CoMarket Webinar Recap: How Aligned Sales & Marketing Transform Dealer Co-op Programs – Moving from Administrative Headache to Strategic Growth Engine

Organizations can no longer afford sales and marketing misalignment, especially when it comes to maximizing dealer co-op programs. At CoMarket’s recent webinar, industry leaders Tom Zimmerman (SHIFT Sales Training & Consulting) and Chris Baldwin (True Digital Communications) tackled the roadblocks and outlined a path from administrative drudgery to strategic advantage.

For many, co-op marketing programs are a compliance headache: tracking expenses, managing documentation, and battling over spreadsheets. But as discussed, when co-op is digitized and embedded into shared revenue goals, it becomes a growth engine. When sales and marketing collaborate - before, during, and after events - they drive better lead generation, stronger brand presence, and measurable revenue impact.

A standout moment from the webinar compared trade show strategy to a weight loss journey: The lagging indicator (results at show’s end, like leads) only improves when leading indicators (actions and behaviors before and during the event) are aligned. Too often, teams prepare in silos—marketing handles the booth logistics, while sales is left adrift, unclear on messaging or strategic goals. The result? Missed opportunities and prospects who slip through the cracks.

Zimmerman and Baldwin urged teams to rethink their opener questions - swap “Can I answer any questions for you?” for curiosity-driven engagement: “What brings you to the show this year? What challenges are you hoping to solve?” This customer-centric approach surfaces needs, builds trust, and ultimately drives follow-up conversations that lead to business.

The discussion also highlighted generational challenges: Many co-op programs are inherited, running on legacy processes that no longer fit today’s needs. Without transparent goals, real-time tracking, and clear partner roles, programs can devolve into black holes—funds go in, but ROI is uncertain.

Forward-thinking brands are using tools like CoMarket to bring accountability, customization, and clear metrics to the process. The key takeaway: When sales and marketing build programs together, grounded in shared goals and enabled by the right technology,co-op moves from a “necessary evil” to a partnership multiplier.

Did you miss the webinar? Reach out for a replay or to discuss how CoMarket can help elevate your co-op program from transactional to transformational.