The Future of Marketing and Selling May Not Be To Humans But AI Agents
Recently I wrote an Article “The Future of Selling: Why Small Businesses Need to Understand AI Agents” but as I thought more about it, is it selling or is it marketing to AI agents.
And I believe this cuts to the heart of the matter.
At its core, “selling” to AI agents is really about marketing to them.
Why?
Because AI agents act as the ultimate middleman. They’re programmed to evaluate, filter, and decide based on the information you’ve put out into the world.
Essentially, your business needs to market itself in a way that is not only appealing to humans but also intelligible and prioritized by these AI systems.
Here’s the distinction:
Marketing to AI Agents
- Focus: Providing accurate, structured, and optimized data that aligns with the algorithms AI uses to evaluate businesses.
- Goal: Ensure your business is visible, credible, and the clear choice when AI agents search for solutions.
Actions:
- Optimize local SEO (service areas, keywords, and reviews).
- Use structured data to provide AI-friendly information.
- Build trust with consistent listings, positive reviews, and relevant content.
Marketing to AI agents is about “setting the stage.” You’re creating the conditions for the AI agent to prioritize your business. It’s less about persuasion and more about positioning.
Selling to AI Agents
- Focus: This term could apply if you’re actively trying to convince the AI to rank you higher or include you in its recommendations.
- Goal: Influence the AI’s decision-making process in your favor by aligning with its ranking factors.
Actions:
- Demonstrate exceptional value through metrics like reviews, ratings, and response times.
- Provide hyper-specific, relevant information for local or niche searches.
Selling in this context happens when your marketing assets successfully close the deal with the AI agent, ensuring you’re presented to the end customer as the best choice.
Why It’s More Marketing Than Selling
For traditional sales, you’re directly interacting with a customer, building a relationship, and persuading them to buy. With AI agents, there’s no room for persuasion — it’s all data-driven. AI doesn’t care about emotion, charisma, or storytelling; it cares about facts, consistency, and clarity. That’s marketing at its purest form.
So, What Should Small Businesses Focus On?
Think of AI agents as “gatekeepers” to your customers. Your job is to market your business so effectively that the AI recognizes your value and recommends you. The key is creating:
- Visibility: Being easy to find in search results or through AI-driven systems.
- Relevance: Matching customer needs and preferences with optimized, targeted content.
- Trustworthiness: Establishing authority through reviews, testimonials, and accurate data.
Ultimately, it’s about building a marketing ecosystem that ensures AI agents see your business as the most logical and compelling choice.
This might feel like a shift away from traditional sales strategies, but it’s a natural evolution in how businesses must operate in an AI-driven world.
