In Offsite construction sales or marketing, you know the vibe: marketing rolls out flashy campaigns that look amazing but sometimes feel about as useful to the sales team as a brochure left on a bus stop bench. Sales reps sit by their inboxes like it’s a bad dating app, waiting for leads that may or may not show up. And the sales manager? They’re the ones pulling their hair out, watching the budget vanish on campaigns they had zero say in.
It’s like the three sides of a love triangle that just won’t communicate. And spoiler alert: the customer isn’t swiping right on this drama.
Can you imagine the three sides of the triangle blindfolded and trying to describe what they think the company’s customer looks like?
Marketing: Stop Flexing, Start Feeding
Look, we all love creative work. A cool video, a clever tagline, a viral social post—that’s fun. But if it doesn’t generate actual conversations for the sales team, it’s just flexing. Campaigns should be designed like dinner: tasty, yes, but also filling. Right now, too many marketing teams are serving appetizers with no entrée.
Sales Managers: Let Them Into the Kitchen
Sales managers know what closes. They know the customer questions, the objections, the weird deal-breakers that come up at the eleventh hour. Yet somehow, they’re often left out of marketing strategy until it’s time to report results. It’s like asking them to coach a football team but not letting them pick the playbook. Give them a seat at the table—they’ll save everyone wasted effort.
Sales Reps: Don’t Starve Waiting for Leads
Reps, you’re the face-to-face side of the business. You’re where trust gets built. But if you’re sitting around waiting for marketing to deliver a buffet of leads, you’re going to be hungry. Yes, inbound is gold, but don’t forget your own tools—networking, social selling, even good old-fashioned cold calls (I know, I know). The best reps mix inbound with their own outreach so they’re never at the mercy of campaigns alone.
How to Fix the Love Triangle
- Shared scorecards – Marketing isn’t off the hook once they hit “post.” Judge campaigns by how many qualified leads they deliver.
- Weekly check-ins – Not just another boring Zoom. Keep it quick and honest. What’s working? What’s flopping?
- Feedback in real-time – Don’t wait until quarterly reviews to say, “those leads were junk.” Fix the pipeline as it flows.
- Empower the manager – Let them call plays before the game starts, not after it’s lost.
- Encourage reps to hustle – Marketing should back you up, not babysit you. Build your own momentum.
My Final Thought
The marketing–sales–manager relationship doesn’t have to be messy. When everyone shares goals (and the occasional reality check), the disconnect disappears. Leads flow, campaigns actually mean something, and managers get fewer headaches. And hey, maybe then we can all stop treating leads like rare Pokémon cards and start treating them like what they are—opportunities to win together.
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With over 9,000 published articles on modular and offsite construction, Gary Fleisher remains one of the most trusted voices in the industry.
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