Salesforce VP Jim Sinai shares how Einstein makes Companies Smart
The Follow-Up Blog highlights industry trends, insights and keys to success from today’s top sales leaders and executives. Today we caught up with Jim Sinai, VP Product Marketing at Salesforce for its new AI-powered Einstein product, which helps companies get smarter about their sales efforts.
Jim Sinai is currently VP Product Marketing for the Salesforce Einstein product, which helps all Salesforce companies get smarter about their sales efforts. Jim has risen the ranks of Salesforce after years in Business Development and Sales at Bloomberg, Eventbrite and TurnHere. He is responsible for the full marketing stack of Salesforce’s AI products: brand narrative, product marketing, and demand generation. I caught up with Jim via email this past week to learn more about his experience rising the ranks of Salesforce and developing one of the leading AI technologies in the sales industry.
MH: Most folks know about Salesforce but perhaps you could give a brief overview of the company and what you’re trying to achieve? What is your role and how are you impacting the business at a high level? Why did you choose to do this?
JS: Salesforce is all about helping companies connect with their customers in a whole new way. We deliver best in class software for sales reps, service agents, marketers, and retailers. And we have this awesome platform that lets anyone, regardless of tech skills, build apps. I run the product marketing team for Salesforce Einstein which is the AI capabilities that sit throughout our products.
You’ve been at Salesforce for about 7 years now. Did any of your pre-Salesforce experiences help you prepare for life at Salesforce? Which has been the most important in preparing you for what you are doing today? Why?
Prior to Salesforce, I was an account executive at Bloomberg and spent some time in startups. Selling at a large company taught me the importance of process and collaboration, while being at a startup taught me invaluable skills around how to self-start those projects and processes.
Can you tell me about a time or event in your life where you had to deal with adversity? Where things didn’t go as planned? How did you overcome these obstacles? Did this learning help you out in your professional career?
Prior to being at Salesforce, I was running business development at a startup. One day the founder called me in and told me my role was being eliminated. Looking back, it was probably the best decision not only for the company, but also for me. What I learned in that moment is resiliency. It also motivated me to never rest on my laurels. I jointed Salesforce after that, so needless to say, letting me go was the best gift that CEO could’ve given me.
What features of the Salesforce product does the Einstein team use the most? How has the release of the Einstein product impacted your own team’s workflow?
We use Einstein to improve how salespeople, marketers, service agents and retailers get their jobs done. Our sales reps use Einstein to score all inbound leads and help identify where to focus their efforts, and our marketers are using Einstein to help target the right offers to the right audiences. We are also using Einstein to predict our sales forecast based on past sales data.
How has the sales and business development software changed since you started your career? Is it getting better? What do you think the future of sales software is?
The whole sales process is changing. Buyers are self-servicing more information on their own and through their communities before engaging a company. And more buyers insist on a trial period with a software before they purchase. That means that, first and foremost, sales and marketing need to ensure existing customers are happy and advocating for your product. Then you can be sure the right information is out in the ecosystem. And finally, it’s more important than ever that sales reps spend more time listening and consulting rather than selling. As AI becomes a bigger part of the sales cycle and reduces buyer friction, the softer skills of selling will become even more paramount than before.
What do you wish you had learned before you were 30 that you didn’t, and had to learn later? What advice do you have for your younger self or for those who are thinking about getting into a career in sales, marketing or business development?
Two things: I wish I learned to actually code (and not just hack around) and I wish I spoke more languages. Working at a global tech company, both of those skills would serve me better in my career.
Anything else you’d like to share with The Follow-Up Blog community? This could be what’s coming up for your company or you personally, or it could be your thoughts about how college/grad school or your first job impacted your journey to success!
We’re really excited about what’s coming with Einstein in 2018 as more of our capabilities come online for customers — especially our tools that make AI available to any business analyst. Personally, I’m also very excited to see where voice is headed. It’s changing how we interact with technology and it will be fun to watch our industry evolve. And of course, I’m excited to have Follow-up as part of our Salesforce ecosystem!
Thanks so much for the opportunity to learn about your journey up the ranks of Salesforce! If our readers are interested in getting smarter with their sales check out Salesforce Einstein. And if you found this interview on The Follow-Up Blog helpful, please applaud and share with your colleagues!