After more than 20 years in B2B sales and marketing—and a good chunk of that time spent in sales leadership—I’ve come to believe that the most critical growth lever in a start-up or growth-stage company isn’t just a great product or even a well-funded strategy. It’s the alignment between sales and marketing. When these teams are rowing in the same direction, everything moves faster: lead quality improves, the sales cycle shortens, and revenue growth becomes much more predictable.

Unfortunately, alignment is easier said than done.

Sales and Marketing: Why the Disconnect Happens

In many start-ups and growing companies, sales and marketing are built in parallel but rarely in sync. Marketing is focused on brand building, content, and lead generation. Sales is focused on hitting quota, closing deals, and navigating real-time objections. Add in different KPIs, different reporting structures, and often limited resources, and it’s no surprise these teams can start to drift apart.

I’ve seen this happen up close—sometimes marketing generates leads that sales won’t follow up on because they’re “not qualified,” and sales ignores campaign insights that could help close deals faster. Without intentional connection, both teams lose.

Alignment Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s a strategy.

In my experience, alignment starts at the top. Leaders need to set the expectation that marketing and sales are partners—not separate departments with separate goals. That means:

• Shared revenue goals (not just MQLs or pipeline volume)
• Joint planning and regular collaboration
• Agreement on lead qualification criteria
• Feedback loops where both teams can weigh in on what’s working and what’s not

When I transitioned a marketing department into a high-performing internal agency at a private equity-backed firm, one of my first steps was integrating our marketing plans directly into sales outreach and investor relations. That collaboration didn’t just feel good—it delivered real results, with measurable improvements in lead quality and conversion rates.

Tactics That Actually Work

Here are a few of the most effective tactics I’ve used to foster alignment:

• Weekly revenue standups that include both teams
• Shared dashboards for KPIs that matter to both sides—conversion rates, pipeline velocity, and win/loss analysis
• Content built with sales, not just for sales—like objection-handling guides, competitive battle cards, and persona-driven messaging that reflects what prospects are really saying
• Marketing listening in on sales calls to better understand pain points and adjust campaigns in real-time.

When marketing understands what sales needs and sales sees the value marketing brings to the table, the relationship transforms.

How to Know It’s Working

Alignment pays off in metrics. You’ll see faster follow-up on leads, higher conversion rates, and more accurate forecasting. Sales cycles shorten. Close rates climb. More importantly, prospects and clients have a more cohesive experience because the messaging is consistent and relevant from the first touch to the final deal.

The Future: Sales, Marketing, and Customer Experience

Today’s B2B buyers don’t think in silos—and neither should we. The rise of account-based marketing, AI-assisted sales insights, and revenue operations are pushing us toward tighter integration. It’s no longer about just handing off leads; it’s about building a unified go-to-market motion that delivers value at every step.

As someone who’s built teams, rebuilt playbooks, and sat in both the sales and marketing seats, I can confidently say alignment isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s mission-critical. And the earlier you build it into your company’s DNA, the faster you’ll grow—with fewer growing pains along the way.