"In many organizations, marketing still dangles at the bottom of the priority list. A dangerous misconception," says Marcus Sheridan.

If these words from Marcus Sheridan, founder of They Ask, You Answer, make you look up, you're not alone.

In many companies, sales and marketing operate as separate departments, each with their own goals, systems and practices. While marketing is busy creating brand awareness and generating leads, sales focuses on closing deals and bringing in revenue.

At first glance a logical division, but is this traditional separation between departments still of our time?

As a head coach at Buzzlytics with a background in both sales and marketing, I've seen firsthand how damaging this compartmentalized approach can be. For years, I worked with companies where marketing teams produced content that didn't align with what salespeople in the field needed, while sales teams kept valuable customer insights to themselves that marketing could have used to develop more effective campaigns.

The result? Wasted resources, missed opportunities and an inconsistent customer experience.

In this article, I dive into why the traditional separation between sales and marketing no longer works in today's digital age. You'll learn why the modern customer journey demands an integrated approach, what happens when these departments do work together seamlessly, and what concrete steps you can take to build a strong Revenue Team in your organization. After reading, you will not only understand why this transformation is necessary, but you will also know what it takes to lead this change in your own company.

This article is based on an episode of the StoryBrand podcast with Marcus Sheridan, author of They Ask, You Answer. StoryBrand Netherlands is the sister company of Buzzlytics. Watch the interview below. Prefer to listen? Find thelink to this episode on your favorite podcast platform on the StoryBrand website.

Marketing today is responsible for 80% of the customer journey.

The way customers buy has fundamentally changed. Where once the roles of marketing and sales were clearly separated, today we see a huge overlap between where marketing ends and sales begins. This changing landscape requires a new approach.

One striking insight shared by Marcus Sheridan is that marketing today is responsible for about 80% of the customer journey. This means that potential customers are already well advanced in their decision-making process before they contact sales. This shift has major implications for the traditional division of labor between departments.

Instead of simply generating leads for the sales team, marketing must now deliver educational content that guides prospects through most of their buying journey. This includes answering all the important questions buyers have, including the "tricky" topics such as pricing, cons and competitor comparisons.

Also read: Business blogging: 5 blog topics that drive traffic and sales (+ examples)

Although marketing handles a larger part of the customer journey, the sales team still has indispensable insights. As experts who talk to potential customers on a daily basis, sales professionals know exactly what questions live in the marketplace.

This makes them indispensable advisors to marketing. Without this direct input from the field, marketing runs the risk of producing content that does not match the real needs of customers. So an effective strategy requires bringing sales' expertise into marketing decisions.

You developed your one-liner during the StoryBrand implementation and probably already implemented it in your email signature, on your website, in offers and a few more places. But there are so many more possibilities!

Unfortunately, in many organizations, marketing is still treated as a second-class department within the company. As Sheridan describes it, marketing often has no place at the management table and the department is not considered strategically important.

This outdated thinking undermines marketing's potential to drive business growth. In today's digital landscape, where customers do most of their research independently, marketing is no longer just a support function but a critical driver of revenue.

With the shift to a greater role in the customer journey also comes greater accountability. Today more than ever, Marketing must be accountable for its contribution to revenue and results.

This requires a new mindset in which marketing teams think not only in terms of reach, engagement and leads, but also sales, revenue and ROI. This shift toward results orientation puts marketing in a position where the department has direct impact on business performance.

When prospects hear the same message through marketing content and from sales staff, it reinforces their trust in the company and reduces friction in the sales process.

The true power of an integrated approach emerges when sales and marketing truly work together as one team.

One proven method to foster this collaboration is to set up regular Revenue Team meetings. According to Sheridan, representatives from both departments should meet at least monthly.

During these meetings, sales shares the feedback and questions they receive from prospects, while marketing explains what content they produce to answer these questions. This ongoing dialogue ensures that both teams continually have the same goal in mind and align their efforts.

When sales and marketing work together, they literally start "using the same script" - communicating consistently about the company, its products and its value proposition.

This consistency is crucial for a seamless customer experience. When prospects hear the same message through marketing content and from sales staff, it reinforces their trust in the company and reduces friction in the sales process.

Ultimately, the transformation to an integrated Revenue Team starts with the management of the organization.

The main reason many companies fail to effectively integrate their sales and marketing teams, according to Sheridan, is a lack of understanding on the part of leadership. When executives fail to see the importance of this overlap and collaboration, the old silos remain in place.

Successful leaders recognize that traditional boundaries between departments are blurring and that an integrated approach is needed. They create a culture where sales and marketing are seen as two components of one Revenue Team, with a shared mission to help customers and generate revenue.

Also read: Why is a culture change needed for They Ask, You Answer?

The modern buyer doesn't care about our internal departmental structure. He expects a seamless experience regardless of whether he interacts with marketing or sales. Bringing these teams together into one Revenue Team is not just an organizational shift, but a strategic necessity in a marketplace where buyers have already completed 80% of their journey before making direct contact.

Breaking the traditional silos between marketing and sales is a challenge that requires leadership, vision and perseverance. But the companies that meet this challenge see time and time again that it is worth it. Not only do they experience higher conversion rates and more revenue, but they also build an organization that is truly customer-centric.

In organizations that we at Buzzlytics have guided through this transformation, we see marketing taking more responsibility for revenue results and sales has come to appreciate the value of educational content. When sales and marketing work together, united by shared goals and insights, the result is more than the sum of its parts - magic truly happens.

Think about your own organization:

• How often do your sales and marketing teams sit together at the table?
• Are they speaking the same language when talking about your company's value proposition?
• Do they share a common view of the ideal customer?

If the answer to any of these questions is "no," then there is room for improvement.

Start small, with monthly Revenue Team meetings where both departments share insights and set common goals. Encourage exchange of talent and ideas between departments.

And above all, make sure leadership supports and champions this integration. After all, we can no longer afford to think in separate cubicles. The future of profitable growth lies in true collaboration. Are you ready to take that step?