Listen instead on your Monday Morning Drive:

I keep talking about marketing, but you need to hear this one more time.

Most AV companies loathe marketing, but you just can’t do without it. It solves expensive problems before they surface.

Three Core Marketing Mantras

You are in the marketing business. Think about shipping — you move gear across the country and around the world. It’s a core competency. You don’t need to do the shipping yourself, but you must know how to get it done. Marketing works the same way.

Marketing works 24/7. Your marketing reaches people, starts conversations, shares information, offers solutions, and helps prospects find you, even while you sleep. But if you put out the wrong message, it drones on forever. A website with the wrong image or message keeps amplifying that mistake.

Marketing requires real investment. Like shipping, you get what you pay for. We’ve all seen what happens when you pick the cheap shipping company promising faster delivery for less money. The same rule applies to marketing: Invest properly, but demand returns on that investment.

Start With a Quick Assessment

Let’s see where you stand. Start by examining your sales funnel.

Your Funnel Shape Tells All

At the top sits your mailing list. Stop telling me who isn’t on your list — the people you want to talk to are there, along with others who value your updates.

If you lack a consolidated mailing list after 10 years in business, that’s a problem. Even 500 contacts give you somewhere to start. That number can triple quickly with focused effort.

And no, you don’t need a CRM to start. Anyone who says you need a CRM to do sales and marketing is lazy. That’s an advanced tool for people who already know what they’re doing. It’s like buying a $3,000 table saw when you’ve only used a hand saw.

Your funnel needs:

• Leads (people who should work with you)
• Prospects (leads who know your company)
• Opportunities (prospects with actual projects)
• Working quotes
• Sold work

Most companies have a cylinder instead of a funnel — their numbers stay nearly constant from top to bottom. A proper funnel has more leads than prospects, more prospects than opportunities, and more opportunities than working quotes.

Marketing Fundamentals That Work

Your Website Must Work

A website needs more than your address and equipment photos. It must:

• Reflect your ideal customer
• Include effective calls to action
• Feed directly into your marketing funnel
• Collect email addresses from qualified leads

Stop trying to look like a great supplier — present yourself as a professional solution. Nobody has ever asked me, “Help us find more price shoppers.” Price shoppers look for suppliers. You want value buyers.

Digital Marketing Is Non-Negotiable

You need electronic outreach. Call it a newsletter or industry briefing — just send helpful content to your email list.

Social media platforms can be bought by billionaires and become useless overnight. Focus on moving people to your website where you control the message.

Continuous Effort Across Your Funnel

Each part of your funnel needs ongoing attention. Want more sales? Get more leads.

A properly built website and consistent digital marketing can move prospects from the top of your funnel to the middle, where business development or sales take over.

“We Don’t Have Anyone Who Knows How to Do That!”

I’ve heard this from owners for years, and the solution hasn’t changed: Either hire someone who knows marketing or outsource it.

You wouldn’t buy 1,000 LED tiles without getting help from an employee or contractor who’s an expert on LED. Why treat marketing differently?

As the post-pandemic demand surge plateaus, we’re seeing sales funnels shrivel. Many companies tell me, “We were too busy for marketing last year, and now business has dried up.” Well, duh — buyers are choosing well-marketed companies that appear to serve them best.

Companies without strong marketing will get buried. Start with these bare minimum requirements, then build toward truly effective marketing. Your future pipeline depends on it.