Expert answer / 20
Why do sales and marketing say different things?
Short answer
Teams give customers a consistent story when they share a customer definition, message and feedback loop.
More detail
Questions behind the answer
Whatis happening
What does it look like when both teams agree?
Aligned teams use a shared view of the best-fit customer, the promise made to them, lead definitions and what happens at handoff.
Whyit happens
Why do sales and marketing clash?
Teams clash when goals, incentives and definitions differ, or when marketing cannot hear what sales learns from customers and vice versa.
Howto fix it
How do we get both teams on the same page?
- Agree customer, lead and opportunity definitions together.
- Use one customer promise and a clear handoff with useful context.
- Review customer feedback, wins and losses together on a regular schedule.
Sources: LinkedIn B2B Marketing Benchmark 2024