How AI Is Changing the Way Marketing Converts Leads
Blog based an interview with Shawn Mills of Pisteyo
AI isn't just changing how we work—it’s changing how we go to market. In this episode of Never GTM Alone, Shawn Mills, CEO of Pisteyo, joins Rick Currier to talk about how AI is reshaping the B2B funnel—especially in how companies qualify, nurture, and convert leads. In this blog, we break down the key takeaways from that conversation and how GTM teams can start applying AI more meaningfully today.
AI is everywhere—but for many GTM teams, it still feels more like hype than help. According to Shawn, the key to unlocking AI’s value isn’t about choosing the flashiest tool. It’s about choosing the right use case.
In our conversation, he shared how AI pilots that start with a clear objective—reducing manual effort, increasing sales velocity, or summarizing complex data—are the ones that drive adoption and create real impact.
Teaching Teams to Prompt Like Pros
One surprising takeaway? Prompting isn’t just for power users—it’s quickly becoming a core skillset across functions.
Shawn emphasized that the teams seeing the most success with AI aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets. They’re the ones that know how to ask better questions. Whether it's marketers using prompts to shape messaging or sales teams prepping for calls, the ability to interact with AI effectively is quickly becoming a competitive advantage.
Start Small, Scale Fast
For companies unsure where to begin, Shawn recommends starting small. Don’t overengineer a solution—identify a time-consuming task (like building a call deck, reviewing a contract, or drafting a job description) and automate just that. The goal isn’t to “do AI”—it’s to save time and prove value.
One example he shared: using AI to summarize a 400-page contract into bullet points that executives can actually act on. Simple, but transformative.
It’s Not Just the Tech—It’s the Culture
While the tools are advancing fast, Shawn points out that AI adoption is often a culture problem, not a tech one. Fear, uncertainty, and lack of clarity can all hold teams back. That’s why education and transparency matter just as much as tooling. And in his view, mid-sized companies have a unique advantage: they can move faster and adopt smarter without the friction of enterprise bureaucracy.
Final Takeaway
AI isn’t about replacing marketers or sellers—it’s about augmenting them. As Shawn puts it, “the person using AI will replace the person who isn’t.” The smartest GTM teams aren’t waiting for perfect answers—they’re experimenting, learning, and moving fast to get closer to close.
