I’ve often emphasized that both selling and buying are driven by emotions—80% to be precise. However, running a business is a different ball game entirely; it’s driven by logic, 100%.
This fundamental difference between the two skill sets explains why many business owners struggle to juggle both roles of CEO and Sales Manager effectively. It’s challenging to excel at both because each role demands a distinct personality and approach.
This reality hit home during our recent GrowthCLUB session, where one of our clients found herself uncertain about how to direct her team’s marketing efforts.
Let’s break it down from a CEO’s viewpoint.
A CEO would start by determining how many deals are needed to achieve the annual revenue target. For simplicity, if the target is $1,000,000 and the average deal value is $10,000, then 100 deals are required to meet the goal.
Next, assess the current marketing activities’ effectiveness. Suppose these activities are generating 70 deals. Clearly, the marketing plan needs to secure an additional 30 deals to meet the annual target.
The CEO’s role is not to dictate the specifics of how the marketing team should achieve these 30 additional deals. Instead, the CEO must instruct the marketing team to present a plan that will deliver these results.
If the marketing team fails to devise a viable plan, it’s time to consider other options.
The key takeaway here is clarity in roles. As a CEO, your focus should be on setting clear objectives and holding your team accountable for delivering results. By distinguishing between emotional decision-making in sales and logical planning in business management, you can lead your company more effectively towards its goals.
Remember, clarity in leadership leads to success. Understand the hat you’re wearing at any given time, and you’ll navigate your business towards greater heights.
Choose wisely.