Why Weak Positioning Kills Sales Calls, According to Sara Simmonds

In a recent LinkedIn post, Sara Simmonds argues that many founders are making sales unnecessarily difficult by failing to establish clear and compelling market positioning. Simmonds, a recognized voice in business strategy, highlights a common pitfall: the need to constantly explain a company’s value proposition on every sales call.

According to Simmonds, this reliance on explanation indicates a deeper issue with market clarity. “Buyers should not need a guided tour to understand your relevance,” she states, emphasizing that if such a tour is required, the problem likely predates the sales conversation itself.

“If you are still explaining your value on every sales call, your market is not clear on why you matter.”

The Symptoms of Weak Positioning

Sara Simmonds identifies several tell-tale signs that a company’s positioning may be insufficient. These include a message that sounds indistinguishable from competitors, offers framed around features rather than buyer needs, and content that attracts attention without generating qualified demand. This leads to prospects viewing the company as just another option, rather than a distinct solution.

“Your prospects see you as one option among many,” Simmonds points out. This lack of differentiation, she explains, makes the sales process significantly more challenging.

The Impact on Sales Conversations

When positioning is weak, Simmonds argues, every hurdle in the sales process becomes amplified. “Sales gets harder when positioning is weak,” she writes. This means that objections carry more weight, conversations require more effort, and the ultimate decision hinges heavily on the salesperson’s ability to persuade, an often exhausting and avoidable scenario.

“Every objection feels heavier. Every conversation takes longer. Every decision depends on your ability to convince.”

The Power of Strong Positioning

Conversely, Simmonds asserts that robust positioning does much of the heavy lifting before a sales representative even engages with a potential client. Strong positioning, in her view, establishes essential context, builds credibility, and helps buyers quickly categorize and understand a company’s place in the market.

This preparatory work fundamentally alters the nature of sales calls. As Simmonds puts it, strong positioning allows businesses to shift from a mode of constant “proving” to one of simple “confirming.”

“You stop proving. You start confirming.”

Sara Simmonds concludes by advising businesses to address messaging and positioning issues as a foundational step. She suggests that if a company’s message isn’t effectively communicating its value, this is the first area that requires attention. Her insights underscore the critical role of clear, differentiated positioning in streamlining the sales cycle and driving business growth.