e002- " Can AI drive intimacy with Customers?" | Ed Bilat with Russell Scherwin, Chief Marketing Officer at IBM Watson Commerce

Leading commerce strategy, sales, marketing, and consulting teams for over 20 years, Russell has worked with hundreds of organizations in shaping go-to-market strategies and execution plans. With a passion for technology’s socio-economic impact, Russell is known for expertly fusing economics, strategy, humor, and leadership into a deeply relevant, and entertaining message.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE:

• How Russell made the unlikely move from software engineer into sales
• Why all sales are transitioning into the Consulting mode
• Why Maximizing outcome while Minimizing effort is the only thing that matters
• How can you use AI to drive intimacy with Customers?
• How does storytelling help drive sales in digital commerce
• Why did Carhartt’s sales (a U.S.-based apparel company founded in 1889) skyrocket after “Interstellar” movie release
• What is the Game Changer for online selling today?
• What challenges are facing many of today’s sales leaders
• What does the Art of Storytelling mean to Russell Scherwin?
• SHOW NOTES [00:31] Intro and Our Guest’s profile [01:28] Welcome Russell Scherwin [01:35] GPS analogy [02:22] Vast sales experience [04:28] Software Engineer going into Sales? [05:04] Personal motivation [05:08] Transitioning to the Consulting model [06:05] Mistakes people make in sales [06:28] Qualification and time management [09:23] Maximizing outcome while Minimizing effort [09:41] Learning to depend on other people [09:59] How to build great teams [10:40] Why the Technology industry? [11:38] Why AI? [12:34] Using AI to drive intimacy with Customers [17:19] Sequencing products with the consumer’s want [17:26] How AI functions in the modern day commerce space [19:01] How Storytelling helps sales [22:20] Leadership circle [22:45] Learning from others [23:08] “Trust but Verify” [23:22] How to Hire great people [23:46] Factors that make up an A-player [24:54] Suit profile to the type of market [26:11] Intellectual curiosity [25:59] What does the Art of Storytelling mean to Russell? [27:54] Contact information [28:30] Outro
• WAYS TO CONTACT RUSSELL:
• IBM Website
• LinkedIn