How friction between Sales and Marketing affects business performance

How friction between Sales and Marketing affects business performance

If there’s two departments that could benefit from some couples therapy, it’s Sales and Marketing. Often lacking in communication, shared strategy and general goodwill towards each other, both teams sometimes need a reminder they’re working towards a common goal. If Marketing is the long-sighted, practical partner, with one eye on the future, Sales is the one demanding action and impulsively booking sky-diving trips to Namibia.
All businesses want to believe their employees are aligned and harmonious, but the disconnect between Sales and Marketing has long been acknowledged. However, few organisations are aware of the practical effects this has on everyday business. Our latest article looks at why this tension exists and the importance of resolving it for employee well-being and business performance alike.

Different journey, same destination
According to Marketing Week research, “More than a third (33.7%) of B2B marketers frequently find themselves in conflict with the sales team”. This is unfortunate considering both teams ultimately have the same goal in mind – generating leads, building strong client relationships and ultimately increasing profit.
Typically, though not always, marketing departments are focused on the importance of the customer’s needs, long-term brand building and memory networks to build up a company’s reputation and appeal. Conversely, sales, often under pressure from those higher up, want to see immediate results and conversions, frustrated with the uncertainty behind a longer-term approach.

According to Marketing Week’s research, just under a half of respondents (46.3%) agreed with the statement “the sales team do not understand the priorities of the marketing team.” This is particularly significant for B2B which has recently evolved closer to the B2C model. Unlike a decade ago, B2B marketing now operates through multiple channels and is responsible for long-term brand awareness in lieu of simply being a funnel for the sales team.

Effect on business
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that friction between the two key teams in attaining new business will have a negative impact on productivity.

The Ehrenberg-Bass institute produced some insightful research indicating that “when brands stop advertising it takes a disproportionate time to reclaim lost sales. i.e. 1 year of advertising leads to sales losses that’ll take more than 1 year to recoup.”

Again, if the way marketing teams operate and the imperativeness of a longer-term approach is not understood, this will have a harmful effects on the sales team and overall business. Understanding the rationale and learned experience of why each department functions the way it does can lead to more informed and practical decisions that cohesively support the wider aims of the business.
Gartner’s research supports this highlighting how “marketing and sales teams typically collaborate on only three out of 15 commercial activities”.

“The inaugural Gartner B2B Commercial Strategy Survey of 412 senior marketing and sales leaders across North America and Western Europe in November and December 2023 found that 80% of key commercial activities are missing contributions from marketing or sales. Moreover, 90% of marketing and sales executives report their functional priorities conflict with one another.”

It might appear nonsensical for both departments to have such a high percentage of conflicts when working towards the same commercial goals. However, this happens when teams are excluded from key parts of the other department’s journey and fail to understand their priorities or pain points.
In addition to decreased efficiency, it’s also likely to weaken morale amongst staff if communication is strained and relations are tense.

Living in harmony
Nielsen suggests it’s unhealthy to determine the success of marketing teams on whether or not they meet arbitrary sales targets. Nothing’s going to rankle the marketing director more than Mr. Sales banging on the door, asking if he’s met the quota six months into a two-year plan.

Instead, each department should be assessed separately in a way that intelligently measures their individual objectives. Communications between the two teams should be free and easy with guidance and support ensuring they are working towards the same goals and respectful of one another’s priorities.
It’s also crucial that each department is aligned on the core values and proposition. Messaging should be consistent both to highlight the brand’s strength and to ensure clarity for new and current clients. In a number of cases, Marketing and Sales will be targeting the same prospect, at different stages of the buying journey, so they should be fully in sync with how the other is operating.

A key way to achieve this is strong leadership and direction from those at the top of the company. Each department should have a clear understanding on how the other operates and a nuanced appreciation of their goals, challenges and historic experience. Rather than see themselves as two separate entities, both teams should be encouraged to work closely together, supporting each other wherever possible.

The statistics are significant. Instead of blindly hoping that Sales and Marketing divisions will improve their communication and understanding of one another, organisations should make it a business priority with strong leadership from above. The evolution of B2B Marketing means it’s more important than ever for them to work closely with Sales in order to meet their united, commercial objectives. In a marketplace driven by efficiency, companies can’t run the risk of misaligned messaging, inconsistent branding and disillusioned staff.

About Us
At FS Partnership, we have extensive global experience in helping financial services companies to stay relevant in an ever-evolving marketplace. We help our business partners to create a strong brand, intelligently position their offering in the marketplace and expand their client base. If you’d like to chat to our Managing Director, Chris Hopwood, about our previous work or your own specific requirements, please do get in touch for a chat on 07766 824209.

Sources
https://www.marketingweek.com/healthy-tension-b2b-marketing-sales/
https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-06-03-gartner-survey-reveals-marketing-and-sales-functions-collaborate-on-only-three-out-of-15-commercial-activities
https://marketingscience.info/ehrenberg-bass-qa-what-happens-when-brands-stop-advertising/
https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/commentary/2023/how-to-bridge-the-sales-and-marketing-strategy-divide/

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