When investment is postponed and demand weakens, waiting for customer enquiries is no longer enough. In the capital goods sector in particular, actively developing the market and aligning sales with marketing become critical factors for success.

Challenging economic conditions change how customers make decisions. Budgets are reduced, investment decisions are delayed and planned projects are reassessed for their financial viability.

Companies in the capital goods sector are particularly exposed to these developments. Their products and solutions are often technically complex, require detailed explanation and involve long-term investment decisions. Decision-making processes are correspondingly lengthy, and economic uncertainty makes customers even more cautious.

Yet these are precisely the market conditions in which the foundations of future competitiveness are laid. Companies need to decide whether to concentrate on protecting their existing business or actively develop their market position.

Waiting is not a strategy

A predominantly reactive sales approach that relies on incoming customer enquiries inevitably becomes less effective as demand falls.

This situation is far from unusual among medium-sized industrial companies. Many have built strong market positions over decades. Their products enjoy excellent reputations, their technical capabilities are recognised and longstanding customer relationships generate steady demand.

Under these conditions, new business often comes through existing contacts, referrals and recurring investment cycles. Systematic customer acquisition and active market development are not always central priorities.

But markets change.

Alongside weaker demand, competitors are advancing technologically, entering new customer segments and increasingly challenging previously well-protected market positions. At the same time, digitalisation, new business models and rising customer expectations are changing what is required of sales and marketing.

Companies that simply wait for economic conditions to improve risk more than short-term revenue losses. Visibility, customer relationships and market share may also be lost over the longer term.

A strong market position built in the past is no guarantee of future success.

Being proactive means taking responsibility for market development

Proactive sales starts before a customer identifies a specific need or submits an enquiry.

It systematically analyses markets and customer potential, identifies relevant target groups and develops focused approaches to making contact.

The aim is not to approach as many customers as possible. What matters is recognising the challenges potential customers face at an early stage and understanding how the company can help address them.

In capital goods sales in particular, opportunities often emerge through informed discussions that bring technical, commercial and organisational considerations together.

Sales therefore plays an important role in developing new market opportunities.

However, being proactive is not the same as being busy.

More phone calls, additional customer visits and higher quotation volumes do not automatically produce better results. A structured approach, thorough preparation and the ability to identify issues that matter to customers are essential.

Alongside technical expertise, sales professionals particularly need:

Market understanding: Recognising developments, competitive shifts and investment drivers early.
Customer focus: Understanding the customer’s actual challenges and decision-making processes.
Consultative skills: Connecting technical solutions with commercial and organisational requirements.
Communication skills: Explaining complex issues clearly and engaging in discussions as equals.
Initiative: Actively developing business opportunities rather than responding solely to existing demand.

Sales leaders need to create the conditions for this approach. These include clear objectives, suitable processes, ongoing coaching and a culture that explicitly welcomes new ways of working.

Sales success should not depend solely on the personal commitment or individual intuition of particular employees.

Marketing opens doors and strengthens your presence

Proactive marketing goes well beyond generating new contacts.

In the B2B capital goods sector, it is about making expertise visible, building trust and positioning the company as a relevant partner for specific challenges.

Investment decisions are rarely spontaneous. Customers often spend considerable time exploring technological developments, alternative solutions and possible investment scenarios.

During this phase, companies can already influence how their expertise and capabilities are perceived.

Professional marketing provides an important foundation. Examples include technical articles, application case studies, online resources, webinars, industry events and targeted communication through relevant industry platforms.

What matters is the relevance of the content to the target audience, rather than the volume published.

Company values also play an important role. They need to be reflected in actual behaviour towards customers as well as communicated.

Marketing becomes particularly effective when it works closely with sales.

Both functions should develop a shared understanding of target customers, their challenges and their decision-making processes. Marketing can create awareness and provide informed guidance. Sales builds on these topics, deepens the personal dialogue and develops concrete business opportunities.

This collaboration should extend across the entire customer journey, from initial awareness of the company through project development to support after purchase.

Marketing creates visibility and trust. Sales builds on this foundation to develop lasting customer relationships and business opportunities.

What matters now

A proactive market strategy requires more than individual sales initiatives or additional marketing activities. It needs a coordinated approach with clear priorities.

Segmentation and focus: Which markets offer attractive potential despite economic uncertainty? Which customer groups are still investing? Sales and marketing resources should be directed towards realistic business opportunities.
Systematic customer acquisition: Approaching new customers requires thorough preparation and a clear reason for starting a conversation. The priority is a relevant, informed approach that offers tangible value, rather than the widest possible outreach.
Sales management and skills development: Clear objectives, appropriate metrics and transparent processes support prioritisation. Sales professionals also need ongoing development of their market knowledge, consultative skills and communication capabilities.
Positioning and visibility: Companies should clearly articulate their distinctive capabilities and the value they offer customers. Technical articles, application examples and digital communication channels provide opportunities to reach beyond existing customer relationships.
Long-term customer relationships: Reliability, informed advice and a collaborative approach become particularly important in difficult economic conditions. Not every customer conversation needs to lead immediately to an order.
A culture of initiative: Active market development requires employees who take responsibility, try new approaches and engage deeply with their customers’ challenges. Leaders need to encourage and demonstrate this attitude.

These areas should be considered together. Their interaction creates a systematic approach to the market that is less dependent on individual people and chance customer enquiries.

Strengthening your position for the future

Economic downturns reveal how well sales and marketing are actually equipped.

Companies that have previously relied on technical superiority, reputation and existing customer relationships may need to fundamentally rethink their approach.

The aim is to build on these established strengths with a systematic, active approach to the market.

Companies that develop market opportunities, make their expertise visible and nurture both existing and new customer relationships today improve their starting position for a subsequent economic recovery.

Offering customers direction and informed advice today increases the chance of being seen as a valued partner, as well as a supplier, tomorrow.