In most B2B business, it is your sales team and distributors that are key channels in closing business deals. If they do not approve, support or understand the messaging or strategy, it is likely to fail.

A lack of support among sales is often the result of poor communication. They simply do not understand why. Why are we claiming this position? Why are we saying this about the product? Why are we moving in this direction?

This is why it is important to be able to point to the market insights collected from internal and external stakeholders. Because if you let your market insights guide you, you will ensure that the message is relevant to people you want to address, and when the message is relevant to the customers, the sales team will likely support it.

If sales and distributors do not support your strategy or messaging, there is a risk that they will fall into innovation and create their own independent strategy. Not bescause of spite, but because they likely believe that there is a better way. Scattered brand messages will make customers confused, branding weak and value-add difficult to claim.