Sales are down. What do we do?
Let’s not overcomplicate this. Sales are made of two things. First, there is branding or what you sell. Second, there is outreach which is letting people know what you are selling. Here’s the problem. A lot of businesses are good at one but not the other.
Let’s take branding first. Some businesses put all of their time into developing the latest and greatest. Their image is first class and they know how to separate from the pack with superior apathy killers, credibility, and intellectual property. The only thing they tragically forget is to tell anyone about it. You know this business right? They constantly complain about being a “best kept secret”.
Let’s look at outreach now. These businesses grow by beating up their salespeople. Every year, more sales means more sales training, more motivation (often with less incentive), higher quotas. “Beat the bushes harder” is their battle cry. The only problem is that there is nothing new, engaging, exciting or unique to sell. It’s the same old same old every year.
Sales = Branding + Outreach. To get new sales, you need both. It doesn’t matter how great you are at one or the other. Look at the one you are worst at — that’s your sales ceiling.
Brand well and prosper!
Andy Cleary