From Joe
Chris and I used some AI from the start, but our strategy led it. We learnt each tool by hand before connecting it to Claude, very gradually, which makes a big difference.
Six months in, we use so much more because we've built our business brain. We capture everything we do, every conversation, every bit of feedback, and learn from every win and mistake so it keeps compounding. We trust it because it's supported by our ideas and hard graft, and building it has been a game changer. But it's our strategy leading the tool, not the other way round.
We really encourage this with every client we work with. In this issue, we go deeper into where process actually starts.
The lesson
01Strategy first, then the tools
Now is better than ever, because if you're good at building strategy, the tooling can take it to another level. But the most important word in all of that is strategy. You have to have the strategy and the process, and then utilise the tools to fulfil that.
There are so many quick win type solutions out there now that promise lots of leads or a cheat to find your next client. Perhaps one of these works, who knows? But if you can sit down and plan your strategy and then bring the tooling in, you're much more likely to win.
If you're dependent on AI to tell you who your ICP is or to write your copy for you rather than support you in writing copy, you're in big trouble. You'll sound like everyone else. I use Claude across my sales process every day, but it has never sent a reply to a buyer.
02Quality before quantity
I don't know about you, but I get so much through LinkedIn connection and then bang, pitch.
By not pitching, yeah, most people won't respond to you. That's the nature of sales, but you're just letting people know who you are. Try to show a bit of value with that person and then you leave it as that. Have a couple of touch points and leave it. Sales needs consistency, but you can't do the quantity without the quality. Quality is the most important word. The tools help you do a quantity, but the quality is down to you and what you put into that tool.
03Get to know the business first
Strategy is the key to success in sales, and it's not a one fits all. There are some commonalities, but you really need to get to know a business before you can start to strategise.
So we do a deep dive with any client that we work with: a couple of face-to-face or virtual sessions, talking through the business, looking through all of the data, and then starting to plan out some processes to really bring that strategy forwards. Then we start looking at the tooling that can complement that and take things to the next level.
There's some amazing tooling out there, and I'll be showing a lot more about the tooling that we're using over the coming weeks and months.
Steal this
The one-page tool check
1. Who do you sell to, in your own words, not AI's? 2. Why would they talk to you right now? 3. What does your first touch say, with no pitch? 4. What happens after someone replies, and who does it? 5. What will this tool do that you can't do by hand today?
Why it works
- If you can't answer these five clearly on paper, software will only automate confusion.
- The tools should fulfil an existing strategy, not attempt to create one for you.
Use it whenyou're about to buy or switch on a new sales tool. Answer all five on a single sheet of paper first.
How we can help
AI only delivers when your strategy leads the tool. Two ways we can help:
If you're running a sales team and don't feel you're using AI enough, we'll show you how.
Book a free 30-minute call: jumplead.io/review (opens in a new tab)
Or grab 10 free leads for your ideal customer, emails and UK mobiles included. Tell us who you sell to, and we find 10 people who fit. Each comes with a why-now and a first line. Every email is checked, UK mobiles are screened against TPS and CTPS, and a person checks every list. Free, no card, no call needed. UK only.
Get your 10 free leads: jumplead.io/free-leads (opens in a new tab)
Joe StoneCo-founder, JumpLead
I Love Sales
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