“Marketing is doing 60-65% of the sales effort before a buyer even talks to a rep.”

Let that sink in.

Raffi Yardemian dropped this truth bomb during a recent panel discussion—and it changes everything.

Today’s buyers aren’t waiting for a sales pitch. They’re researching, comparing, and deciding long before they ever hit “contact us.”

So why are so many companies still treating sales and marketing like separate departments with competing goals?

The Problem: Misalignment = Missed Revenue

Here’s the hard reality:

• Marketing generates leads… but sales says they’re “low quality.”
• Sales blames marketing for not bringing in enough… while marketing fumes over unworked leads.
• CEOs throw money at ads with no clue what’s actually driving revenue.

Sound familiar?

The fix isn’t more leads or harder-selling reps. It’s aligning both teams around the right metrics—the ones that actually impact your bottom line.

3 Game-Changing Insights From the Trenches

1. Marketing Isn’t Just a “Top of Funnel” Cost Center Anymore

Raffi’s 65% stat isn’t just interesting—it’s a wake-up call.

Buyers today:

• Read your blogs
• Scroll your LinkedIn
• Check your reviews
• Maybe even talk to your customers

…all before they ever talk to sales.

The takeaway? If marketing’s KPIs stop at “leads generated,” you’re missing the big picture.

2. These Are the Metrics That Move the Needle

Forget vanity metrics. These are the numbers that actually matter:

✅ Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) – “Do we have the right ICP? Did the MQLs that we bring in convert to SQLs at what threshold?” (Raffi Yardemian)

✅ Lifetime Value (LTV) – “That ‘expensive’ client who stays 5 years? Worth every penny.”

✅ Marketing-Influenced Revenue – “That deal started with a webinar 6 months ago—credit where it’s due.”

Jay Gordman put it perfectly: “Profitability is the ultimate metric—gets everybody thinking strategically.”

3. Compensation Is Your Secret Weapon

Here’s an uncomfortable truth:

• Sales gets champagne when they close deals.
• Marketing gets… a pat on the back? Maybe?

No wonder there’s tension.

The fix? Structure bonuses so:

• Marketing earns on pipeline influence (not just leads)
• Sales gets rewarded for retention and upsells (not just new logos)

As Aditi stated in the discussion:

“I have done compensations based on quotas, carried quota like sales.”

Real Talk: What Works (and What Doesn’t)

🚫 The $18K/Month Google Ads Fail
One company couldn’t trace a single lead to their massive ad spend. 

✅ The Retargeting Win
A maid service converted 20% of quote requests after follow-up campaigns.

💡 The Land-and-Expand Playbook
An MSP started small ($1K contracts), then upsold cybersecurity—dramatically increasing lifetime value.

The Bottom Line

If sales and marketing aren’t rowing in the same direction, you’re leaving money on the table.

Start here:

1. Ditch “leads” as your North Star—track revenue influence instead.
2. Calculate your real CAC and LTV (you might be shocked).
3. Structure incentives so both teams win together.

Want the Full Playbook?

Join Joseph Frost, MBA on April 3, at 11:00 AM ET as he shares the top three marketing metrics every business needs to track for a winning sales strategy. Backed by insights from hundreds of fractional CMO engagements, these simple yet powerful metrics will help you optimize your marketing efforts and drive growth.

👉 Save Your Spot Now: https://bit.ly/3FV29KQ