n too many companies, Sales and Marketing feud like Capulets and Montagues. Salespeople accuse
marketers of being out of touch with what customers really want or setting prices too high. Marketers
insist
that
salespeople
focus
too myopically
on
individual
customers
and
short-term
sales
at
the

expense
of
longer-term
profits.
Result? Poor coordination between the two teams—which only raises market-entry costs, lengthens
sales cycles, and increases cost of sales.
How to get sales and marketing teams to start working together? Kotler, Rackham, and Krishnaswamy
recommend
crafting
a new relationship between
them, one
with the right degree of interconnection
to
tackle
your most pressing business challenges.
For example, is your market becoming more commoditized or customized? If so, align Sales and
Marketing through frequent, disciplined cross-functional communication and joint projects. Is competition
becoming
more
complex than
ever?
Then
fully
integrate the
teams,
by
having them share

performance
metrics
and rewards and embedding marketers
deeply in management of
key accounts.
Create the right relationship between Sales and Marketing, and you reduce internecine squabbling,
enabling these former combatants to boost top- and bottom- line growth, together.