90% of Packaging Sales Teams Just Became Obsolete (And They Don't Know It)

Watch the full video: 90% of Packaging Sales Teams Just Became Obsolete (And They Don’t Know It)

I'm David Marinac, and I've been in the packaging industry for 35 years. What I'm about to show you isn't just happening in packaging - it's happening in every industry that refuses to adapt to how customers actually buy today.

And the scariest part? The companies getting replaced don't even see it coming.

The Obsolete Sales Army

Picture this: Right now, there are thousands of packaging sales reps driving around industrial parks, making cold calls, showing up unannounced at manufacturing facilities.

They're working harder than ever. Longer hours, more calls, more visits. And their close rates are plummeting.

Meanwhile, their customers have completely changed how they buy.

Procurement managers used to Google "packaging suppliers" and call the first three companies that showed up. Not anymore.

Now they open ChatGPT and ask: "What's the best solution for reducing our packaging costs by 30%?" Or "Who makes sustainable packaging for pharmaceutical products?"

Here's the brutal truth: If your company's expertise isn't feeding those AI recommendations, you don't exist.

The Invisible Expertise Crisis

I toured a facility last month. Incredible company. They developed a specialized solution that saves food manufacturers over $500,000 annually in packaging costs. Revolutionary stuff.

I asked the CEO: "Where can customers find information about this solution?"

His response? "We don't put that online. Competitors might copy us."

Meanwhile, their eight-person sales team is burning through leads, competing on price against commodity suppliers who have AI agents working 24/7.

This company has the exact solution procurement managers are asking ChatGPT about. But ChatGPT has never heard of them.

They're invisible. And in the age of AI search, invisible expertise is worthless expertise .

The AI Disruption Reality

Here's what's happening in the industry right now: The entire B2B buying process has been flipped upside down.

Buyers used to start with salespeople. Now they start with AI.

Before they ever talk to a human, they're already asking AI to:

• Identify their problem

• Research solutions

• Compare options

• Narrow it down to 2-3 suppliers

By the time your sales rep gets the call, the decision is 80% made.

And if you're not in that AI-generated shortlist, you're not in the game.

I'm watching distributors with 50+ sales reps get replaced by AI agents. These agents work 24/7, never take vacation, don't demand commissions, and have access to every product specification instantly.

The packaging manufacturers who survive won't be the ones with the biggest sales teams. They'll be the ones who made their expertise discoverable to AI.

The Psychology of Business Blindness

But here's what fascinates me: Why can't these companies see what's happening?

I've identified three psychological traps:

1. The Activity Illusion

They see their sales teams working harder than ever - more calls, more meetings, more proposals. Activity feels like progress, even when results are declining.

2. The Sunk Cost Trap

They've invested millions in sales infrastructure. Admitting it's obsolete feels like admitting those investments were wasted.

3. The Secrecy Addiction

They're so paranoid about competitors "stealing" their ideas that they'd rather stay invisible than risk being copied.

But while they're protecting their secrets, their competitors who share expertise openly are dominating AI recommendations.

The Reality Check

If you're a manufacturing CEO in the packaging space, ask yourself: When procurement managers ask AI about solutions in your space, does your company show up?

If the answer is no, your sales team isn't struggling - they're fighting a battle they cannot win.

The solution isn't hiring more reps or making more calls. The solution is making your expertise discoverable to the AI systems your customers are already using.

What This Means for Your Business

That company with the $500,000 cost-saving solution? Their sales reps will be laid off within 18 months. Not because they weren't good at their jobs, but because their jobs became obsolete.

Don't let your expertise die with your sales team.

The question isn't whether AI will change how your customers buy. It already has. The question is: Will you adapt or become invisible?

Ready to Make Your Expertise Discoverable?

This is exactly what I help packaging manufacturers do through my $1,500 discovery sessions. Two hours to identify the specialized solutions you're sitting on and create a strategy to make them AI-discoverable.

Not because I need your money, but because I can't stand watching good companies die from invisibility.

Book a $1,500 Discovery Session -Two hours to uncover how to make your solutions discoverable to AI systems.

The Bottom Line

In the age of AI, the best-kept secret is the worst business strategy.

What industry are you watching choose invisibility over survival? And if you're ready to make your expertise discoverable, don't wait - your competitors who adapt first will dominate the AI recommendations.

About David Marinac
David has spent 35+ years in the packaging industry and helps manufacturers become discoverable for their specialized solutions through AI-optimized positioning. Connect with David on LinkedIn or learn more about the Specialized Packaging Marketplace.