t prioritize a cost-saving tool.
Budget Constraints:
Public reports or signals indicating restricted budgets or cost-cutting measures.
#17 They look for Historical Context to reactivate leads
Your competition is using AI to analyze historical conversations and craft personalized narratives that reignite interest.
AI tools dive into your email threads, call recordings, and CRM notes to uncover hidden opportunities. Here’s what they do:
Identify Patterns:
AI scans conversations for recurring themes, such as challenges or objectives.
Example: "You mentioned scaling your team last year. Is that still a priority?"
Highlight Unresolved Pain Points:
It flags issues the prospect mentioned but never solved.
Recall Timing and Context:
AI tracks when the last interaction occurred and what was discussed.
Example: A stalled conversation from 8 months ago might resurface if the prospect’s situation has changed.
#18 They create value for prospects in Product Demos
Your competition is turning product walkthroughs into “aha moments” that drive faster closes.
Your competition uses AI to make demos not just a walkthrough but an interactive experience. Here’s how they do it:
Analyze Prospect Pain Points:
AI identifies top concerns based on signals like industry challenges or previous conversations.
Pick One Core Feature:
Focus on a feature that directly addresses the prospect’s challenge.
Example: If churn is an issue, show how your platform improves customer retention.
Many sales teams rely on static, generic demos that don’t address specific pain points. This leaves prospects disengaged and uninterested.
Your competition is closing faster because they’re delivering value upfront in demos.
#19 They figure out a Low-Effort Pilot that prospects can’t say NO to
Your competition is designing short, impactful pilots that prove value quickly. These pilots address key prospect outcomes, reduce risk, and build confidence in their solution.
Your competition uses a structured approach to ensure pilots are impactful and achievable. Here’s their framework:
Define the Goal:
Identify one or two critical outcomes the prospect needs to validate.
Example: "Reduce manual reporting time by 20%."
Focus on a Single Feature:
Choose one core feature that aligns with their priority.
Set a Short Timeline:
Keep it tight—3 to 4 weeks to avoid commitment fatigue.
Provide Support:
Assign a dedicated resource for onboarding and troubleshooting.
Measure Success:
Define success metrics upfront and track them throughout the pilot.
Example -
A SaaS company offered a 3-week AI pilot to a logistics provider.
Focus: Reduce operational costs by automating route planning.
Process: AI-generated reports highlighted inefficiencies and recommended optimized routes.
Outcome: The pilot saved 15% in operational costs, giving the prospect confidence to commit to a full rollout.
Your competition is winning deals by offering low-effort, high-impact pilots that deliver measurable outcomes.
#20 They prioritize leads from Marketing and Cold Outbound
Your competition is using AI to prioritize leads with laser precision. They’re focusing their energy on the ones most likely to convert—leaving no time wasted on lukewarm opportunities.
AI evaluates leads based on a mix of behavioral and intent signals. Here’s what it tracks:
Early Buying Signals:
Strategic pain points like growth initiatives, leadership changes, or market expansion.
Example: A prospect posting about digital transformation on LinkedIn.
High-Intent Actions:
Actions that indicate readiness, such as:
Downloading a whitepaper.
Attending a webinar.
Requesting a demo.
Engagement History:
AI tracks previous interactions (emails opened, links clicked, or calls attended).
How Revenoid Can Help
Your competition isn’t just working harder—they’re working smarter with tools like Revenoid.
Here’s how Revenoid can transform your sales workflow into a highly efficient, results-driven machine.
Revenoid integrates the strategies we’ve been talking about into one seamless platform. Here’s what makes it powerful:
Signal Detection:
Revenoid identifies early buying signals, such as:
Strategic initiatives (e.g., expansion, funding rounds).
Example: Spotting a CFO's LinkedIn post about operational inefficiencies and flagging them for outreach.
Lead Prioritization:
Automatically scores and ranks leads based on urgency, intent, and ICP fit.
Categorizes leads and scores – so you know exactly where to focus.
Custom Sequence Generation:
Creates multi-touchpoint outreach campaigns tailored to each prospect’s pain points.
Includes emails, LinkedIn messages, call scripts, and follow-up sequences.
Multi-Threaded Outreach:
Maps stakeholders across accounts and helps engage decision-makers, influencers, and end-users.
Ensures no single relationship stalls your deal progress.
Would you like to evaluate “Revenoid AI” for enabling your custom sales sequences? Book a meeting on the button below.
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