Are People Who Aren't Interested in Others the Strongest? Grassroots Sales Techniques in the AI Era
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Why "grassroots sales" skills shine in the AI era
The future is just around the corner where AI will rapidly integrate into our daily lives and many jobs will be automated. In such a turbulent era, what exactly is it that only humans can do?
I am currently based in Nagano Prefecture, working as an AI training instructor and promoting a wonderful service called "Otetsutabi," which connects regions struggling with labor shortages to people who want to be deeply involved with those areas. Through this work, I have come to realize something acutely. It is that in the AI era, the skills of extremely analog and gritty "grassroots sales" hold tremendous value.
For some reason, I am quite good at this kind of grassroots sales, and it doesn't bother me. Today, I would like to talk about the strengths of humans that AI can never imitate, while delving into the reasons why.
The human power to break through "walls" that AI can never imitate
The term "grassroots sales" might carry an image of being somewhat anachronistic and inefficient. Approaching total strangers one after another and repeatedly conveying the value of your service. It is a world where it is normal to approach 100 people and be coldly rejected 99 times.
You might think, why not just have AI do this? In fact, there are services where AI makes automated calls. However, imagine this. If an inorganic AI operator kept talking to you, saying, "Please let me introduce this service to you," would you feel like listening seriously? Most people would probably feel, "I don't care what an AI says..." and hang up immediately.
There exists an invisible but decisive "wall of trust" between humans and AI.
If AI robots were to have the exact same personality and emotions as humans, like in the world of "PLUTO" that we saw recently, things might be different. However, with current technology at least, AI cannot become "human." That is precisely why we are not moved when a robot or AI suddenly visits us.
"If my job is taken by AI like this, what will be left for me...?"
It is precisely because such anxieties are crossing our minds now that the unique human power to break through this "wall of trust" stands out. It can be said to be enthusiasm, sincerity, and human-ness itself, which cannot be measured by logic or efficiency alone.
Why I don't get discouraged by 99 rejections
I myself have been deeply immersed in the field of grassroots sales, where this "human power" is tested.
When I first started my company, I approached many people via X (formerly Twitter) DMs to promote my coaching service. I continued to convey the value of my service to every single person I met at events.
After I started working as an AI training instructor in Nagano, I switched to even more analog methods. I would ride a folding bicycle around town, visiting companies one by one and asking, "Are you interested in AI?" I would make calls to set up appointments and then head there on my bike. I spent two or three months doing that recklessly.
And now, in my "Otetsutabi" activities, I continue to approach hotels and inns in regional areas one by one based on a list.
Why can I continue such mentally tough activities without any trouble? When I analyze it in my own way, two major reasons have become clear.
One, which might be considered a bit surprising, is that I am "not overly interested in people".
This does not mean being a "cold person." It can be rephrased as having "low empathy in a good way." You don't overthink things like "What if this person hates me?" or "What if I make a bad impression and hurt their feelings?" when you are out making sales calls.
People who are too sensitive to others' feelings are not suited for cold calling. If you were to be deeply hurt every time 99 out of 100 people rejected you by saying they don't need your product, your heart wouldn't be able to take it. This trait of mine functions as a "shield" that minimizes the mental damage from negative reactions from others. This trait, which I sometimes feel is a weak point, turns into my greatest weapon here.
And another reason is my inherent "positive thought process".
Even if harsh words are thrown at me, I can immediately shift my mindset, thinking, "Well, that happens sometimes" or "It just wasn't meant to be." I don't dwell on a single failure and move on to the next one immediately. This speed of switching ensures a high volume of activity, which eventually leads to that one single "success."
Your "weakness" will become your "greatest weapon" in the AI era
Some of you reading this article right now may have a vague anxiety that your job might disappear due to AI.
"I don't have any special skills, so what should I do from now on...?"
If you feel that way, try looking at the parts of yourself that you consider "weaknesses" or "shortcomings."
Perhaps you have a bit of "insensitivity to others' feelings" like I do. Or maybe you are "not very good at reading the room." Such traits, which seem negative at first glance, have the potential to turn into your "strengths" in unexpected ways in the coming era.
In particular, what companies are desperate for is "talent that can create the very first point of contact." No matter how excellent a product or service may be, nothing begins without an encounter with a customer. This gritty process of "turning 0 into 1" is the area AI is worst at, and it is the place where humans can provide the most value.
If you have the mentality to knock on new doors without hesitation, unafraid of being rejected, that is a very rare and highly valued skill in the AI era.
The times are changing surely and rapidly. Rediscovering your own unique value amidst the waves of change and turning it into a weapon—having such a perspective might be a major hint for surviving in the coming era.
The AI revolution is not just a technological innovation.
It is approaching your daily life in steps as a "shock comparable to the Meiji Restoration or the Industrial Revolution" that overturns the foundations of the social system, far deeper than the Internet revolution.
Already in the US tech industry, over 130,000 white-collar workers have lost their jobs due to AI, and in Japanese society, the meaning of the position of "white-collar regular employee" is changing from the ground up.
Why will your job not be "fired" but "melt away"? In such a world, "what will you live for"?
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