Why marketing and PR can’t fix a broken sales process

Imagine this: You see a news story or social media post about a service you actually need. You click, inquire, and within a day you’re talking to a sales representative. They’re responsive, professional, and even follow up with a detailed proposal.

Then, silence.

No call to confirm you received the quote. No follow-up to answer questions. No effort to build rapport. A week later, you get the same quote resent from their system with no context.

What happens next? Likely nothing. You move on. The lead is lost.

Here’s the truth: The PR content worked. The funnel worked. The PR agency did its job. But the sales process broke down, and in six months, the company may wrongly blame the agency for “not driving results.”

At Axia, we see this dynamic occasionally. PR and marketing firms generate visibility and credibility, but we can’t close sales for you unless you’ve outsourced that function to us. And if your sales process is broken, no amount of earned media or digital content visibility can fix it.

What PR and marketing deliver

Let’s start with what we can do.

PR and digital content marketing content build visibility and credibility so your target audience:

• Knows you
  
  
• Likes you
  
  
• Trusts you
  
  
• Wants to do business with you

We do this through:

• Earned media coverage
  Trusted third-party validation from reputable outlets
  
  
• Social media strategy 
  Consistent, credible engagement with audiences
  
  
• Content and thought leadership
  Articles, podcasts, and speaking engagements that build authority
  
  
• Web visibility
  Optimized content that ensures your brand shows up in search and even in AI-powered answers

These tools attract attention. They create demand. They fill the top of your funnel.

Where PR and marketing have no control

But here’s what we can’t do (unless you hire us to run sales for you):

• Sales communication
  Are your salespeople responsive? Do they follow up quickly?
  
  
• Chemistry and fit
  Not every lead will be the right customer. Sales must discern that.
  
  
• Professionalism  
  Being too passive frustrates leads; being too pushy drives them away.
  
  
• Consistency
  One unanswered email or missed call can sour a relationship before it starts.

PR and digital content can bring prospects to your door. But if your sales team doesn’t open that door — or worse, opens it in the wrong way — you lose the opportunity.

The consequences of a broken sales process

When sales follow-up breaks down, leads feel:

• Frustrated
  “Why did I bother reaching out?”
  
  
• Undervalued
  “If they don’t follow up now, how will they treat me as a customer?”
  
  
• Abandoned
  “This company doesn’t want my business.”

And what happens next? The prospect tells others. They leave reviews. They share their bad experience. Suddenly, the visibility and trust your PR firm worked hard to build is undercut by a weak or inconsistent sales process.

Aligning sales and PR for success

The best results happen when PR, marketing, and sales work in harmony. Some call this “smarketing.”

• Shared messaging
  PR sets the stage with trusted, consistent stories. Sales must reinforce that narrative.
  
  
• Prompt, professional follow-up
  Leads generated through earned media or digital marketing content are often warm. Don’t let them cool.
  
  
• Training and accountability
  If sales execution is weak, invest in coaching, process improvement, or outsource where appropriate.
  
  
• Feedback loops
  Sales should tell PR and content teams what messaging resonates and what objections arise so we can refine storytelling.

Axia’s role vs. your role

At Axia, our role is clear:

• We generate awareness.
  
  
• We build credibility.
  
  
• We create opportunities.

Your role?

• To engage with those opportunities.
  
  
• To follow up with professionalism.
  
  
• To convert credibility into customers.

Think of it this way: PR builds the stage. Marketing lights it. The audience gathers. But if sales never steps up to perform, the show doesn’t go on. And customers are extremely frustrated. 

Conclusion: PR opens the door. Sales must close it.

PR and digital marketing content are powerful drivers of visibility, reputation, and trust. They bring your brand into the spotlight and connect you with people who want what you offer.

But they can’t replace a professional, disciplined sales process. If your team doesn’t communicate, follow up, and close effectively, even the best PR in the world won’t move the needle.

When PR and sales both do their part, the results are undeniable. That’s when your company thrives.

For more information on how we can elevate your PR strategy, explore our services today or book a one-on-one consultation.

Photo by Pixabay