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An AE's Playbook For Ramping Fast and Winning Early
When I got promoted from SDR to AE, I was pumped, but also nervous. I didn't have the luxury of a long ramp period. I needed to prove myself quickly, build credibility with my team, and actually close deals. Fast.
The best solution was to learn how to collaborate effectively with AI as I learned the ropes. That meant working with our AI sales teammate, from day one. She had my back when I needed it most.
Here's exactly how I went from cold call to closed-won in my first quarter in the field.
Pre-Call Prep: Stop Winging It
I sourced my own prospect for this deal, which meant I was starting from scratch. Before my first call, Ava did the homework I would've spent hours on:
- She researched the prospect instantly
Recent funding rounds, company size, tech stack complexity, the challenges their business was facing—all surfaced without me digging through LinkedIn, their website, and a dozen other tabs. - She helped me connect our solution to their world
Because Ava already understood our product and positioning inside and out, she helped me map what we do to what this prospect actually cared about. No more generic pitch decks. - I walked into the call confident, not scrambling
By the time I joined that first meeting, I had a clear picture of who they were and how to approach the conversation. It made all the difference.
Post-Call Follow-Up: Let AI Handle the Grunt Work
Right after the call ended, Ava:
- Drafted my follow-up email
Personalized next steps based on what we actually discussed, not some template I copied from another deal. - Told me what to do next
She didn't just recap the call. She gave me strategic guidance: what the second call should cover, questions I forgot to ask, things I needed to circle back on. - Acted like a deal strategist, not a note-taker
Ava was able to provide strategic recommendations on additional stakeholders to pursue next, as well as specific feedback on my call performance so I could do even better on my next call.
This was the moment I realized Ava wasn't just transcribing, she was thinking alongside me.
Close Mid-Funnel Gaps Before They Kill Your Deal
During the second call (a longer product demo), I used Ava's live assist to keep the conversation moving at a time when many deals lose momentum:
- I asked Ava what was missing from my MEDDPICC
She analyzed both calls plus five email threads and flagged the gaps I hadn't covered yet. - She gave me questions to ask in real time
Specific, relevant questions I could weave into the conversation naturally, ready-to-go and informed by her understanding of our sales process. - I handled complexity without breaking a sweat
No scrambling through my notes. No awkward silences while I tried to remember something. We were operating as a team.
Bring Your SE Up to Speed in Minutes, Not Hours
When it was time to loop in my sales engineer, Ava got them up to speed without the usual hassle.
- She surfaced everything my SE needed to know
Product concerns, integration blockers, technical questions, all in one place, summarized neatly and kept up to date via her Deal Review process. - We saved 45 minutes of prep time
My SE didn't have to rewatch an hour-long call or dig through scattered emails. Ava had it all summarized and a business case already prepared.
What used to take almost an hour took 10-15 minutes. We hit the ground running without an internal sync but were fully aligned.
Prep for the Executive Buyer Like Your Career Depends On It
After the second call, our champion brought in the economic buyer, their CRO. This was the high-stakes moment. Ava helped me:
- Summarize the entire deal on one page
She had every conversation, every email thread, and distilled it into a crisp brief of what mattered most to the CRO, with direct quotes from our champion. - Role-play both sides of the conversation
I watched Ava pitch. I threw objections at her. Then I flipped it around and practiced my own delivery while she coached me. - Walk into that call sharp and ready
I wasn't winging it or hoping for the best. I'd already rehearsed the hard parts.
Remove Late-Stage Bottlenecks Before They Stall Your Deal
The economic buyer needed a business case to secure budget. I didn't panic because Ava already had it ready:
- She auto-generated a full value case
Everything from our calls, Slack threads, and emails, pulled together into a compelling document that made the ROI crystal clear. - I saved hours of work
No hunting through transcripts. No starting from scratch at 9 PM. - We kept momentum alive
We didn't lose a single day waiting on content or materials. The deal kept moving.
Close the Deal and Hand It Off Cleanly
We closed this deal 50% faster than our typical sales cycle, from first call to signed contract. After we won, Ava:
- Created a complete sales handoff plan
Customer goals, concerns raised during the process, product gaps they flagged, and success criteria, compiled for our post-sales team. - Made our Technical Account Manager's life easier
Instead of piecing together information from random notes, they had the full picture from day one. - Protected the customer relationship
Nothing got lost in the transition. The customer experience stayed strong post-sale because we handed off context, not chaos.
What It Actually Feels Like to Sell with an AI Teammate
Here's the thing: Ava wasn't another tool I had to manage. She was just there—ready whenever I needed her.
Before a call: Ava helped me prep, align my messaging, and practice.
During a call: She gave me real-time guidance and filled in strategic gaps.
After a call: She handled the admin work, surfaced next steps, and kept momentum going.
This gave me the confidence to find my groove, selling style, and effectively work this deal without trying to keep a ton of different things (product knowledge, new messaging, sales process changes, etc.) in my head simultaneously.
Selling is hard; this gave me peace of mind.
Lessons Learned
If you're a new AE, or a sales leader trying to help your team ramp faster, here's what I'd tell you:
1. Research is table stakes. Context is power.
Ava helped me do both without burning hours I didn't have.
2. Strategic qualification is a team sport.
Let your AI teammate guide your MEDDPICC process in real time instead of scrambling to remember what's missing.
3. Don't slow down your SEs.
Hand them insights, not a 60-minute call recording they have to watch at 2x speed.
4. Rehearse like your quota depends on it.
Ava's Avatar mode made my pitch to the CRO sharper and more confident. Practice matters.
5. Momentum wins deals.
We closed 50% faster than our average deal cycle, largely because I had in-the-moment accurate answers to every technical question or objection raised on a call.
Final Thought: Don't Sell Alone
The difference between surviving your first few deals and actually winning them? It's not just hustle. It's having the right teammate.
Ava helped me ramp faster, qualify smarter, collaborate better, and close sooner. If you're serious about winning deals without burning out, this is the blueprint.
