This is how doubt creates marketing and sales issues

Last week I wrote about doubt. Doubt doesn’t stay abstract and philosophical for long.

It shows up fast and ugly in sales and marketing.

Demand drops. Conversion drops. Everyone has an opinion on what the problem is and what the fix. 

The result: 'everyone agrees on this'-messaging. Or someone senior gets tired of the endless discussion and makes a call. 

This is all tension. Tension is bad for business. 

As humans, we are compelled to relieve tension as soon as it shows up. You can't help it. I can't help it. It's biology. 

The problem is, that we often don't act strategically to relieve that tension. We revert to instinct. We do whatever makes the tension go away. 

In marketing and sales, if we lack a strong foundation, we're constantly being pulled by the strings of tension.

That's what happened to me. I'll show you.  

What tension looks like in sales
Sales is not about convincing. It's about confronting. When tension arises and there's no clear course to stick to (like a tried and tested playbook, battle card or pitch deck), sales becomes fuzzy.  ICP widens. “Everyone” becomes the target. And sales conversations and demo's become a feature fest instead of a vessel to create change. 

Result: deals drag on for months. Leads don't feel that deep 'YES'. 

What tension looks like in marketing
Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear of outshining. Fear of alienating people. Fear of losing my own identity or voice. 
All very humane things that come with being human (hello survival instinct). 
    
It took me months to realise that i was diluting my message to escape tension in marketing and sales. 

And then you're doomed. Because when you stop doing effective sales and marketing today, you don’t feel it today.  
You feel it six months later.  

Instead of trying to optimise I decided to actually look. 

I had the hard conversations with past clients. 
I reviewed recordings of every sales conversation 
I looked at numbers, stats and rates. 
I reviewed my own website to check the dilution. You can watch it right here.

Here’s the clearest insight that came back:

1. My readers and clients are crazy loyal. Open rate of 45-50%.  THANK YOU. I feel honoured.
2. Leads NEVER mention research. Never. 
3. Trust in agencies, copywriters, marketers is below zero. 

That’s when it clicked.

I’m not in marketing.  
I’m not in research.

I create alignment and clarity in commercial pillars: 
- battle cards that keep the reps on point
- case studies that move deals already in motion
- messaging that informs agencies and copywriters tightly
- personas grounded in real 2 a.m. worries and pains
- insights that validate strategic decisions

That's exactly what I need in my business... 

So let's stop farting around the edges and create al that!