Putting the ‘And’ in Marketing vs. Sales

A marketing vs. sales mentality continues to exist in many companies today. Whether this division is due to competitive attitudes between two of the most important departments in the revenue generating engine or simply the result of a siloed business structure, it does more than just kill workplace morale. The marketing vs. sales mentality creates dangerous misalignment that can hurt the bottom line.

To combat the divide between marketing and sales, TenFold’s Founder & COO Dan Sincavage argues that it’s time to file away the tired sports analogies that typically frame the relationship in exchange for a musical theater metaphor. Viewed through this lens, marketing represents the behind-the-scenes stage work, while sales represents the actors who put all of that backstage work into action. This metaphor effectively captures the importance of collaboration between the two departments.

Sincavage emphasizes the impact that dismantling the marketing vs. sales mentality can have on the bottom line: “Companies with strong sales and marketing alignment enjoy a 20 percent annual growth rate. Companies that struggle with this alignment, however, face a 4 percent decline in revenue.” That’s a staggering effect, but it isn’t surprising when “nearly two thirds of salespeople believe marketers are wasting their time on fancy events and branding activities,” while “a mere 24% of marketing specialists agree with sales on defining lead responsibilities.”

These numbers prove what we’ve preached all along: the marketing vs. sales mentality needs to be transformed into a marketing and sales mentality to foster sustainable business growth. This means learning to communicate and align activities regularly, which often requires weekly or bi-weekly in-person meetings between both teams.

Aligning marketing and sales to avoid the “versus” mentality takes a lot of work. If you’re struggling to foster a more collaborative approach, we can help you figure out where to start. Contact us today to learn more.