Sales Rewired: Technology, Talent, and Tomorrow's Strategy

Season 2, Episode 2

Sales has always been about relationships—but today, those relationships are filtered through data, platforms, and tech tools. Buyers often arrive more informed than ever, armed with research before they even speak to a salesperson. What does modern selling look like in this new environment? Which technologies are truly transforming engagement, and which ones are just hype? And how do sales professionals prepare for a future that’s fast, digital, and constantly evolving?

In this episode of AMS Illuminations, host Brad Carlson sits down with Dr. Raj Agnihotri, Raisbeck Endowed Dean, Morrill Professor, and Mary Warner Professor of Marketing at Iowa State University’s Ivy College of Business. A global authority on sales technology and co-author of ABCs of Relationship Selling, Raj shares insights on digital mediation, social selling, AI, and the enduring importance of human connection.

The conversation ranges from practical lessons on LinkedIn and automation to the bigger shifts shaping sales education, training, and practice. Raj also reflects on what sales teams worldwide can learn from cultural differences in technology adoption and why networking remains the true currency of sales. For students, educators, and practitioners alike, this episode offers a candid look at the skills, strategies, and mindset needed to succeed in tomorrow’s sales landscape.

Episode Guests:

Raj Agnihotri

Dr. Raj Agnihotri is the Raisbeck Endowed Dean, Morrill Professor, and Mary Warner Professor of Marketing at the Ivy College of Business at Iowa State University. A leading authority on digital mediation in sales, he has published more than 80 scholarly articles, including several in FT-50 journals. His research on sales technology and relational selling has shaped both academic thinking and corporate practice worldwide. Dr. Agnihotri is co-author of ABCs of Relationship Selling (McGraw Hill, 14th edition), a widely adopted global text used in sales classrooms and training programs across four international versions. He has also worked extensively with executives and sales teams through consulting and training engagements with organizations such as PwC, Microsoft, Cleveland Clinic, Vermeer, and Wipro. His expertise spans social media in B2B sales, salesforce training, and sales enablement, making him a sought-after scholar, educator, and advisor in the evolving world of sales.

Brad D. Carlson, Ph.D., Host

Brad D. Carlson, Ph.D., is a professor and James J. Pierson Endowed Chair in Marketing in the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University, as well as the current president of the Academy of Marketing Science. Renowned for his exemplary teaching, research, and service, Brad has earned numerous accolades throughout his career. His research, which has appeared in prominent journals, including the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, focuses on practical and theoretical aspects of marketing that resonate both in academia and industry.