Channel sales trust issues

I was genuinely interested to discover the root reasons why marketing faces pushback from sales, and interviewed 20+ Enterprise AEs, SDRs and VPs of sales. Here are 5 reasons they've shared: 1. THE PROTECTIVE MINDSET. You know the story. You ask to interview a strategic account for a case study. Sales immediately says: "No, these are my contacts. We don't need to bother them." The root cause is usually the "credit issue" - sales wants to prove they're the irreplaceable relationship owner, that deals happen purely because of them. This is a part of a way bigger problem, where you have two choices: immediately trigger the change management and conversations with your leadership or find a new job. 2. THE DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE GAP. One team I worked with had a marketer creating programs for technical buyers (software engineers) without any technical background. The content and messaging completely missed the mark. You can’t gain the sales trust until you fix the domain knowledge gap and start involving (or working closely) with subject-matter experts. Here is an example: https://lnkd.in/dsUf7RFM 3. MISUNDERSTANDING SALES CHALLENGES. You present a solution to sales that solves a problem you think they have. They push back. Why? Because you never actually asked what their real priorities and challenges are. If you don't understand their day-to-day reality, you're solving imaginary problems. Ashley Lewin shared her case last week: https://lnkd.in/dSQ4eT_d When she started at Aligned, she heard a recurring complaint: the lead handoff process between marketing and sales was broken. She sat down with a sales leader, defined how the broken handoff process impacts revenue, and co-created a simple battle plan. This approach immediately demonstrated marketing’s commitment to solving sales problems, and building the necessary relationship to run bigger initiatives together. 4. DIFFERENT INCENTIVES. Sales is measured on revenue. Marketing is often measured on... MQLs? Traffic? Brand awareness metrics that don't connect to revenue? I've heard multiple times about this case: Marketing comes to the board meeting celebrating improved traffic, better LLM visibility, hitting MQL targets. Meanwhile, sales is missing revenue targets. From the sales perspective: "These guys are getting celebrated while we're drowning. And now they want to tell us what to do?" 5. NAIVE CHANGE MANAGEMENT. You create a playbook and tell sales: "This is what you should do." You expect them to follow it. People don't change just because you ask them to. Change requires understanding their motivations, addressing their concerns, showing early wins, and getting their buy-in during the creation process - not after. --- The good news? There are quick tactical fixes to go from misaligned, siloed functions to revenue teams. Read tomorrow on our Substack: https://lnkd.in/dSje9cKc

2 in 10 deals never make it to the CRM. Not because they’re lost. Because they’re hidden. Welcome to the shadow pipeline. And no, it’s not a rep problem. It’s a trust problem. Listen to this - a Rep had a lead come in through a partner intro. It wasn’t assigned. It wasn’t clean. No campaign tag, no clear owner. He’d followed up, had two great discovery calls, and started shaping a proposal. But he never added it to the pipeline board. Why? The Rep's logic: Log it early, risk territory disputes. Close it quietly first, secure the credit. The rep wasn’t new. He wasn't careless. He’d just been burned before. Last quarter, he split a $60K deal 50/50 with a rep who sent one email - because the account mapping was vague and the credit rules were looser than they should’ve been. So this time? He played it quiet. He kept it off the books. Until it stalled in procurement. Because it wasn’t in the system - no one noticed it slipping. No forecast flag. No coaching. No support. Three weeks later, the deal was gone. And because it never hit the board, no one talked about it. But it wasn’t an isolated case. Reps hide deals when unclear rules, territory overlaps, and comp structures turn them into defenders of their own earnings. As a leader, you can’t coach what you can’t see. And you won’t see it if reps are second-guessing the system that’s supposed to reward them. This was a long time ago but that was a great logo and I still feel pissed when I think about it. I have ever since actively tried to avoid this wherever I go. At Everstage, this is something I obsess over. Clear rules. Clean credit logic. Instant visibility. Because when reps trust the process, they log in early, flag risks, and ask for help. It starts with trust in the system. Because reps won’t log what they think they’ll lose. But when they do? You actually get to coach before it’s too late. https://lnkd.in/e-CBeXBT

We are in a credibility disruption...hang on, hear me out. Marketing deals in attention. Sales deals in trust. I keep seeing B2B sales teams trying to solve a trust problem with a marketing solution. They push out more cold emails, more automated LinkedIn DMs, and more AI-generated comments. They optimise for speed and volume. But speed is not belief. AI gives you velocity, but bad AI does not create demand. It creates distance. Right now, 75% of buyers say they never want to talk to a salesperson. That is a massive number. And it tells us something fundamental: the problem is not content scarcity. The scarcity is credibility. If your prospect does not trust you before the first conversation, you are already behind. You are fighting over the 2% of the market that is ready to buy right now, while ignoring the 98% that needs to be educated and convinced. You have to reverse the funnel. You have to build trust at scale before you ask for time. The best sales teams in the next two years will not be the ones who work harder. They will be the ones who understood this shift early and built their credibility before the conversation even started. There is still time, but you better start running.

Most enterprise deals don’t start with sales decks — they start with behind-the-scenes conversations.  When execs are scouting vendors, they’re not browsing ads.  They’re swapping names in private Slack channels, group chats, and closed-door dinners.  The key currency in these conversations?  Trust.  And trust rarely comes from a case study. It comes from familiarity. From being known and liked by the right people. But if you’re not a household name, how do you earn that trust? You build real relationships - by showing up where your buyers are, offering value with no strings attached, and getting talked about in the rooms you’re not in. In-person connection is gold, but it doesn’t scale.  So, here’s how execs can build trust at scale: ➔ Partner with respected voices to create content (webinars, podcasts, etc.)  ➔ Host intimate, invite-only dinners — fewer people, more impact  ➔ Publish research that your buyers want to share internally  ➔ Create small, private peer groups with zero sales agenda  ➔ Spotlight your most passionate users at industry events  ➔ Host off-the-record virtual roundtables with meaningful conversation  ➔ Build an executive voice in channels where your audience pays attention Trust travels. Make sure it’s going in your direction! #B2BMarketing #B2B #Trust #MarketingStrategy 

Most salespeople think objections kill deals. They're wrong.   From analyzing over 18,000 customer calls, here are the objections we hear most and what actually works.   𝟭. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲/𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀 "It's too expensive" means "I don't see enough value." 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Don't defend your price. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: • Revisit your value proposition. • Quantify ROI in their terms. • Ask: "What would solving this be worth to your organization?" • Help them see the cost of 𝘯𝘰𝘵 changing. 𝟮. 𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱/𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 When prospects say they're "fine with what they have," they haven't connected your solution to their problem. 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Stop pitching features. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: • Ask diagnostic questions that reveal hidden costs.     • Build urgency around the gap. 𝟯. 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 "Not right now" is rarely about timing. It's about priority. 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Don't accept vague delays. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: • Lock down a specific timeline with closed questions: • "Do you expect to be ready by Q4?" • If they won't commit to a date, it's likely a different objection in disguise. 𝟰. 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆/𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 If you're deep in the sales process and just learning they're not the decision-maker, you've waited too long. 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Ask questions early in every conversation. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: • Ask, “Who else weighs in on decisions like this?" • Get decision-makers involved before you present. • If you've already presented, pivot immediately:     "Who else should we involve?" • Then schedule with the actual decision-maker. 𝟱. 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁/𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 Skepticism means you haven't earned credibility yet. 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Lead with proof, not promises. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: • Share specific customer results. • Offer references, case studies, or a pilot. • Be honest about what you can and can't deliver. • Have you kept past promises?    ‣If yes, showcase it. ‣If not, acknowledge it and explain what's changed. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀? 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜'𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.

Last week, I had the chance to close a deal that would have covered 70% of my Q1 target in one go. But I chose not to do it. - - - - Here's what happened. The client wanted their entire organisation to be active on social media and was ready to purchase 1,000 advocacy licenses. But there was a huge red flag. They had never run an advocacy program before. Alarm bells were ringing. I’ve seen how this story ends. Unhappy customers, no scale, and then they churn. - - - - Instead of taking the easy win, I recommended we start small. With just 10% of the licenses they wanted. I proposed a growth plan with a fixed cost for scaling their program as it matured. Because the worst-case scenario for our business isn’t missing a target. It’s having licenses sit unused on a shelf. That’s a recipe for dissatisfaction and mistrust. The short-term gain would have been hitting my target, almost guaranteed. But the long-term pain? The erosion of trust in me and our business. - - - - - Overselling is a common problem in sales. I came across a LinkedIn post last week that highlighted this issue from Danny Gelfenbaum ☁️ : "Salesforce AEs are closing monstrous contracts with companies that don’t fully know what they need. They sell expensive licenses and products, knowing the client won’t use them for months, maybe even years.” Why does this happen? Quota Pressure: Salespeople are chasing numbers, at the expense of client success. Knowledge Gap: Clients don't fully understand what they’re buying or lack the expertise to push back. Short-Term Thinking: Deals get signed, and implementation teams are left to clean up the mess. - - - - - - This approach doesn’t help anyone in the long run. Clients pay for products and licenses they don’t need. Frustration builds from wasted budgets and stalled projects. Trust in the platform erodes before the journey even begins. The entire ecosystem’s reputation takes a hit. - - - - Looking back at the deals I closed last year, many involved clients I had sold to in my first 12 months at Oktopost. These clients had moved to new companies and bought our product again. They had started small, proved the model, and scaled when it made sense. That’s the power of doing the right thing for your clients. The best salespeople understand that trust is the foundation of long-term success. When you prioritise your client’s needs over your own targets, you’re not just closing deals. You’re building relationships that will pay dividends for years to come. - - - - It starts with being honest and transparent with your clients. If they don’t fully understand what they’re buying, take the time to educate them. If they’re not ready to scale, help them start small and grow at a sustainable pace. Your goal isn’t just to sell a product; it’s to help your client succeed. Short-term wins might feel good in the moment, but they’re rarely worth the cost of a damaged reputation.

Six years at Salesforce. Selling trust I couldn't reliably back up. And it was because the system made it structurally impossible to be trustworthy, not that I was purposely dishonest. When a customer asked something technical, I had nowhere reliable to turn. My SE was stretched across a dozen deals and sometimes didn't know either. So we'd submit a case. 24 hours later it came back closed. Not answered. Because the team was measured on closure, not resolution. "Not our group. Try them." New case. Another email to the customer: "So sorry, still working on it." They sent us into rooms to sell TRUST. Undertrained. Under-resourced. Rotated to new territories before we'd built anything real. This isn't just a Salesforce story. Ask nearly any AE at any enterprise SaaS company. Same maze, same frustration. After enough of those moments, you start to feel like a fraudster. You put your reputation on the line to sell this product. You made promises about what world-class technology could do for their business. And now you can't answer basic questions about how it works. Trust in sales has always required 3 things: Continuity. The customer knows you over time. Competence. You actually understand what you're selling. Follow-through. What you promise, you deliver. Territories rotate constantly, so customers cycle through strangers. Products change faster than anyone trains reps on them. Support is optimized to close cases, not solve them. Comp models reward the next sale, not whether the last customer got what was promised. Customers bought Salesforce on vision. On belief that the rep across from them would make sure it came to fruition. That rep was me. I wanted to be that person. But the system made it nearly impossible. Customers have figured this out. They've stopped buying on relationship. They scrutinize contracts now. Compare platforms on specifics. Demand proof of value the rep usually can't provide. Companies look at all of this and call it a harder selling environment. But they created this. And the AEs sitting across from skeptical customers, quietly wondering when they stopped being good at this, aren't the problem either. You aren't the fraud. They removed the conditions that would have made you trustworthy.

For years I tried to keep channel and direct sales apart. I was wrong about that. 2 motions, 2 teams, 2 pipelines. That was the model I defended. Then I watched our best deals close, and the pattern was always the same. A partner was in the room before we were. There is one go-to-market motion. Partners run through all of it. You can hit your number without them. You will just cap how good you get. The strongest AEs I work with do not treat partners as a referral source. They treat them as leverage across the entire cycle. 3 ways they do it. Pre-cycle, they bring a partner in as the expert. The partner already has trust in the account. The AE borrows it. Mid-cycle, they bring a partner in to build the business case. A partner who knows the customer's stack makes the ROI real, not theoretical. Post-sale, they bring a partner in for implementation. The deal that lands well is the deal that expands. This is not a soft benefit. Partner-attached deals close 40 percent faster. Partners influence up to half of pipeline. Retention roughly doubles when a partner is involved in delivery. The AE who learns this early stops carrying the deal alone. They build a network that carries it with them. —— The best sellers are not the best closers. They are the best at borrowing trust. Trust they did not have to build from zero. Trust that was already sitting in the account, waiting. What have you seen work best to bring a partner into a live deal?

🚨 “Sir, I’ll charge 4% brokerage.” A sentence that killed a deal. I was helping my NRI uncle sell his farmhouse. We met buyers through a channel partner representing us, finalised terms, exchanged the token—everything seemed smooth. But the moment the buyers stepped out, our own channel partner suddenly said: “Sir, my brokerage will be 4%.” Meanwhile, the buyer’s broker had quoted the normal 1–2% market rate. For the next two weeks during due diligence, this kept troubling me— Not the number… but the intent. It wasn’t negotiation. It was a breach of trust, and worse, something that could have reflected poorly on my integrity too. So I did what most people avoid because it’s uncomfortable: I called everyone, sat them down, and cancelled the deal. Did it delay the sale? Yes. Did it protect trust and long-term reputation for me and my family? Absolutely. Business cannot happen when there is no trust. And no deal—no matter how big—is worth compromising your values. ⸻ Lessons for Buyers & Sellers • Clarify all brokerage terms before starting discussions. • Choose partners who communicate transparently. • If it looks like a red flag, it probably is one. • Protect your integrity above any transaction. Lessons for Brokers & Channel Partners • Integrity is your strongest currency. • Ambushing clients with new terms kills relationships. • Long-term trust > short-term commissions. • Transparency creates repeat business and referrals. ⸻ A Note of Appreciation This is the first time in nearly 10 years of working in real estate that I’ve faced something like this. We are genuinely lucky and blessed in Ahmedabad to have honest, ethical, and supportive channel partners. Most of our project sales happen through them—and instances like the one above are truly a rarity. #RealEstate #Business #Integrity #Brokerage #ChannelPartners #TrustMatters #LeadershipLessons #RealEstateIndia