My Marketing Team is Terrible (No, Really)

I work at a series C company around a team of elite salespeople, by far the best team I've ever worked with. Our product works, the UI/UX could be a little better and the team is working on that, but all-in-all it's a solid company. The company is closing 6 and 7 figure contracts, run rate is not amazing (not many companies' run rate is great atm), but there is a big problem... our marketing team is honest to god horrible. I know every sales person thinks marketing is terrible, but this takes the cake.


I have not gotten a single inbound lead since May of 2022.

Zero distribution pipeline for their already underwhelming content.

Almost no digital strategy. Instead spent 3.2m on event marketing.

Cannot organize a single event without a catastrophe.

No success metrics.

Does not believe in long-term planning.

Can not execute on a campaign.

Last year I went 160% of goal. The number of opportunities generated from leads? 0.



Besides complaining, what do I do? How do you approach this situation as a rep?

🙅‍♂ MarketingSucks
15
FinanceEngineer
Politicker
4
Sr Director, sales and partnerships
So that is a huge problem, as 33% of leads for a healthy company should be inbound. I would suggest breaking out the pipeline by source and escalating it. That’s about the best you can do.
RandyLahey
Politicker
4
Account Manager
Yeah, no reliable inbound motion is a surefire way to death.
coletrain
Politicker
1
Account Executive
I agree here, break out pipeline by source and escalate through the org. I've been at companies that have little reliable IB motion and it is absolutely a struggle/difficult to scale. It can't all be clawing up for revenue, that's a recipe for burnout and churn.
SiliconBBQ
Politicker
0
The Metal Rooster
In one now.

Very little lead flow / deal flow.

Not a fun spot to be in.

Pachacuti
Politicker
3
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
At least your marketing is in your same country (ie it can always be worse!)

I’d you’re hitting 160% of quota, why do you want marketing involved at all? Just keep doing what you’re doing.
saasesforthemaases
Tycoon
4
Account Manager, West
Because I want to max out income in the prime years of my life so I can retire sooner LOL. I could use some Fuel on the fire, also take advantage of our competitive moat while we still have it. This won’t last without help IMO.
oldcloser
Arsonist
2
💀
Yeah man- I have fully whored myself out too. Maybe this perspective helps: The shit you’re facing is very minimal compared to most in our world. Nothing wrong with wanting sales utopia. It just can’t really be found. Keep doing what you’re doing. ✊
saasesforthemaases
Tycoon
2
Account Manager, West
very fair
punishedlad
Tycoon
2
🧙‍♂️
I'd much rather a situation like I have where we don't have a dedicated marketing department than whatever... this is.

Our marketing comes from a very robust sales enablement/SDR team + our presence at focus groups & conferences. It's very rare that I encounter a prospect who hasn't heard of us at this point.
oldcloser
Arsonist
1
💀
I feel this - currently in the same place. Is the product full-on enterprise? Like, a social presence won't draw flies? Is there a social presence at all? ACVs will always be higher with OB. But without a social presence in the right places, the faucet can begin to drip smaller deals. Worth a suggestion, maybe.
saasesforthemaases
Tycoon
1
Account Manager, West
Yeah, full enterprise. All B2B and in B2B it's typically 10k employees and up, with the exception of some tech accounts. I've been telling them they need to build a distribution pipeline for Call-To-Action content with publications, podcasts, etc. as part of a digital social strategy. They overcommitted on event marketing which is sorta a mixed lot (mostly a disaster post-COVID era). Social presence is relegated at the moment to 4k LinkedIn followers. Not a lot of creativity from the team. I'm about 18 months away from being fully vested, so not in a hurry to leave, but I can see this drying out the entire funnel in this economy. I have a decent LinkedIn brand, but a lot of my personal brand is centered on not selling out and schilling for the company I represent all the time, so tough to make a big impact on social with my own brand. I need to set a mousetrap to measure impact and report up.
Maximas
Tycoon
1
Senior Sales Executive
Speak Up,these valid concerns should not go unattended.
Ask for a one to one with the marketing director,his vice or however in charge and I'm sure that your inputs to be taken into consideration!
detectivegibbles
Politicker
1
Sales Director
160%...you're fine and don't need marketing.

Reap the rewards once they figure their shit out.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
🦊
What's a lead? 😂
HVACexpert
Politicker
0
sales engineer
Sounds like the marketing leadership needs to change, only then will the strategy change.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
0
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Surely your sales leadership is all over this with the executive team, because this is untenable. Congratulations on making it work, but sounds like you could have blown it out even more with some inbound help. What are you hearing from your manager about this?
SalesMama
Executive
0
Senior Account Executive
Can you get small budgets to run your own events (i.e. dinners, sporting events, etc)
saasesforthemaases
Tycoon
1
Account Manager, West
Yeah, that's the current strategy on my side.
CRAG112
Valued Contributor
0
Account Executive
We all agree.... marketing could be better. But spending money on events.... Dear god wth.
saasesforthemaases
Tycoon
0
Account Manager, West
Exactly. $3.2 million. With zero digital marketing strategy or pipeline. A real tragedy honestly as we are/were leaders in this new space and I'm pretty sure we'll be surpassed by year-end.
2

Outsourcing your sales team a good idea?

Question
8
Outsourcing a good idea?
10% Yes
77% No
13% Maybe
31 people voted
8

Does marketing actually suck at your company?

Question
10
Does marketing suck at your company?
49% Yes
21% No
30% Sometimes
47 people voted
15

Do you work with your Marketing team?

Discussion
12
Do your work with your Marketing team?
57% Yes
43% No
136 people voted