When I launched my coaching business, I had every reason to believe I’d succeed. I came from a strong background in sales and knew how to close. But when it came to selling my own service, everything changed. It felt unfamiliar and harder than it should’ve been. I was pitching with passion, but getting silence in return.
That’s when it hit me: sales really do solve all sins. When your sales process works, everything else in your business becomes easier—or at least fixable.
And if you’re a small business owner, learning this lesson early can save you years of frustration.
Why Sales and Marketing Must Come First
It’s tempting to prioritize product development or hire a team to handle day-to-day operations. But without sales, those things are just nice-to-haves. You can’t improve your offer or scale your team without cash flow. And you can’t create reliable cash flow without a steady stream of sales.
Think of your business like a car. Sales is the engine. Marketing is the fuel. If the engine’s not running, the car’s going nowhere—no matter how polished the paint or how great the interior is.
Marketing should never be just about visibility. If your branding isn’t generating leads, it’s just decoration. You need marketing that builds a path to revenue. Focus on systems that turn attention into action—ads, landing pages, emails, and calls that lead to a close.
Most of all, remember this: until your business generates sales on repeat, you’re just guessing. That’s a dangerous way to run any business.
What I Learned the Hard Way
1. No Clear Sales Strategy Wastes More Than Money
Early on, I invested heavily in Meta and Google Ads. I believed that traffic would naturally turn into leads. But I had no strategy. No real funnel. No message crafted for a specific type of buyer. So of course, nothing worked.
I didn’t understand the psychology of my audience. I had no idea what would make them stop scrolling and say, “That’s what I need.” Embarrassingly, I assumed good ads would do the work. But good ads mean nothing if they speak to the wrong person—or everyone at once.
Without a strategy, ads aren’t an investment. They’re just another expense.
If you’re not deeply clear on your buyer, message, and path to purchase, hold off on marketing spend. Otherwise, you’ll spend months chasing shadows and wondering why you’re not getting results.
2. A Sales Team Without Training Is Just a Group Chat
As the business grew, I brought on a sales team. They were energetic, but unequipped. They didn’t understand our offer. Worst of all, they didn’t know the value we brought. And they definitely weren’t ready to handle objections or close real deals.
We’d lose warm leads simply because our reps didn’t know how to communicate. It wasn’t their fault—they just weren’t trained.
Training isn’t a quarterly event. It’s a daily habit. Teams need structure, role-plays, and feedback loops. They need to hear what’s working in the field and what’s not.
Your sales team is the voice of your business. If they’re off-key, the whole message sounds wrong. Build them up daily—because strong closers aren’t born. They’re built.
3. If You’re Not Using a CRM, You’re Leaving Money on the Table
In the early chaos, I was tracking leads on sticky notes, text threads, and scattered spreadsheets. We couldn’t follow up consistently. We missed calls and forgot names. And we lost business.
Without a CRM (Customer Relationship Management system), you’re operating in the dark. You won’t know what stage a lead is in or track follow-ups. You can’t spot patterns or plan your pipeline.
If you want to grow, you need visibility. CRMs help you work smarter, not harder. They bring order to your follow-ups, clarity to your team, and actual insight into what’s working.
Whether it’s HubSpot, Salesforce, or a simpler platform like Engage360—just pick one. Use it daily. And let it become the control center of your sales process.
The Fix: Build a Sales System That Scales
When I got serious about fixing these issues, I saw change fast. We shifted from chaos to clarity. From random wins to steady deals. The systems we put in place became the foundation of the S.C.O.R.E. Operating System we now teach at Accountability Now.
The first pillar is the most important: Sales and Marketing.
Here’s how to get it right.
1. Build a Strategy That Works for Your Audience
Start with your ideal customer. Be specific. Know their pains, goals, language, and decision process. Generic messages won’t cut through the noise. Speak directly to one group—and speak like you understand them.
Then, map out your customer journey. Where do they first discover you? What objections will they have? How can you answer those questions before they ask them?
Use tools like:
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Social media platforms where your audience is active
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Cold outreach channels with personalized hooks
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Niche communities, partnerships, or events they already trust
Your strategy should feel like a conversation, not a pitch.
2. Set Sales Goals That Drive Focus
Goals bring urgency. Without them, your team is just busy—not productive.
Start small. Daily outreach targets. Weekly lead goals. Monthly revenue numbers. Don’t just track volume—track quality too. What’s converting? Where are deals getting stuck?
Use these metrics:
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Conversion rates per funnel stage
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Time to close
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Lead response time
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Average deal size
Review these weekly. Adjust monthly. Never let your numbers sit stale. What you track, you improve.
3. Use Marketing That Drives Revenue, Not Just Views
Your marketing must lead to action. If your posts are getting likes but no leads, your strategy is broken.
Focus on these key tactics:
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Google Ads & Meta Campaigns with intent-focused keywords
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Landing pages built to convert, not just inform
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Lead magnets that capture emails in exchange for value
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Email sequences that guide leads from cold to ready
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SEO content that answers real questions your audience is already searching
Stop thinking about brand awareness. Start thinking about pipeline impact.
4. Train Your Sales Team Every Day
Even the best reps need reps. That means:
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Daily stand-ups with goals, wins, and plans
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Role-playing to sharpen messaging and confidence
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Post-call reviews to pinpoint gaps
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Weekly deep-dives on common objections
Sales isn’t a solo sport. Your team should train together, share notes, and grow fast. If you’re not actively building your team, you’re letting potential deals slip away every day.
5. Make CRM Your Central Tool
Pick a CRM and make it the heartbeat of your sales operation. It should track every contact, every follow-up, every result.
Use your CRM to:
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Automate reminders and email follow-ups
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Track deal stages and forecast revenue
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Pull insights from call logs and history
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Keep your team aligned and accountable
The more your CRM works for you, the more consistent your pipeline becomes.
Remember, Don’t Scale Until Sales Are Steady
Small business owners often want to scale fast. But scaling a shaky sales process only multiplies the problems. Before you worry about operations, branding, or product expansion—get sales dialed in.
Once sales and marketing run on autopilot, your business can grow with confidence. Until then, everything else is just noise.
At Accountability Now, we help business owners build these systems from the ground up. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start growing, we’re here when you need us.