"Too often sales and marketing stand on opposing sides,” says Chris Duprey, IMPACT head coach. “That has to change if we are going to continue to grow and develop."
This episode of Endless Customers digs into one of the most common business challenges: the disconnect between sales and marketing. Chris explains why the divide exists, how it hurts growth, and what businesses can do right now to align the two functions.
When sales and marketing operate in silos, the entire buyer experience suffers. Sales often complains that marketing doesn’t generate quality leads, while marketing feels frustrated that sales doesn’t use the content they create. The result is wasted effort, mixed messaging, and missed revenue opportunities.
Chris argues that the solution isn’t more finger-pointing, it’s building a culture of shared ownership. By getting sales and marketing to understand each other’s goals, review each other’s work, and collaborate on buyer education, companies can move from conflict to alignment. And when that happens, the impact is immediate: shorter sales cycles, higher close rates, and a smoother journey for buyers who feel like they’re talking to one unified team.
One of the root causes of this divide is a lack of understanding and communication: "Sales is generally just uneducated around what marketing's role actually is."
Marketing teams spend hours creating valuable content, but it only helps if sales actually use it.
Chris emphasizes the importance of salespeople taking the time to familiarize themselves with marketing materials to leverage them effectively in their sales processes.
"Sales folks need to read the content or watch the content that marketing produces,” he says. “Only then can they say the marketing team isn't creating the right content."
For Chris, it’s all about reaching across the aisle to understand what the other teams are actually working on.
Alignment requires intentional effort:
When these two groups work as a greater team, the results make the effort well worth it: Chris has seen companies experience a "25% to 50% increase in close rates simply by aligning teams."
Sales and marketing don’t need to be rivals—they should be partners in growth. By building trust, sharing insights, and using each other’s strengths, you’ll create a unified revenue team that drives measurable results.
If you’re asking how to align sales and marketing in your organization, talk to our team today and start seeing the growth that comes from true collaboration.
Chris Duprey is a sought-after speaker and business coach with over two decades of leadership experience.
Get to know Chris through his IMPACT bio page
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn
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Why is there often tension between sales and marketing?
Misunderstandings about roles and a lack of communication cause friction. Sales may not see how much marketing supports buyer education, while marketing may feel sales doesn’t use their content.
What’s the quickest way to improve sales and marketing collaboration?
Start by having marketing sit in on sales role-play sessions. It creates instant visibility into how content supports conversations.
How can sales leaders encourage their teams to embrace marketing?
Require salespeople to read, watch, and use marketing-created content in their process. It builds trust and makes feedback more constructive.