Reinventing Field Sales for the Mobile First Era

What does it take to win in field sales today?
Inside sales has gone through decades of innovation, from email sequencing to AI-powered cadences. Field sales, by contrast, has often been left behind. Reps who spend their days visiting customers still face workflows designed for desktop CRMs and tools that slow them down.

On this episode of Knocking to 10, John DiLoreto sat down with Gabe Naviasky to explore the first principles of what field sellers actually need in a mobile-first world, and how these lessons apply to GTM teams more broadly.

Field Sales as the Forgotten Motion

Gabe points out that there are more people selling in person than many realize. Solar, insurance, real estate, restaurant tech, and other industries depend on field reps. Yet the tools they’ve been given have been designed for people sitting behind laptops, not for reps running from meeting to meeting.

The first principle: design systems around how sellers actually work.

Simplicity Over Features

Salespeople on the move are not power users. They value speed and clarity over dozens of features. Gabe explains that even small friction—like typing notes after a meeting or planning routes manually—adds up to lost selling time.

The broader lesson: simplicity beats sophistication when it comes to sales workflows. The most effective tools reduce admin, minimize clicks, and help reps act immediately.

Speed to Lead Never Gets Old

One constant in sales is that the faster you respond to buyer intent, the better your odds of closing. Studies show contacting a website visitor within five minutes can multiply conversion rates.

For field sales, that means connecting signals like a website visit to real-world action. The principle: treat intent signals as real-time opportunities, not passive data points.

“If you can remove the friction and let sellers just focus on conversations, you have already won.” – Gabe Naviasky

Repetition and Touchpoints Still Matter

In field sales, getting a meeting often requires six to eight touchpoints. Owners may not be in, managers may act as gatekeepers, and timing can be unpredictable. The lesson here applies beyond field sales: consistency compounds. Whether through drop-ins, calls, or follow-ups, persistence and repetition remain cornerstones of GTM success.

AI as an Enabler, Not a Replacement

Gabe sees AI’s role as clearing the noise, not replacing human connection. AI can draft follow-up emails, route leads into CRMs, and summarize conversations. But the rep’s role—building trust and advancing deals—remains central.

The principle: use AI to automate the admin, not the relationship.

Focus Over Multitasking

A surprising theme from the conversation was the idea that mobile may actually create better focus. With fewer screens and tabs, reps are less likely to get distracted. For sellers, this reinforces an old truth: attention on the right activities drives results.

Key Takeaways for GTM Leaders

• Field sales is still vital and deserves purpose-built approaches.
• Simplicity in workflows leads to more selling time and fewer distractions.
• Speed to lead is as relevant today as it was a decade ago.
• Repetition and persistence remain essential in building pipeline.
• AI should handle the noise, freeing humans to focus on conversations.

Looking Ahead

As digital channels get noisier, Gabe predicts the value of in-person sales will rise, not fall. By 2026, more companies may turn back to field reps as a way to stand out. The future of sales may not be about more tools and more data—it may be about fewer distractions, faster reactions, and a sharper focus on conversations that matter.

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