Random fact: February 17 is Random Acts of Kindness Day — a reminder that small, thoughtful gestures can brighten someone’s day.
In B2B organizations, however, alignment between sales and marketing should never be just random. When these teams work together in a mutually respectful way, the benefits go beyond good feelings — they unlock measurable business performance leaders can’t afford to ignore.
The alignment disconnect
Ask executives whether their sales and marketing are aligned and many will confidently say “yes.” For example, Forrester reports 82% of C-level B2B leaders believe their marketing and sales teams work in tandem. Yet, when you talk to the teams actually doing the work, the story changes: 65% of sales and marketing professionals report a lack of alignment.
Whose fault it is depends on who you talk to — marketing blames sales for not following up on the leads they’re being given, and sales says marketing’s leads are poor quality and not worth the time.
Regardless, when alignment breaks down, revenue pipelines stall.
Alignment is not a “nice to have” but a growth driver
Companies where sales and marketing are aligned enjoy faster growth and profitability. In fact, these organizations grow 19% faster and are 15% more profitable than their misaligned peers.
This is because aligned teams drive better outcomes. Sales and marketing working in harmony contribute to higher pipeline influence and conversion rates, as marketing nurtures interest so that sales receives ready leads they can close more thoughtfully. In fact, active involvement of marketing in sales efforts boosts conversions by as much as 65%.
4 simple ways to create alignment
Strong alignment doesn’t require complex technology or sweeping organizational changes — it starts with basic human practices that drive collaboration and mutual understanding.
1. Build shared goals and KPIs
Too often, marketing measures lead volume and brand reach while sales focuses on closed deals and quota attainment. Start by defining shared success metrics like conversion rates, pipeline velocity, and customer satisfaction. When teams are evaluated on common outcomes, they naturally pull in the same direction.
2. Talk (really talk)
Regular meetings aren’t optional; they’re strategic. Weekly or bi-weekly “smarketing” check-ins let teams share insights from the field and from campaigns. When marketers hear directly from sales about buyer objections, and sales hears which messaging resonates in early funnel stages, both teams sharpen their work.
3. Create feedback loops
Marketing should solicit feedback from sales on lead quality, and sales should let marketing know what they’re experiencing in daily encounters with prospects to better identify pain points and build more effective collateral. These exchanges build trust and improve outputs on both sides.
4. Center the buyer experience
Buyers don’t care which department owns the next step — they care about relevance, responsiveness, and continuity. When sales and marketing co-design the buyer journey, you create a seamless, frictionless experience that differentiates your brand.
(Related read: 4 Effective Ways To Nurture Leads)
Alignment should never be random
Random acts of kindness make the world feel better. But when sales and marketing alignment is just random, confusion, missed opportunities, and revenue leakage occur.
On the flip side, intentional and consistent collaboration between sales and marketing builds not only stronger internal relationships — it drives measurable performance improvements that benefit the entire business.
This February, instead of a single day of kindness, let’s commit to one strategy for alignment that lasts all year long.
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Carabiner Communications builds marketing strategies that align closely with sales to deliver real results. Need help? Let’s connect today.