Split comparison graphic with a torn edge down the center. On the left, a red background reads “$400K spent = 7 opportunities,” with the $400K crossed out. On the right, a green background reads “$1,500 invested = 240 opportunities,” emphasizing a contrast between high spending with few results and lower investment with many opportunities.

Your Content Marketer Can't Fix A Broken Sales Equation By David Marinac

December 24, 20258 min read

Your Content Marketer Can't Fix A Broken Sales Equation

Custom HTML/CSS/JAVASCRIPT

I need to show you something that's going to make you uncomfortable.

Last month, I talked to a packaging manufacturer spending $400,000 per year on
sales and marketing.

Qualified opportunities generated: 7

Cost per opportunity: $57,000

When I showed the VP of Sales this math, he said: "Well, we need to spend MORE
on marketing then."

No.

You're trying to solve a MATH problem with MARKETING .

And it will never work.

Let me show you exactly what to do instead.

Why The Equation Is Broken

Slide titled “Sales Representative Time” showing a large pie chart where 95 percent of a sales representative’s time is labeled as not selling, including cold calling and prospecting, and a smaller teal section labeled “Actually Selling.”


Here's what most packaging manufacturers are doing right now:

$50,000 - Content marketer (writing blogs and LinkedIn posts)
$40,000 - Google Ads
$30,000 - New website
$125,000 - Sales rep salary
$155,000 - Directories and trade shows (ThomasNet, Pack Expo, etc.)

Total: $400,000

And here's the problem:

The equation is broken BEFORE they spend a dollar.

Let me show you what I mean:

If you're invisible to AI...

90% of buyers are now using AI to research suppliers (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Google AI Overview).

If they can't find you there, it doesn't matter how good your content is.

Nobody will see it.

If your sales rep spends 95% of their time prospecting...

You're not paying $125,000 for a salesperson.

You're paying for a researcher.

If your Google Ads don't show up in AI answers...

And they don't.

You're spending $40,000 on ads that reach only 10% of the market.

You can't multiply your way out of zero.

The equation is broken.

And throwing more money at it just makes it worse.


What To Do Instead

Graphic showing a three step process in three orange rounded boxes. Step 1, Discovery Blueprint, focuses on capturing hidden gems, identifying niches, and extracting keywords AI must learn. Step 2, AI Marketplace, focuses on turning expertise into AI readable content, publishing trust signals, and becoming discoverable. Step 3, AI Sales Agent, describes a 24/7 digital salesperson that finds buyers, educates them, and creates opportunities.

Step 1: Fix Your Visibility

Not your website. Not your content. Not your ads.

Your VISIBILITY.

Here's what I mean:

When a buyer asks ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity:

"What's the best flexible packaging manufacturer for frozen food applications?"

Does AI recommend you?

For 95% of packaging manufacturers, the answer is no.

Your AI Trust Score which measures how much AI trusts you enough to recommend you.Your score is probably around 40-50%.

Gauge chart labeled “Your score based on 19 trust signals” showing a score of 53 percent. The needle points to the orange urgent range, with labels indicating urgent on the left, meh near the middle, and fantastic on the green right side, and the word “Urgent” displayed below the score.

That's a failing grade.

Build The Big Five

AI needs to see five things before it will recommend you:

Slide titled “The Big Five Signals for AI Search” showing five connected icons labeled cost, problem solving content, comparison data, third party validation, and best in class proof, arranged in a horizontal sequence beneath the title.

1. Cost Transparency

AI needs pricing signals. Not your exact prices, but enough information that AI knows you're in the right range for what the buyer needs.

2. Problem-Solving Content

AI needs to see that you understand the buyer's specific problems and have solutions. Not generic marketing speak actual problem-solving depth.

3. Comparison Data

AI needs to see how you compare to alternatives. If you don't provide this, AI will make assumptions (and they're usually wrong).

4. Third-Party Validation

AI needs reviews, case studies, and testimonials from sources it trusts. Not just what you say about yourself.

5. Best-In-Class Proof

AI needs evidence that you're actually good at what you do. Certifications, awards, technical specs, performance data.

Most manufacturers have ZERO of these five.

That's why AI doesn't recommend them.

That's why they're invisible.

The Visibility Blueprint

This is where we start.

Cost: $1,500
Time: 2 weeks to implement

We'll identify:

  • What you do better than anyone else (1-2 things)

  • Solutions you provide and for which industries

  • Who your competition is

  • Your ideal customer profile

You'll come out with a business and competitive analysis you can implement immediately.

Book Visibility Blueprint

Step 2: Build Your AI Marketplace

Website hero section with the headline “Connect with the right packaging partner faster,” a brief description about finding or listing specialized packaging manufacturers, two buttons labeled “Find Manufacturer” and “List your company,” and an image of various packaged consumer products displayed on the right.

Now you're visible. AI is recommending you. Buyers are finding you.

You need somewhere for them to go.

This is your AI Marketplace.

And no it's not your website.

Your website is built for humans who already know they want to talk to you.

Your AI Marketplace is built for buyers who are still researching.

What It Does:

Qualifies prospects automatically.

Buyers land on your AI Marketplace and see:

✔️ Your capabilities (what you actually do)
✔️ Your comparisons (how you stack up against alternatives)
✔️ Your pricing signals (are we in the right ballpark?)
✔️ Your case studies (proof you can deliver)
✔️ Your technical specs (can you handle our requirements?)

The AI Marketplace answers 90% of their questions without them having to call you.

And here's the magic:

While they're exploring, your AI Sales Agent is watching.

It sees:

  • What pages they visit

  • What questions they ask

  • What comparisons they're making

  • How qualified they are

And when they're ready, it engages.

Interruption vs. Invitation

Old way: Your sales rep cold calls 100 people hoping 2 are interested.

New way: 15-20 qualified buyers find you, research you, and raise their hand when they're ready.

Your sales rep goes from spending 95% of their time prospecting to spending 95% of their time actually selling to people who want to talk.

That's what happens when the equation is fixed.

Learn More About AI Marketplace

www.SpecPkgMarketplace.com

Step 3: Deploy Your AI Sales Agent

SalesAI logo featuring a stylized green icon next to the word “SalesAI” in white text on a dark background.

Okay, so now you're visible. Buyers are finding you. They're on your AI Marketplace researching.

Your AI Sales Agent closes the loop.

Here's what most manufacturers get wrong:

They think AI is about replacing salespeople.

It's not.

It's about replacing the 95% of work your salesperson does that isn't selling .

What Your AI Sales Agent Does:

Nurtures prospects 24/7

Buyer visits at 11pm on Saturday? AI Sales Agent is there answering questions.

Provides instant quotes and comparisons

Buyer wants to know how you compare to three competitors? AI Sales Agent shows them with your positioning baked in.

Qualifies based on your ICP

Buyer doesn't meet your minimum order quantity? AI Sales Agent politely redirects them instead of wasting your rep's time.

Schedules demos with revenue-ready prospects

When a buyer is qualified and ready to talk, AI Sales Agent puts them directly on your rep's calendar.

What Happens Next:

Your sales rep wakes up to 3-4 meetings on their calendar.

Every single one is:

  • Qualified

  • Ready to buy

  • Already knows your pricing, capabilities, and why you're the right fit

Your rep's job is to CLOSE.

Not prospect. Not educate. Not qualify.

Close.

That's what a $125,000 sales rep should be doing.

And that's what happens when the equation is fixed.

Diagram titled “Classic Pattern” comparing a traditional workflow and an agent model. On the left, a workflow shows start, task A, a decision point branching to task B or task C, and then end. On the right, an agent diagram shows an environment providing input to an agent, the agent processing input, deciding an action, executing the action, and sending feedback back to update the agent and environment in a continuous loop.

The Math

Old Equation (Broken):

$400,000 spent annually ÷ 7 qualified opportunities = $57,000 per opportunity

New Equation (Fixed):

$1,500 invested (one time)

15-20 qualified opportunities/month

180-240 opportunities/year

= $8.33 per opportunity

That's not a typo.

$8.33 per qualified opportunity.

And:

  • Your sales rep is actually selling (not cold calling)

  • Your content marketer's work is actually being seen

  • Your marketing spend is actually generating ROI

Because the equation is fixed.

The Choice

Here's where you are right now.

You have two options.

Option 1: Keep Doing What You're Doing

  • Keep spending $400,000 on the broken equation

  • Keep getting single-digit qualified opportunities

  • Keep watching your sales rep spend 95% of their time NOT selling

  • Keep being invisible to 90% of buyers using AI

  • Keep following your competitors off the cliff

Option 2: Fix The Equation

  • Invest $1,500 in the Visibility Blueprint

  • Build The Big Five so AI recommends you

  • Create your AI Marketplace so buyers can research you properly

  • Deploy your AI Sales Agent so your rep actually sells

  • Generate 15-20 qualified opportunities per month

Let me be clear about something:

This is not theory. This is not hypothetical.

I've done this for 50+ packaging manufacturers.

Average result: 10-15× more qualified opportunities at 1/1000th the cost.

But here's what I can't do:

I can't make you choose Option 2.

I can show you the math. I can show you the proof. I can show you exactly how to do it.

But I can't make you do it.

The Market Doesn't Wait

Your competitors are fixing their equations right now .

While you're "thinking about it."

While you're "running it by the team."

While you're "waiting for next quarter."

They're becoming AI-discoverable.

They're generating 15-20 qualified opportunities per month.

They're winning the deals you'll never even know existed.

So here's my question:

How much longer are you going to fund a broken equation?

What Happens In 18 Months

Look, I get it. This is different from what "everyone else" is doing.

And that's scary.

But here's what I know:

In 18 months, one of two things will be true:

Scenario A:

You spent another $600,000-$800,000 on the broken equation.

You generated 15-20 total qualified opportunities.

You closed 3-4 deals.

And you're having a conversation with your CEO about "why sales are down."

Scenario B:

You spent $1,500 to fix the equation.

You generated 270-360 qualified opportunities.

You closed 54-72 deals.

And your CEO just asked you: "How do we scale this?"

The math doesn't care about your feelings.

The equation is either broken or it's not.

What To Do Next

Three orange rounded panels showing a three step process. Step 1, Discovery Blueprint, focuses on capturing hidden gems, identifying niches, and extracting keywords AI must learn. Step 2, AI Marketplace, focuses on turning expertise into AI readable content, publishing trust signals, and becoming discoverable. Step 3, AI Sales Agent, describes a 24/7 digital salesperson that finds buyers, educates them, and creates opportunities.

Book a Visibility Blueprint call with me.

Cost: Free
Time: 30 minutes

I'll show you:

Your current AI Trust Score
Where you're invisible to buyers and decision makers on AI
What The Big Five looks like for your specific business
Exactly what it costs to fix your visibility
What 15-20 qualified opportunities per month would mean for your revenue

Value: Knowing whether you're spending $400,000 on something that cannot work.

Schedule a Call

Or comment "BLUEPRINT" on any of my LinkedIn posts and I'll send you the link directly.

Stop Funding A Broken Equation

Fix it. Then scale it.

I'll see you on the call.


Related Resources:

Related Article

packagingmanufacturingB2B salessales equatio AI visibility
Over the last 35 years I’ve become the number one trusted liaison for resellers and major brands when it comes to speciality packaging.
While I’ll be the first to tell you packaging isn’t “sexy”, it is critically important on every level from manufacturing, distribution, retail, and even the consumer.

I’ve spent my career cultivating and personally staffing a global manufacturing network that allows the biggest brands in their respective industries and other resellers improve package quality, reduce lead times, become more efficient and sustainable, and most importantly…

Dramatically increase profit margins.

Our white glove “Factory to company” approach effectively optimizes your supply chain and delivers the packaging you need whenever and wherever you need it so you can concentrate on more important things that perpetuate your growth.

Our fully integrated process has led to us becoming a trusted partner and ally for brands like McCormick, Mars, Kraft, Heinz, Quaker Oats, Roland Mills, Kinder Chocolate, GNC, Redmond Mineral, Old World Spices and Seasonings, and countless others.

David Marinac

Over the last 35 years I’ve become the number one trusted liaison for resellers and major brands when it comes to speciality packaging. While I’ll be the first to tell you packaging isn’t “sexy”, it is critically important on every level from manufacturing, distribution, retail, and even the consumer. I’ve spent my career cultivating and personally staffing a global manufacturing network that allows the biggest brands in their respective industries and other resellers improve package quality, reduce lead times, become more efficient and sustainable, and most importantly… Dramatically increase profit margins. Our white glove “Factory to company” approach effectively optimizes your supply chain and delivers the packaging you need whenever and wherever you need it so you can concentrate on more important things that perpetuate your growth. Our fully integrated process has led to us becoming a trusted partner and ally for brands like McCormick, Mars, Kraft, Heinz, Quaker Oats, Roland Mills, Kinder Chocolate, GNC, Redmond Mineral, Old World Spices and Seasonings, and countless others.

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"As Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta, it has been my mission to uphold our knightly tradition of promoting excellence, decency and altruism throughout the world. Sir Jonathan Amaret is one such individual who exemplifies this tradition with his tireless efforts to improve the lives of others through the school of Thought Mechanics and we are pleased with his induction into our order."

HRH Princess Francisca Harakawa (Amasu Omawa III)

"In today’s society, there are few scholars whose wisdom transcends age, gender, ethnicity, occupation and status. Sir Jonathan is one such scholar. He has guided me through many challenges over the years and has done the same for many others around the world. He is one of only a handful of people whom I trust and can turn to for guidance, and I am truly grateful to know him as a friend and teacher."

Richard Buettner

"I’m so happy to have met Jonathan at that time when I was €5000 in debt about 2 years and 4 months ago.He helped me clear my mind to focus on what I want, blocking out my doubts and helping my to control my fears.I went on to use these techniques to achieve my first success. Got personally mentored by him right before I hit 6 figures. And continued to follow his guidance and teachings when I broke through to multiple 6 figures because it enabled me to hit a 7 figure income this year and use that knowledge to help hundreds of people to achieve the same level of success. Most importantly Jonathan helped me balance out between the good & bad to get exactly where I wanted to go. Thank you Jonathan for everything that you do for the countless people on this planet."

HIRH Prince Basilio Cali

"As Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta, it has been my mission to uphold our knightly tradition of promoting excellence, decency and altruism throughout the world. Sir Jonathan Amaret is one such individual who exemplifies this tradition with his tireless efforts to improve the lives of others through the school of Thought Mechanics and we are pleased with his induction into our order."