Friction between sales and marketing often stems from using separate definitions for a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) and a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL). The most effective approach is to have one unified definition: a potential customer that sales can realistically close. This focuses both teams on the ultimate goal of revenue generation.

Instead of a linear handoff, the "GTM Factory" model tracks sales and marketing as parallel processes. This provides end-to-end visibility, like a manufacturing line, exposing how marketing's ongoing influence throughout the sales cycle compounds with sales activities to accelerate pipeline and improve win rates.

Most go-to-market challenges, from low conversion rates to departmental friction, can be traced to the handoff process between marketing and sales. Start your diagnosis here to find the root cause of issues like low-quality leads or poor pipeline velocity, not just the symptoms.

Empower your marketing team or agency to manage salesperson LinkedIn profiles to send connection requests and run nurtured messaging cadences. This establishes credibility and a direct communication channel within target accounts before a formal sales handoff.

To eliminate friction, Snowflake's marketing team, led by CMO Denise Pearson, abandoned MQLs. Instead, they focused solely on delivering qualified meetings for the sales team, treating sales as their primary customer whose success was paramount.

Instead of waiting for top-down alignment, salespeople should take the initiative to bridge the gap with marketing. The most effective way to do this is by bringing marketing team members onto actual sales calls. This direct exposure to customer interactions is the fastest way to ensure marketing creates relevant and effective support materials.

To break down silos between sales, channel, and field marketing, partner marketers act as a central hub. This is achieved by operationalizing transparency, establishing a formal communication cadence that replaces informal check-ins, and conducting blame-free reviews focused on future actions.

Don't just hand signals to sales and expect them to act. Marketing should co-own enablement. A "Pipeline Wednesday" meeting is used to actively help the sales team connect specific marketing signals (e.g., account intent) to concrete messaging and outreach tactics.

The handoff process from marketing to sales is a frequently neglected 'gray zone.' Marketers fear overstepping and sales may lack optimization skills. Making this a core strategic bet is a high-leverage way to generate pipeline while building top-of-funnel demand.