What Sales Teams Are Saying

Five Current Trends Every Leader Should Know

As I reviewed pre-assessment surveys from several new groups starting our sales training program, I noticed many sellers are struggling with the same things.

Across industries, the themes were nearly identical showing just how complex selling has become. Their comments revealed the real challenges they face each day and what they believe would make the biggest difference in their success.

1. Objection Handling and Closing: The Everyday Hurdle

Across every client base, objection handling surfaced as the most common challenge.

Salespeople often encounter prospects who are satisfied with current suppliers or hesitant to commit. They want practical, repeatable techniques to navigate those moments and move the conversation forward with confidence.

This is not about charm or simply having a quick response to the objection. Butler Street’s program helps sellers apply proven frameworks that reframe resistance and create new paths to partnership.

2. Prospecting and Cold Calling: The Reluctant Constant

Prospecting remains a universal pain point, ranking among the top needs year after year.

From planning outreach to maintaining cadence, many salespeople admit that consistency is difficult to sustain. They value structure that makes prospecting more strategic and repeatable.

Butler Street strengthens these efforts through AI integration. The AI Coach is trained in best-in-class Butler Street approaches and each client’s unique value propositions, helping sellers generate personalized, buyer-aligned messages that improve response rates.

3. Communication and Relationship Building: From Vendor to Partner

Respondents repeatedly described a desire to elevate conversations from transactional to advisory.

They want to ask better questions, listen more intentionally, and connect solutions to what matters most for their clients.

These communication skills are at the heart of consultative selling. Butler Street’s approach helps salespeople move from pitching to problem-solving and value creation, transforming interactions into opportunities to build trust and long-term relationships.

4. High-Value Activity Planning: Doing More of What Moves the Needle

Sales professionals consistently cited the challenge of balancing selling activities with administrative tasks.

The issue is not lack of effort but focus and traditional time-management tactics are not enough.

High-value activity planning helps sellers identify which actions drive the greatest impact and protect that time. It shifts from checking boxes to executing activities that truly move opportunities forward.

Doing what matters most is more important than just doing more. Hubspot reports sellers only spend 30% of their time selling and the rest is spent on administrative tasks. Butler Street's AI Coaches help reduce the time spent on transactional tasks leaving more time to build relationships and do what they do best...  sell.

5. Technology and AI: Tools That Empower, Not Overwhelm

Technology continues to evolve at record speed, and sales teams are eager to embrace it.

Most respondents view AI and automation as enhancers rather than replacements but need guidance on how to apply these tools effectively.

Butler Street’s programs emphasize practical adoption, showing sellers how to use AI to personalize outreach, streamline research, and automate routine work while maintaining authenticity. The goal is to empower people, not overwhelm them with tools.

What This Means for Leaders

Across all experience levels, salespeople are aligned in what they want: structure, consistency, coaching, and tools that make selling more human. These insights reinforce the value of enablement programs that blend training, technology, and leadership alignment.

What People Say After Working with Butler Street

Both new and experienced sales professionals and leaders consistently describe Butler Street’s program as transformative, not just informative.

“LOVED the info and training with the AI Coach and use it every day! Emails, messages, voicemails… all with a better message that speaks to my prospect’s operating reality. It’s been a total game-changer to be able to role practice with and identify how best to move my deals forward.”— Sr. Business Development Manager

“From a leadership standpoint, getting my team aligned to one process and methodology is exactly why this experience is so valuable. Many takeaways will help us continue to build an elite team.”— Vice President of Sales

These comments echo what we see across post-training surveys. Participants value the structure, tools, and real-world application that make Butler Street’s approach stick. The result is a shift in both mindset and behavior: sellers prospect with purpose, handle objections with confidence, plan high-value activities, and build stronger relationships. When teams receive practical frameworks, clear expectations, and guided AI-enabled support, they not only perform better, but they also sustain their success over time.

Contact us to see how it can help your team too.