In their marketing efforts and closing sales strategies

I recently had the privilege of attending a presentation delivered by Vanessa McQuade VP of Sales & Marketing and Owner of Intrigue located in Guelph, Ontario. Vanessa works with businesses in the Home Improvement and Construction industry specializing in the landscape space.

During her presentation, she shared the 5 mistakes entrepreneurs make in marketing efforts and closing sales strategies. 

1. Engaging the wrong parts of the customer’s brain.

• “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” It’s important to understand that customers are motivated by the ‘why’ behind a product or service, not merely the ‘what’.

2. No formal sales and up-serve process – what is the sales process?

• Is it something that is reviewed often and consistently among the sales team? A formalized sales strategy is crucial for consistency and review within a sales team.

3. Talk about yourself and not the customers.

• Talk about the customer and their needs, “People do not like to be sold to but love to buy.”

4. Not having goals on return on investment, clarity on leads and sources.

• Goals need to be measured – Its important to set measurable objectives for lead generation and source evaluation.

5. No industry benchmark

• It’s important to know what your cost per lead is to gauge marketing efficiency.

Vanessa’s insight on shifting the focus from the seller to the customer particularly resonated with me. She emphasized the importance of active listening and addressing their specific needs. The message of listening to your clients/customers and connecting is critical in demonstrating you are working for them, and importantly ready to address their pain points and/or desires.

 As I get closer to graduating from the Digital Media Marketing program at George Brown College, I find the emphasis is often on the pitch and self-promotion. Vanessa’s message is to know your niche but trust that your client, customer, or even future employer is telling you what they need or what they are looking for and want feedback based on that.  Effective communication, she suggests, begins with listening, followed by pertinent inquiries and tailored solutions that fit with their needs, not jumping in and sharing what you feel they need.

The knowledge imparted by Vanessa in her presentation will have a positive impact on my career path. Vanessa said, “Fail forward – not “I should have…” but “next time I will”. This philosophy underscores the importance of continuous learning and recognizing that perfection is not the sole indicator of success. The five marketing and sales errors highlighted by Vanessa serve as a reminder to view setbacks as instructive and learning opportunities. Success, as defined by Vanessa, is not just an outcome but a process that can be hindered by excessive scrutiny and over-analysis.

To learn more about Intrigue Media and Vanessa McQuade visit Intrigue Media