Sell Smarter, Not Harder: How to Drive Growth Without a Traditional Sales Team

34 snips

Nov 1, 2025

Julie Rhodes, a seasoned expert in beverage marketing and co-founder of Kick Fizz, shares insights on scaling sales without a traditional team. She discusses leveraging digital strategies and automation to enhance revenue. Key topics include defining your ideal accounts, creating compelling value propositions, and smart prospecting methods through social tools. Julie emphasizes the importance of building relationships with retailers and using technology like CRMs to streamline sales processes, making growth achievable for independent brands.

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ADVICE

Target Accounts Before You Prospect

Define target accounts and buyer personas before prospecting so you avoid wasting effort on poor fits.
Tailor pitches to what each buyer values, not a generic blanket sales message.

ADVICE

State Three Clear USPs

Create 3 clear unique selling propositions (USPs) and use them everywhere: labels, sales sheets, and digital assets.
Drill past generic claims like "craft" or "local" to find specific differentiators buyers care about.

ADVICE

Use Research Tools For Smart Prospecting

Build a targeted prospect list using Google Maps, Yelp, Untappd and social profiles instead of spray-and-pray visits.
Research draft vs packaged needs and buyer preferences before you knock or DM.

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Hiring a whole sales team isn’t always realistic, but that doesn’t mean your growth has to stall. This session explores how independent beverage brands can scale sales using lean, digital-first strategies that replace manual processes with intelligent systems. You’ll learn how to blend brand storytelling, targeted marketing, and smart automation to boost both retail and wholesale revenue. Whether you’re self-distributing, working with a wholesaler, or selling direct-to-consumer, you’ll walk away with a practical plan to build a sustainable sales engine that doesn’t rely on cold calls or constant hustle. We’ll cover how to structure a digital sales strategy that complements in-person outreach, as well as how content, email, and automation can be leveraged to nurture leads, drive conversions, and foster long-term customer relationships. You’ll also learn how to generate and track qualified leads with the same tools used by successful, resource-conscious brands across the industry. If you’re an owner or operator looking to sell more without hiring a traditional sales team, this session will help you rethink your approach to sales, replace outdated tactics with effective ones, and provide a clear roadmap for driving revenue growth.

Julie Rhodes is a 20-year veteran of the food and beverage industry, the owner and operator of Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions, a fractional consulting and educational services company, and the co-founder of Kick Fizz, a low-dose hemp-infused beverage brand. She specializes in beverage sales, digital marketing, distributor management, and business strategy, helping craft beverage brands work smarter, not harder. A sought-after speaker, business journalist, and instructor for multiple university programs, Julie was named the 2023 Brewers Association Mentor of the Year. She is also an active member of numerous trade associations and state-level guilds.

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