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What Marketers Can Learn From Other Teams to Improve Their Email Marketing

Picture of Beth O'Malley

 

Let’s face it… Email marketing can be one of the loneliest jobs in the marketing world.

It sits in its own little silo, churning out campaigns week after week, usually with very little insight into what’s happening elsewhere in the business. And that’s exactly where the problem starts.

When your email marketing isn’t aligned with other teams like sales, customer service, and product, you’re flying blind.

 

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RE:markable is the weekly email about emails. Dropping the latest email marketing news, updates, insights, free resources, upcoming masterclasses, webinars, and of course, a little inbox mischief.

 

The Problem With Email Marketers Working in Isolation

Let’s take Currys as an example. If you’ve seen their TikToks, you’ll definitely associate them with a high-energy, personality-packed approach with a lot of humour.

If you’ve ever set foot inside a Currys before (do people still shop in-store at places like Currys?), then you’ll know the in-store experience is a completely different vibe that’s kind of like stepping into another decade.

That same disconnect is what plays out between your email marketing and other customer touchpoints.

Here’s a real-world B2C example:

You buy something, but the product isn’t what you expected. You contact customer service and have a frustrating call, only to receive a generic “How did we do?” survey five minutes later. Then, thirty minutes later, an upbeat marketing email asking you to “treat yourself” to something new – using the promo code they just emailed yesterday, before your bad experience.

It’s not only tone-deaf, it’s the type of damage to trust that puts someone off your brand irreversibly. 

It’s the same with a similar B2B scenario:

Someone’s in the pipeline, chatting with sales. But because they’re in your “engaged list,” they still get hit with a “Book a discovery call” email – when they’re already deep in conversations.

No exclusions or coordination… just chaos and eroded trust.


 

The Fix: Cross-Team Collaboration

Great email marketing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens when marketers actively and intentionally collaborate with other teams to align their processes and their outcomes.

Here’s what that looks like in practice.


1. Sales: Objections, Content & Personas
Sales teams really do have access to a goldmine of information for email marketers, and it’s information that can make a massive difference in how engaged your audience is.

(Yep, our mantra - send the right message at the right time to the right person - needs the insights of the sales team to happen!)

Ask your sales team:
  • What objections do you hear most often?
  • What questions do prospects ask?
  • What information helps move the deal forward?
Having access to audience insights and messaging angles can laser-focus your email content and positively influence your nurture sequences, onboarding flows, and even subject lines.

B2B Tip: Build an email that tackles your top three sales objections before the customer has even asked. That’s the kind of trust-building that drives results! 
2. Customer Service: Read the Room
I’ve spoken before about “read the room marketing” and how important it is to your email marketing strategy, and this is exactly where your customer service team comes in.

Ask your customer service team:
  • What questions do customers ask most?
  • What do people complain about?
  • What touchpoints are confusing or misleading?
The sales team is where you gain insights, and the customer service team is where you uncover the post-sales truth.

When customers feel misled, overwhelmed, or forgotten, your email comms might be a factor, which is why this information is so integral!

B2C Example: If someone has just complained about an order, suppress them from sales campaigns for a day or two. Let the resolution land before adding fuel to the fire with a promo push.
3. Product & CX: The Customer Journey Blueprint
The right time part of the process is where product, UX, and CX teams come into play to make sure you’re being as proactive as possible.

Ask them:
  • Where are customers dropping off?
  • What moments spark delight or frustration?
  • What feedback loops already exist?
This is where email can truly shine. By knowing the customer journey, you can deliver proactive, helpful, emotionally intelligent messaging at every step – before issues arise.
4. Your Email Team’s Responsibility
When marketers only look at their lists, the bigger picture is being missed entirely. That list is full of real people having real experiences with your business – and often, they’re being bombarded by mixed messages because you’re not in sync with the rest of your teams.

So, what do you need to fix it?
  • A clear exclusion strategy
  • An understanding of live sales/customer interactions
  • Centralised data or aligned CRM usage
  • A shared messaging framework across functions
5. Why This Works: Anticipate & Remove Friction

The best emails don’t just “sell”. If they did, even more people would be flinging their emails straight into their junk folders.

No, the best emails answer questions before the reader even asks them. When you remove uncertainty and reservations, you remove friction (and friction is what kills action!).

By working with other teams, you’re equipping your emails with answers, clarity, and confidence.



Final Thoughts: Email Marketing is Collaborative

Email marketing is CRM. It’s not just about campaigns and conversions, it’s about relationships at its core.

To truly manage a relationship, you need to know what your customer is experiencing across their entire journey, from where they are to their reservations and frustrations – not just what list they’re in.

Talk to sales. Sit with service. Join a product retro. Walk the floor. Ask more questions.

Because when email is aligned with the full business, it becomes one of the most powerful (and human) tools you have.

If you want help getting it all right, get in touch! 

 

Like this blog? You'll love RE:markable

RE:markable is the weekly email about emails. Dropping the latest email marketing news, updates, insights, free resources, upcoming masterclasses, webinars, and of course, a little inbox mischief.
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