AI Isn’t Coming for Your Sales Job, But Neglecting Your People Might
Everyone’s panicking about AI taking over sales, but the truth is simple: AI can automate tasks, not relationships. Here’s how to protect your career (and get better at selling) by tapping into the most underrated asset you already have—your humans.
AI Is Powerful…But It’s Not Coming for Your Sales Role Anytime Soon
Everyone seems very eager to declare that robots are taking over. Headlines. Think pieces. The guy at the bar who recently discovered ChatGPT.
But I’m here with some fantastic news: AI will never take your sales job.
Not in 2025. Not in 2055. Not even when we all have self-driving hover-minivans.
The reason? Sales is still (and always will be) built on one irreplaceable skill: human connection.
See, sales has always been a delightful mashup of 50% art and 50% science. Sure, the science side is having its moment—AI tools like ChatGPT, Apollo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and HubSpot are absolute powerhouses when used well. They help you research, write, prospect, automate, and scale like never before.
But the art? The art is what keeps you employed. The art is what keeps you in demand. The art is what keeps you from being replaced by a well-dressed robot named Carl.
So if you want to future-proof your sales job, build your edge where AI can’t touch you: relationships.
Want to Protect Your Sales Job? Become a Sales Artist.
Let’s do something a little dark for a moment (stick with me). If you died tomorrow, how many people would come to your funeral?
Yes, it’s a strange sales lesson. No, I will not apologize.
The late Joe Girard, Guinness-certified “World’s Greatest Salesman," coined something called the Law of 250. His idea was simple: the average person has a circle of about 250 people who would show up to their funeral.
In sales terms?
You’re walking around with a warm network of 250 potential advocates who already know you, like you, and trust you.
And they are massively underutilized. Let’s fix that.
How to Activate Your Law of 250 (Without Being Weird About It)
1. Make sure they know what you actually do
Shocking news: people cannot refer business to you if they have no idea who your ideal client is or what you sell.
Be clear. Be specific. Tell your people how they can help you, because most of them want to help, they just don’t know how.
2. Ask for help (yes, out loud)
Working a deal and see that a prospect is connected to one of your “funeral 250” on LinkedIn? Ask for a warm introduction.
When someone who trusts you says, “Hey, you should talk to them, they’re the real deal,” that is relationship selling gold. AI can’t replicate that level of credibility.
3. Nurture your 250 like your career depends on it (it does)
- Check in occasionally.
- Send a birthday text.
- Forward an article.
- Make an intro for them.
Being someone who remembers people isn’t soft, it’s strategic. The ROI of making people feel seen is outrageous.
The Human Advantage AI Cannot Learn
This idea ties beautifully into Malcolm Gladwell’s Law of the Few from The Tipping Point. According to Gladwell, influential people fall into three groups:
Connectors – the ones who seem to know everyone in every industry
Mavens – the ones who collect knowledge like it’s treasure
Salesmen – the ones who persuade with ease and confidence
And here’s the fun part:
You might be one of these types. You might be all three.
And that blend of influence + trust + humanity? AI. Cannot. Replicate. It.
This is the competitive edge that will keep you relevant, valuable, and highly employable no matter how advanced the sales tech stack becomes.
The Real Future of Sales? Humans Who Use AI Well.
The future of sales is not “AI replacing humans.” It’s “humans who know how to leverage AI out-performing everyone else.”
Use AI for the science. Show up for the art. And double down on the relationships that make your pipeline warm before you ever pick up the phone.
Moral of the Story
If you want to protect your sales job in 2025 and beyond, stop worrying about AI replacing you. Start reconnecting with your humans. Sales will always be a relationship game.
Play it well, play it intentionally, and play it like only a human can.
Ready to Become Unreplaceable? Your Next Step Starts Here.
Whether you want to turn your “Middle Six” into consistent wins or sharpen your human-to-human selling skills, here are two powerful ways to level up:
👉 Join our Sales Boot Camp
Learn the art + science of modern selling, strengthen your relationship skills, and become the salesperson AI wishes it could be.
👉 Grab The Smart Seller’s Playbook
A practical, no-fluff guide to selling with strategy, clarity, and confidence.
Your future sales success? Still 100% human-powered, and waiting for you.
About Lisa Proeber
Lisa Proeber is the force behind The Middle Six®. With more than 20 years of high-performing sales experience, she brings a breadth and depth of knowledge to her solo venture. The Middle Six® is not a gatekeeper; it opens the gates for anybody to learn how to succeed at sales. Sales is not a dirty word; it's equal parts art and science, starting from the bottom up. Ready to become a salesperson with a roadmap in hand? Join us, and let's make waves together.
