5 Things I’ve Learned From the World's Best Sellers

Every sales team faces the same brutal math: more pipeline, less time, and quotas that only go up. If you're still manually logging activities, chasing down leads, and drowning in admin work, you're fighting with one hand tied behind your back.

The best sellers in the world have figured out something the rest of us are just catching on to — they're not working harder, they're working smarter. They've built systems that multiply their efforts and free them to do what only humans can do: build relationships and close deals.

My journey to find the faces behind these legends has led me from the unexplored depths of cryptocurrency sales to Silicon Valley's fastest-growing tech companies. To sellers with $11M quotas, closets full of luxury watches, and walls of golden plaques chiseled with their names.

Speaking with them has unraveled a wealth of knowledge and revealed untold secrets to sales success.

I'm Karli Stone and these are the five things I've learned from the best sellers in the world.

What is sales automation?

Let's cut to the chase. Sales automation isn't about replacing sellers with robots. It's about giving them superpowers. Think of it as a strategy for using technology to handle the repetitive, time-consuming tasks that clog up a seller's day — so they can spend more time actually selling.

It's the secret behind how the best sellers seem to be everywhere at once. They're not working 24/7; they've just built a system that works for them. From sending follow-up emails to logging activities in a CRM, automation takes care of the grunt work, freeing you up to focus on what humans do best: building relationships and closing deals.

Why the best sellers automate everything they can

The best salespeople in the world are more productive than humanly possible.

When Nick Sanschagrin, Head of Sales at ChainStack, told me he sends between 2,000-3,000 outbound emails every two weeks — I didn't believe him either.

"From cold emailing, I've met with 350 different prospects in the last six months, which translated to nearly one million dollars in net new revenue last year," he told me all too casually.

His million-dollar strategy? Automating everything.

"I like to think 'How can I multiply Nick and reduce the effort that goes into getting a good output'."

Nick does a bit of his own research, schedules up to 500 personalized emails a day for the next two weeks, clicks a button, and voila!

He has time to focus on more "human" activities while the prospecting is done for him.

John Barrows, CEO of Sell Better by JB and trainer of over 100k sales reps, sees a sales future that's completely automated.

But more from what I learned from John later…

The biggest benefits of sales automation

So, why should you care? Because automating your sales process isn't just about saving time — it's about making more money. Here's how:

• Boost productivity: Stop wasting hours on data entry and admin tasks. Let automation handle it so you can focus on high-value activities that actually generate revenue.
• Never drop the ball: Automated sequences ensure every lead gets consistent, timely follow-up. No more prospects slipping through the cracks because you got busy.
• Make smarter decisions: With every action tracked automatically, you get clean, reliable data. This means better insights into what's working, so you can double down on your most effective strategies.
• Scale your success: Automation allows you to replicate the actions of your top performers across the entire team, lifting everyone's game.

Tasks that should be automated in every sales process

Wondering where to start? You don't have to automate everything overnight. The best sellers focus on automating the most tedious tasks first. Here are a few no-brainers:

• Lead routing: Automatically assign new leads to the right salesperson based on territory, industry, or company size.
• Email and follow-up sequences: Create multi-step outreach campaigns that run on their own, nurturing prospects until they're ready to talk.
• Data entry: Sync your sales tools to automatically log calls, emails, and meetings in your CRM. Say goodbye to manual updates.
• Meeting scheduling: Eliminate the back-and-forth of finding a time to meet. Send a link and let prospects book a slot that works for them.

How sales automation works with your marketing team

Sales automation doesn't live on an island. It's the ultimate partner to marketing automation, creating a seamless journey for your buyers. When marketing generates a lead, sales automation can instantly pick it up, score it, and enroll it in the right outreach sequence.

This alignment means faster response times, a smoother handoff between teams, and a unified view of every prospect interaction. No more sales complaining about lead quality or marketing wondering what happened to their MQLs. It's one team, one process, and one goal: revenue.

Customer-obsessed sellers use automation to focus on relationships

You've heard it a million times…

"Put the customer first!"

The general consensus will tell you this means pinpointing customer problems, asking relevant questions, and listening to the client's needs.

Which is all fine and dandy, but for the best sellers in the world, these are just the table stakes.

Care and attention for the customer run deeper.

Megan Wilson, Global Client Lead at Palo Alto Networks (now selling at Cloudflare), devotes every ounce of her energy to creating premier buying experiences for her customers.

So much so that she hits her 8-figure quota without ever having to glance at how she's pacing.

Megan goes above and beyond by:

• Building end-to-end product plans that work back from her customer's end goal
• Pushing back on superiors when they rush agreed-upon timelines
• Hopping on a plane to buy her clients a beer and sit down face-to-face
• And genuinely treating her customers like she would a friend

In this way, sellers become trusted consultants and valued partners.

Start automating your sales process today

The world's best sellers aren't superhuman; they're just smarter about how they spend their time. They let technology handle the repetitive work so they can focus on building relationships, solving problems, and closing bigger deals. Sales automation is no longer a luxury — it's the engine of modern, high-performing sales teams.

Ready to build your own sales engine? With Apollo, you can find your ideal buyers, automate your outreach, and manage your entire pipeline from a single platform. Get Started for free and see what you can achieve when you put your sales process on autopilot.

Frequently asked questions about sales automation

What's the difference between CRM and sales automation?

Think of it this way: a CRM is your address book, and sales automation is your personal assistant. A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system stores all your customer data. Sales automation tools use that data to perform actions, like sending emails, scheduling tasks, and updating records, without you having to lift a finger.

What's the best automated sales tool?

While there are many point solutions, the best tool is an all-in-one platform that combines a high-quality B2B database with powerful automation features. A platform like Apollo allows you to find, contact, and manage your leads within a single system, eliminating the need to stitch together multiple tools and ensuring your data is always accurate and actionable.

How much does sales automation typically cost?

Costs can vary widely, from affordable per-user subscriptions for all-in-one platforms to expensive enterprise solutions. The key is to find a tool that provides a clear return on investment. Many platforms, including Apollo, offer free tiers so you can experience the benefits of automation before committing to a paid plan.