The Expert Archetype Part 2: The Shadow: Sales Before Marketing

“Establishing trust is better than any sales technique.” – Mike Puglia

Lenny* had secured a client for his cybersecurity business, which promised a solid three to four months of work—a promising start. I agreed it was a good beginning.

“And how do you plan to secure future clients?” I asked.

“Maybe a brand awareness campaign,” he pondered.

“If you lose this client, would you be able to survive?” I pressed.

“No, I wouldn’t,” he shot back.

“Then you can’t afford to wait. Start focusing on sales tomorrow,” I said.

Lenny quickly rattled off reasons he couldn’t do sales—no time, not knowing what to say, and so on. I reminded him that many first-time entrepreneurs fall into the trap of focusing on current work while neglecting business development. When the work eventually dries up, they scramble for new clients. Sometimes, that last-minute hustle works; more often, it drives businesses to the edge—or over it. That’s the reality we call the “Shadow” of selling, and it shows up sooner or later.

Many clients want to dive into branding and marketing campaigns right from the start. While technically, branding and sales fall under the marketing umbrella, they serve opposite ends of the spectrum. Sales is about converting potential customers into actual ones. Branding, on the other hand, is about creating awareness. The reality is that a brand is just a reputation—and a reputation comes from having actual customers. Without customers, you don’t have a brand.

Go Deep, Not Wide

Branding is broad and surface-level, aiming to reach a wide audience with a simple message. Entrepreneurs love branding work—choosing colors, designing logos, and deciding on the website’s look. I’ve never had to nudge an entrepreneur to work on branding.

Sales, however, is narrow and deep. It’s about building a one-on-one relationship with each potential customer. It means dedicating time to a small group genuinely interested in what you offer, not a broad audience that may or may not care.

For example, if I were creating a new coffee maker and showed you a prototype, you might say, “Yes, I’d buy that”—that’s marketing. But if I return later with a finished product and say, “Here it is, for $200—are you ready to buy?” and you start hesitating, that’s sales.

Yes, sales comes with the risk of rejection. But the upside? Immediate feedback. In the early days of your startup, your product or service is still evolving. You need feedback from actual customers. There’s a huge difference between what you think customers want and what they’re willing to pay for. It’s better to learn that in early sales conversations than after sinking money into branding.

I Have to Sell? Really?

Suggesting sales to clients often feels like asking them to run a marathon. The “Sales Shadow” appears. For the Expert Entrepreneur Archetype, in particular, selling feels like a chore. They want to focus on the work, not the selling—it can feel almost beneath them.

One reason we avoid selling is simple: it’s uncomfortable. We don’t like hearing “No, I’m not interested.” For some, it’s anxiety-inducing even before they start. My advice? Instead of fixating on targets, focus on small wins. Your confidence will grow with each new customer.

Sales Mindset

The top reason we dread sales is our mindset. Many of us have encountered a pushy salesperson in our lives and don’t want to become “that person.” We fear we’ll come off as intrusive or unwelcome. It’s easy to convince ourselves that social media has all the answers. But while marketing and branding are important, sales needs to come first.

We all carry self-limiting beliefs about sales. A few years ago, I conducted a workshop on the Sales Mindset and discovered Dave Kurlan’s work on this topic. His organization, OMG, has analyzed over two million salespeople and identified at least 55 possible limiting beliefs that hold people back in sales. What struck me, was that even top-performing salespeople have some limiting beliefs—usually 10-12. With six or fewer, they’re likely excelling.** The takeaway? Mindset around sales is a lifelong work-in-progress.

Here are some examples of common self-limiting beliefs about sales and their healthier alternatives. These shifts in self-talk are difficult, but possible:

How You View Yourself

• “Selling is degrading; top people don’t have to sell themselves.” → “We’re always selling ourselves—persuading, influencing, convincing. Top people had to sell themselves to get where they are.”

• “If they don’t buy right away, I’ve failed.” → “Sales is a process. My expectations should account for a realistic timeframe.”

• “Selling feels manipulative.” → “I can have a sales approach based on integrity—many businesses I admire do.”

• “I’ll talk too much or too little.” → “Sales is more about listening and being curious.”

• “I’m not a natural salesperson.” → “The best salespeople are crafted through practice—and so am I.”

  
  

How You View the World

• “People won’t like me if I sell.” → “If I act with integrity, I’ll realize that I don’t need everyone’s approval.”

• “I’ll have to convince them to buy something they don’t need.” → “My role is to guide the right customers through the process.”

• “People only buy based on price.” → “People buy based on value. I’ll focus on showing why my product/service is worth it.”

• “No one wants to hear about my product.” → “I don’t have to cold call—I can start with my own network and refine my approach.”

• “It’s impolite to ask probing questions.” → “I can be polite and still probe. It’s part of building trust.”

  
  

These are just a few examples. Personalize your list and make it your own.

Lenny’s Encounter with the Shadow

So, how did things end up with Lenny? He committed to keeping an afternoon open for business development. When afternoons didn’t work, he switched to Thursday mornings. His first client lasted five months, and he secured a new one around the four-month mark. “I fumbled and almost gave up, but I kept talking to people, even when I didn’t want to,” he said. That experience taught him a crucial lesson—neglecting business development almost cost him his business. To this day, he jokes, “You either schmooze, or you lose.” He now reserves non-negotiable weekly time for sales.

Hopefully, I’ve managed to sell you on this: Sales should be your priority over marketing when you’re just starting out—no matter how much of an “expert” you are.

*Name and details changed for client confidentiality.

**Kurlan & Associates blog, July 11, 2019.