Aligning Sales and Marketing: 3 Strategies for Better MarTech Adoption
You might be thinking, “Not another blog about Marketing and Sales misalignment!” Yes, it’s a topic that’s been discussed endlessly, but the truth is, the problem is as pressing as ever. Misalignment between marketing and sales teams continues to be a major drain on efficiency and revenue. In fact, according to LinkedIn’s Art of Winning report, a staggering $1 trillion is lost each year due to this misalignment—and that’s not counting the countless hours wasted when teams aren’t on the same page.
No wonder so many leaders in marketing and sales are doubling down on solving this issue. The challenge? Simply buying the latest MarTech tool isn’t enough. Without proper adoption across departments, the impact will be minimal. So how can both teams work together to make sure these new tools actually drive the right results—more revenue?
In a recent discussion, Jat Hayer, SVP of Sales at TechTarget, and Andrew Milne, marketing expert and former Senior Director at Secureworks, shared their thoughts on tackling this problem. Here are three key takeaways:
1. Get the Fundamentals Right First
The temptation to buy the latest shiny MarTech tool is strong. But Andrew Milne cautions against jumping into solutions without understanding the bigger picture. Before investing in any new technology, take a step back and ask: “What are we trying to achieve here? How does this fit into our current strategy? And how will we measure success?”
Jat Hayer adds, “There’s so much pressure to buy the latest and greatest tools, but that’s where things can go wrong. It’s crucial to focus on the fundamentals first—making sure your team’s processes and tech stack are in place to support any new investment.”
The message is clear: Make sure your new tools align with your existing systems and processes, and involve your leadership team early to ensure the technology helps everyone meet their revenue goals.
2. Collaborate Cross-Functionally Before You Buy
One of the biggest mistakes companies make when implementing new MarTech tools is failing to involve the right stakeholders early on. For a tool to be successful, it needs buy-in from across the organization. Each department has its own priorities, and if you don’t align on how a new solution can help, you risk delays or poor adoption.
Andrew recommends involving these key teams before committing to a purchase:
- Your own team: Get their input and make sure they’re excited about the solution. If they’re on board, they’ll help push the project forward.
- Sales and Marketing Leadership: Have a conversation about the specific challenges each team is facing, and how the new tool can address those pain points.
- Operations Teams: Work with your Sales and Marketing operations teams to make sure the new solution fits within your current tech stack and doesn’t disrupt workflows.
- Finance: Talk through the investment and how the new tool will impact the business. Providing data and insights will help finance teams understand the expected ROI.
Once you’ve gathered support from these teams, only then should you move forward with purchasing or onboarding new technology.
3. Listen and Align on Goals to Drive Adoption
Even after aligning on the goals, one of the toughest challenges is ensuring that your teams actually adopt the new tool. It’s hard to shift people from familiar (even if flawed) processes to a new way of doing things. If you want your new MarTech solution to have a positive impact, you need to make sure it’s truly relevant to both Marketing and Sales.
Andrew emphasizes the importance of speaking to Sales’ goals—primarily, revenue generation. “If you can show your sales team that the new tool will directly help them hit their revenue targets, they’ll be more willing to adopt it.”
Here’s how to make it happen:
- Focus on Use Cases: Frame the technology around problems that Sales is actively trying to solve. For example, prioritizing the right accounts or improving the quality of outreach.
- Tailor Solutions: For instance, Andrew’s team used intent data to help sales teams prioritize in-market accounts and have more relevant conversations. By showing exactly which accounts were researching solutions, they were able to help Sales focus their time on high-potential opportunities.
- Support Throughout the Sales Cycle: Don’t just focus on top-of-the-funnel leads. Use MarTech to provide insights across the entire sales cycle—whether that’s helping Sales with ongoing opportunities or offering behavioral data to improve conversations.
Final Thoughts
Aligning Marketing and Sales can feel like a daunting task, but it’s essential for driving real business results. Successful MarTech adoption isn’t just about the latest tool—it’s about making sure that everyone is on the same page from the start.
At MarketingVogue, we understand that each team has unique challenges. Using first-party intent data can help bridge the gap and ensure that both Sales and Marketing are working toward the same revenue goals. If you want to see how this approach can help your teams align and grow revenue, get in touch with us today.
