Most business owners assume that once someone has the word sales in their job title, they know how to sell.

They know how to pick up the phone.
They know how to qualify a lead.
They know how to move deals through a pipeline and close.
They should know, right?

But here’s the reality we see time and again:
Your “sales” team might not actually know how to sell.

In many businesses, especially B2B and in technical sectors individuals often receive the title of “sales” without proper training or coaching on how to effectively sell.

From Salespeople to Sales Admins

In many B2B companies, especially in industrial sectors such as manufacturing, construction, or distribution, sales teams are built over time, often informally. The people in these roles are typically:

• Long-standing employees promoted from technical or customer support backgrounds
• Relationship-builders who are great at keeping customers happy
• Detail-oriented professionals who know the products inside out

But while they carry the sales title, they often behave more like sales administrators:

• They respond to enquiries but rarely chase
• They send quotes but don’t follow up
• They say they’ll call or visit — and don’t
• They wait for deals to happen instead of making them happen

And the real salespeople — the hunters — end up stepping in to close deals that the rest of the team couldn’t close. The result?
Frustration, burnout, and stalled growth.

What’s Going Wrong?

It’s not laziness.
It’s not sabotage.
It’s a lack of clarity, capability, and culture.

Clarity – No defined sales process. No expectations. No performance tracking.
Capability – No formal sales training. No coaching. No roleplay.
Culture – No urgency. No accountability. No hunger.

So, How Do You Fix It?

You don’t have to turn farmers into hunters overnight. However, you do need to create a structure where everyone is moving in the same direction, with the same expectations, and with the same tools to achieve their goals.

Here’s what works:

1. Build a Sales Process Everyone Understands

Map the customer journey from lead to close. Define stages. Assign responsibilities. Make it visual and simple.

2. Introduce Basic Sales Training and Coaching

Give your team tools for:

• Handling objections
• Asking better questions
• Knowing when and how to close

This doesn’t need to be a 3-day seminar. 20-minute weekly coaching huddles, led by experienced hunters or managers, can transform a team.

3. Make the CRM the Source of Truth

Your CRM isn’t just a database; it’s the heartbeat of your sales function. But only if:

• It’s easy to use
• It’s used consistently
• It’s reviewed regularly

A good CRM tells you:

• Who said they’d follow up (and didn’t)
• Which leads are going cold
• Who’s underperforming (and why)

With the right setup, your CRM becomes the coach, the scorekeeper, and the manager that never sleeps.

4. Introduce Light Accountability and Recognition

Not everyone needs hard commissions. But everyone needs goals, and to see where they stand.

Try:

• Weekly team targets
• Monthly recognition for progress or effort
• Transparent dashboards showing pipeline movement

Where Emarkable Comes In

At Emarkable, we work with B2B companies to bridge the gap between marketing and sales — and help your sales team do what they were hired to do: sell.

We support you with:

CRM Implementation & Optimisation

Whether you’re starting from scratch or need to rescue a failing CRM rollout, we’ll get you set up with the tools, automations, and reporting to track real performance, not just activity.

Sales Enablement Strategy

We help you define a sales process, create lead-nurturing workflows, build email templates, call scripts and playbooks tailored to your business.

Coaching & Accountability

We provide hands-on support, training, and regular check-ins to help turn passive sales teams into active performers, without alienating your team members.

Marketing-Driven Lead Support

Salespeople should be closing, not chasing cold contacts. Our inbound marketing strategies generate higher-quality leads, making it easier for your team to convert them.