Before I start, I wrote this myself and use ChatGPT to edit. I like the long dashes [em dashes] and will leave them. AI has, from an editing point of view, been the biggest help. I can write and get my words out, but AI makes it more digestible.
Top of the funnel is what sales and marketing usually worry about. But there’s another challenge coming — yes, the perceived AI problem. My belief is that the volume of noise is only going to grow, and the top of the funnel will get very crowded. It’s easier than ever to create content, and we cannot walk away from it — it’s good. So how do you navigate this quagmire of stuff and stand out?
That said, remember the basic marketing axiom:
- 3% are active buyers
- 7% know they have an issue but aren’t looking
- 30% have an issue but aren’t aware
- And for various reasons — from having the issue solved, to being happy where they are, to simply not liking you — 60% will never buy.
Focus on the 40%
We all tend to focus on the 3%, but now the change should be to focus on the whole 40% — identifying them and getting ahead of the curve. If the top of the funnel (the 3%) is going to be harder to access and far more expensive, then what can you do?
There are three things you can do:
- Get yourself set up for AI optimisation (GEO)
- Optimise lead generation methods that aren’t impacted by AI
- Manage your existing contacts and new leads far more effectively than you do now
I’m not saying stop your top-of-the-funnel model, but I am saying that when you get a lead, your nurturing model should be built for a 10-year window, not the current 3 months until it’s dropped as “not buying now.”
AI Optimisation and GEO
Full disclosure — and it did a good job — I pulled this from ChatGPT. I’m not an expert in this area, but then again, who is? We’re all learning.
“GEO is about optimising your website or content so AI tools like ChatGPT choose it when generating answers. A small business can do this by creating clear, well-structured, trustworthy content that directly answers likely customer questions in natural, conversational language.”
Basically, it means you need real content out there that AI can pick up and recognise as you. It’s going to become a skill just like SEO, and we all need to get ahead of it. It comes back to content.
Optimise Lead Generation Methods AI Can’t Touch
This is good news for me — I love lead generation. And guess what this means? Back to old-fashioned methods of engaging with the market. Out goes SEO (ish), and in comes good old-fashioned outbound lead generation.
What I mean by this is:
- Networking
- Events
- Groups that own closed databases
- Partners
- Centres of Influence
- Existing clients
- Cold calling
- Chambers of Commerce
These channels are AI-proof. They are outbound, meaning you control the volume and quality. The caveat is how well you manage the teams that engage in them. This play will be marketing-driven moving forward, tracking:
- Volume
- Quality
- Conversion to meetings
- Meeting-to-revenue conversion
- Ongoing nurture activities
This may sound simple, but a much more structured plan to manage these areas is critical. From a marketing perspective, you can’t drop the ball. From a sales management perspective, you must nail this.
👉 For a deeper dive on this topic, read Key Differences Between Inbound and Outbound Lead Generation
Managing and Nurturing Every Contact as if They Are GOLD or Diamonds
Every contact will be precious. Every valuable contact should be nurtured — and done the right way.
The existing framework often looks like this:
- Lead comes in
- Someone actions it… eventually
- It’s BANTed — the most destructive acronym in sales and marketing. I really, really hate BANT as a concept. Drives the wrong behaviours — sales-centric, not client-centric. If it’s the right person, right company, and could buy in the next 10 years, that’s enough. BANT should be banned.
- Maybe a junior reaches out — but it should be a senior. Every sales rep can do eight 15-minute calls a week. That’s only 2 hours.
- Often, this doesn’t happen. If BANT fails, the contact gets binned, tagged wrong, and forgotten.
- If lucky, it gets a monthly email.
- And then… good night Vienna.
A Better Approach
Instead:
- Make sure the initial engagement is fast, efficient, and caring
- Tag and nurture contacts correctly to maximise relationship potential
What should happen:
- Use a tool to assess the person, company, location, and potential instantly
- Speak to them immediately — in minutes, not hours or days
- Book a meeting with a smart, well-trained, non-BANT salesperson
- Follow a proper sales process: intro → discovery → collaboration → proposal → negotiation → client
- Assess after every interaction
- Build a nurture model relevant to them
- Involve sales and marketing together
- Build strong content and engagement models
- Have a clear system for managing and tracking
👉 If you’re rethinking how you handle lead and contact management, check out this guide to How to Optimize Your CRM for Better Lead Management
Staying Front of Mind
No matter the source — inbound, AI, networking, referral — you need real engagement to stay front of mind. AI will change how you do this by helping you be more relevant.
How to do this:
- Content plan
- Asset-building plan
- Nurture plan
- Sales and marketing accountability
- Real engagement with the right people
A. Content: video, white papers, articles, posts
B. Assets: closed AI platforms, courses, in-house events, webinars, subject matter experts, salespeople, technical teams
C. Nurture plan: categorise each person and design interaction models
D. Accountability: data-driven engagement model
E. Real engagements: personal touchpoints by sales/technical teams, coordinated by marketing
A, B, and C Contacts
- A: High value, high potential. Track and grade constantly. Frequent meetings, coffees, lunches, referrals, training courses, webinars, invites. Never drop them.
- B: Mid value, mid potential. Same as A but less face-to-face — maybe coffee once a year, plus all other engagement.
- C: Low value, low potential. Webinars, emails, access to assets. Keep them in your world and reassess — they may move up.
I know you should be doing this — but in 10 years, I haven’t seen a company that does it consistently. Why? Because it was hard. Now, with AI, we can.
What AI Lets You Do
- Create or edit content
- Create or edit video
- Build learning courses
- Track and manage salespeople
- Map your base
- Research contacts
- Interact instantly
- Track and manage engagement data
What Now
- Map your lead management
- Map your contact base
- Build an A, B, C nurture model
- Create the right content and interaction model
- Train your teams
- Set KPIs for senior and junior staff
- Execute for six months and assess
- Rebuild and go again
- Keep it going
Moving forward, your database is your biggest asset and should be nurtured properly — in a non-transactional way. Sales needs to be doing outbound lead generation more effectively. From a marketing point of view, this is an untapped channel for you that costs very little.
You need to assess your model. Sitting down and doing a full review is the key. If you have salespeople, have product-market fit, and want to have a chat — feel free to reach out and let’s get on a call.
Ultimately, doing a full assessment is the next step, and we’re happy to work with you on this — or give you a template to follow.
FAQ: AI and Lead Generation
What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?
GEO is about optimising your content so AI tools recognise it when generating responses. That means clear, well‑structured, trustworthy content answering likely customer questions in natural, conversational language.
Which lead generation channels are ‘AI‑proof’?
Channels such as networking, events, partners, referrals, cold calling, and closed database groups are less affected by automated content volume. They rely on human relationships and active outreach.
How should I nurture leads in an AI‑crowded funnel?
Treat every contact as precious. Tag them, engage quickly, use non‑transactional touchpoints, involve both sales and marketing, build long‑term nurturing models rather than relying on short windows.