AI Shortens B2B Sales Cycles By 1 Week

A brand new report exhibits that B2B gross sales groups more and more use AI to enhance effectivity and shut offers.

Commissioned by LinkedIn and performed by Ipsos, the survey included 1,250 gross sales professionals and located that AI is now a key a part of gross sales practices.

Right here’s what entrepreneurs have to know.

AI Adoption on the Rise

88% of gross sales professionals use AI weekly, and 56% use it day by day. This development displays modifications within the gross sales area, the place groups should handle complicated shopping for processes.

Karin Kimbrough, LinkedIn’s Chief Economist, notes that corporations utilizing AI acquire a aggressive benefit.

“Firms integrating AI are gaining a aggressive edge,” says Kimbrough within the report. “Groups that don’t embrace AI will fall behind.”

Microsoft’s Way forward for Work report additionally exhibits that gross sales professionals see vital productiveness will increase from AI.

Key Drivers Of Funding

98% of gross sales executives plan to take a position extra in AI this yr. They’ll give attention to:

1. Gross sales intelligence
2. Gross sales enablement
3. AI-powered CRM instruments

Methodology Word:
Ipsos surveyed gross sales professionals in the USA, the UK, Germany, Australia, India, and Singapore, specializing in mid-market (200–999 staff) and enterprise (1,000+ staff) sectors spanning tech, finance, manufacturing, skilled providers, and different industries.

High Three Affect Areas

Sellers exceeding their targets are 2.5 occasions extra seemingly to make use of AI day by day than these not assembly their targets.

Researchers discovered three important methods AI improves gross sales:

1. Discovering Leads
   1. 38% say AI helps to establish leads sooner and extra precisely.
   2. Sellers save at the very least 1.5 hours weekly utilizing AI for lead analysis.
2. Customized Messages
   1. AI instruments allow sooner and extra tailor-made outreach campaigns.
   2. Sellers utilizing AI noticed a 28% improve in responses.
3. Gross sales Effectivity
   1. AI streamlines information entry and scheduling in CRM techniques.
   2. Almost 69% of sellers say AI shortens their gross sales cycle by about one week and helps them shut extra offers.

Trying Forward

Dan Shapero, LinkedIn COO, advises corporations to “begin small” and give attention to delivering rapid wins as a basis for long-term AI adoption.

This strategy resonates with the rising variety of gross sales executives (39%) who really feel “extremely assured” about their readiness for future challenges.

In sensible phrases, gross sales groups can start by:

• Automating routine duties like updating CRM data or lead qualification.
• Leveraging real-time insights for focused outreach (e.g., monitoring job modifications or firm information).
• Experimenting with generative AI to craft extra partaking prospect messages.
• Frequently coaching groups on new instruments to cut back resistance and clean adoption.

Dan Shapero, COO at LinkedIn, states:

“It’s too early to know what your AI technique is. I believe the query you ask your self is, “What’s my AI win?”. What’s the one factor that I can do with my workforce proper now that’s going to create worth over the following six months? As a result of the world is altering so rapidly, it’s one among these moments to begin small, to go huge over time.”

For extra insights, see the total report.

Featured Picture: Screenshot from Linkedin ROI of AI report, March 2025.