20 reasons why your SME is not achieving its B2B sales and marketing goals

B2B Luigi Salmoiraghi Sales Marketing Innovation Manager

In the competitive world of B2B, achieving sales and marketing objectives can be an ongoing challenge, especially for SMEs looking to maximise their resources. Here are 20 common reasons why you might be falling short of your goals:

1. Poorly defined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

With a clear ICP, it is easier to focus on customers with the highest conversion potential.

2. Non-personalized prospecting messages

Long, irrelevant messages need to capture the attention of potential customers.

3. Lack of a sales process

A systematic sales process is the backbone of any successful sales strategy. It provides a clear roadmap for your team, making replicating and improving successful actions easier. By implementing a documented sales process, you can streamline your operations, improve efficiency, and increase your chances of success.

4. Wrong prospection

Errors in prospect segmentation can be costly. Contacting many companies without considering their suitability can result in losing time and resources. By paying careful attention to prospect segmentation, you can avoid these pitfalls and ensure that your efforts are focused on the most promising leads.

5. Disconnection between sales and marketing

Without alignment between both teams, opportunities are lost or not taken advantage of.

6. Little use of automation in marketing

The need for automated tools limits the reach and effectiveness of campaigns.

7. Measuring incorrect metrics

Failure to properly monitor key indicators leads to wrong decisions.

8. Long sales cycles

This often happens when prospecting for customers who are not ready to buy or are not a good fit.

9. Intermittent prospecting process.

It becomes irregular without consistent follow-up.

10. Prioritize incorrect tasks.

Not using the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritise leads to spending time on tasks that do not generate real impact.

11. Lack of proper follow-up.

Failure to rigorously follow up on leads results in missed opportunities.

12. Overload of responsibilities in a single person.

In SMEs, it is common for one person to wear several roles, which can affect the effectiveness of the sales process.

13. Not offering relevant content to customers.

The need for more helpful content on the blog or website limits traffic and customer interest.

14. Ignoring customer feedback.

It isn’t easy to adjust strategies to the needs of current and potential customers without listening to them.

15. Overestimating the power of massive contacts.

The number of contacts made only sometimes results in qualified leads.

16. Absence of an Inbound Marketing strategy.

Relying only on an Outbound approach limits lead entry.

17. Not taking advantage of web analytics data.

Without data analysis, valuable insights are lost to improve strategies.

18. Offer standard solutions.

Instead of adapting the proposal to the client’s needs, which can limit interest and conversion.

19. Lack of credibility in messages.

Not showing success stories or customer testimonials reduces trust in the company.

20. Waste the power of SEO

If your page is optimised for search engines, it is easier to attract organic traffic.

Do you want to improve your sales strategies and achieve your goals?

Download our guide on B2B sales strategies and get a free one-hour initial consultation to analyse how your SME can maximise its results.

In the competitive world of B2B, achieving sales and marketing objectives can be an ongoing challenge, especially for SMEs looking to maximise their resources. Here are 20 common reasons why you might be falling short of your goals:

1. Poorly defined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

With a clear ICP, it is easier to focus on customers with the highest conversion potential.

2. Non-personalized prospecting messages

Long, irrelevant messages need to capture the attention of potential customers.

3. Lack of a sales process

A systematic sales process is the backbone of any successful sales strategy. It provides a clear roadmap for your team, making replicating and improving successful actions easier. By implementing a documented sales process, you can streamline your operations, improve efficiency, and increase your chances of success.

4. Wrong prospection

Errors in prospect segmentation can be costly. Contacting many companies without considering their suitability can result in losing time and resources. By paying careful attention to prospect segmentation, you can avoid these pitfalls and ensure that your efforts are focused on the most promising leads.

5. Disconnection between sales and marketing

Without alignment between both teams, opportunities are lost or not taken advantage of.

6. Little use of automation in marketing

The need for automated tools limits the reach and effectiveness of campaigns.

7. Measuring incorrect metrics

Failure to properly monitor key indicators leads to wrong decisions.

8. Long sales cycles

This often happens when prospecting for customers who are not ready to buy or are not a good fit.

9. Intermittent prospecting process.

It becomes irregular without consistent follow-up.

10. Prioritize incorrect tasks.

Not using the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritise leads to spending time on tasks that do not generate real impact.

11. Lack of proper follow-up.

Failure to rigorously follow up on leads results in missed opportunities.

12. Overload of responsibilities in a single person.

In SMEs, it is common for one person to wear several roles, which can affect the effectiveness of the sales process.

13. Not offering relevant content to customers.

The need for more helpful content on the blog or website limits traffic and customer interest.

14. Ignoring customer feedback.

It isn’t easy to adjust strategies to the needs of current and potential customers without listening to them.

15. Overestimating the power of massive contacts.

The number of contacts made only sometimes results in qualified leads.

16. Absence of an Inbound Marketing strategy.

Relying only on an Outbound approach limits lead entry.

17. Not taking advantage of web analytics data.

Without data analysis, valuable insights are lost to improve strategies.

18. Offer standard solutions.

Instead of adapting the proposal to the client’s needs, which can limit interest and conversion.

19. Lack of credibility in messages.

Not showing success stories or customer testimonials reduces trust in the company.

20. Waste the power of SEO

If your page is optimised for search engines, it is easier to attract organic traffic.

Do you want to improve your sales strategies and achieve your goals?

Download our guide on B2B sales strategies and get a free one-hour initial consultation to analyse how your SME can maximise its results.

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Luigi Salmoiraghi

Boost your European growth journey. Senior B2B manager. Expertise in the IT sector. I help businesses navigate the post-Brexit landscape with insights on channels, legal, cultural diversity, marketing and sales.

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Why do some SMBs sell
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The most common B2B problems:

  1. Unreliable sales forecasts: Uncertainty about future revenue.
  2. Ineffective messaging: Poorly targeted communication leading to lost opportunities.
  3. Long and inefficient sales cycles: Too many obstacles and wasted time.
  4. Lack of a scalable process: Relying on individual salespeople rather than an effective system.
  5. Disconnected marketing and sales efforts: Misalignment between lead generation and conversion.

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  • Outbound Methodology: Build a sales process that works independently, delivering predictable results.
  • Cold Calling 2.0: Create personalized, scalable messages to get responses from decision-makers.
  • Defining the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): Identify the right customers and save valuable time.
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  • Inbound Marketing Strategies: Develop valuable content to attract the right customers and turn them into qualified leads.

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  • Practical techniques to generate leads and close sales.
  • Tips for improving customer communication.
  • Tools to analyze data and optimize marketing decisions.
  • Success stories and case studies.

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B2B Sales: the ultimate guide by Luigi Salmoiraghi