I grew up in a company that believed our "salespeople we our best marketers." The idea was simple: if we have enough sellers knocking on doors and getting in front of key stakeholders, it trumped any marketing campaign we could develop. Right or wrong, it seemed to work as our organization experienced massive growth.

I’ll admit, in my earlier years as a business coach / consultant, I subscribed to the idea that salespeople could "muscle" their way to meetings. The mantra was simple: grind hard enough, work relentlessly enough, and success would follow.

But eventually, I learned - or rather, unlearned.

Shifting Perspectives

In today's noisy and crowded marketplace, I hear both business owners and salespeople voice their challenges and concerns with securing meetings. With the typical outreach campaign yielding a dismal 1% - 5% connection rate, it’s clear salespeople are facing an uphill battle.

This widespread problem has given rise to a multitude of “Lead Gen / Appointment Setting” companies flooding our inboxes.  In our most desperate moments, we’ve even entertained the idea.

The good news? There is a better way.

Investing in Success

A big shout out to my Vistage peer, Ali Schwanke, for the analogy that helped crystallize this for me. Picture your business development team as a military operation. Your salespeople are the “boots on the ground,” while your marketing team provides the crucial “air support”.

For those striving to build a high-performing business development team, neglecting the marketing budget is akin to hobbling your troops. Leaving sales teams to fend for themselves in content creation undermines their potential. You’re sales team should be leveraging your expertise, not writing it.

Founders and executive leaders must recognize their role in sharing, providing and articulating their expertise and shaping valuable “thought leadership” content. Your business has flourished because of your insights and experiences. It’s important to share those stories.

A Great Example

Allow me to share the story of a client, Blue Margin, who committed to sharing their expertise through a regular Podcast (The Dashboard Effect). While they knew their “conversations on data analytics” weren’t destined to top the Apple or Spotify charts, they forged ahead. Over the last 2 years, they’ve produced 127 episodes, amassing over 20,000 downloads. Most importantly, they’ve armed their salespeople with truly unique, interesting and valuable, content to share with their prospects and clients.

In my opinion, this is the key to success in today’s marketplace is equipping your salespeople with relevant and valuable assets for the key stakeholders within your “Blue Chip” clients and prospects. And positioning them as experts.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while salespeople are undoubtedly crucial in winning more “Blue Chip” clients, they cannot be left to fend for themselves. Content creation and thought leadership are indispensable for navigating today’s complex business landscape. Failure to articulate your expertise sets you on an uphill battle. By investing in both sales AND marketing and ensuring they are aligned, you give your organization the best possible chance to succeed.

Go Deeper

• The “Blue Chip” Client Profile
• Beyond the Founder Rainmaker: Building an Effective Outbound Sales Strategy
• Tailor Your Outreach Messaging for Success in a Crowded Marketplace
• Give Value or Do NOT Sent the email
• The Pros & Cons of Hiring an Appointment Setting Company

Carver Peterson helps growth-minded leaders and organizations achieve predictable and sustainable revenue growth through a refined strategy, defined process and aligned structure.

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