On a recent airline ride, I was snooping the person sitting next to me as she prepared for a job interview. WOW! She was using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool (Chat GPT) to learn about not only the company she was applying to but about the interviewer as well. Dang, I thought. What an amazing tool that would be for the promotional professional to prospect for clients, learn about their markets, and become a better problem solver. It also made me feel very old as I thought of the trade publications, library research and multitude of questions that I would dig into finding answers for in order to have meaningful opening conversations with the companies I wanted to do business with.
In today’s competitive marketplace, sales professionals must be efficient and strategic in their prospecting efforts. ChatGPT (one of many great AI tools available to you) is a powerful tool that can help you gather key insights, identify decision-makers, and craft more effective outreach strategies. Whether you’re new to AI or looking to enhance your sales process, learn how to use these tools for sales prospecting in the promotional products industry and never make another COLD call.
AI tools can streamline your research, saving time while providing valuable data. It can help you:
Identify potential decision-makers within a company
Finding the right person to contact is crucial. Use AI tools to generate a list of potential roles that may be responsible for promotional product purchasing:
Prompt Example: “Who in a company is typically responsible for purchasing promotional products and organizing trade show events?” You can then refine your search by asking it how to find specific individuals on LinkedIn or a company’s website.
Research upcoming trade shows and events
Knowing what trade shows a company exhibits at helps you understand their marketing strategy.
Prompt Example: “What are the major trade shows for [industry] in 2025?” You can follow up by asking for details about a specific company’s presence at these events.
Analyze a company's competitors
Understanding a company’s competitive landscape will allow you to tailor your pitch.
Prompt Example: “Who are the top competitors of [company name] in the [industry] space?” AI can also help analyze a company’s market positioning, strengths, and potential gaps in their promotional strategy.
Discover past successful promotions
Learning from past campaigns can give you insights into what resonates with a company’s audience.
Prompt Example: “What are some successful promotional campaigns for companies in the [industry]?”
Understand industry trends and challenges
Every company has unique challenges. AI tools can help you identify industry pain points that your products can solve.
Prompt Example: “What are the biggest marketing challenges facing [industry] companies today?”
Improve outreach messaging and engagement. Craft more effective marketing.
Once you have your research, you can use your favorite AI tool to draft personalized emails or LinkedIn messages.
Prompt Example: “Write a persuasive cold email to [job title] at [company name] offering promotional product solutions for their upcoming trade show.”Remember there are some best practices to keep in mind any time you are using Chat GPT, Claude or other AI assistants.
Verify Information: While an AI tool is a great starting point, always cross-check facts from credible sources.
Be Specific: The more details you provide in your prompts, the better the results.
Iterate and Refine: If the first response isn’t perfect, tweak your prompt and ask follow-up questions.
Use Multiple Data Sources: Combine ChatGPT insights with LinkedIn, company websites, and industry reports.
Artificial Intelligence is a game-changer for sales prospecting, enabling you to gather insights quickly and improve your outreach. By leveraging AI, you can work smarter, not harder, making you a more effective salesperson, problem solver, and marketer.
Start experimenting with these prompts today, and watch your sales prospecting efforts become more targeted and efficient!
Paul Kiewiet MAS+ is an industry speaker, writer, consultant and coach. Kiewiet was inducted into the PPAI Hall of Fame and the MiPPA Hall of Fame. He served as Chairman of PPAI in 2007. A former distributor, he founded Promotion Concepts, Inc in 1982 and worked with some of America’s most valuable brands including Coca-Cola, Kelloggs, and Whirlpool.