# How to Fix B2B Sales with Scott Marker

In today’s economy, changing markets, globalization, and evolving technology are outside of business & sales leaders’ control.

But what about the elements of their companies they can control?

When you challenge your assumptions about sales, you might be surprised to learn there’s more in your power than you think. To get there, though, you have to think outside the box and overhaul the old school B2B methods you’re used to.

On this episode of Evolved Sales LIVE, host Jonathan Fischer sits down with [Scott Marker](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmarker1/), executive sales trainer and business consultant, to teach you how to begin reimagining the B2B sales process in order to create a sustainable pipeline that will outlast economic changes for years to come.

**Meet Scott:**

Scott Marker has a multi-decade career as a [business consultant](https://www.mca-2.com/), executive trainer, and author, who's helped hundreds of companies, ranging from startups all the way up to Fortune 500 enterprises.

In his newest book, [Broken: How to Fix B2B Sales, Drive Profitable Growth, and Win](https://www.amazon.com/BROKEN-Sales-Drive-Profitable-Growth-ebook/dp/B0BVGV9B9R), Scott details what his personal research and years of experience reveal about the true state of B2B sales today and what he believes must be done to fix it.

**Check out the transcription below!**

**Jonathan Fischer:** Welcome back to the Evolved Sales Leader, powered by Overpass. I'm Jonathan Fisher. Much of the conversation among business leaders centers around changing markets, global factors, artificial intelligence, and other outside elements. But what about what's happening inside our companies?

Today's guest insists that when it comes to B2B sales, we are overdue for a major overhaul. Scott Marker has a multi-decade career as a business consultant, adjunct professor, and executive trainer. He's helped hundreds of companies ranging from startups to Fortune 50 enterprises. His latest book is called "Broken: How to Fix B2B Sales, Drive Profitable Growth, and Win."

**Scott Marker:** Hey, I'm glad to be back and I appreciate the opportunity.

**Jonathan Fischer:** What does your day-to-day work look like? What do you do to serve the business community?

**Scott Marker:** I own a franchise and run local professional referral groups. I also run a B2B sales and marketing consulting agency since 2009. I help companies, often transitioning from marketing to sales, which has been my passion.

Many companies treat their sales professionals poorly, and I'm focused on finding simple solutions to complex problems in B2B sales processes.

**Jonathan Fischer:** There are numerous areas where change is necessary for B2B sales. Let's start with one of the major problems.

**Scott Marker:** Training and development—or the lack of it. Many companies spend lots on sales training, which often doesn't improve sales performance. Training should focus on understanding customer problems and educating prospects rather than just features and benefits.

**Jonathan Fischer:** Are we not covering the right content in training, or is it perhaps not reinforced effectively?

**Scott Marker:** Both. Managers think training works, but sales professionals often report its ineffectiveness. Training needs to focus on understanding customer needs more than just the company's offerings.

**Jonathan Fischer:** Let's examine another critical issue: compensation.

**Scott Marker:** Compensation can create unethical behavior. For example, Wells Fargo's compensation structure led to a scandal where fake accounts were created due to pressure on employees to meet unrealistic sales goals. Companies need to reward bringing in the right types of customers, ensuring they focus on customer success instead of just closing deals.

**Jonathan Fischer:** How should compensation be structured?

**Scott Marker:** Sales teams should have a stable salary, plus bonuses based on customer success, not solely on new sales. Everyone in the company, from marketing to product development, should be incentivized to contribute to customer satisfaction and company growth.

**Jonathan Fischer:** What about setting realistic expectations?

**Scott Marker:** Goals should be achievable to avoid demotivating sales staff. Similar to martial arts, where you earn belts for incremental progress, sales goals should provide milestones for achievement, rather than being set unrealistically high every year.

**Jonathan Fischer:** Agreed! We often see high turnover rates in sales positions. What insight do you have on that?

**Scott Marker:** Turnover is a huge cost to companies. Many companies don't know their true turnover rates. If businesses focused on metrics like average sales tenure and the true costs of hiring and onboarding, they would realize the financial impact of high turnover. Creating a stable environment pays off in the long run.

**Jonathan Fischer:** How can companies show that they care about their employees?

**Scott Marker:** Companies should recognize and reward their employees, caring for their internal customers, which will in turn enhance service for external customers. A culture of customer centricity is vital.

**Scott Marker:** There are many ways sales professionals can transition to being customer champions instead of traditional salespeople. Encourage them to get active on social media, share customer success stories, and genuinely engage with prospects.

**Jonathan Fischer:** It's been an enlightening discussion today. For those who want to learn more, Scott's book is a great resource. Thank you for joining us today!