Adzact Collaborations Report: Sales and Marketing Alignment
The alignment between sales and marketing has long been a crucial factor in driving revenue and fostering business growth. In a recent episode of B2B Marketing Futures, hosted by Joaquin Dominguez, Head of Marketing at Adzact, industry experts explored the common challenges businesses face in achieving this alignment and the strategies that can enhance collaboration between these functions. The discussion emphasised the importance of clear communication, process-driven collaboration, and leveraging technology effectively to bridge gaps.
Host
Joaquin Dominguez, Head of Marketing at Adzact
Guests
Gary McAllister, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Flexera
Amy Elrington, Marketing Operations Manager at GWI
Challenges in Sales and Marketing Alignment
The discussion opened with an exploration of the persistent challenges organisations face in aligning their sales and marketing teams. One of the key issues identified was messaging consistency. Amy Elrington highlighted the difficulty in ensuring that the messaging delivered by sales teams aligns seamlessly with marketing’s campaigns. When marketing-generated leads enter the pipeline, sales teams must have full visibility into prior engagements, allowing for a more relevant and personalised approach.
Gary McAllister reinforced this point by noting that misalignment often occurs when sales and marketing operate in silos, each interpreting customer needs differently. He stressed the importance of content alignment to ensure that sales teams are equipped with the right messaging and resources to engage prospects effectively.
Another fundamental challenge discussed was data accuracy and lead quality. Amy pointed out that without reliable data, both sales and marketing can struggle to target and nurture the right prospects, leading to inefficiencies in lead conversion and wasted resources.
“Marketing and sales must function as two sides of the same coin, delivering a unified experience that meets customer expectations rather than competing interpretations of their needs” - Gary McAllister
Strategies for Effective Collaboration
To overcome these challenges, the guests shared several strategies aimed at improving collaboration between sales and marketing teams. One of the most impactful approaches discussed was the establishment of structured engagement rules between the two teams. Amy emphasised the importance of mapping the entire customer journey and ensuring that marketing’s messaging is echoed consistently through sales interactions.
Gary suggested a more integrated feedback loop between sales and marketing, allowing marketing to refine campaigns based on real-world interactions with prospects. Rather than marketing dictating content and campaigns in isolation, he advocated for a reciprocal flow of insights where sales informs marketing about customer pain points, successful engagement tactics, and evolving market needs.
Amy further noted that quarterly planning sessions at GWI have been instrumental in fostering this collaboration. These sessions provide an opportunity for marketing to align its strategy with sales needs, ensuring that both teams work towards the same objectives. Additionally, regular revenue enablement sessions, complemented by Slack communications and video briefings, have helped keep both teams informed and engaged.
Balancing Lead Volume with Quality
The conversation then turned to the ongoing debate between MQL (Marketing Qualified Leads) volume and lead quality. While marketing teams traditionally aim to generate a high volume of leads, this can sometimes lead to friction if sales perceive these leads as low quality.
Amy explained that at GWI, sales and marketing work closely to define what qualifies as an MQL, ensuring that lead handoff is optimised. She highlighted the importance of monitoring conversion rates and refining lead scoring models based on real engagement data. By incorporating data enrichment tools, such as Clearbit and Cognism, they have improved lead quality and provided sales with better-targeted prospects.
Gary agreed, adding that alignment on MQL definitions and expectations is crucial to avoiding conflicts. He noted that ensuring fluid transitions from MQL to SQL (Sales Qualified Leads) helps maintain efficiency and prevents sales teams from feeling overwhelmed by unqualified leads.
“It's not just about generating more leads; it's about generating the right leads—ones that will actually convert and add value to the business”- Amy Elrington
The Role of Technology in Alignment
Technology is often seen as a solution to alignment issues, but both Amy and Gary warned against adopting tools without a clear strategy. They stressed that technology should enhance existing processes rather than dictate them.
Amy discussed how GWI has focused on consolidating technology, ensuring that existing tools are fully utilised before adding new solutions. She cautioned against chasing “shiny new tools” without first evaluating their fit within the organisation’s existing tech stack. Additionally, she highlighted how data enrichment tools have helped refine lead scoring, ensuring that only high-quality leads reach the sales team.
Gary echoed this sentiment, emphasising that technology should streamline processes rather than add complexity. He shared an example of how organisations often suffer from fragmented content repositories, making it difficult for sales teams to access the latest materials. A well-integrated CMS or shared content hub can help resolve these inefficiencies and improve content accessibility.
Final Takeaways
As the discussion drew to a close, Amy and Gary shared their key takeaways on fostering better alignment between sales and marketing teams:
Gary: The customer’s voice should be at the centre of sales and marketing strategies. Ensuring a two-way flow of insights between sales and marketing enables both teams to align more effectively and deliver greater value to prospects.
Amy: Alignment requires a shared approach across the funnel. Both sales and marketing teams must work towards the same business objectives, avoiding internal conflicts and focusing on shared success.
The conversation underscored that true alignment is not about one team dictating to the other—it is about continuous collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and a shared commitment to customer-centric strategies. As businesses navigate an increasingly complex B2B landscape, those that prioritise alignment will be best positioned for sustained growth and success.
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