Customer acquisition is broken when sales and marketing aren't aligned

I see it all the time — strong businesses with great products, but growth starts to slow, and nobody’s quite sure why. Yes the strategy generally needs work, but more often than not there is a disconnect between sales and marketing. The two functions are meant to power growth together, but too often they operate like separate engines running in different directions.

Why the disconnect matters

Customer acquisition is the lifeblood of any business. Yet in too many organisations, marketing and sales work in silos. Marketing generates leads, sales chases deals, but without alignment the process leaks value at every stage.

Leads fall through the cracks, messaging isn’t consistent, and reporting becomes a tug-of-war over “who gets credit”. The result? Slower growth, wasted budget and frustrated teams.

Signs your teams aren’t aligned

If you’re unsure whether this is happening in your business, look for these red flags:

• Leads go cold because sales follow-up is slow, inconsistent or doesn’t even happen.
• Conflicting definitions of what qualifies as a lead.
• Fragmented systems where marketing’s data never reaches sales.
• Inconsistent messaging across channels and conversations.
• Reports that don’t match up between sales and marketing.

When these issues surface, customer acquisition fails to reach its full potential. Don’t underestimate the commercial value of great marketing. 

How alignment fixes acquisition

When sales and marketing align, customer acquisition becomes smoother, more predictable and more cost-effective. Alignment brings:

• Shared definitions – clear agreement on what qualifies as a lead.
• Closed-loop reporting – both teams work from the same data, from first interaction to closed deal.
• Unified messaging – prospects experience a consistent story across every touchpoint.
• Faster follow-up – marketing signals intent, and sales responds in real time.

True alignment between sales and marketing is a growth strategy in itself.

Joint KPIs = the fastest way to drive alignment

The most effective way to align sales and marketing is through shared KPIs. When both teams are measured on pipeline and revenue, accountability shifts from activity to impact. Marketing focuses on generating leads that convert, while sales recognises the commercial value of marketing’s contribution. True alignment goes beyond shared reporting - it’s built on collaboration. Regular, transparent conversations create trust, improve lead quality and drive measurable growth.

When sales and marketing are truly aligned, customer acquisition becomes more consistent, efficient and measurable. It’s not about adding more activity - it’s about creating shared accountability for growth.

If you’re not seeing that alignment in your business, perhaps we should chat. Sometimes a fresh perspective is all it takes to pinpoint what’s holding growth back.