Breaking Down Silos: RevOps Reinvents Marketing/Sales Dynamic to Accelerate Growth

Turning raw data into strategic insight is no longer optional for marketers. As leaders strive to make sense of all that data to define their true north, they can achieve their goals with confidence with better cross-collaboration.

Sales and marketing are influential players in strategic planning; however, their paths often diverge as forks in the road. While they share more in common than not, they are usually siloed on the traditional org chart — despite depending on each other’s critical intel.

This structure no longer makes good business sense. Today’s complex buyer journey demands a simpler, one-stop shop. A thoughtful orchestration is needed to bridge the divide, or businesses run the risk of getting farther away from customers who are already navigating fragmented journeys.

Bridging the divide with revenue operations

The revenue operations (RevOps) model breaks down silos by aligning multiple demand-generation functions that are integral to achieving dollar-figure success. Unifying around delivering consistently good experiences keeps clients satisfied and drives longer retention. 

What’s required? Converging marketing and sales to remove traditional barriers to success. No finger-pointing and no more in-fighting. 

Creating a constant feedback loop

At the heart of successful RevOps implementation is a constant feedback loop from the field — continuous, real-time intelligence flowing from client-facing teams to leadership.
“Sales gives marketing such valuable conversation starters, from what’s being said in the field to the client’s own unique pain points,” shares Bell.

She credits the open, trusted dialogue at Waites, where teams work together to build a business case for predictive maintenance and “creating a world where nothing breaks.” 
Bell notes that ongoing conversations about the skilled labor shortage of maintenance workers/technicians led her team to develop multiple lead-generation assets. “In addition to downtime and failure rates, the labor shortage keeps clients up at night. We know this because we are aligned with sales discussions.”

This strategic exchange is what Bowman calls “sharpening the saw sessions,” or when field teams share what’s resonating in specific industries. Client feedback informs everything from content development to competitive positioning to product roadmap decisions.

Smart tech, a unifying force for good

While collaboration and culture are essential, technology makes true RevOps possible. Bowman identifies the customer relationship management system as the central source of truth for sales and marketing.

Using a CRM fundamentally transforms how organizations capture and leverage data. This rich data environment enables marketing to continually refine messaging, sales to level up their approach, and customer success to identify expansion opportunities.

No question, AI is also having a massive impact, says Bowman. Bell is emphatic on this point: “If you don’t have a strategy for AI as a business, then you’re already behind the eight ball.”

AI is helping CMOs and CROs address a persistent challenge: CRM adoption. Bowman notes that historically, “the CRM from a sales perspective is often looked at as a chore, not a business enabler.” However, AI speeds tactical work, so teams can focus on higher-level strategy.

AI’s immediate impact is improving data quality by removing bottlenecks and promoting consistency. “It surfaces next steps, potential risk areas and questions our team hasn’t asked,” says Bowman. “It’s also pulling wider insights across all conversations."

Bell sees similar transformative effects. “Someone fills out a form on the website, and within two seconds, your martech stack can tell you what they’ve explored and if they’re part of your ideal customer profile (ICP). It’s a game-changer.”

Practical advice for leaders

For executives considering this transformation, both Bell and Bowman offer clear guidance:

• Bowman advocates starting with clarity of purpose. “Know why you’re doing this, what your outcomes and goals are, and clearly map those out. Have a plan for how you’re going to iteratively roll out a CRM system or implement new technology. Stay the course and stay disciplined.”
• Bell emphasizes focusing on shared objectives over organizational boundaries. "Start with the end in mind and don't worry so much about what your little kingdom should be because you’re all working toward the same goal. It always works better if you work closely together.”