66. 10,000 AI Conversations vs. One Human One: Which WIns?

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Wilkinson — life sciences marketer turned AI strategy partner, Visiting Fellow at Cranfield School of Management, and board member at the Association of Key Account Management. Matt brings a sharp lens to the challenges of sales and marketing alignment, the rise of AI in B2B, and what it really takes to create customers in today’s environment.

We cover a wide range of topics, from why account-based approaches are so powerful when done right, to how culture inside organizations shapes buying behavior, to the shifting role of brand and trust in an AI-driven world.

Some key takeaways from our conversation:

• Sales + Marketing must share the same North Star. Vanity metrics and siloed KPIs create friction instead of customers.

• Account-based strategy works best when sales and marketing co-create it. Alignment starts with shared target accounts, shared narratives, and shared wins.

• AI is rewriting the buying journey. Buyers come to conversations armed with custom, AI-generated insights — which means sellers need a point of view, not just information.

• Brand still matters. Even in a digital-first, bot-enabled world, strong brands reduce perceived risk and influence decisions.

• Know your customer deeply. Visit them, learn their culture, and align your story to their mission — whether that’s patient outcomes, revenue growth, or reducing risk.

• Trust and human connection win. Efficiency is not effectiveness; one meaningful, risk-reducing conversation beats 10,000 shallow ones.

Matt’s blend of academic insight, practical experience, and stories (yes, even about coffee makers!) makes this a conversation packed with perspective for anyone navigating modern B2B sales and marketing.

🎧 Give it a listen — and let me know what resonates with you.

#sales #marketing #AI #accountbasedmarketing #thoughtsonselling