Why Sales and Marketing Need to Work Together
Marketing generates the opportunity. Sales closes the deal.
But treating those two functions as completely separate departments can create serious problems.
In this episode of Authority Architects by 7 Wonders, Heather Harlos, Global Vice President of Programs and Enablement at Coro, explains why sales and marketing need to operate as one connected system.
The Problem With Silos
Heather often sees sales and marketing teams moving in separate directions and hoping their strategies eventually intersect.
Marketing launches campaigns without fully understanding how salespeople work.
Sales receives leads without enough context or support to move those opportunities forward.
The issue is not usually bad intent. It is a lack of understanding.
Heather believes marketers would benefit from spending time in sales because it gives them firsthand insight into what a salesperson’s actual day looks like. That knowledge changes how campaigns and programs are designed.
Marketing Does Not End When the Lead Arrives
One of the most important ideas Heather shares is that marketing should not stop working once a lead has been handed to sales.
There are still opportunities to influence:
Decision makers
Internal champions
Additional stakeholders
Brand awareness
Trust throughout the buying process
Marketing and sales can work together throughout the customer journey instead of treating the MQL as a finish line.
Meet Buyers Where They Already Are
At Coro, Heather’s team created a system that identifies relevant conversations happening on Reddit. Instead of immediately selling to those users, sales engineers and other team members can join conversations and offer genuine expertise.
The goal is to become useful before becoming promotional. That approach reflects a larger shift in marketing. People are not always entering a platform because they want to buy something. They may be looking for information, help, or answers. Brands can build trust by solving those problems first.
Do Not Rush the Sale
Heather sees many marketers moving too quickly toward conversion. They ask for the demo before the customer understands the problem. They push toward the close before they have provided enough value.
Successful marketing often requires answering the right question at the right stage of the buying process. That principle also applies to video. People often search YouTube because they have a question or problem, not because they are actively looking for an advertisement.
Educational video content gives brands an opportunity to provide value first and position themselves as trusted experts. That is why 7 Wonders emphasizes video as part of a broader authority building strategy.
Be Willing to Do Something Different
Heather’s final advice is simple: do not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. What worked at one company may not work at another. What worked last year may not work today.
Strong marketers continue learning, experimenting, and understanding the parts of the business beyond their own department.
Watch the full Authority Architects episode from 7 Wonders to hear Heather Harlos discuss sales and marketing alignment, customer journeys, community engagement, video, and building programs that actually support revenue.
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