Back in the old days, sales had the ball in their court. They told customers what revolutionary products they needed to buy to "change their lives," and they were -- for the most part -- successful. Now, the customer calls the shots. With access to the Internet, customers are more self-sufficient, discerning and informed than ever before. So, now more than ever, sales cannot stand alone. Sales needs marketing to delve into consumer minds, to study what they want and what inspires them to buy. This ultimately boils down to sales really needing marketing content support to help them shape and reiterate their prospect's buying vision. In order for marketing to influence the sales pipeline effectively, both teams need to work well together. Here are a few ways to bridge the gap between sales and marketing: