This was one of the discussions that I came across in a linkedin group and there were numerous responses. I encounter this almost on a regular basis as I speak to a number of entrepreneurs as a part of my job, where I offer marketing services. Hence, I thought of adding my two cents to the discussion. I have my response pasted here:

“What’s more important - hammer or screw driver? In most organizations, there always exists an inherent push and pull between marketing and sales. To be successful, you don’t have to be either marketing-driven or sales-driven, instead you have to be market driven. What gets you to be market driven is what you should focus on, be it marketing or sales or a mix of both.”

This means that you need to understand what your customer needs and what their pains are.