The gap between sales and marketing can often feel like an impassable chasm in today’s fast-paced business world. Misaligned objectives, fragmented communication, and isolated data sources are just a few factors that create friction between these two essential teams. But what if the solution lies in putting people first?
Adopting a people-first approach can fundamentally change the way sales and marketing collaborate. This isn’t about reinventing the wheel or overly rotating on complex frameworks; it’s about unifying teams through shared goals, authentic interactions, and cross-functional collaboration that prioritizes people over processes. Let’s dive into how this mindset shift can create stronger sales-marketing alignment and drive growth.
Why Sales & Marketing Disconnections Persist
It’s no secret that sales and marketing have long struggled to get on the same page. Traditional marketing strategies often focus on generating leads en masse, while sales teams are more concerned with closing deals and meeting quotas. Without mutual understanding, efforts can become disjointed. Marketing might claim success with high lead volume, but sales might argue that those leads are unqualified. This cycle of finger-pointing does little to foster cooperation.
In many organizations, this disconnect stems from a lack of aligned goals, miscommunication, and the absence of shared metrics. Marketing measures success by reach and engagement, while sales measures it by revenue. And while both teams might be targeting the same audience, they often operate in silos, using different tools, systems, and data sources.
The People-First Philosophy: A Game Changer
Taking a people-first approach means shifting focus from systems and automation to human connections. This method revolves around prioritizing individuals — the people behind the teams, the customers, and the partners — over processes, helping to foster a culture of trust and collaboration.
By centering on authentic engagement, teams can better understand the shared objectives that drive both marketing and sales. This isn’t about eliminating automation altogether — automation has its place — but it’s about balancing technology with personal interactions. When people feel heard, supported, and involved, they are more likely to collaborate effectively.
For example, in TACK’s People-First Go-To-Market (GTM) model, teams align their efforts by fostering genuine relationships and prioritizing storytelling. Rather than simply relying on traditional lead-generation campaigns, they focus on crafting meaningful conversations that speak to buyers’ needs. This model highlights the power of storytelling, community engagement, and customer advocacy to build long-term partnerships rather than transactional relationships.
Building a Unified Team: Key Steps
1. Align Around Shared Goals
Sales and marketing must rally around a common set of objectives. Establishing shared goals, like improving customer experience or increasing account lifetime value (LTV), can unify teams and break down silos. These goals should be measurable and transparent so both sides can track progress and celebrate successes together.
One way to foster collaboration is by implementing shared key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter to both teams, such as Sales Qualified Opportunities (SQOs) or revenue generated per marketing dollar spent. By aligning around these KPIs, both departments are driven by mutual success rather than individual wins.
2. Foster Open Communication Channels
Effective communication is essential for cross-functional teamwork. This doesn’t mean more meetings; it’s about having the right conversations in real time. Creating open communication channels between sales and marketing enables quick problem-solving, feedback sharing, and brainstorming. Consider using tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams for continuous dialogue between teams.
Another option is cross-departmental workshops or joint planning sessions, where both teams can align messaging, strategies, and upcoming campaigns. Open communication fosters transparency and accountability while giving each team visibility into the other’s efforts. For more practical tips on collaboration and team alignment, you can explore insights in the Modern Go-To-Market Blog.
3. Empower Teams with Unified Data
Data is powerful, but only when it’s shared. When sales and marketing operate from different datasets, their ability to make informed decisions is hindered. Unified data platforms allowing real-time data sharing can help remove these barriers.
For example, leveraging Terminus’ platform, which integrates first-party and third-party data, can enable both teams to track and optimize customer touchpoints throughout the buying journey. This gives marketing a clearer understanding of which campaigns influence sales and provides sales with the right context for engaging leads. By breaking down these data silos, both teams can work from a common set of insights, ensuring they’re aligned from the start.
4. Cultivate a Culture of Feedback
A people-first culture thrives on feedback. Both sales and marketing must feel comfortable offering and receiving constructive criticism. By cultivating a feedback loop, both teams can continuously refine their processes and improve their collaboration. Regular post-campaign debriefs, for instance, allow both sides to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how they can adapt in the future.
Feedback shouldn’t be limited to internal teams, either. It’s just as critical to gather insights from customers and prospects. What messaging resonates with them? What pain points are they experiencing? Based on this feedback, sales and marketing teams can work together to refine their approaches.
For more strategies on leveraging feedback to improve your GTM efforts, check out the People-First GTM Playbook, which offers practical guidance on creating customer-centric strategies.
Real-Life Example: TACK’s People-First GTM Success
TACK’s People-First GTM model illustrates the impact of a human-centered approach. They’ve turned interactions into genuine connections by putting storytelling, relationships, and partnerships at the heart of their strategy. Their GTM model emphasizes three core areas: creating demand with community-led growth, capturing demand through member-led growth, and converting demand with customer-led growth. Each strategy relies on collaboration between teams, a focus on shared objectives, and a commitment to the human aspect of business.
The success of this model lies in its simplicity: when teams work together with a people-first mindset, everyone wins. The result is a more harmonious relationship between sales and marketing, leading to improved customer experiences and business growth.
How Terminus Supports People-First Sales and Marketing Alignment
Terminus offers a powerful platform for driving alignment between sales and marketing. With its account-based marketing (ABM) capabilities, it helps teams engage target accounts across multiple channels, from display ads to personalized email experiences. This unified approach ensures that marketing efforts directly support sales initiatives while sales teams can deliver more personalized and timely interactions.
For businesses looking to improve sales-marketing alignment, adopting an ABM platform like Terminus can streamline the process by centralizing data, enhancing communication, and driving performance. For more information, explore how Terminus’ ABM solution can support your people-first strategy at Terminus ABM.
Conclusion: Strengthening the Sales-Marketing Bridge
Unifying sales and marketing isn’t just about strategy; it’s about people. A people-first approach ensures that teams collaborate more effectively, feel supported, and work towards shared goals. Businesses can foster trust, transparency, and a collaborative spirit that drives growth by prioritizing relationships- internally between departments or externally with customers.
Ultimately, aligning sales and marketing through shared objectives, open communication, and data-driven insights will bridge the gap, allowing both teams to focus on what matters most: delivering exceptional customer experiences.
For more insights into building a people-first go-to-market strategy, explore TACK’s People-First GTM Playbook and People-First GTM Model Workbook, and learn more about Terminus’ approach to sales-marketing alignment here.
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Written By: Nick Bennett
Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer of TACK, a media network and go-to-market firm helping businesses convert demand into revenue through their People-first GTM model. With over a decade of experience in the B2B tech industry, Nick specializes in crafting innovative go-to-market strategies. Prior to TACK, he held key marketing roles where he championed a people-first approach, resulting in significant revenue growth and fostering meaningful connections. Nick is also a prominent advocate for the creator economy in B2B, regularly sharing insights and strategies to help businesses leverage this emerging trend for success.
