MT Magazine July/August 2025

FEATURE STORY

THE SALES & MARKETING ISSUE

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track from their operational standpoint, right? If they want to make an adjustment to a process, they have to first identify data that supports that decision, and second, measure the results of their new decision. “So, establishing KPIs [key performance indicators] for each marketing effort and implementing some way to track them and measure them and then making decisions based on that data is important.” – Milan Marketing = Business Goals The goal of marketing isn’t to have a website or a series of clever ads. It is to help drive forward business goals and objectives. marketing should be aligned with business goals. It should be driven by the audience and understanding who the company is and really designed to create a memorable impact that can be measured with numbers.” – Schell Solid Approach To develop a new product, you first determine whether anyone may be interested in buying it. Similarly, marketing needs to figure out the best way to help achieve business goals. “We use the RPIE model: research, planning, implementation, and evaluation. We always start with research to understand what the objective is that we are trying to achieve.” – Galbreath Money Matters If you invest in a new machine, the reason is to generate more revenue. If you invest in marketing, the objective should be the same. “My goal, at the end of the day, is to make people money, and that’s what our purpose is here. The best way and the fastest way for us to make people the most amount of return on their spend is to have involvement in the different facets of marketing. “Creating content is one thing, but getting eyeballs on it – that’s what marketing is. Anybody can create an article, graphic, or social post, but turning that piece of creative into something that generates revenue – that’s what marketing does.” – Milan One Approach: Three Cs There needs to be alignment throughout an organization in terms of what it does and what it will or won’t do to achieve those ends. This must be consistent, not ever-changing. And to help drive it home, it should be articulated in a clever way. Externally, it isn’t a whole lot different. “We focus on building communication plans that revolve around what I call the ‘three Cs’: clarity, consistency, and creativity. “I think a lot of companies fall short because they don’t know “It always has to start with strategy. So, our approach is very strategic. It’s insight-driven, and it’s really built for that long-term impact because “My approach to marketing is rooted in substance over flash. Marketing should be substantive, not performative or decorative.

But today, while relationships between sales teams and potential or current customers are important, they are not wholly sufficient. This is particularly due to the economic impacts buffeting the industry, labor issues (according to HR consulting firm Mercer, turnover of sales professionals is 8.3%, so someone leaving can make a huge difference), and changes in how customers expect to get information about the products they’re interested in (think Google). Your company and its products must be visible to customers and prospects, as well as to people who may want to work at your company because they like what they see. Assuming that they see it. Marketing matters. But let’s face it: When a company must reduce spending, marketing is often one of the first things to get cut. After all, it isn’t that important, right? Well, maybe not for the immediate future. However, if sales cycles last six to 18 months, at some point, cutting marketing will have deeper ramifications on revenues. To better understand marketing’s what, how, and why, we interviewed three long-time practitioners who serve our industry. They are: • Teresa Schell, president and owner, Vive LLC • Kyle Milan, CEO, chief revenue officer, and founder, Milan Media • Leslie Galbreath, CEO, DGS Marketing Engineers While their observations differ, their approaches show a certain consistency: Marketing is more of a science than an art, more substantive than simply stylish. Here’s what we gleaned that you may find useful for your understanding – and execution. Measurement Matters You likely have an operations dashboard that provides you with information regarding everything from inbound supplies to production operations to shipments. The data can show where things are working efficiently as well as bottlenecks and other opportunities for improvement. Similarly, tracking marketing performance is critical. “I strongly believe that data has to support every decision in marketing, whether it’s a positive one or a negative one. This is no different than what executives