Marketing alignment: run a joint planning process with sales

Why marketing alignment with sales decides growth

Misalignment wastes budget and time. Marketing celebrates MQLs that sales cannot use. Sales asks for more leads while the website leaks conversions. The fix is a shared plan, clear definitions, and a simple rhythm where both teams decide together. This guide shows you how to run a joint planning process that fits a founder-led or mid-market company.

Use it to build agreements that survive busy quarters and new hires, and to connect your work directly to pipeline and revenue.

Outcomes your joint plan should deliver

• One revenue goal for the quarter with shared ownership.
• Agreed ICP and target segments with evidence.
• Clear lead stages and handoffs in the CRM.
• SLAs for response, routing, and follow-up.
• One scorecard and a monthly decision meeting.

If you need the wider strategy to anchor this, start with one-page marketing strategy and your quarterly marketing roadmap.

Step 1. Agree the revenue goal and math

Write one quarterly goal both teams own, for example increase qualified pipeline by 25 percent or hit £300k in new MRR. Do the reverse math together: opportunities needed, average win rate, average deal size, and the lead volumes implied. Record the assumptions on a single page.

For planning structure, see how to decide your marketing priorities.

Step 2. Define ICP and buying committee

Capture your ideal customer profile as a checklist. Company traits, triggers, and disqualifiers. Add the buying committee roles and their key jobs to be done. Keep it short and visible for campaign briefs and sales outreach scripts.

For audience inputs and market context, explore Think with Google insights.

Step 3. Standardise lead stages and handoffs

Write definitions for the stages in your CRM, for example Lead, MQL, SAL, SQL, Opportunity, Closed Won. Define the exit criteria for each stage, the owner, and the time limit. Keep the language plain. Update forms and routing rules to match.

• MQL. Fits ICP, shows intent, and meets data quality rules.
• SAL. Sales accepts within SLA and attempts contact.
• SQL. Qualified through discovery and enters pipeline.

Your one-page governance should reference these rules. See marketing governance for small teams.

Step 4. Set SLAs that people can keep

Agree response and follow-up timelines. Examples: new demo requests responded to within two working hours, MQLs worked with three contact attempts over five days, closed lost reasons recorded in CRM within 48 hours. Keep SLAs achievable and review monthly.

For practical operational guidance, browse HubSpot’s sales and marketing alignment resources.

Step 5. Build one revenue scorecard

Pick five KPIs and one owner per KPI, not per team. Include a target and the action you will take next. Recommended set:

• Qualified inbound opportunities.
• Lead to opportunity rate.
• Opportunity to win rate.
• Average deal size or AOV.
• Cost per opportunity or CAC payback.

For layout and definitions, use build a marketing scorecard.

Step 6. Plan campaigns and outreach together

Choose two to three campaigns that match the ICP and quarter goal. Pair them with sales plays such as targeted sequences, referral asks, or event follow-ups. Write one shared brief with the message, proof, and call to action. Align landing pages and sequences so the experience is seamless.

If you need help selecting channels, read marketing channels: choose the right mix for your stage.

Step 7. Create the feedback loop

Run weekly standups and a monthly revenue review. In the review, look at the scorecard, pipeline quality, and closed-won learning. Decide continue, scale, fix, or stop. Capture the decisions next to the KPI and update the backlog of tests.

For cadence detail, see build a simple marketing operating rhythm.

Step 8. Measure influence, not just last click

Agree a simple attribution approach for now, then evolve it. Combine platform data, CRM sourced revenue, and controlled tests when volume allows. Document the method so debates shrink and decisions speed up.

Measurement principles are summarised by Think with Google on measurement.

Common alignment pitfalls to avoid

• Different definitions of a good lead. Write them down and enforce in forms and routing.
• Activity reporting without decisions. Every KPI needs one action.
• Unrealistic SLAs. Missed promises erode trust quickly.
• Separate planning cycles. Run one quarterly process and publish dates early.

Final checklist

• One quarterly revenue goal owned by both teams.
• ICP and buying committee documented.
• Lead stages and handoffs defined in CRM.
• SLAs agreed and visible.
• One scorecard, one monthly review.
• Two to three joint campaigns with shared briefs.
• Attribution method documented.