When Sales Blamed Marketing (And Vice Versa): Ending the Civil War
Sales and marketing at FinanceAI were barely speaking to each other. We ended the blame game, aligned their efforts, and helped them access AWS funding to accelerate their growth.
The Challenge
Walking into FinanceAI was like entering a civil war. Marketing complained that sales ignored their 'perfectly qualified' leads. Sales rolled their eyes and said marketing was sending them garbage leads who'd never buy. Meanwhile, customer acquisition costs were skyrocketing, and the CEO was caught in the crossfire trying to referee weekly blame sessions disguised as 'alignment meetings.'
Our Solution
We skipped the corporate kumbaya sessions and got practical. We dug into the data, shadowed both teams, and created a no-nonsense plan to end the civil war. We also identified AWS funding opportunities to help them build better tools for tracking the customer journey across both departments.
Ran a 'Brutal Honesty' workshop
We facilitated a session where both teams could air grievances without judgment, then used that to identify the real issues beneath the surface.
Created a shared definition of 'qualified'
We analyzed their historical data to create clear, objective criteria for what makes a good lead, ending the subjective arguments.
Built a closed-loop reporting system
We implemented simple tracking that showed marketing which campaigns generated revenue (not just leads) and showed sales which marketing messages resonated with closed customers.
Applied for AWS ML funding
We helped them apply for AWS's Machine Learning specialty funding to build better lead scoring and customer journey tracking tools on AWS infrastructure.
AWS Funding Support
Funding Secured
Received: $75,000 in AWS ML specialty funding
We guided FinanceAI through AWS's Machine Learning funding application process, helping them secure resources to build an AI-powered lead scoring system on AWS infrastructure. This funding accelerated their ability to properly qualify and route leads, further reducing friction between sales and marketing.
Note: AWS funding and credits are provided at AWS's sole discretion. While we help clients navigate the application process, final approval and funding amounts are determined by AWS.
The Results
- Customer acquisition cost dropped 35% in 6 months
- Lead-to-customer conversion jumped from 2.3% to 5.8%
- Sales follow-up time improved from 26 hours to 4 hours
- Secured $75,000 in AWS ML funding for lead scoring tools
- Weekly blame sessions turned into productive strategy meetings
"The tension between our teams was killing our growth. These consultants didn't waste time with fluffy 'alignment exercises' – they got to the heart of the problem and fixed it. The lead scoring system we built with AWS funding has been a game-changer. For the first time, sales and marketing actually agree on what makes a good lead, and they're working together instead of pointing fingers."
Michael Rodriguez
CEO, FinanceAI
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