When Sales and Marketing Align: Impact on Performance

Abstract

Without sales and marketing working to produce revenue, the firm ceases to exist. Yet, given the magnitude of what’s at stake, these two functions are often at odds with one another to the detriment of performance. This article reviews previous studies that investigate conflict, collaboration, and integration between the sales and marketing functions. Next, hypotheses are developed relating alignment between the sales and marketing functions and key organizational performance objectives. Results of an empirical study encompassing 821 respondents demonstrate strong support for improved performance on eight key outcomes for firms where sales and marketing were aligned. The findings connote a potential high return on investment for organizations devoting time and resources to improving the relationship between the sales and marketing functions.