What Needs to Change in Aligning Marketing and Sales Teams with Joe Fontana

Are we hiding behind sales tech instead of actually knowing how to sell?

Joe Fontana, Advisor / Founding VP of Sales at Dextego, is a sales leader who's been building teams since the 90s. In this episode, we go straight into the tension that's shaping modern B2B selling. We talk about why sales and marketing still struggle to align, what's broken about incentives and KPIs, and why SDR teams might belong inside marketing. Joe challenges the way we think about prospecting today, especially the growing dependence on automation and AI. As we unpack what's changed (and what hasn't), we realize we're circling a bigger question about whether sellers truly understand the fundamentals anymore.

From cold calling myths to LinkedIn prospecting strategies, we look at what actually works in 2026. Joe shares hard truths about technology becoming a crutch, why most sellers couldn't survive without their tools, and what it really means to "come correct" when approaching a buyer. We explore why big deals can't be closed over email, how fear still drives avoidance of the phone, and what buyers actually need from sellers today.

Topics covered during this episode include:

• How sales and marketing fail to see themselves as symbiotic partners.
• Why misaligned metrics create tension between quota and brand building.
• The structural disconnect between short-term sales targets and long-term marketing strategy.
• How SDR teams can bridge the gap when aligned under marketing.
• What modern SDRs learn from frontline prospecting data.
• The shift from pitching to leading with curiosity and learning.
• How thoughtful research separates professionals from automated noise.
• Why over-reliance on technology weakens fundamental selling skills.
• The risks of trusting automation without verifying personalization.
• How multi-channel outreach outperforms single-channel prospecting efforts.
• The stark contrast between past cold-calling resilience and today's avoidance.
• Why large B2B deals cannot close through email alone.
• The reality that buyers complete most research before engaging sellers.
• What modern buyers truly need: clarity, credibility, and risk reduction.

Hit play now and rethink everything you've assumed about modern B2B selling!

Joe Fontana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-fontana75/