In this feature, I will consider the issues that get in the way of effective sales and marketing alignment with the customer. I will draw on my experience of 35 years as a marketing and sales practitioner, as well as my recent academic and commercial research, to give an up-to-date picture of the state of alignment. I will suggest how to get better alignment around the most important facet of B2B sales and marketing, customer value propositions. Much of the advice provided here builds on my co-authored book Value-Ology: Aligning Sales and Marketing to Shape and Deliver Profitable Value Propositions (Kelly, Johnston, Danheiser, 2017).
