Let’s be honest – selling into HR is rarely a sprint. It’s more like a London marathon… but with detours, checkpoints, and occasional surprise roadblocks (protesters!)
If you’re a firm focused on selling services to HR teams, you already know the common frustrations. Slow decisions. Budgets paused. Multiple stakeholders wanting a say. And the key decision-maker? They might be deep in a delivery programme or an employee relations issue and can never be reached. Meanwhile, you’re left thinking, “Should I follow up, again?”
Yes, it’s not just you. We’ve certainly been there, time and time again. The key? To work with long sales cycles instead of getting frustrated.
Shift your mindset: Long sales cycles aren’t a problem, they’re a pattern
Long sales cycles aren’t necessarily a red flag – it’s important to remember that – they’re just part of selling into this world that is HR. The sooner you stop trying to “beat” the cycle and start planning around it, the smoother your sales approach becomes.
According to recent research from 6sense, only about 10% of your total market is actually in a buying window at any given time. That means your pipeline isn’t full of “nos” – it’s full of “not yets.” Your job isn’t just to convince. It’s to stay relevant until the timing aligns.
Don’t Just Score Leads – Score FitOne trap that’s easy to fall into during long sales cycles? Measuring success by the volume of MQLs, not the quality, thinking this can shortcut the length of a sales cycle. It can’t. A download of a white paper from an organisation you’ve never actually heard of isn’t a win. But a quiet signal from an HR Director who is fits your ideal customer profile absolutely is.
Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) fit matters.
When your lead scoring combines intent with fit, you can focus your energy where it counts. You’re not just chasing curious browsers, you’re engaging with buyers who look like your best customers.
But, your ICP alignment only works if marketing and sales are reading from the same playbook. And in long sales cycles, that shared clarity isn’t a “nice to have” – it’s essential.
Marketing can’t just pass over leads and hope they convert. You cannot expect your sales team or consultants to chase leads that aren’t truly qualified. That’s why it’s critical to define together what makes a:
- Lead
- Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)
- Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)
- Opportunity
Agree on what signals mean “ready for sales,” and which ones still need nurturing. Then, stick to that agreement. It saves time, reduces blame, and creates a seamless experience for your future clients.
Build for the 90% and start nurturing
The biggest mistake we see at Marketin-HR? Marketing that focuses only on the small slice of your ICP who are ready to buy right now.
And that’s why it’s so incredibly important that you create a marketing strategy that also supports the other 90% – the ones who are still gathering info, building a business case, or trying to get procurement to respond to their email.
- Share helpful, no-pressure content or invitations (think white papers, guides, checklists, playbooks, or roundtables).
- Show up with value before they’re ready to buy.
- Use intent data to spot when interest starts bubbling up again.
You’re not just “dripping content.” You’re staying top of mind so that when the HR team is ready, they already have a sense of your credibility.
Get to know the full buying committee
Gone are the days when a Chief People Officer alone rubber-stamps a project. Today’s buying decisions are team sports.
You’ve got the technical (talent, L&D, Employee Experience, DE&I etc), procurement, finance, IT leads etc – the average B2B deal involves between 6 to 10 stakeholders now.
So, you need to make sure your content and outreach doesn’t just speak to one person. Tailor your messaging to answer everyone’s questions, from culture fit to compliance to cost-benefit analysis.
Timing is everything – so track the signals
This is where modern intent tools are so valuable. They help identify signals, so you can stop guessing and start acting when it matters.
Maybe someone from the L&D team just downloaded your latest Employee Experience guide. Or a head of DE&I viewed your latest inclusion case study twice last week. These signals help you prioritise outreach based on real behaviour – not just a gut feeling.
In other words, you’re not cold-calling – you’re responding to warm signals.
Consistency beats intensity
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of calm, consistent engagement. A fresh new campaign might catch attention, but steady, regular, and relevant, communication builds trust.
Send value. Celebrate their wins (a newly appointed or promoted CHRO? That’s your cue). Be visible, but not clingy. Probably an awful analogy, but think of it like growing a garden – not hunting a sale.
If you’re selling into HR, you’re not just navigating a long sales cycle – you’re navigating a long relationship cycle. And the best way to succeed? Respect the journey, bring consistent value, and align your marketing with real buying behaviour – not just your quarterly targets.
Because in the end, when that “not yet” finally turns into a “yes,” you’ll be glad you stuck with it.
