During my first sales job, my company launched its inaugural television commercial campaign. As a sales person, I felt powerful and somewhat validated. As I performed my cold calls and demonstrations, I stood a little taller, and spoke a little bolder.
That was 1995, and one of the main goals of the marketing department was to create as many impressions as possible. With familiarity, sales people could move through the purchasing process much easier. When we made cold calls, gate-keepers were friendlier. When we called the main phone line, the receptionist would make an extra effort to find our contacts for us. Decision-makers would call us sooner than our competition to help develop a solution to their problem. Again, that was 1995.
Today, there are no more gate-keepers because the “gates” are automated. We’ve had to forget about calling a receptionist and get used to voicemail jail. When there’s a problem, decision-makers don’t call sales people – they figure out the solution on their own using online tools like Google and YouTube.
The one change in marketing that all executives need to understand: Today, to grow your b2b sales, the type of impressions you create are more important than the quantity that you make.
Today, buyers won’t spend time with sales people that aren’t perceived as the experts in the marketplace. They don’t have to – they can learn just about everything online. If your marketing program isn’t positioning your company as the experts, then you’re wasting your time and money. On the flipside, if you’re the one educating your customer and prospects through blogging, social selling, white papers, etc., then they’ll adopt your services quicker - and buy them from you, the experts.
