At Granicus, the intersection of sales and marketing is not a handoff; it is a handshake.
That was the message from Suzanne Behrens, Chief Marketing Officer, and Amir Capriles, Chief Revenue Officer, who joined the Sales Game Changers Podcast in a candid conversation about redefining go-to-market strategies in a digital-first world.
Hosted by Fred Diamond of the Institute for Excellence in Sales, the episode explores how buyer expectations, artificial intelligence (AI), and public sector complexities transform the traditional boundaries between sales and marketing. Granicus is staying ahead by treating both functions as a unified team.
Behrens and Capriles don’t just talk about alignment; they live it. From joint goals and shared tools to sitting in on each other’s team meetings and co-presenting at board meetings, they have created what they call “one go-to-market organization.”
That approach reflects a growing truth in enterprise sales: Successful marketing and sales teams are no longer separate engines; they are a single, integrated system driving outcomes.
Today’s public sector buyers have more information, options, and internal stakeholders than ever. That has made purchasing decisions more complex and initial engagement more elusive.
Granicus relies on hyper-personalized marketing and consultative sales to break through the noise.
“It is not about features and benefits anymore,” Capriles said. “It is about outcomes. Our customers want to know we understand their mission, their challenges, and their funding environment.”
That customer-centric mindset means both teams must stay sharp.
“We expect our sales professionals to be government experts, not just product experts,” he added.
And for marketers, it means supporting buyers throughout their self-guided journey, from blogs and benchmark reports at the top of the funnel to ROI calculators and product demos near the close.
Both Behrens and Capriles highlighted how AI is reshaping their work — not by replacing human effort, but by amplifying it.
In marketing, AI enables smarter targeting and content delivery. Granicus uses intent data, predictive lead scoring, and automated virtual agents to help buyers discover the right resources when needed.
On the sales side, AI enhances call analysis, customer sentiment tracking, and follow-up efficiency.
“It frees our reps to focus on what really matters, building trust and relationships,” Capriles said.
One consistent theme was agility. Both leaders stressed the importance of pivoting quickly in response to market shifts, especially in the public sector, where political cycles, budget timelines, and compliance concerns add layers of complexity.
And with agility comes accountability, not just for results but also for how sales and marketing achieve them together.
Behrens echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that marketing should be more than a lead generator; it should be a strategic partner invested in the entire customer journey.
So, what are the best sales and marketing professionals doing to succeed today?
For Capriles, it is about acting like a CEO and having a plan, knowing your data, and running your territory like a business. For Behrens, it is about staying tightly aligned with sales, using AI to reach the right people at the right time, and never losing sight of the customer’s evolving needs.
Their advice for peers in the field: ditch the silos. Build partnerships, embrace technology, lead with empathy, and never stop learning.
Get deeper insights, practical examples, and even a few great leadership mantras in the full Sales Game Changers Podcast episode: EPISODE 745: Bringing Sales and Marketing Together at Granicus with Suzanne Behrens and Amir Capriles.
