Balancing Marketing and Sales: A Strategic Approach for Speakers

In an era dominated by digital marketing, professional speakers often find themselves leaning heavily towards marketing activities, neglecting the equally critical aspect of sales. This imbalance can hinder their business growth, as marketing alone doesn’t guarantee conversions. Ed Rigsbee, a veteran in the speaking industry, sheds light on the necessity of maintaining a balance between marketing and sales to optimize business outcomes.

Marketing activities, as Rigsbee explains, encompass all forms of social media engagement—from posting on platforms like Facebook and Instagram to sharing content on YouTube. These efforts are crucial for building brand familiarity and comfort among potential clients. However, they do not equate to sales, which involve direct interactions aimed at closing deals.

For B2C (Business to Consumer) speakers, platforms like Facebook and Instagram are the go-to channels, whereas B2B (Business to Business) speakers find more value in LinkedIn and YouTube. LinkedIn, for instance, offers features like newsletters, which can be a powerful tool for establishing thought leadership and staying connected with an audience. Rigsbee encourages speakers to utilize these tools fully, pointing out that unused invitations to connect or subscribe do not carry over month-to-month.

Moreover, Rigsbee emphasizes the distinction between marketing emails and sales emails. Mass emails fall into the marketing category and are less likely to result in sales compared to personalized, targeted emails. The saturation of generic emails has led to a growing frustration among association decision-makers, who prefer communications that demonstrate a clear understanding of their needs and challenges.

On the sales front, Rigsbee identifies two types of salespeople: farmers and hunters. Farmers wait passively for opportunities, while hunters actively seek out potential business. He advocates for a ‘hunter’ approach, encouraging speakers to engage in proactive sales activities daily. This involves not just cold calling but following up on leads and utilizing insights to tailor communications effectively.

Rigsbee’s methodology is straightforward: use marketing to draw potential clients closer and let sales do the heavy lifting. He advises speakers to contribute articles to industry editors as a way to deposit into a ‘relationship bank,’ which can then facilitate introductions to decision-makers. The key to successful selling, he notes, is knowing when to listen. Allowing decision-makers to express their needs can provide speakers with the exact blueprint for how to sell to them.

Lastly, Rigsbee cautions against overeagerness that can turn potential leads into lost opportunities. Respecting a client’s timeline and communication preferences is crucial for building long-term relationships.

In conclusion, while marketing is essential for creating visibility and establishing credibility, it is the strategic balance with direct sales efforts that will yield substantial business growth. Speakers must recognize the roles both play and allocate their time wisely to ensure not just visibility but actual market penetration and revenue generation. As Rigsbee eloquently puts it, “Mixing sales and marketing in your daily activities might surprise you—more business will likely come your way more often.”