In 2026, the gap between good reps and top reps
In 2026, the gap between good reps and top reps will not be effort. It will be how they use AI across the entire deal cycle.
Right now, 72% of a salesperson’s time is spent on non selling tasks, according to Gong Labs.
Admin. CRM updates. Internal notes. Follow ups.
That shadow job does not just waste time. It fragments the deal.
Most teams use AI to write emails faster. That is surface level.
Top reps use AI from first signal to signed contract.
Before the first touch, they track signals. Job changes. Budget shifts. Hiring slowdowns.
Outreach is built on context, not templates.
Before discovery, they map the account. Who owns budget. Who influences. Where power quietly sits.
They enter calls with a point of view, not a script.
After every call, they review patterns. Talk ratio. Objection themes. Champion strength.
Mid cycle, they build the business case early. Cost of inaction. Internal slides for champions. Metrics tied to executive priorities.
Before negotiation, they review discount patterns and procurement friction.
Nothing is left to memory. Nothing is based on feel.
Here is what that changes.
Forecasts tighten. Late stage surprises drop. Discounting falls because value was built upstream.
If a deal collapses at the end, the risk was missed at the beginning.
AI is not a writing tool.
It is deal clarity from first signal to signature.
The teams who build that discipline across every stage will quietly outgrow the ones still selling on instinct.
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