Data, AI, and Empathy: Unifying Sales and Marketing for B2B Growth
The interconnected challenges of sales and marketing alignment remain central to successful B2B growth strategies, especially as businesses adapt to evolving demands for efficient demand generation and improved conversions. In a recent episode of B2B Marketing Futures, hosted by Joaquin Dominguez, Head of Marketing at Adzact, experts across marketing and sales explored the critical dynamics and obstacles within their organisations. The discussion highlighted the nuanced interplay of data, AI, and collaborative strategies in achieving a unified customer experience.
Hosts
Joaquin Dominguez was joined by four marketing experts to discuss the topic.
Guests
Kevin White: Head of Marketing at Common Room
AJ Navarro: Marketing Operations Manager at Sprout Social
Meshach Cisero: Head of Product Growth at Commvault
Dino Delic: Enterprise Vertical Director at Meltwater
Key Challenges in Sales and Marketing Alignment
The conversation opened with a clear consensus: aligning sales and marketing has grown increasingly complex, with each side often speaking a “different language.” Kevin White underscored that sales and marketing frequently focus on distinct metrics—sales prioritises pipeline and revenue, while marketing concentrates on website traffic and lead generation. This misalignment can obscure the shared objectives necessary for collaborative success.
AJ Navarro added that if teams lack a unified set of KPIs, silos emerge, leading to friction and “finger-pointing.” The panel agreed that establishing mutual success metrics—such as pipeline contribution—provides a clear direction and helps bridge the divide.
Meshach Cisero highlighted unique challenges within product-led growth (PLG) environments. He pointed out that in traditional B2B settings, sales often see PLG models as cannibalising revenue, while marketing teams struggle to merge PLG with conventional lead generation. Achieving true alignment in PLG demands a mindset shift and a rethinking of operational structures to ensure product, marketing, and sales collaboratively support the entire customer lifecycle.
"Sales and marketing often speak different languages, focusing on distinct metrics—sales prioritises pipeline and revenue, while marketing concentrates on website traffic and lead generation. This misalignment can obscure the shared objectives necessary for collaborative success." - Kevin White
Building Empathy and Cross-Functional Understanding
Dino Delic brought up the “silo effect,” where each team operates in isolation due to a lack of understanding about the other's role. He argued that greater empathy could be fostered if team members “walked in each other’s shoes,” citing examples of his own experience in both sales and marketing roles. Kevin White agreed, adding that his team often participates in sales calls to gain firsthand insights into customer challenges, fostering empathy for the demands placed on sales and refining the lead handover process.
AJ Navarro suggested that ongoing relationship-building is essential for effective collaboration. Through regular “coffee chats” and cross-functional meetings, team members build rapport, which improves communication and alignment over time. He championed the idea that “relationships are the currency of the workplace,” reiterating that fostering connections across teams can lead to a more unified approach toward shared goals.
"Relationships are the currency of the workplace, and by fostering these connections, we create champions within teams who help drive us all towards shared goals." - AJ Navarro
Operational Efficiency and Data Unification
Data fragmentation presents a significant barrier to effective alignment. Kevin White pointed out that critical customer journey data often remains scattered across disparate systems, limiting sales teams’ ability to contextualise outreach. AJ Navarro noted that tools like 6Sense and ChatGPT-powered recaps help summarise data from various sources, streamlining the transfer of information and ensuring sales teams have a holistic view of a customer’s journey.
Meshach Cisero elaborated on how his team experimented with adding human touchpoints within PLG. By introducing technical sales support into the PLG flow, they ensured that high-potential leads received personalised assistance, ultimately driving higher conversion rates. This blended approach, he suggested, illustrates that while AI and automation have a role, human oversight remains critical for nuanced customer journeys.
AI’s Role in Sales and Marketing Alignment
The panel explored AI’s transformative potential, particularly in augmenting efficiency. Kevin White emphasised that AI tools excel in repetitive tasks, such as summarising sales call notes and performing basic research, enabling teams to shift focus to more strategic initiatives. However, he warned against over-relying on AI-generated content for personalised outreach, noting that without high-quality input data, AI tends to produce generic, ineffective messaging.
Dino Delic raised a philosophical question about AI’s impact: should AI be used to reduce headcount or to enhance human efficiency? He contended that while AI can automate repetitive tasks, it should not replace the human element essential to building genuine customer relationships. Echoing this sentiment, AJ Navarro pointed out that while AI tools have become indispensable for summarising complex data, strategy and customer-centric thinking must still be driven by human expertise.
Meshach Cisero added that AI’s role varies by industry and product, warning against a “one-size-fits-all” approach. In his experience, automation works best when paired with human judgement, allowing AI to handle routine processes while enabling teams to deliver a personalised, high-touch customer experience.
"Participating in sales calls provides firsthand insights into customer challenges, fostering empathy for the demands placed on sales and refining the lead handover process." - Dino Delic
Strategic and Tactical Insights on Organisational Structure
The conversation shifted to organisational structures, where the absence of a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) can often hinder strategic coherence. Dino described marketing as an orchestra, requiring a conductor to harmonise its various specialised functions. Kevin White acknowledged the challenge of finding a “complete” CMO, suggesting that today’s CMO needs not only technical expertise but also leadership and relationship-building skills to effectively bridge marketing and sales.
Meshach highlighted the trend towards fractional CMOs, where organisations hire part-time marketing leaders to fulfil the strategic role without the full financial commitment. He argued that while fractional leadership provides interim solutions, it is essential to eventually establish a cohesive, long-term leadership structure to ensure consistent alignment and sustained growth.
"A cohesive, long-term leadership structure is essential to drive consistent alignment and sustained growth. While fractional leadership can provide interim solutions, only a stable, unified leadership approach ensures that both sales and marketing efforts stay aligned with strategic goals, creating a foundation for long-term success." - Meshach Cisero
Conclusion
The panel's insights highlight the need for a balanced approach to sales and marketing alignment in a world where customer expectations are continuously evolving. Effective alignment requires more than just data-sharing or shared metrics; it demands a unified strategy that places customer experience at the core. AI, while promising, should be viewed as a complement to human expertise rather than a replacement.
Ultimately, alignment is achieved through clear communication, shared goals, and the cultivation of empathy across teams. Adzact’s collaborative discussions underscore the importance of a customer-centric mindset, where each team’s role is harmonised to enhance the customer journey, ensuring that every interaction adds value. As the market landscape becomes increasingly complex, businesses that foster collaboration and leverage the strengths of both sales and marketing will be best positioned to drive sustained growth.
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