The Sales Automation Dream vs. Reality
A few days ago, I spoke with a founder in the U.S.
He was interested in my services as a fractional VP of Sales, and we had a great discussion about sales automation.
At one point, he said something that stood out:
"I'm looking to automate the interaction between our prospects and sales team as much as possible."
That statement caught my attention, so I asked a few follow-up questions to understand what he meant.
His vision? A fully automated system where:
Lead generation happens through Clay, AI SDRs.
Once a lead enters HubSpot, an automated cold caller and email sequence engage them.
Only after qualification would the sales team step in for discovery calls.
At first glance, this sounds like an ideal setup.
If it works as expected, it will be a dream come true - automation will handle all the repetitive, manual tasks.
While the human effort is focused only on high-value interactions like discovery, demos, and closing.
But here's the real question: Does this work in practice?
The Reality of Sales Automation
Suppose you've been around sales long enough.
In that case, you've probably noticed that while fully automating outbound sales is appealing, executing it successfully at scale is another story.
I asked this founder if he knew of any companies that had repeatedly successfully run this exact playbook.
He didn't, and neither do I.
I see gurus on LinkedIn talking about automating everything in B2B sales daily.
Still, I haven't seen any setups or successful ones.
AI SDRs (real) success stories? None.
Even among my network, friends, and partners specializing in automation and Clay experts, no one has consistently delivered clean, ready-to-call MQLs without significant investment.
A fully automated setup like this is almost impossible to sustain unless you're willing to spend upwards of €10K/month on tools and consultancy.
Still, after that, you have to run great discovery calls, give stellar demos, and close the deal.
So, What's the Angle?
The key takeaway is that you can't automate everything, or at the very least, you shouldn't start with full automation.
Many teams make the mistake of trying to remove human judgment too early in the process.
Tools like Clay, Apollo, ZoomInfo, and Lusha can help get the lists.
Yes, AI can assist in outreach.
But actual sales is more than sequences and automation - it requires strategy, intuition, and critical thinking.
Here's what I recommend instead:
Use automation to enhance, not replace, your SDRs.
SDRs shouldn't just rely on AI-driven lead lists.
They need to research, understand their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), and learn the nuances of their accounts before reaching out.
This is not wasted time; it's part of the qualification process. Build your lists manually first.
Have your SDRs manually curate lists before plugging everything into an automated workflow.
Let them identify patterns, spot flaws, and refine their outreach strategy.
Only then should you start automating.
Use signals for more intelligent targeting.
Instead of blasting emails and calls to random contacts, look for triggers that indicate interest:
Job changes (someone just became a decision-maker).
Website visits (U.S. only, but still powerful).
Engagement with your content (LinkedIn activity, event attendance, etc.).
When you build a high-quality list based on these signals, verify emails and phone numbers, and then pass that list to your SDRs - you're setting them up for success.
Outbound Is Still a Human Game
It's worth noting that even Clay, the hottest outbound automation tool, has been shifting away from outbound itself.
Why? Because outbound is tough. No magic AI SDR will do all the work for you.
If you're in a B2B sales-led motion, fully automating your sales process will not work right now.
In high-ticket, sales-led motions, human connection still wins.
Now, if you're selling something like a €10/month restaurant subscription, you might be able to get away with more automation.
But for complex B2B sales?
You need SDRs who think, analyze, and engage strategically.
And, of course, you need AEs that do the same.
Automate the Right Way
So, instead of chasing a fully automated dream, start manually, refine your ICP, and then layer in automation.
Use automation where it makes sense:
to enrich data
speed up processes
remove repetitive task
But let your SDRs do their best: build relationships, understand prospects, and close deals.
Do this, and you'll have a system that works and scales correctly.
Thanks for reading this far. I will see you all next week.
