A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is one of the most effective ways to align your sales and marketing teams. Without it, these teams often clash over lead quality, follow-up, and accountability—conflicts that drain revenue and stall growth. An SLA turns misalignment into collaboration by giving both sides shared goals and clear accountability.
This Pipeline CRM sales guide shows you exactly how to put one into action. We’ll break down what an SLA is, why it matters for sales and marketing teams, and how you can create one that drives measurable results. With the right SLA in place, your business can move from misalignment to collaboration, building a stronger path toward growth.
What is Service Level Agreement (SLA)?
Traditionally, an service level agreement (SLA) outlined what customers could expect from a provider. In sales and marketing, it works as an internal contract between teams. The purpose is simple: hold both sides accountable to shared targets that impact revenue.
An effective sales and marketing SLA goes beyond “more leads” or “faster follow-up.” It spells out how many leads marketing must generate, how sales will engage with them, and what success looks like for both sides.
SLA vs. KPI: What's the Difference?
A Service Level Agreement (SLA) sets the expectations and responsibilities between teams: what each side must deliver to support shared goals. For example, marketing might commit to delivering 100 qualified leads per month, while sales agrees to follow up within 24 hours.
A Key Performance Indicator (KPI), on the other hand, measures performance against these goals. KPIs track whether teams are meeting their SLAs and broader business objectives, such as conversion rates, revenue growth, or lead response time.
In short, SLAs define the “what” and “who,” while KPIs measure the “how well.” Together, they ensure alignment, accountability, and measurable success for sales and marketing teams.
Why Sales and Marketing Teams Need an SLA
Even though sales and marketing share the same revenue goals, they often operate in silos or act as rivals. Marketing argues sales ignores leads, while sales claims marketing sends low-quality ones. The result? Missed opportunities and wasted effort.
An SLA for sales and marketing teams fixes this by defining mutual expectations. It’s not about finger-pointing; it’s about creating shared commitments around lead generation, follow-up, and revenue. With a documented agreement, both teams know exactly what’s expected—and they’re motivated to deliver.
This means that when sales and marketing teams agree on clear, numerical goals, they stop working at cross purposes. For instance, if both commit to generating $2M in new revenue, the SLA details:
- How many qualified leads marketing will deliver.
- The follow-up process sales will use.
- Shared accountability for outcomes.
This clarity ensures faster response times, higher lead quality, and more collaboration—all of which boost revenue.
What to Include in A Service Level Agreement (SLA)? Key Elements
A strong SLA for sales and marketing teams should include the following points.
1. Agreement Summary
2. Shared Goals
If at all the two departments are to enjoy collaborative cooperation and fruitful communication, they need to define their common goals. This will allow everyone involved to be clear on their expectations. It will also serve to steer the teams in the right direction as they strive to achieve the goals.
Remember that in a business setting, the best goals are tied to hard numbers and this, in turn, translates to actual financial growth if and when the goals are realized.
3. The Roles of Both Teams in Meeting the Goals
4. What Do the Sales and Marketing Teams Need?
The agreement should also outline what the two teams need to reach their goals. Writing this down on paper will eliminate the tendency to assign blame when things go awry. For example, the marketing department might need frequent updates on the state of the sales pipeline. This would assist them to adjust their efforts accordingly to generate more or higher quality leads.
One example would be the tools the teams need. In a recent blog post, we took a look at how ActiveDEMAND marketing automation software integrates with PipelineDeals CRM.
5. Teams’ Points of Contact
6. Consequences for Failure to Meet Goals
7. SLA Cancellation Terms
Equally important is defining the terms for contract cancellation, especially in cases where it is simply not working. An example of such a scenario is the failure to meet stipulated goals for three consecutive months. It can also be canceled if the people involved do not fully agree with it.
The aim of cancellation should be to come up with a better SLA which will hold a higher likelihood of success.
Benefits of an SLA for Sales and Marketing Teams
1. More Effective Strategies
2. Bridging the Gap Between Sales and Marketing
3. Higher ROI
4. Better Monitoring and Oversight
Working together under the terms of an SLA requires a lot of tracking and evaluation along the way using a reliable reporting system. By constantly monitoring performance, teams are incentivized to increase their efforts and channel them in the right direction. They are better able to know when a strategy works or fails and adjust when necessary. On the flip side, teams that work without such monitoring in place are often disconnected.
How to Create A Service Level Agreement (SLA)
1. Bring Everyone to the Table
The most important first step is to have everyone involved on the same page. Listen to the stakeholders on both sides and put all the details of the agreement down in writing. You also need to make sure that the two teams are using the same approach for lead scoring.
Next, define the target leads to ease a common point of tension between the two teams. Have everyone agree on the kind of leads to target. Align the processes of both sides because the two are inextricably linked. This should involve the process for handing over leads from marketing to sales and back again when necessary.
2. Working Towards Specific Goals
3. Review the SLA Regularly
Building Sales and Marketing Team Alignment That Lasts
FAQs About Sales and Marketing SLAs
1. Why Are My Sales and Marketing Teams Misaligned?
Sales and marketing teams often misalign because they measure success differently. Sales focus on revenue, marketing on leads. Confusion over lead quality, handoffs, and follow-up can create friction. An SLA helps by establishing shared goals, responsibilities, and metrics so both teams work toward the same objectives.
2. How Can I Solve Conflict Between Sales and Marketing?
Conflict usually stems from unclear roles and communication gaps. A well-crafted SLA defines expectations for lead generation, follow-up timelines, and performance metrics. This transparency reduces misunderstandings and creates a collaborative workflow between sales and marketing teams.
3. Does an SlA Improve ROI?
Yes. By aligning sales and marketing teams around lead quality and follow-up, SLAs cut wasted effort, shorten the sales cycle, and increase conversion rates. Teams work more efficiently, campaigns perform better, and revenue grows—boosting overall ROI.
