Andrew Baird is the VP of Marketing at TierPoint, a leading IT infrastructure national provider, helping organizations drive performance and manage risk. Andrew’s path into B2B marketing was untraditional, previously working in various industries, including product development and financial services. Before TierPoint, Andrew contributed his expertise and knowledge to Digital Realty as the Head of Marketing and at Audible, Inc. in Product Marketing. Andrew holds a BS in marketing from Rutgers University. 

Sales and marketing play vital roles in brand awareness and lead generation. However, relationships between these teams can sometimes be contentious. What methods can leadership take to unite the departments harmoniously?

The first step is to foster a relationship between marketing and sales through communication, collaboration, and camaraderie events such as happy hour. Seasoned marketing expert Andrew Baird affirms that it’s vital to team dynamics not to discriminate between parties involved with the customer experience because they’re all working towards a common goal. Nonetheless, a positive rapport between the teams starts with leadership, so Andrew suggests developing a committee of department heads representing all functions. This panel would be responsible for designing a plan or agreement that outlines mutual goals, such as customers’ needs and KPIs, and appointing a designated enabler. An enabler’s primary focus is to keep the sales and marketing teams on track and remind them of the intended plans. Upon achieving the desired results, Andrew advocates for celebrating successes to boost morale and encourage teamwork.

In this episode of the Tailwind Marketing Podcast, Carlos Corredor chats with Andrew Baird, VP of Marketing at TierPoint, for an informative conversation about B2B marketing. Andrew defines the role and evolution of a B2B marketing team, shares strategies for bridging the gap between sales and marketing, and explains why an organization’s product marketing is vital.