The 1 Crucial Step You Must Take Before Expanding the Sales Team

In this post, you'll get a very tangible, actionable framework that you can use to build authority in your industry and set your new sales team up for success.

In the complex world of B2B tech, building authority is no longer a matter of simply being good at what you do. It requires deliberate, strategic use of symbols of authority—the kind that make people take notice, trust, and ultimately buy from you. If you’re struggling to get your customers to see you as the leader in your space, there’s one key thing you must do: leverage the right authority symbols. And not just any symbols, but the ones that resonate deeply, create real differentiation, and align perfectly with your company’s strengths.

Here’s the step-by-step guide on how to do it, plus a case study to show you how this methodology can be put into action.

Why Authority Symbols Matter More Than Transparency

It’s tempting to think that transparency is the key to winning over your prospects. You tell them everything about how your product works, every feature, every benefit. But the reality is that in many cases, transparency can undermine your authority, especially in an industry that values expertise and uniqueness.

Transparency can create trust, but authority builds belief. And in B2B tech—where buying decisions often hinge on perceived expertise and risk mitigation—it’s authority that ultimately drives buying decisions. When prospects feel they’re dealing with a credible, knowledgeable leader in the space, they’re far more likely to move forward.

Step 1: Identify Your Symbols of Authority

The first thing you need to do is identify which symbols of authority make sense for your industry and your company. This can include traditional symbols like awards, patents, and partnerships, but also less obvious ones like the narratives you use, your cultural capital, and how you shape industry conversations. To get started, consider both rational and emotional symbols of authority:

Rational Symbols of Authority

• Experienced Leaders: Do you have founders or team members who have been recognized in the industry?
• Degrees and Credentials: Are your team members highly qualified in ways that matter to your prospects?
• Prestigious Clients: Are there well-known brands you’ve worked with?
• Collaborative Networks: Are you at the center of an ecosystem that matters to your audience, such as partnerships with key industry players?

Emotional Symbols of Authority

• Narratives of Thought Leadership: Are you shaping discussions in your industry with new frameworks, thought-provoking articles, or by leading webinars and conferences? Thought leadership involves contributing original ideas and shaping the conversation, helping others see you as the go-to expert. It's about more than just sharing content; it's about setting the agenda in your field.
• Cultural Capital: Do your company values resonate with broader movements, like sustainability or diversity, which are important to your prospects? Or like in the case of the company I founded, the industry was moving toward human-centricity and a research technology company innovating in anthropology set the perfect stage to leverage this movement. 

Step 2: Evaluate and Select the Most Impactful Symbols

Not all symbols are created equal. You need to evaluate each potential symbol for relevance and alignment with your company’s strengths:

• Relevance: How important is this symbol to your prospects? Does it address their needs or concerns?
• Alignment: Does this symbol align with your company’s core strengths and narrative? Is it something that sets you apart from competitors?

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