B2B Marketing Strategy

Why Your Top Salesperson Hates Your Marketing—and How to Fix It

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Your top salesperson is frustrated.

They’re closing deals, but they’re doing it despite your marketing—not because of it.

Meanwhile, your marketing team is cranking out campaigns, reporting lead volume, and hitting engagement metrics… but sales isn’t following up. The tension? Palpable.

This isn’t personal. It’s systemic. And fixable.

Here’s how to diagnose the disconnect—and build a revenue engine both teams can trust.

Why Sales Thinks Marketing Is Broken

1. You’re Sending the Wrong Leads

Marketing calls them MQLs. Sales calls them “not worth my time.”

The real issue? No shared definition of a good lead. If sales is looking for decision-makers at $5M+ firms, and marketing’s handing over junior titles who downloaded a guide… everyone loses.

2. Campaigns Don’t Reflect the Sales Conversation

Your sales team hears objections. Your marketing team writes blog posts. But they’re not speaking to the same audience—or using the same language.

If your best closer says, “No one even knows what we do until I explain it,” marketing needs to listen up.

3. There’s No Feedback Loop

Sales isn’t telling marketing which leads were solid. Marketing isn’t asking. So campaigns keep firing in the dark.

This isn’t a tech issue. It’s a rhythm issue. And it’s hurting revenue.

How to Align Sales and Marketing—Without Hiring a Consultant

1. Define a True Sales-Qualified Lead (SQL)

Get in a room and agree on:

  • Firmographics (size, industry, role)
  • Behavioral signals (visited pricing, watched demo, replied to outreach)
  • Timing (are they evaluating now?)

Write it down. Share it. Make it the new standard.

2. Build a Shared Dashboard

Track MQL → SQL → Opportunity → Win. Let both teams see:

  • Lead source
  • Activity history
  • Outcome

Use tools like Close CRM, HubSpot, or even Notion + Google Sheets. Visibility = accountability.

3. Sync Weekly

Marketing gets 15 minutes in sales standup. Sales gets 15 in marketing’s.

Talk real pipeline. Discuss lead quality. Iterate fast. No slides, no fluff.

4. Co-Create Messaging

Let your top rep help rewrite:

  • Landing pages
  • Email nurture sequences
  • LinkedIn ads

And let marketing observe sales calls to understand objections and language that converts.

5. Celebrate Together

When a deal closes from a marketing source, celebrate both sides. Pipeline doesn’t care who “owned” it. Neither should you.

What Happens When You Fix It

  • Your close rate goes up
  • Your sales cycle shortens
  • Sales and marketing stop blaming each other and start building together
  • And yes, your top salesperson finally respects the leads you’re sending

What to Do This Week

  1. Audit your last 30 leads—how many matched sales’ expectations?
  2. Schedule a 30-minute sync between your head of marketing and top salesperson.
  3. Rewrite one campaign with direct sales input.
  4. Create a shared definition of an SQL.
  5. Set a weekly 15-minute feedback loop.

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Stay focused. Stay productive. Keep building.
 —Bill

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