I have long debated on using the term sales. Sales professionals were after all edited a decade ago to become Business Development Managers, Account Managers or Customer Relationship Managers - removing the very word they were hired to deliver, but why?
So many still recoil at the word itself, almost afraid at the association or what may prevail should they enter into a conversation. Introduce yourself as a sales person and more often than not you’ll be met with a shy nod or an immediate excuse to vacate the conversation. Marketing can and often is different
so when people ask me what sales I do, well I say both. But it took me a long time to own the ‘sales’ badge.
I even did an MBA specialising in sales psychology to give me and those around me the confidence and back up my 20 years’ experience with an academic qualification to talk openly about and own the profession of sales. Yet there remains no entry criteria to this business-critical skill. Businesses invest so little in the development of their customer facing people who are often solely reliable for that business growth we all aspire to. I would argue that sales people are the most underinvested resource in your business – in any business yet the ones responsible for the cash is king principle. Crazy right?!
Yet, we still shy away from the word sales never mind those in the profession, although a resurgence seems apparent with those proud of their role and responsibilities to regain the term sales with pride and poise. The lines are becoming more blurred between the role in sales and that in marketing, with many organisations hiring a hybrid role to cover these two specialisms. Which in my mind is like hiring a FD and a HRD – could they be the same person with the same qualities, skill set and acumen – perhaps but highly unlikely.
Im often asked by start-ups and smaller organisations, who do I hire first? Sales or marketing?
Marketing has been my long-standing answer given the need for enhanced brand visibility prior to the role of sales coming on board. Its far more challenging to bring new clients on board if those prospects have never heard of your brand and aren’t familiar with your business.
Developing your businesses footprint and establishing a brand presence is crucial and can only be developed by marketing without there being an over reliance on one individual from a sales perspective.
But let’s get back to the subject at hand – Business Growth
. So, when the one piece of advice so many of us give around cash is king is utterly accurate – cash more than likely pre investment comes from sales and sales come from a joined-up approach with marketing. Just Williams started life as a sales organisation, progressing to sales and marketing having listened and learned from our customer base over the first few years of trading. Speaking to a range of sales and marketing or ‘business growth’ consultants across the industry, one area we see time and time again is the desire for business growth based on short term wins to support cash flow or immediate growth without longer term strategy.
For most forms of sales and marketing to create the long-term business growth so many of us crave, we have to look at a longterm plan. A strategic and sustainable model utilising multiple platforms to engage with the desired markets and achieve the growth – which in turn supports cash flow which you guessed it – drives business growth.
If you want immediate results but no one has heard of your brand, your conversion cycle is on average 24 months, then hiring and quickly firing a sales and marketing person or team within six months due a lack of ROI is a little, well ridiculous – yet this is the expectation time and time again.
If we want business growth, we need to start placing sales and marketing at the very beginning – invest in it for the long term and yes cash is incredible essential but go back to what drives that cash…
So you want to grow your business and increase your brand visibility
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Sales and Marketing is your Ace
Just Williams is a certified B-Corporation leading the way in the sales and marketing space with businesses looking to increase brand visibility and generate sales opportunities.
www.justwilliamsltd.co.uk