What Sales Actually Needs from Marketing (And How to Deliver It)

Ask most produce sales reps what they need from marketing and you’ll hear some version of the same answer: materials that are current, a brand story they can actually explain, and proof that the investment behind the brand is real.

That’s not a long list. But it’s one that marketing teams often miss, not because they aren’t working hard, but because they’re building for the wrong audience or the wrong moment.

Here’s a practical way to think about it. Produce buyers are busy and skeptical. They have access to plenty of commodity options. When a sales rep walks in, the brand behind the product is either an asset or an afterthought. Marketing’s job is to make it an asset.

That means a few specific things. First, sales needs materials that reflect the current season, current messaging, and current promotional priorities. A one-sheet from two seasons ago doesn’t help anyone. Second, sales needs to be able to tell the brand story in two minutes or less. If your marketing team has built a narrative that takes a slide deck to explain, it’s probably too complicated. Distill it. Third, and this one matters more than most teams realize, sales needs to see evidence that the brand is actually showing up in the market. Consumer impressions, social media reach, retailer co-op support, and public relations coverage all signal to buyers that this brand has momentum.

Marketing can also create content that sales use in follow-up. After a buyer meeting, a well-timed email with a recipe video, a seasonal usage idea, or a consumer trend insight keeps the conversation alive. It shows the buyer that the company is thinking beyond price.

The best version of this relationship is one where marketing asks sales what’s coming before building anything. What meetings are happening this quarter? What objections are buyers raising? What do retailers actually want to see? Those answers shape better marketing. And better marketing makes the next sales conversation easier.

Alignment isn’t about marketing serving sales or vice versa. It’s about both functions pointing at the same outcome.

What is one way you can change your approach to your company’s sales and marketing relationship?

Next up: How marketing gets smarter when sales bring back what they’re hearing in the field.