The Rise of Agentic AI in Sales Enablement

Share

Contents:

  • What’s Plaguing B2B Tech Sales?
  • What is Agentic AI?
  • Examples of Agentic AI in Sales Enablement
  • The rise of the Go-to-Market engineer in Sales enablement
  • What capabilities are sales enablement teams focusing on?

What’s Plaguing B2B Tech Sales?

Sales enablement leaders in tech services and digital transformation face complex challenges, especially when driving growth in mid-sized companies. A major focus is equipping sales teams to connect meaningfully with C-level buyers, who demand insights that go beyond technical features and align with broader business goals. According to IDC, only 39% of sales reps feel proficient at engaging buyers at this strategic level.

Leaders are thus prioritizing advanced training and value-driven methodologies, with many investing in AI-driven tools to provide contextual insights that resonate with executive personas. Additionally, there is a critical need for seamless alignment between marketing, product, and sales functions to drive personalized, targeted engagements that foster long-term relationships within complex B2B sales cycles.

Agentic AI tools support these goals by adapting in real-time to client interactions, giving sales teams strategic intelligence to adjust messaging and stay relevant across varied buying contexts.

What is Agentic AI?

In short—Speed Wins!

In sales and marketing, speed is essential, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how organizations engage with prospects and customers. AI in sales has streamlined operations, enhanced decision-making, and enabled Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) and Account Development Representatives (ADRs) to automate repetitive tasks, optimize lead generation, and personalize outreach.

This automation driven by sales enablement enables SDRs and ADRs to focus on client-facing tasks, building meaningful relationships, and driving revenue growth. This shift is so transformative that the titles SDR and ADR are evolving, with “Go-to-Market Engineer” emerging as a new role dedicated to managing AI tools. Go-to-Market Engineer is now the new name for what was called INSIDE Sales.

While conventional AI automates straightforward tasks, it lacks the nuanced understanding required for complex scenarios. Agentic AI fills this gap by enabling autonomous decision-making and strategic planning, marking the next step in AI’s evolution.

In this article, we’ll explore how agentic AI enhances SDRs and ADRs' effectiveness, the rise of the Go-to market engineer and what tools are being adopted to navigate modern sales complexities with increased agility and impact.

How is Agentic AI Different from Conventional AI?

Agentic AI is a more advanced form of AI, offering higher autonomy and decision-making capability than traditional AI, which primarily automates repetitive tasks. Agentic AI can engage in complex interactions and strategic planning by processing data in real time and adapting to dynamic circumstances with minimal human intervention. This table compares the two:

How is Agentic AI Different from Conventional AI

Examples of Agentic AI Tools

For inside sales, account management, and business development, Agentic AI can handle much of the routine outreach, lead qualification, and initial customer interactions, allowing human workers to focus on complex, high-value activities.

1. Enhanced Lead Generation & Qualification: Tools like ZoomInfo and Clearbit use enriched databases and algorithms to prioritize high-potential leads, ensuring SDRs and ADRs engage with the best prospects.

2. Personalization at Scale: Platforms such as Outreach and Drift empower sales teams to personalize outreach. Outreach refines customer engagement strategies based on ongoing interactions, while Drift automates personalized content creation.

3. Predictive Analytics: Tools like ZoomInfo provide insights that help optimize outreach strategies, suggesting the best times, channels, and messages likely to resonate with specific prospects.

4. AI in Sales Coaching: Research shows 84% of B2B buyers buy from sellers who demonstrate deep understanding. Agentic AI is revolutionizing sales coaching, helping personalize demos, sales pitches, and negotiations. Tools like Skwill AI provide coaching on qualifying prospects, pitching, and interacting with multiple stakeholders based on insights into buyer personas.

Here are more examples of Agentic AI tools which are being leveraged by companies globally to boost seller performance and productivity.

  • Skwill.ai offers an AI-powered sales coaching platform that helps sales professionals improve their performance by providing personalized guidance as well as insight on their clients. By delivering tailored client insight, Skwill aims to increase user engagement, optimize productivity, and drive measurable outcomes in sales effectiveness.
  • Regie.ai: Automates the creation of personalized sales content, enabling sales teams to run highly targeted campaigns at scale.
  • AiSDR: Specializes in automating SDR tasks, from lead generation to follow-up, helping sales teams increase efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Artisan: Provides a comprehensive AI-driven sales platform that adapts to each customer interaction, offering real-time guidance and insights to sales teams.
  • 11x.ai: Focuses on AI-powered lead scoring and prioritization, ensuring that sales teams focus on the leads most likely to convert.
  • Salesforce Einstein: Utilizes machine learning to provide predictive analytics and automate various sales processes, enhancing lead scoring and customer insights.
  • Conversica: Offers an AI-driven assistant that engages leads through email and SMS, following up autonomously and nurturing relationships until they are ready to engage with a human sales representative.
  • Chorus.ai: Analyzes sales calls and meetings to provide insights into customer interactions, helping sales teams understand what works and what doesn’t, thus improving future engagements.
  • Zia by Zoho CRM: An AI assistant that helps sales teams by providing insights, automating tasks, and predicting sales trends based on data analysis.
  • PandaDoc: Uses AI to streamline the document creation process, automatically generating proposals and contracts based on templates and previous interactions, which helps sales teams close deals faster.
  • InsideSales.com: Leverages AI to optimize sales outreach, providing recommendations on when and how to contact leads based on historical data and predictive analytics.

The rise of the Go-to-Market engineer in Sales enablement (or the rebirth of Inside Sales)

To effectively leverage AI in sales processes, organizations need a dedicated Go-to-Market Engineer (formerly known as Inside Sales) to manage and optimize AI tools.

ROI Formula

ROI = (Revenue Increase + Time Savings) / Cost of Hiring
  • Revenue Increase: Improved lead quality, conversion rates, and personalized outreach.
  • Time Savings: Automating repetitive tasks, streamlined lead generation, and optimized strategies through predictive analytics.
  • Cost of Hiring: Salary, training, and subscriptions for AI tools.

Hiring a skilled Go-to-Market Engineer can lead to revenue growth and significant time savings, resulting in a positive ROI.

Skills for Go-to-Market Engineers: Focus on capability building by Sales Enablement

This role converges many skills previously held in siloed positions, requiring Go-to-Market Engineers to have expertise beyond traditional B2B selling. Sales enablement teams should increasingly place focus on developing key skills which are required to win in the market:

1. Sales Mastery: Understanding both the art and science of selling.

2. Copywriting Skills: Ability to write prompts and leverage AI to create impactful messages.

3. Marketing Insights: Knowledge of marketing principles to drive engagement.

4. Understanding Human Nature: Ability to relate and influence effectively.

5. Cognitive Bias Knowledge: Recognizing biases to improve decision-making.

6. Neuropsychology Awareness: Understanding thought processes and behaviors.

7. Emotional Triggers Expertise: Using emotional cues to motivate.

8. Physical Wellness: Maintaining energy and focus through regular exercise.

9. Sales Tools Proficiency: Mastering modern sales tech to streamline workflows.

10. Individual Brand Building: Developing a strong personal brand to build trust.

Additionally, here is a guide on what Skwill AI coaches believe are the top seller skills for 2025 and beyond.

The emergence of agentic AI is reshaping the roles of Go-To-Market Engineer is a key trend for sales enablement charters. As these technologies take on more complex tasks, the focus for human sales professionals shifts towards strategic relationship building and closing deals.

The new designation of "Go-to-Market Engineer" reflects this shift, emphasizing the need for individuals who can manage and optimize these advanced AI tools effectively.

Conclusion

The rise of agentic AI is core to sales enablement and reshaping the role of Go-to-Market Engineers, allowing human sales professionals to focus on relationship building and deal closures. Agentic AI enables meaningful interactions, improving sales performance, customer satisfaction, and competitiveness in the market. As AI continues to evolve, it becomes a vital ally, enhancing creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking in sales.

Book a Demo with Skwill to learn more about how Agentic AI can empower sales enablement and inside sales with an AI Sales Coach.

About the Author:

David Lane is the founder and executive director of Fast Lane Computing, trusted partner for sales coaching, business management and executive services. He is an accomplished global leader with a strong track record of surpassing business growth goals. He successfully established and expanded technology enterprises, driving sales and professional services organizations in North America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and European markets. David was previously the CEO and General Manager of FUJIFILM CodeBlue Australia, CCO of The Red Flag Group and Vice President Strategic Accounts at Gartner.

Build Better Websites Faster.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent diam nulla, hendrerit finibus leo nec, hendrerit malesuada erat. Phasellus magna magna, rutrum vitae mattis sit amet, maximus ut metus. Curabitur semper dolor sed mattis malesuada. Proin sit amet massa in erat dictum tincidunt.

Praesent at quam nibh. Nullam ultricies, augue ac pellentesque viverra, quam ante tincidunt nunc, sit amet vulputate mi tellus vel elit. Donec dictum et dui eu commodo. Quisque sit amet fringilla nibh. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent diam nulla, hendrerit finibus leo nec, hendrerit malesuada erat. Phasellus magna magna, rutrum vitae mattis

Follow us on