Why Marketing is the Lifeblood
Wanna know what drives me crazy? Do you really?
It’s that conversation that I have over and over with business owners and executives who consider marketing to be “optional.” They say…
“Yeah, we’ll get around to it when things slow down/pick up,” or…
“We’ll invest in marketing once we have more revenue,” or my personal favorite…
“Our business is relationship driven, so we really don’t need marketing.”
Hey, I get it. Marketing feels like this hazy thing that sucks up money with no real ROI. Your sales team is bringing in actual dollars today, while marketing is this fuzzy long-term play. Now for some truth — if you’re treating marketing as an afterthought, you’re stalling the entire sales process and leaving serious money on the table.
What’s happening right now in every industry?
Competition is fierce.
Consumers are elusive.
Decision makers are skeptical.
Your sales team is out there fighting with one arm tied behind their back if you are not investing in marketing. They’re trying to open doors while competitors are walking in with brand recognition, superior content, and a social media presence that positions them as industry and market leaders.
I’ve heard too many business leaders create a false dichotomy between sales and marketing. “We’re sales driven,” they say proudly. Too bad, because effective marketing added to a strong sales program makes the outcomes exponentially more lucrative.
Marketing isn’t just a creative logo or a catchy tagline. It’s about clearly articulating why your company exists, who you can best serve, and how you solve the client’s problems better and differently than everyone else in your industry. It’s also about building a brand that resonates with customers and employees. Finally, marketing creates content that positions you and your firm as the go-to in your market or vertical.
The most successful companies I’ve worked with don’t see marketing as a side function that competes with sales for resources. No, they see marketing as the key to making every sales conversation more effective. They understand that being good at what you do isn’t good enough — you must be visible, memorable, and unique.
Let me ask you a final question:
In a world where your prospects are bombarded with options, without an effective marketing program, how will they…
Find you?
Remember you?
Choose you?
It’s time to stop treating marketing as just another expense and start seeing it for what it really is — an investment that pays dividends. Every time.
