Sales and Marketing: Can't We All Just Get Along?

You know the saying “plays well with others”?  Well, a study by the Corporate Executive Board found that Sales and Marketing don’t.  In fact, they say 87% of the terms Marketing and Sales use when describing each other are negative.  You read that right.  Almost 9 out of 10 times, we talk bad about the other guys.  Pretty amazing when you consider we both play for the same team.


 This finding will surprise exactly no one in corporate America.  Sure, successful Sales and Marketing relationships exist.  But they’re the exception.  So what happens when the head of Sales gets a new Marketing peer?  Will it be a retread of the old relationship?  Or can you get aligned for your mutual benefit?

Download the Sales and Marketing Relationship Guide here.
This guide will give you a framework for establishing a strong relationship with Marketing.
 When a new leader arrives on the scene, everyone takes a cautious approach.
 Everyone says all the right things.  But all too often priorities are never aligned.
 As a result, revenue (and often your compensation) isn’t maximized.  Everyone is too “professional” to acknowledge this.  Politics and positioning get in the way.  Why not call it out, and become an agent of positive change?
Last week I was in the car with a very successful Sales VP.  We were on the way to watch a sales presentation.  He started his career in marketing.  I asked him about it.  He said:

“The only way to be an effective marketer is to get a lot of input from a sales team.  You have to create an environment that solicits feedback and makes salespeople want to engage.  If sales reps are telling you about their sales problems, it’s a good thing.  They’re giving you the tools you need.  All campaigns and credibility pieces should start with a germ of a need from a sales person.  The output will be seen as relevant and helpful instead of missing the mark.” 

Then I asked him about the flip side.  Where did he think Sales needed to improve to bolster the relationship?

“Sales is running a million miles an hour.  Sometimes they don’t take the time to communicate effectively with Marketing.  Marketing then burns cycles trying to help out.  Sales has to slow down and be more clear – that’s what marketing needs.  Sales has got to communicate better.”