Dear Soul-o-Preneur,

Let's have an honest conversation about your sales process.

It's the heartbeat of your business, and it's probably where a lot of your energy goes. But it can also feel like a relentless drain with all the sorting through leads, writing proposals, chasing follow-ups, and trying to make sense of all the data. I know what it's like to stare at a never-ending to-do list and wonder how you're supposed to grow your business when the basics take up so much of your time.

What if you could hand off the stress while holding onto the results?

This is where AI can work for you. When used strategically, tools like ChatGPT and automations can take care of the tedious work in your sales process, freeing you to focus on what you do best: building relationships, closing deals, and growing your business.

But before we dive into the "how," let's start with something that can not be skipped.

Start Here: Map Out Your Sales Process First

Before you even think about introducing AI into your sales process, you need to know exactly how your sales process works.

I can't stress this enough:

AI isn't magic. It's a tool.

And tools are only as effective as the systems they're built to support.  If your sales process is unclear (or nonexistent), you'll end up wasting money on fancy tools that won't work because there's no clear structure for them to fit into.

Why This Matters:

• You avoid wasting money.  AI tools and automations can be expensive. When you map your process first, you'll know exactly what you need—and skip the rest.

• You'll see results faster.  With a clear picture of where AI fits in, implementation feels seamless, not chaotic.

• You work smarter, not harder.  Mapping your process gives you clarity, so you can focus on refining, not scrambling.

Here's How to Map Your Sales Process:

1. Use a tool like Whimsical.  Whimsical's AI integration allows you to type or even voice your process as raw text, and it turns that into a clean, professional map.

2. Break it down step by step.  Start from the first moment a lead finds you (a social post, a referral, a cold email) and follow the journey all the way through to the sale. Be thorough—include outreach, follow-ups, meetings, proposals, and more.

3. Look for gaps.  Does a certain part of the process take forever? Are you losing leads at a particular step? Mapping shows you where you can improve.

4. Decide where AI fits.  Once your process is clear, it's easier to pinpoint the repetitive or admin-heavy tasks where automation can step in.

Mapping your process might feel tedious at first, but trust me, it's the foundation for everything that follows.

Technique 1: Build a Custom AI Agent to Personalize Your Outreach

Let's talk about the first step in most sales processes: reaching out to leads.

If you've ever hesitated to send that first email because it felt overwhelming to research each lead or because you didn't know what to say, AI can be your secret weapon.

Think about this:

You want your email to feel thoughtful, like you took the time to learn about their business and challenges—but you also don't want to spend hours on research. A custom AI agent can do all of that for you.

Here's How It Works:

A custom AI agent can gather details about your prospect like their website, LinkedIn profile, or recent achievements and craft a personalized email that feels like you spent hours writing it.

Why This Works:

• Personalized emails stand out.  People notice when you've done your homework. AI can help you create emails that feel personal and intentional.

• You focus on connection.  Instead of getting bogged down in research, you can spend your time connecting with leads and building relationships.

How to Get Started:

1. Work with a developer or use a tool to build an AI agent that collects relevant prospect information.

2. Teach it your voice by uploading sample emails you've written.

3. Review the drafts the agent creates before they're sent to ensure they align with your style.

4. Automate the process, scheduling the agent to run regularly so you're always ahead on outreach.

With this system in place, your emails will make every lead feel like you've taken the time to truly understand them—and that kind of connection is priceless.

Technique 2: Use AI to Qualify Leads Without Wasting Time

Let's dig a little deeper into lead qualification.

Imagine you're spending your day jumping on calls, only to realize that half the people you're talking to aren't ready to buy—or worse, they aren't a fit at all. It's frustrating, right?

AI can be your gatekeeper, filtering out the leads who aren't a good fit and freeing you to focus on the ones who are.

Why This Works:

• It saves you time.  You're no longer wasting hours on dead-end conversations.

• It keeps leads engaged.  Even while you're busy, your AI assistant is gathering the information you need to decide who's worth pursuing.

Here's How to Do It:

1. Create a simple qualification framework.  Think about the questions you'd ask on a discovery call, like, "What's your budget?" or "What's your biggest challenge?"

2. Use an AI chat assistant to engage with leads right on your website or via email.

3. Review the AI's summary of responses to prioritize the leads who are serious about moving forward.

By the time you step into the conversation, you'll already know that the lead is ready to work with you.

Technique 3: Automate Follow-Ups Without Losing the Personal Touch

Here's something you might not realize: most leads don't buy right away.  In fact, it often takes multiple follow-ups before someone is ready to say yes.

The problem?

Keeping track of all those follow-ups can feel like juggling ten plates at once. AI makes it easy by automating your follow-up process—without making it feel robotic.

What if the scenario looked like this:

A lead reached out a week ago and you sent a proposal. Now it's time to follow up, but the thought of crafting the perfect email feels overwhelming. With AI, your follow-up is already written, personalized, and ready to send.

Why This Works:

• Consistency builds trust.  No lead falls through the cracks.

• The email feels human.  With AI's personalization, your follow-ups will always feel like they're coming from you.

Here's How to Set It Up:

1. Organize your leads in a CRM or spreadsheet.

2. Write templates for different stages of the follow-up process.

3. Use AI to send personalized messages based on each lead's status.

4. Monitor responses and jump in when the lead is ready for a conversation.

With consistent, thoughtful follow-ups, you're showing your leads that you value their time—and that's what makes them choose you.

Technique 4: Speed Up Proposal Creation with AI

Writing proposals is one of those tasks that always seems to take longer than it should.  You know how important they are, but the back-and-forth of structuring, formatting, and customizing can eat up hours you'd rather spend doing literally anything else.

AI can turn this into a seamless, quick process while still delivering a polished, professional proposal that leaves your leads impressed.

Let's Look at the Problem:

Picture this: You just finished a discovery call with an exciting potential client. The ideas are fresh, the enthusiasm is there, but now you're staring at a blank screen, trying to turn your notes into a proposal.

What if AI could take those notes and turn them into a draft proposal in minutes, leaving you to refine the finer details?

Why This Works:

• You impress with speed.  Sending a proposal quickly shows you're on top of things and eager to deliver.

• It eliminates the guesswork.  AI handles the structure, so you can focus on making it personal and compelling.

• You free up valuable time.  No more late nights staring at a proposal template.

Here's How to Do It:

1. After your discovery call, jot down detailed notes about the client's needs, challenges, and goals.

2. Input those notes into an AI tool designed for proposal creation. These tools can generate a client-specific proposal based on your notes and preferences.

3. Review and personalize the draft. This is your opportunity to add those finishing touches that make the proposal feel unique and tailored.

4. Send the proposal quickly (ideally within 24 hours of your meeting) so your client knows you're invested in their success.

When you can send a polished, professional proposal fast, you stay at the top of your client's mind, increasing the chances of closing the sale.

Technique 5: Use AI to Reconnect with Past Leads

Every business has a list of "almost clients." You know, the ones who were interested but didn't quite commit.  Maybe the timing wasn't right.  Maybe they got busy.  Or maybe they just needed more time to think.

Whatever the reason, those "almost clients" are sitting on untapped potential.  And AI can help you re-engage with them in a way that feels thoughtful and natural—without taking up hours of your time.

Why This Matters:

• It revives opportunities.  Reconnecting with warm leads is easier and less expensive than finding brand-new ones.

• It keeps your pipeline full.  Even if they weren't ready before, circumstances may have changed.

• It shows you care.  Thoughtful follow-ups demonstrate that you're invested in building long-term relationships.

Here's How to Do It:

1. Pull your list of past leads.  Look for potential clients who showed genuine interest in your services but didn't sign up with you.

2. Use AI to draft personalized re-engagement messages.  AI can reference details from your previous interactions, making the message feel personal and relevant. For example:

   • "Hi [Name], I remember we talked last year about [specific problem or goal]. I've been thinking about how [solution] could still be a great fit for your needs—are you open to reconnecting?"

3. Offer something new.  Share an updated offer, a new service, or even a piece of free value (like a checklist or guide) to reignite their interest.

4. Track the responses.  AI can help you monitor replies and prioritize follow-ups with the people who are ready to move forward.

Sometimes all it takes is a little nudge or a thoughtful message at the right time to turn a "not yet" into a "yes."

Here’s the thing:

Your time and energy are too precious to waste on the tasks that AI can handle for you. By automating the repetitive, time-consuming parts of your sales process, you're giving yourself the gift of space

Space to focus on what truly matters: building connections, serving your clients, and living a life that feels good to you.

This isn't about working harder. It's about working smarter.

It's about trusting the systems you create to work for you, so you can reclaim your time, your energy, and your peace of mind.

Ready to simplify your sales process and focus on what you love most?

Let's make it happen. Book an AI + Automation Discovery Call with me, and we'll figure out how to make these techniques work for your unique business.

The next sale is closer than you think, so let's get you there.

I'm sure we'll talk soon,

Your Silent Supporter,

A'Tondra Jones