The Weekly Sales Meeting from Hell
You're sitting in the weekly sales meeting, proudly announcing you've generated 150 new leads this month. The room goes quiet. Then your sales director speaks up:
"These leads are useless. Half of them don't even know what we do, and the other half couldn't afford us if their life depended on it."
Heard this before? This scenario plays out in B2B companies across the UK every single week.
The Top 6 Complaints We Hear from Sales Teams
If you've heard any of these complaints, the problem isn't your sales team being "difficult" - it's your targeting strategy that needs fixing.
Why This Happens (It's Not What You Think)
Problem 1: "Everyone is Our Customer" Targeting
You're targeting "business owners aged 25-65" because "anyone could use our product." This attracts everyone except the people who can actually buy from you.
Example:
A £50k software solution targeting "small business owners" will attract one-person consultancies who couldn't afford it even if they wanted it.
Problem 2: Missing Lead Qualification Framework
You count every email address as a "lead" regardless of whether they match your ideal customer profile. Your sales team wastes time chasing people who will never buy.
The Reality:
A startup founder downloading your enterprise guide isn't a qualified lead - they're just researching for the future.
Problem 3: No Feedback Loop
Marketing generates leads, passes them to sales, then moves on to the next campaign. No one tracks what happens after handoff or adjusts targeting based on sales outcomes.
What Should Happen:
Track which lead sources convert to closed deals, then double down on what works and eliminate what doesn't.
The 4-Step Framework to Fix This Forever
Step 1: Define Your Actual Ideal Customer
Stop targeting "business owners" and start targeting specific job titles at companies that can actually afford you.
- Job title (Operations Director, not "business owner")
- Company size (50-500 employees, not "small business")
- Industry (Manufacturing, not "any business")
- Budget indicators (technology spend, headcount growth)
Step 2: Implement Lead Scoring
Not all leads are created equal. Score them based on fit and behaviour before passing to sales.
What is lead scoring?
Lead scoring assigns points to prospects based on how well they match your ideal customer (company size, job title, industry) and their behaviour (pricing page visits, content downloads). Only qualified leads go to sales.
- Company size score (right size = +20 points)
- Job title score (decision-maker = +15 points)
- Behaviour score (pricing page visit = +10 points)
- Only pass leads scoring 45+ points to sales
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Step 3: Create Retargeting Sequences
Nurture prospects who aren't ready yet instead of passing them straight to sales.
- Retarget pricing page visitors with case studies
- Follow up blog readers with relevant offers
- Segment by company size and job title
- Only pass to sales after multiple touchpoints
Step 4: Track What Actually Converts
Measure success by closed deals, not just lead volume. Adjust targeting based on what works.
- Track lead source to closed deal attribution
- Identify highest-converting audience segments
- Double budget on winning campaigns
- Kill campaigns that don't convert
How to Implement This Next Week
Week 1: Audit Your Current Targeting
- • Review your current LinkedIn/Facebook ad targeting
- • Ask your sales team for specific feedback on lead quality
- • Identify your actual best customers (not who you think they are)
Week 2: Refine Your Targeting
- • Update ad targeting to match your best customer profile
- • Set up lead scoring based on company fit
- • Create retargeting audiences for nurturing
Week 3: Test and Measure
- • Launch refined campaigns with smaller budgets
- • Track lead quality feedback from sales
- • Compare conversion rates to previous campaigns
Before You Waste Money on the Wrong Platform...
Find out if your business is actually ready for LinkedIn Ads (or if Google is the better bet).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about fixing sales and marketing alignment.
Ready to Fix Your Sales and Marketing Alignment?
Get a free audit of your current targeting and lead qualification process. We'll show you exactly what's broken and how to fix it.
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