On a recent episode of The Sales Hunter Podcast, Mark sat down with Mandy McEwen, founder of Mod Girl Marketing and a leading expert on LinkedIn and AI-powered sales, to unpack how AI is transforming social selling—and what sellers must do to avoid getting lost in the noise.
AI on LinkedIn: The New Normal
It’s undeniable: AI is changing everything. But while inboxes flood with AI-generated spam, the challenge now is to make sure you don’t sound like a robot. Mandy McEwen has seen firsthand how the landscape on LinkedIn has shifted.
“Everyone is sniffing out for AI these days,” she points out. “They’re tired of getting spammy emails that are very clearly AI. People are just lazy these days… They’re not even trying to make it not sound like AI.”
Standing Out Means Staying Human
For sales professionals, the old tricks—dropping a first name or company into a template—don’t work like they used to. Sellers need to get much more relevant and personal in their outreach.
Buyers are savvy and overloaded. As Mandy put it: “The more relevant we can be, the better… It’s not just about personalization anymore.” Instead, messaging needs to connect with something specific about the prospect’s world—recent activity, content posted, or challenges faced.
Mark agrees: sellers who do outreach “the right way and don’t look like AI stand out. People are like, ‘Oh, wow. This is actually a human.’”
“The goal is to get them to see you before you send that connection request.”
Build Trust With Every Touch
The first step, Mandy shares, is to have a credible, trustworthy presence. Sales reps are too often invisible on LinkedIn, missing out on the simple act of showing expertise and offering value up front.
“The easiest way to build trust is to help people and show people that you know your stuff and provide value for free,” she said. Sellers who show up consistently with valuable content quickly set themselves apart from unknown, pitch-happy strangers.
Quality Over Quantity Wins
The temptation is to “go faster, faster, faster” when sales numbers lag. But blasting out thousands of generic messages is a recipe for brand damage. Slowing down to focus on quality and relevancy is what actually drives results.
“Can we slow down a little bit and do things the right way and use AI strategically and not the lazy way?” Mandy asks.
With sales intention and human touch, even AI-generated content can help build authority and get found. Gone are the days where SEO alone makes you discoverable. These days, as Mark observes, buyers “are doing all their research ahead of time”—using LLMs like ChatGPT to find and vet experts before reaching out. Posting more personalized, human content is essential for being found.
“You can ruin your reputation just like that… even for the other sales reps down the line.”
How to Use AI and Sales Tools Wisely
Mandy recommends making smart use of tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator. The platform now offers intent signals: who’s viewed your profile, engaged with your content, or visited the company site. These data points make it easier to find warmer prospects—and avoid cold, wasted outreach.
But the key is to apply AI and automation with care: “You have to add your human touch too. You can’t just throw up AI slop and be like, oh, I’m posting content.”
Small, Trusted Communities Are On the Rise
With information overload at an all-time high, both Mandy and Mark see a trend toward intimacy and trust. Small, curated events and communities are gaining favor as sellers and buyers crave real, meaningful connection.
AI may make it easier to reach the masses, but that very abundance is pushing professionals to build smaller circles of real trust and deeper relationships.
“Going into 2026, it’s all about relevancy.”
Win With Relevancy and Realness
The world is getting noisier. Sellers who keep relying on easy automation or mass activity will only get drowned out. The ones who win? They’ll build real brands, show up as resources, and make every touch relevant and authentic.
Mandy’s free LinkedIn resources, AI-powered content tools, and expert guidance can be found at GoLumi.io/free or by connecting with her on LinkedIn.
The future belongs to sellers who use AI—but in service of being even more human, not less.
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In today’s noisy, trust-depleted marketplace, the most significant differentiator isn’t your product, price, or even your pitch—it’s your integrity.
