Uniting Sales Teams: Strategies for Success

Bringing sales and go-to-market teams together after a major acquisition is a logistical feat and a big leadership challenge. By aligning on shared objectives and reinforcing a consistent rhythm, leaders can foster trust, accountability, and sustainable growth across functions and regions.

What does it take to lead a $2.2 billion acquisition and unify multiple global sales organizations under one brand?

To learn from the best, we spoke with Alyse Daghelian to unpack Rocket Software’s recent acquisition, the impact on over 750 employees, and the leadership strategies that guided a successful integration. With 25+ years of experience at IBM and ServiceNow, Alyse now serves as Chief Revenue Officer at Rocket Software.

1. Build a culture-first approach to M&A

Alyse is quick to underscore what many overlook in billion-dollar deals: culture eats strategy for breakfast. And it’s not just a nice-to-have—Harvard Business Review reports that 70% of M&A deals fail to deliver the expected value, often due to poor cultural integration. By introducing a culture-first approach, leadership ensures that guiding principles are practiced from the top down, fostering a shared sense of purpose across teams.

Rocket didn't just buy technology. They welcomed people. The theme? "Welcome Home."

This was more than lip service. It was operationalized from day one. Laptops were ready. Systems access worked. Support was immediate. The result? New team members felt valued, respected, and, most importantly, heard.

2. Intentional, face-to-face leadership

Acquisitions can live or die based on leadership presence. Alyse emphasizes the importance of intentional engagement with teams, ensuring everyone feels supported through a merger's challenging phases. She also underlines that open channels of communication create a stable environment for change. That’s essential when you consider that 47% of failed integrations are caused by cultural misalignment, according to Deloitte’s M&A Trends Report.

Just two months post-acquisition, Rocket brought the entire go-to-market leadership team together for an in-person strategy session. From there, quarterly workshops followed an ordered schedule, ensuring ongoing alignment. This structured approach replaced lengthy paragraphs with a concise list, boosting clarity.

1. Acquisition completed: The deal closed and integration began.
2. Leadership team meeting: An initial in-person session for strategic direction.
3. Follow-up sessions: Quarterly gatherings to sustain momentum.

"Sales is a disciplined sport," Alyse says. "You have to prepare, plan, practice, and deliver. If you're good at your sales discipline, then you apply that to many other aspects of your life."

‍

3. Drive growth through strategic account planning

Post-acquisition, the next big move was leveraging Rocket's expanded capabilities to drive account growth. But instead of rushing into it, Alyse took a data-driven approach grounded in account-based marketing (ABM) and field-level intelligence.

Data analysis

Sales and marketing worked hand-in-hand, analyzing account footprints, vertical trends, and installed bases to identify cross-sell and upsell opportunities.

Playbook creation

They crafted a unified playbook that addressed global variances, ensuring consistent messaging while allowing for local nuances.

Field enablement

Teams were trained with clear, concise materials that aligned with leadership goals, accelerating measurable success post-acquisition.

Sales and marketing worked hand-in-hand, analyzing account footprints, vertical trends, and installed bases to uncover new cross-selling opportunities. Collaboration at this level helped unify customer messaging and accelerate go-to-market strategies.

While data drove the strategy, field intuition remained an important component of the decision-making process.

This balance between rigor and trust is central to Rocket's approach. Field reps were empowered, but they also reported results in a structured framework. This method ensures both autonomy and accountability on the ground.

‍

4. Sustain momentum with leadership by example

Change is easy to kick off and hard to sustain. Alyse tackled this head-on by leading with transparency and purpose. She ensured consistent communication, repeated messaging, and crystal-clear expectations.

Her philosophy? Create a "handshake" with your team.

As Alyse puts it, "My job is to make your job as easy as possible."

That philosophy was translated into action: from equipping leaders with resources to driving consistency in how progress was tracked and communicated. Open forums, structured reviews, and shared expectations helped maintain momentum and trust.

5. Lessons for future go-to-market leaders

"What advice would you give to your younger self?" Alyse didn't hesitate:

"Take more risks."

She spent 25 years at IBM and admits the thought of leaving was scary. However, the growth came from jumping into new environments, even without a net.

Looking ahead, Alyse anticipates that personalization powered by data and artificial intelligence will fundamentally transform how go-to-market teams operate, enabling more targeted and effective customer engagement strategies.

If you're facing a major acquisition, culture shift, or integration challenge, Alyse's blueprint offers a masterclass in modern leadership. Lead with empathy, act with intention, empower your team, and above all, keep listening to your customers and your people.

Successful large-scale acquisitions require balancing financial objectives with human-centered leadership approaches that prioritize culture and employee engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a culture-first approach to post-acquisition sales integration?

It means prioritizing shared values and team connection before diving into tools or strategy. Rocket Software called this their “Welcome Home” approach—ensuring new hires felt respected, supported, and productive from day one.

How do you align sales teams after a major acquisition?

Start with intentional face-to-face sessions, then build a quarterly rhythm of structured workshops. These sessions help reinforce shared objectives and accelerate go-to-market alignment.

What role does account planning play in integration success?

Strategic account planning turns integration into revenue. At Rocket, sales and marketing jointly used ABM data to identify cross-sell and upsell opportunities within newly combined accounts.

How can leaders maintain sales momentum during an acquisition?

Set a predictable cadence. Use open forums, leadership visibility, and clear progress tracking to build trust and sustain energy post-deal.

About the Author

Cory Cotten-Potter is ValueSelling's Director of Marketing & Enablement at ValueSelling and Host of The B2B Revenue Executive Experience—he focuses on turning complex B2B strategies into scalable programs that drive growth and buyer confidence. Connect on LinkedIn.

This article is based on an episode of The B2B Revenue Executive Experience podcast—listen to the full show here.

‍