Your Sales Team is Basically Just Cosplaying as Spambots (And Your Prospects Know It)

Don’t take this the wrong way: Your entire go-to-market strategy is probably garbage.

There. I said it. Feel better? No? Good. Because this week on The Human Connection Podcast, Mike Adams—founder of Intro Stars and a guy who's been in the trenches at Apple, HP, and Zoom—absolutely eviscerated the way most B2B companies think about lead generation. And honestly? It felt like therapy.

The AI Arms Race to the Bottom

Here's what's happening right now in your market: Everyone's using AI to send a billion emails instead of a million. Congratulations! You've automated your way into being even MORE annoying. 🎉

Mike called it what it is: an "AI spam bot versus AI spam filter war." And spoiler alert—nobody wins. Your response rates are cratering toward zero while your prospects are building better spam filters. It's like watching two bald guys fight over a comb.

The punchline? You're burning your personal brand at the altar of "spray and pray." Every cold email you send is basically a tiny billboard that says: "Hi, I'm a master spammer and I think you're just a number in my CRM."

Cool brand, bro.

The Antidote Nobody Wants to Hear

So what's the answer? The thing every startup founder claims they already do but absolutely doesn't?

Actual. Human. Relationships.

I know, I know. Revolutionary stuff here. But Mike's approach cuts through all the LinkedIn thought-leader BS: Stop mass-mailing strangers. Start building trust with real people who can make warm introductions to the exact humans you need to meet.

Here's the thing that'll blow your mind: Every person on this planet knows at least 10 other people. One of them could be your next whale client, your next investor, or your next game-changing partner. But you'll never know if you're too busy treating everyone like a lead score instead of, you know, a person.

Why Your "Efficient" Approach is Costing You Everything

Let's talk about what happens when you actually convert those spam-sourced leads (assuming you convert any, which... gestures broadly at your metrics).

The prospects who respond to cold outreach? They're price-sensitive, transactional, high-maintenance nightmares who churn faster than butter. They cost you more in support headaches than they generate in revenue. They don't renew. They don't refer. They just... drain your soul and your P&L.

Meanwhile, referral clients? They come in warm, they trust you faster, they stay longer, and they actually like working with you. Crazy concept, right?

The Karma Box Approach (Or: How to Network Without Being a Sociopath)

Mike drops this absolute gem: When he meets people at networking events, his first question is always, "Who could I introduce you to?"

Not "What do you do?" Not "Are you in the market for...?" Just: How can I help you?

He calls it putting deposits in his "karma box." I call it being a human who gives a shaet. Either way, it works.

Because here's the secret sauce nobody wants to admit: Networking isn't about transactions. It's about staying top-of-mind when someone in your network finally needs exactly what you do.

And when that moment comes? They think of you first. Not because you spammed them 47 times. But because you helped them when they needed it, and you didn't ask for anything in return.

The Ultimate Side Hustle (That's Actually Just Being Decent)

Mike's building Intro Stars to help people monetize their networks—turning introductions into actual income. Five minutes to make an intro, potentially $5K-$10K in referral fees. Not a bad ROI.

But even if you're not joining a platform, the principle stands: Being a connector is valuable. Real estate agents do it. Recruiters do it. And in an age where AI is commoditizing everything else, human relationships are the last moat standing.

So maybe—just maybe—it's time to stop optimizing your email cadences and start optimizing your actual relationships.

The Part Where I Tell You What to Do

Stop what you're doing right now. (Unless you're in surgery. If you're in surgery, please finish. Then come back.)

Here's your homework:

1. Audit your outbound strategy. How many messages are you sending? What's your response rate? What's the LTV of those customers? (Spoiler: It's probably trash.)

2. Identify 10 relationships you should invest in. Not prospects. Not "leads." People who know people. Super connectors. Industry veterans. Other founders.

3. Help them first. Make an intro. Share a resource. Send them a note saying "Hey, I saw this and thought of you." Don't ask for anything.

4. Repeat forever. This isn't a hack. It's a lifestyle.

And if you want to hear Mike break down exactly how he built a 30-year career on relationships (plus why being a super connector might be the job of the future), check out the full episode. It's packed with insights that'll make you rethink your entire approach to business development.

Because at the end of the day? Your business isn't B2B or B2C.

It's H2H. Human to human.

And humans? We don't buy from spambots. We buy from people we trust.

P.S. If your first thought after reading this was "Yeah but we need to hit our numbers THIS quarter"—congratulations, you've identified exactly why your churn rate sucks and your best salespeople keep leaving. Long-term thinking isn't optional anymore. It's the only thing that works. Now go make an introduction to someone who needs help, and stop trying to extract value from every interaction like a vampire with a quota.

Watch the full episode → [link]

Karl Pontau hosts The Human Connection Podcast, where we talk about the stuff that actually matters in business: the humans running it. Because whether you're B2B or B2C, it's really H2H, human to human. Subscribe so you don't miss the next episode where we probably say something that'll make your HR department uncomfortable.