As we collectively settle into what seems to be a permanent shift to hybrid and remote work in many industries, what does the transition mean for marketing and sales teams?
In spite of the many well-documented benefits of remote work, Copper and Outfunnel’s 2022 Revenue Marketing Report unearthed the reality that companies that have been predominantly operating remotely are less likely to report great alignment between their sales and marketing departments.
The study found that Sales representatives at companies with high levels of remote work were 27% less likely to be highly aligned with marketing than their counterparts at companies with low levels of remote work. And when Sales isn’t aligned with Marketing, it can lead to all sorts of problems down the line, from missed revenue targets to unsatisfied customers.
So what’s the cause of this Sales-Marketing misalignment? Is it simply a matter of working in different locations? Or is there more to it than that?
It’s important to note that, even before the pandemic, remote work was on the rise. In fact, 43% of Americans said they worked remotely at least some of the time in 2016, and that number has only grown since then. So it’s not entirely surprising that we’re seeing Sales-Marketing alignment issues now that so many people are working remotely.
But location isn’t the only factor at play here. There are a few other potential causes of Sales-Marketing misalignment that are worth considering:
1. Lack of Communication: One of the most common complaints from Sales representatives is that they don’t feel like they have enough information from Marketing. This can be a problem in any company, but it’s exacerbated when Sales and Marketing are working in different locations and don’t have the opportunity to communicate in person on a regular basis.
2. Different Priorities: Sales and Marketing often have different priorities, which can make it difficult to align their efforts. For example, Sales may be focused on closing deals as quickly as possible, while Marketing may be more interested in generating high-quality leads that will convert down the line.
3. Different Measurements of Success: Sales and Marketing also tend to measure success in different ways. Sales may focus on the number of deals closed, while Marketing may focus on website traffic or the number of leads generated. This can make it difficult to compare results and determine which department is performing better.
4. Lack of Trust: Finally, Sales and Marketing may simply not trust each other. This can be a result of past disagreements or a general feeling that the other department doesn’t understand their job. Whatever the reason, mistrust can make it difficult to work together effectively.
So what can companies do to improve Sales-Marketing alignment? Here are a few suggestions:
1. Improve Communication: One of the best ways to improve Sales-Marketing alignment is to improve communication between the two departments. This can be done by creating dedicated Sales-Marketing meeting times, setting up regular check-ins, and using a shared CRM system to track progress.
2. Set Shared Goals: Another way to improve Sales-Marketing alignment is to set shared goals that both departments can work towards. This can help Sales and Marketing focus on the same objectives and measure success in the same way.
3. Build Trust: Finally, companies can improve Sales-Marketing alignment by working to build trust between the two departments. This can be done by encouraging open communication, sharing successes and failures, and making sure that both sides feel like they have a voice in decision-making.
If your company is struggling with Sales-Marketing alignment, it’s important to take a closer look at the issue to determine the cause. Once you’ve identified the root of the problem, you can start taking steps to improve communication, set shared goals, and build trust between Sales and Marketing. With a little effort, you can get your Sales and Marketing team working together more effectively and achieve better results for your business.
FAQ
1. What is sales and marketing misalignment?
It’s when the two departments aren’t working towards the same outcome. Marketing might be optimising for lead volume while sales needs lead quality, or the two teams simply aren’t sharing enough information to act as one function. Left unaddressed, it shows up as missed targets and inconsistent messaging to prospects.
2. What typically causes it?
Four things come up most often: weak communication between the teams, different day-to-day priorities, separate ways of measuring success, and a lack of trust built up over time. Any one of these on its own is manageable. Together, they compound quickly.
3. Why has hybrid and remote work made this more common?
A lot of alignment used to happen informally, through casual conversations, shared office space, or overhearing something useful in passing. Remote work removes most of those moments, so unless a business builds in deliberate communication, the two teams naturally drift apart.
4. What actually helps fix it?
Regular, structured communication between the teams is the starting point, whether that’s a shared meeting cadence or a joint CRM view. From there, agreeing on shared goals and a single definition of success matters more than any specific tool. Trust tends to follow once both teams can see the same data and feel heard.
5. How can you tell if alignment efforts are working?
Look for fewer handoff issues between marketing-qualified and sales-qualified leads, less duplicated or contradictory messaging reaching customers, and feedback flowing both ways rather than one team reporting to the other. These shift gradually, so it’s worth reviewing over a quarter rather than expecting an overnight change.
