Overcoming Business Growth Challenges: A CMO’s Guide to Navigating Market, Positioning, Leads, and Closing Sales

As a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), one of the most common business growth challenges I see CEOs and founders face is knowing where to focus their time to grow their business. Almost every client I advise starts with the same question: “What do I need to do to overcome business growth challenges?” If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

This concern is widespread, but by identifying and addressing specific hurdles—market alignment, positioning, lead generation, and closing strategies—you can pave the way for sustainable growth.

Think of your business growth as going through an obstacle course with a clear finish line. Each hurdle represents a specific challenge you must tackle in the right order to make progress. Your task is to tackle the first hurdle right now, then the second, third, and so on. The key is to identify the most pressing hurdle first and work through them in this sequence.

The 4 Hurdles to Overcome Business Growth Challenges

The sequence of hurdles typically looks like this:

1. Market Alignment – Are you targeting the right audience?
2. Unique Positioning – Does your audience understand your value?
3. Lead Generation – Are you attracting enough prospects?
4. Closing Rate – Are you effectively converting leads to customers?

By tackling these areas in order, you’ll create a clear pathway to predictable and sustainable growth. Let’s break down each hurdle, along with the critical questions to ask yourself and actionable steps to move forward.

Hurdle #1: Market Alignment – Start with Targeting the Right Audience

Your market is the foundation of your business. According to a Truist report, 31% of small business owners cite finding new customers as their biggest challenge. If you’re struggling to attract customers or frequently hearing “I can’t afford you” too often, it’s likely you’re not aligned with the right audience or their needs.

Questions to Ask:

• Are people actively searching for a solution like yours?
• Is it hard to convince prospects that they need your product or service – do they understand the value of your offering?
• Are pricing objections a consistent roadblock?

Actions to Take:

• Test a new market segment or niche where demand is higher.
• Conduct audience surveys or interviews to uncover pain points, motivations, and behaviors.
• Use analytics tools (like Google Trends, AI insights or competitor analysis) to identify underserved markets and emerging opportunities.

By aligning your business with a market that truly needs your solution, you’ll lay the groundwork for growth.

Hurdle #2: Unique Positioning – Standing Out in Your Market

It’s not enough to have a great product—you need to differentiate. If your market is saturated or prospects don’t fully understand your value, it’s time to refine your positioning. Strong positioning ensures your business is not only noticed but also helps your target audience see you as their best choice.

Questions to Ask:

• Are you competing in a saturated market?
• Do prospects struggle to understand the value of your offerings?
• Have you created a new category that your audience isn’t aware of yet?

Actions to Take:

• Clarify your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) to highlight what sets you apart.
• Invest in Story Brand Messaging that directly addresses your audience’s challenges and aspirations.
• Use storytelling to connect emotionally with your new potential customers.
• Optimize your website, social media, and sales enablement strategies to reflect your brand’s value and convert prospects into customers.

Strong positioning builds trust and makes it easier to convert prospects into loyal customers.

Hurdle #3: Lead Generation: Filling Your Sales Funnel

Even with a solid market and positioning, your business won’t grow without enough leads. If your close rate is strong (50% or higher), but you’re not attracting enough potential customers, this is your next hurdle.

“61% of marketers say lead generation is their biggest challenge.” (HubSpot)

Questions to Ask:

• What are you doing to fill your pipeline?
• Do you have enough prospects in your funnel to close?
• Is your marketing and positioning solid, clear, and consistent?
• Are you nurturing leads effectively to move them down the funnel?
• Is your close rate 50% or higher?

Actions to Take:

• Focus on generating awareness and converting that awareness into actionable leads through demand generation and lead generation strategies.
• Create lead magnets, such as free guides, eBooks, or webinars, to capture contact information.
• Leverage semantic SEO to improve visibility for topics and keyphrases your audience is searching for, such as “grow your business.”
• Utilize LinkedIn Sales Navigator and email outreach to reach your target audience.
• Set up automated email sequences to nurture leads and guide them toward a purchase.

Hurdle #4: Close Rate – Converting Prospects into Customers

Finally, let’s address the close rate. A strong close rate ensures that the hard work of lead generation translates into actual revenue. If your close rate isn’t high, that’s where you’ll need to concentrate your efforts. A low close rate often signals a need to refine your sales techniques and address customer objections or a lack of urgency more effectively.

Questions to Ask:

• Is your close rate not high enough?
• How are you addressing customer objections?
• Is your pricing transparent and easy to understand?
• Are you following up effectively after the initial pitch?

Actions to Take:

• Take time to refine your closing techniques, address objections, and enhance your overall sales strategy.
• Review your sales pitch to ensure it is customer-focused and outcome-driven.
• Use testimonials and case studies to build credibility and trust.
• Personalize follow-ups and offer time-sensitive incentives to close deals faster.

Consider this fact, businesses that follow up with leads within 5 minutes are 9x more likely to convert them. If you’re generating leads but not closing sales, you’re losing revenue—fixing your close rate is crucial.

Improving your close rate ensures that the hard work of generating leads translates into revenue. Otherwise, you are just wasting your time and resources. Think of it as fishing for leads with a big hole in your net. No matter how many you catch, a lot will slip through.

A Proven Framework for Sustainable Business Growth

Growing your business requires clarity, focus, and intentional action. By addressing each hurdle in the correct order—market, positioning, leads, and closing—you’ll be equipped to overcome challenges and achieve meaningful business growth. Remember, the key is to take one step at a time, tackling each hurdle with intention and clarity before moving on to the next one.

How do I apply this today? Identify the most critical hurdle and work your way through the framework. Remember, the key is to take one step at a time, tackling each hurdle with intention and clarity before jumping on to the next one. Growing your business is like overcoming an obstacle course, and every step forward brings you closer to the finish line—achieving your goals.

Need help identifying and overcoming your business growth challenges?

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