One of our clients recently said something that stopped me in my tracks:
“We’ve moved to a meet me go-to-market strategy.”

While the rest of the market is firing out AI-generated spam pretending to offer “value,” they’ve realised something far more powerful, buyers want to meet you, not be marketed to

A “meet me go-to-market” is where buyers are drawn to you because you’ve earned their attention

They see you and your team as centres of insight, education, and humanity

Some might call that a personal brand, a term that used to sound “fluffy” but is now backed by hard data

Matthew Dixon, co-author of The Challenger Sale, found in his book The Jolt Effect that 56% of deals lost to customer indecision could have been won if the salesperson had a strong personal brand

His conclusion came from analysing 2.5 million sales interactions

Then came research from Cranfield University and the Institute of Sales Professionals

They not only defined what buyers want in sellers but connected personal branding directly to business success

Their findings weren’t surprising, we look for the same qualities in sellers as we do in doctors or mechanics: credibility, capability, and above all, trust.

And now, Kerry Cunningham from 6sense has added even more weight
He explains that:

“Buyers pick the ultimate winner during the Selection Phase 77% of the time, before they even talk to sales. You have to win the deal prior to buyer-seller conversations.”

But here’s the twist:

  • 23% of deals still change after seller engagement

  • And 42% of buyers say their preference changed during the sales process, even when the final choice didn’t

In short, sellers still have influence, if they have a personal brand that earns trust and keeps them in the conversation

Your sales team must be visible, connected, and trusted long before buyers are “in market.”

Don’t expect marketing to do this for you, buyers build relationships with people, not logos

If you’re not on the shortlist early, you’re already behind

But if your salespeople have personal brands, they can hoover up the deals your competitors lose

Kerry Cunningham sums it up perfectly:

“Our sellers are brand assets. The relationships they develop, even in deal cycles they lose, could make or break future quarters.”

Conclusion:
In an AI-saturated world, your biggest differentiator isn’t automation, it’s authenticity

The “meet me go-to-market” is your path to building real human connection and future-proofing your sales organisation

Because when buyers want to meet you, not mute you, you’ve already won