When marketing fights with sales, sales almost always wins – regardless of who is right, according to Ian Heller, MDM president, in The 10 Commandments of Distributor Marketing. But making partners of sales and marketing can only strengthen both departments.

"Too many marketing conferences offer sessions with titles like, 'What to Do When Marketing Does the Work and Sales Gets the Credit.' That’s nonsense," Heller says.

The accolades successful sales teams receive often overshadow the constant stress their department is under, according to Heller.

"Salespeople live with scoreboards for their performance (i.e., sales versus goal or prior year) and they lose their jobs if they lose the game too often," Heller says.  "If you aren’t at risk of being fired for a bad quarter then don’t complain about salespeople; they live with that possibility every day."

Open lines of communication between sales and marketing can not only ease tensions but can help to share wisdom and knowledge between departments.

"Salespeople are closer to the customer and have 'street cred' the marketers don’t, particularly if your team isn’t in the field regularly," Heller says.

Read more tips for easier marketing solutions in The 10 Commandments of Distributor Marketing.