Misalignment between sales and marketing is an all-too-common pain point for companies, creating issues that can damage the bottom line. Sales and marketing may share the same goals of driving revenue and building customer relationships, yet they frequently work at odds. The solution? A unified approach that leverages data, collaboration, and targeted content. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the top pain points that arise from a lack of alignment and offer practical strategies to bridge the gap.

1. Missed Revenue from Low-Quality Leads
The quality of leads is a fundamental driver of sales success, yet 70% of companies report that they struggle with a consistent flow of quality leads. When marketing delivers unqualified or loosely qualified leads, sales teams end up spending valuable time filtering through unpromising prospects. This inefficiency doesn’t just waste time—it directly impacts revenue.

Solution:
Sales and marketing teams should collaborate on building a lead-scoring model that identifies prospects most likely to convert. This includes defining buyer personas together, so marketing can target their campaigns effectively, and sales can spend time with prospects who match the ideal customer profile. Companies that excel at lead nurturing see a 50% increase in sales-ready leads at a 33% lower cost.

2. Inefficiency Due to Duplicate Efforts and Gaps in Content
Data shows that nearly 60% of sales reps spend time creating their own sales materials because they can’t find what they need in marketing’s content resources. When marketing doesn’t provide relevant case studies, whitepapers, or product information, salespeople are forced to become content creators, leading to redundant and inconsistent messaging.

Solution:
Implementing a shared content library that houses everything from case studies to customer testimonials can give sales easy access to high-quality, on-brand materials. Regular cross-team meetings to review which content performs best can also help. Companies that invest in a sales enablement strategy see a 15% increase in customer engagement and 13% in sales.

3. Fragmented Messaging That Confuses Prospects
Inconsistent brand messaging between sales and marketing can erode trust. Prospects need clear, unified messages from initial interest through to the buying decision. Yet, according to studies, only 28% of sales and marketing leaders report having a fully aligned approach to messaging.

Solution:
A messaging workshop to unify sales and marketing on the brand’s voice and story can establish a cohesive narrative across all channels. Regular feedback sessions between teams ensure that as customer needs evolve, messaging stays relevant and on point.

4. Lack of Data Insights on Customer Needs
Sales teams have valuable insights from direct customer interactions, while marketing’s data reveals broader trends in prospect behavior. However, without sharing these insights, both teams miss opportunities to refine their strategies. A study showed that 90% of top-performing sales organizations report sharing customer insights across teams regularly.

Solution:
Implement a system for collecting and sharing customer feedback between teams. Jointly analyzing customer pain points and preferences allows both teams to create targeted campaigns and personalize sales approaches, resulting in higher conversion rates.

5. Extended Sales Cycles Due to Poor Handoff Processes
A common complaint from sales teams is that leads are often passed along without sufficient context, leading to longer sales cycles. This delay can be costly; each extra step in the sales process reduces the likelihood of closing by around 10%.

Solution:
Create a seamless handoff process where every lead passed to sales includes critical context like engagement history, needs, and pain points. Marketing automation tools can help capture these details so sales doesn’t have to spend time collecting basic information. Companies with streamlined handoff processes reduce their sales cycle time by up to 20%.

A Win-Win Partnership
Closing the gap between sales and marketing alignment is no small task, but the impact on your bottom line is undeniable. By tackling lead quality, aligning on content, unifying messaging, sharing data insights, and optimizing handoffs, companies can unlock stronger sales performance, drive higher revenue, and build lasting customer relationships. Investing in this alignment isn’t just about fixing problems—it’s about creating a competitive edge that grows stronger over time. It’s easier said than done unless you let Ember & Resolve handle it!