Two high school water polo coaches take new jobs at similar high schools in Southern California. Both have similar levels of experience. But their stories are very different.
The first coach waits to see who tries out each year. He builds a team around this group. He’s a good coach, but the team’s record varies from year to year depending who goes out for the team.
The second coach is constantly on the lookout at his school for potential players. He looks for tall students – basketball players, volleyball players. He talks to members of the swim team about his sport. He starts a club for high school players to train and scrimmage in the off-season. This coach starts another club for middle school students so they can get excited about the sport and (he hopes) play in high school. He gets together with other club coaches and schedules informal tournaments.
The second coach can see who his team will be in two, three and four years. He can plan ahead and groom players for positions. His team’s record is more steady because he has cultivated a flow of players for his varsity team.
Marketing and Sales faces a similar choice. It can look for people who are ready for its products and services and help them become a customer.
Or it can cultivate the market. Identify the profile of companies who would be good customers. Search them out and make an introduction. Educate these companies about the problem you solve and answer their questions. Help them move from stage to stage in their journey.
Companies that work in this way will have an experience similar to the second coach. Not only will their record for customer acquisition improve, they’ll have more predictability and control over their results.
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