How to Keep Marketing & Sales Alignment on Track

Most B2B companies invest a lot of time and effort into driving marketing and sales alignment. But, few actually achieve it. And even the ones that do struggle to maintain it.

The reason? They’re treating alignment as a project instead of a process.

You know the drill. At the start of the quarter we get all excited at the company annual SKO meeting. Everything looks good on paper ( and everyone’s excited ). Marketing has their plan. Sales has their target accounts. And, leadership is feeling optimistic about crushing pipeline.

But we all know what tends to happen from here. By the middle of the quarter it’s as if all of that momentum has been lost. The breakdowns in the

• Sales has lost precious time working low quality leads
• Marketing believes sales isn’t doing their part
• Promising deals end up stalling, we’re pulling back on revenue targets, and leadership doesn’t really know who’s to blame.
  

Here’s the thing: alignment doesn’t break overnight, it erodes gradually. And if you don’t have a system to maintain it, you’ll be fighting through this same chaotic cycle every quarter.

But don’t beat yourself up over this. With the right approach and a clear vision getting everyone on the same page and executing at a high level isn’t as hard as you’d think.

Let’s break down why alignment falls apart and the framework to keep it on track.

Why Marketing & Sales Alignment Fails

1. Marketing and Sales Have Conflicting KPIs

Marketing is measured on MQLs and pipeline. Sales is measured on closed deals. These are not the same thing.

What happens? Marketing optimizes for volume, pushing leads that aren’t truly ready. Sales ignores them, focusing on deals that actually have a shot at closing.

✅ Fix it: Create shared revenue goals. Marketing should be measured not just on pipeline creation but on pipeline velocity and conversion to revenue.

2. The “Handoff” Model is Broken

Too many teams still operate with an outdated handoff model:

• Marketing generates leads.
• Sales takes over.
• Marketing moves on.

This siloed approach guarantees misalignment. Sales doesn’t need leads. They need sales-ready buyers. If marketing isn't involved in pipeline progression, they’re not aligned.

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✅ Fix it: Marketing should stay engaged through the entire sales cycle—running sales enablement plays, refining messaging based on sales feedback, and helping deals move forward.

3. Sales and Marketing Don’t Speak the Same Language

Marketing says, “We delivered 1,000 leads.”
Sales says, “We only got 10 real opportunities.”

The disconnect? Marketing and sales define success differently.

Marketing thinks demand gen is working if engagement is high. Sales only cares about whether leads convert. If both teams aren’t aligned on the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), buying signals, and qualification criteria, they’re running separate plays.

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✅ Fix it: Sales and marketing need a unified ICP and qualification criteria. Both teams should agree on:

• What a high-quality lead looks like
• Which intent signals matter most
• How should leads progress through funnel ( and buying process )

4. No Feedback Loops Between Sales and Marketing

When was the last time marketing sat in on a sales call? Or sales provided structured feedback on marketing campaigns?

If sales and marketing aren’t in constant communication, alignment will always be reactive instead of proactive.

✅ Fix it: Implement a real-time feedback loop:

• Weekly pipeline reviews: Marketing should know which deals are moving and which are stuck.
• Content usage tracking: If sales isn’t using a marketing asset, marketing needs to know why.
• Shared Slack or Teams channel: Quick feedback beats quarterly meetings.

5. Marketing Content Isn’t Built for Sales Enablement

Most marketing teams produce content for lead generation. The problem? Sales doesn’t need more leads—they need better conversations.

If sales isn’t using marketing’s content, it’s because:

• It’s not relevant to late-stage buyers.
• It doesn’t address real sales objections.
• It’s optimized for engagement, not conversion.

✅ Fix it: Build marketing content with sales, not just for sales. Focus on:

• Competitive battlecards
• ROI calculators
• Case studies built for late-stage buyers
• Industry-specific playbooks

The Framework for Lasting Marketing & Sales Alignment

Fixing alignment isn’t about more meetings. It’s about operating as one revenue team.

1. Having Unified Revenue Goals – Marketing should be measured on pipeline velocity and revenue impact, not just lead volume.

2. Integrating Processes & Data – One shared dashboard, one set of definitions, one revenue model. No silos.

3. Sales-Ready Marketing Strategy – Marketing campaigns should be designed to help sales close deals, not just generate leads.

4. Continuous Feedback Loops – Daily and weekly touchpoints, not just quarterly alignment meetings.

The Bottom Line

Marketing and sales alignment isn’t a one-time initiative—it’s a system.

If you don’t have a framework for keeping alignment on track, you’ll keep losing it.

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