Should Marketers Be In Charge of Sales

or they are just sales enablers?

Dear Digital Marketing Newbie

Apr 03, 2025

In this episode:

Should Marketers Be In Charge of Sales or Sales Enablers?
Meme of the week
Book Excerpt - Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini
Social Media Scheduling Tool Review
Learn Something New: SEO vs GEO

Let’s dive in, shall we?

Are marketers in charge of sales? This is the longest industry battle of the century!

Before we dive in, let me ask you as a marketer:

I went for a physical event recently, and a headline sponsor sent a marketer to talk about the product to a community of marketers. When he started talking, I immediately thought, this dude is a marketer! I said it out loud unknowingly, and someone beside me said they were thinking the same thing.

There’s a big difference between a marketer and a sales professional.

Yet, time and time again, businesses blur these lines. Many organizations expect marketers to close deals or, even worse, expect sales teams to handle marketing. This confusion leads to inefficiencies and, ultimately, missed revenue opportunities. So, let’s break this down: Should marketers be in charge of sales, or should they be sales enablers?

Marketers vs. Sales: Where Do the Lines Blur?

For years, organizations have debated whether marketers should own sales or simply enable it. Marketing and sales are two sides of the same coin, but they have distinct roles:

Marketers attract, educate, and nurture leads. They create demand, position the brand, and ensure potential buyers trust the product or service. They play the long game.
Sales professionals convert leads into customers. They engage in direct conversations, handle objections, and close deals. They play the short game.

Both are crucial for business success. But the moment marketers are forced to take on full sales responsibilities, they shift from strategic, long-term brand positioning to short-term revenue generation, which is not sustainable for business growth.

Why Marketers Shouldn’t Be In Charge of Sales

Many companies expect marketers to drive sales directly, but that’s not their core function. Here’s why marketers shouldn’t be leading sales efforts:

Different Skill Sets – Marketers are strategists who understand audience behavior, craft compelling messages, and create demand. Sales professionals are persuaders who build personal relationships and negotiate deals.
Different Metrics – Marketing measures success through engagement, brand awareness, and lead generation, while sales focuses on revenue, and deal closures.
Long-Term vs. Short-Term Focus – Marketers build long-term brand equity, while sales professionals drive immediate revenue. Expecting marketers to prioritize short-term sales can disrupt long-term brand growth.

Why Marketers Should Be Sales Enablers, Not Salespeople

Rather than putting marketers in charge of sales, businesses should leverage marketing as a powerful sales enabler. Here’s how marketers empower sales teams:

Generating Qualified Leads
A strong marketing strategy ensures that sales teams are not chasing cold leads but engaging with prospects who already understand the brand and its offerings.
Creating Sales-Driven Content
Marketers craft case studies, product sheets, whitepapers, and email sequences that help sales professionals close deals faster.
Educating the Market
Through thought leadership, webinars, and social media content, marketing builds trust and credibility, making sales conversations easier and more effective.
Leveraging Data and Insights
Marketers analyze consumer behavior, campaign performance, and engagement trends to guide sales strategies. A data-driven sales approach leads to better conversions.
Enhancing Brand Perception
A well-positioned brand attracts the right audience and reduces the resistance sales teams face when pitching a product or service.

Who Owns Conversion?

Conversion is a shared responsibility between marketing and sales, not one or the other.

Marketing drives demand by attracting, educating, and nurturing leads.
Sales closes deals by handling objections, personalizing pitches, and finalizing transactions.

Rather than debating ownership, businesses should focus on alignment—marketing delivers the right leads, and sales converts them efficiently. When both teams work together, conversion rates soar.

How You as a Marketer Should Explain This to Your Leadership

Many stakeholders/leadership may still see marketing and sales as interchangeable, so it's up to marketers to educate leadership on their distinct roles. Here’s how you can communicate this effectively:

Use Data to Show Impact
Present metrics that highlight how marketing contributes to lead generation, brand awareness, and customer retention. Show how marketing efforts nurture leads before they even reach sales.
Clarify Role Definitions
Explain that marketing is responsible for attracting and engaging potential customers, while sales focus on closing deals. Provide clear examples of tasks each department handles.
Emphasize Collaboration Over Overlap
Highlight successful case studies where marketing and sales alignment led to higher revenue. Suggest regular meetings between both teams to improve communication and strategy.
Demonstrate Long-Term Value
Marketing builds brand trust and demand over time. Explain why a short-term sales mindset can hurt brand positioning and customer relationships in the long run.
Propose a Sales Enablement Strategy
Offer solutions such as improved content marketing, automated lead nurturing, and data-driven targeting to enhance sales efficiency rather than replacing sales teams.

P:S: Marketing and sales shouldn’t operate in silos. A strong alignment between both teams ensures smoother customer journeys, higher conversions, and better revenue outcomes.

So, should marketers be in charge of sales? No. But should they empower sales to succeed? Absolutely!

What’s your thought on this?

Meme of The Week

Book Excerpt For The Week

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini

“The rule of reciprocation says that we should try to repay, in kind, what another person has provided us. If someone does us a favor, we should do one for them in return. This rule is so powerful that it often produces a ‘yes’ response to a request that we would have otherwise declined.”
— Chapter 2: Reciprocity, Page 34 (Revised Edition)

This excerpt highlights reciprocity, a powerful persuasion principle in marketing. Cialdini explains that when we receive something, we feel compelled to give back, a concept deeply rooted in human behavior and widely used in sales and relationship-building.

For marketers, offering free value upfront, like trials, content, or exclusive insights, boosts customer loyalty and conversions. This is why free samples, lead magnets, and generosity-driven campaigns are so effective.

Cialdini illustrates this with an example of the Hare Krishna movement, where members would give passersby a small flower before asking for donations. Despite people often not wanting the flower, they still felt compelled to donate because of the principle of reciprocity. The takeaway? Even an unexpected, seemingly insignificant gift can drive action and commitment.

How Marketers Can Leverage This:

Give Before You Ask: Offer free value first, insightful blog post, a free trial, or an exclusive resource, before making a sales pitch.
Leverage Freebies & Lead Magnets: A free eBook, checklist, or industry report can create a sense of obligation that encourages people to sign up, engage, or buy.
Use Personalization in Outreach: Sending a free, tailored recommendation before asking for a sale can make prospects more inclined to say yes.
Create Loyalty Through Small Gestures: Unexpected discounts, exclusive perks, or personalized thank-you notes can turn customers into loyal brand advocates.
Understand the Power of “Gift Marketing”: Brands like Amazon Prime offer free shipping and exclusive deals, making customers feel indebted to continue their subscriptions. The result? Higher retention and lifetime value.

Tool Review - Social Media Scheduling Tool

Someone suggested I review a social media scheduling tool. I primarily use Buffer, though I’ve also tried Later and Hootsuite. Buffer remains my top choice, let’s break down why:

Buffer is a powerful yet user-friendly social media management tool that helps businesses, marketers, and creators schedule and publish content seamlessly. It streamlines content planning, engagement tracking, and analytics, making social media management more efficient and hassle-free.

Key Features: Social Media Scheduling, Content Calendar, Analytics & Insights, AI-Powered Assistant, Team Collaboration, Engagement Management Tool, Customized Landing Page.

Comparing it with other scheduling tool: