In a recent LinkedIn post, Sheriff Shahen discusses the often-overlooked challenge in outbound sales: the intensive preparation required before making a single call. Shahen, who recently transitioned to a Mid-Market AE role after a decade in sales, highlights that the true difficulty lies not in the dialing itself, but in the crucial hour of account research that precedes it.
Shahen outlines the traditional, time-consuming process:
“Pull the list. Check the CRM for who touched them last. Read the profile. Find the hiring signal. Work out which of the three problems actually applies to them. Then write an opener that sounds like I know something. Do that properly for 20 accounts and the morning is gone.”
The Prep Problem in Outbound Sales
Shahen argues that this extensive preparation is the “tax” every salesperson must pay before being allowed to engage with prospects. He emphasizes that rushing this phase leads to ineffective outreach, becoming the very type of cold call sales professionals often criticize. This meticulous research, he points out, consumes a significant portion of the morning, leaving less time for actual selling activities.
The core of Shahen’s argument is that outbound success is fundamentally a preparation problem, not a talent deficit. He states:
“Outbound in most teams was never a talent problem. It was a prep problem, and prep is the work nobody ever had the hours for.”
Leveraging AI for Enhanced Sales Preparation
To tackle this challenge, Shahen introduced an AI employee named Viktor into his workflow. Viktor, integrated via Slack, is designed to perform the heavy lifting of account research. Shahen explains the process:
“I drop a target account list in a channel. He pulls the research, reads the CRM history, checks what the buyer has actually been posting, and comes back with a brief per account. The signal. The angle. The opener. Who to call first.”
A critical condition for Shahen was maintaining oversight. He clarifies:
“I read it. I fix what he got wrong. Then I dial. Nothing goes out without me approving it. That was my condition and it is the part I would not give up.”
This AI-assisted approach allows Shahen to dedicate his time to refining the insights and strategizing, rather than getting bogged down in data gathering. He believes this is the future of effective outbound sales.
The Future of Outbound: Knowledge Over Volume
Shahen concludes by predicting that the sales representatives who will thrive in the coming years will be those who prioritize knowledge and preparedness over sheer call volume. The ability to enter each conversation with a deep understanding of the prospect’s situation, as facilitated by AI-driven preparation, will be the key differentiator.
He poses a direct question to his audience, prompting reflection on their own sales processes: “How much of your week goes on prep before you are allowed to sell?” Shahen suggests Viktor.com as a resource to help address this “prep problem,” noting that new users receive $100 in credits to start.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Sheriff Shahen on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on September 4, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →