Regardless of your industry, in order to come out on top you must possess that vital blend of offence and defence. From a sales and marketing perspective, business and executive types will typically fall into one of two categories: farmers and hunters. Farmers like to engage with existing prospects, cultivate relationships, nurture them, and foster growth. Hunters, on the other hand, are always scouting for new pipelines and ideas, while pursuing partnerships that could lead to new customers or revenue streams.
There’s always been a competition between the two in terms of which is more valued, however, in my opinion, they’re both vital roles necessary to truly create a sustainable company. Companies must ensure that they are running their operations from all angles. The sports saying that “offense wins games, defence wins championships” applies here. Ultimately you’re only focusing on offense when you’re bringing in potential clients and winning them over with sales propositions. However, the key to true prosperity is excellent account management. Therefore, playing the defence role and cultivating professional relationships into something bigger is equally as important.
The takeaway – farmers and hunters should not be in competition with one another. Tackling your operations through a synergistic offensive and defensive strategy ensures that you’re positioning your company for championship success.
