A Case Study Interview with Scott Sutter, Head of Sales at Helium SEO
Maddie Bell (00:03):
Scott, can you introduce yourself and tell us about Helium SEO?
Scott Sutter:
Absolutely! My name is Scott Sutter, and I’m the Head of Sales at Helium SEO. We are a digital marketing agency specializing in PPC and search engine optimization.
One of the biggest challenges we face in sales is ensuring that we follow the right playbook every single time we have an opportunity.
When a lead comes in—whether through our website, a text, or an inbound inquiry—there’s always the question: Will the sales rep stop what they’re doing and engage immediately?
Someone once described it like getting poked with a hot poker in the middle of your workday—you’re in your rhythm, focused on driving revenue, and suddenly a lead comes in. You have to drop everything and follow the right process to nurture that lead into a discovery call and, ultimately, a sale. That’s where we saw a major gap.
Maddie Bell (01:20):
How has AI helped solve this challenge for Helium SEO?
Scott Sutter:
The impact has been incredible. Looking at the numbers, Scheduler AI has engaged with 12,800 website visitors. Out of those, about 188 had conversations. From that group, we qualified eight leads.
Some might look at that and say, Wow, that’s a low qualification rate! But to me, that means we de-qualified 90% of potential distractions—saving our sales team from wasting time on unqualified leads.
Of those eight qualified leads:
✅ We booked meetings with six.
✅ Four had budget, and all four requested proposals.
✅ We’ve already closed one deal and are actively working on the others.
So, not only is AI booking meetings, but it’s also filtering out the noise, letting our team focus on real opportunities. Instead of a rep spending hours manually managing inbound leads, the AI engages, qualifies, routes, and books—without human intervention.
Maddie Bell (02:06):
Would a human rep have been able to achieve the same results in the first 60 days?
Scott Sutter:
Not a chance.
A human would have had to sit on the website, monitor conversations, and manually run targeted outreach between meetings. Even an experienced rep couldn’t ramp up fast enough to be that effective in the first 30-60 days.
With AI, I was able to set the exact logic and conversation flow we needed. Within days, it was qualifying leads, booking meetings, and handling follow-ups—something that would take a new sales hire months, if not years, to master.
We recently discussed internally that it takes a rep one to two years to become a true subject matter expert who asks the right questions and manages their pipeline efficiently. AI allowed us to shortcut that process and get to 100% consistency immediately.
Maddie Bell (03:45):
How does AI compare to hiring someone to manage inbound leads manually?
Scott Sutter:
If we hired a human to sit on live chat, manage inquiries, and book meetings, it would cost 10X more than using Scheduler AI.
Beyond cost, the efficiency is unmatched. AI doesn’t just engage leads—it nurtures them, asks the right qualifying questions, and guides them to the appropriate next step.
It’s like having a rep who:
✅ Never gets tired
✅ Never misses a lead
✅ Follows the playbook perfectly every time
Maddie Bell (04:07):
What’s the biggest value AI has provided beyond just booking meetings?
Scott Sutter:
One of the biggest hidden benefits is lead warming.
Most people think AI is just about booking meetings, but it’s much more than that. When someone engages with our AI, they get a two-way conversation instead of a hard stop.
Instead of just filling out a web form, they get a real-time response that:
✅ Guides them through qualification
✅ Discusses budget
✅ Matches them with the right service
That means when I finally get on a call with them, they’re already prepped and warmed up. I don’t have to waste the first half of the call explaining basic information—they’ve already interacted with the AI, and we can dive straight into a meaningful conversation.
I’m convinced that my discussions with those six leads would not have been nearly as productive without AI pre-warming them before our meeting.
Maddie Bell (05:10):
Would you recommend AI-driven scheduling and qualification to other sales teams?
Scott Sutter:
Without hesitation.
AI doesn’t just book meetings—it ensures that sales reps spend time on the right opportunities. It eliminates wasted effort, reduces costs, and improves efficiency across the board.
In today’s sales environment, leads expect instant engagement. If you’re relying on manual processes, you’re already behind.
AI isn’t replacing sales—it’s empowering sales teams to focus on the conversations that actually move the needle.
For us at Helium SEO, Scheduler AI has been a game-changer.
✅ AI eliminated 90% of unqualified leads, saving sales reps time.
✅ AI booked six meetings, leading to four proposal requests and a closed deal.
✅ AI-driven qualification is faster and more effective than a human rep ramping up.
✅ AI reduced costs by 90% compared to hiring someone to manage inbound leads.
✅ AI pre-warmed leads, ensuring better quality conversations and higher close rates.
If you’re in B2B sales and struggling with speed-to-lead, qualification, and pipeline efficiency—AI-driven scheduling isn’t just an advantage, it’s a necessity.
