Productside Stories

How to Build a Strong Relationship Between Product Management and Sales with Anna Nuñez

Featured Guest:

Anna Nuñez | Growth Manager of Sales at Databricks
29/10/2024

Summary

In this episode, host Rina Alexin speaks with Anna Nuñez, Growth Manager of Sales at Databricks, about the critical relationship between product management and sales. Anna shares her experiences in building open communication channels between teams and how structured feedback collection helps transform raw customer insights into actionable input for product development.

They explore how sales teams can support product prioritization by organizing customer feedback, using tools like Gong and community channels, and maintaining transparency in roadmap discussions. Anna stresses the importance of building direct connections between sales and product without excessive intermediaries, promoting clarity and faster collaboration.

The discussion also covers how to avoid pitfalls like overpromising roadmap features and how to manage customer expectations honestly. Anna concludes with advice for product managers on creating value-driven interactions with sales teams, using curiosity and communication to break silos and work toward shared business outcomes.

Takeaways

  • Strong sales-product alignment drives better products and happier customers.

  • Open communication ensures feedback is actionable and not overwhelming.

  • Feedback should be organized and filtered before reaching product teams.

  • Transparency in roadmap discussions prevents overpromising to customers.

  • Product managers should proactively engage sales for real-time insights.

  • Empathy, curiosity, and shared accountability strengthen cross-team trust.

  • Tools like Gong and Asana help track and organize customer feedback effectively.

  • Coaching buyers and sellers on roadmap transparency prevents miscommunication.

  • Value-driven conversations enhance both sales impact and product direction.

  • Breaking silos between product and sales leads to faster innovation.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage for Product–Sales Collaboration
01:06 Why Communication Matters Between Product and Sales
03:12 Turning Customer Feedback into Actionable Insights
06:00 Building Direct Communication Without Filters
07:16 Aligning Sales, Marketing, and Product Teams
09:43 Using Tools like Gong, Asana, and Customer Communities
10:42 Handling Roadmap Discussions and Managing Customer Expectations
13:37 Coaching Buyers and Avoiding Overpromising
15:27 The “What’s in It for Me” Perspective for Sales Teams
18:30 Breaking Down Silos and Creating Value in Every Interaction
20:55 Preparing for Meaningful Product–Sales Meetings
21:52 Defining Value and Business Impact in Collaboration
22:44 How to Connect with Anna Nuñez and Final Reflections

Keywords

product management, sales collaboration, Databricks, Anna Nuñez, Rina Alexin, customer feedback, cross-functional communication, roadmap transparency, B2B SaaS, Gong, Asana, empathy, leadership, sales strategy, alignment, collaboration tools, product-seller relationships, customer success, business growth

Introduction and Setting the Stage for Product–Sales Collaboration

Rina Alexin | 00:00–00:39

Hi everyone, and welcome to *Productside Stories*, the podcast where we reveal the real lessons learned from leaders and thinkers across the world. I’m your host, **Rina Alexin**, CEO of Productside, and today I’m joined by **Anna Nuñez**, Growth Manager of Sales at **Databricks**. We’ll be talking about the relationship between product management and sales.

Anna Nuñez | 00:39–01:06

Hi Rina! Thanks for inviting me—I’m very happy to be here.

Why Communication Matters Between Product and Sales

Rina Alexin | 01:06–01:32

A former colleague nominated you for this discussion because of your great collaboration with product teams. What made that partnership work?

Anna Nuñez | 01:32–03:12

It came down to **open communication**. Sales often receives real-time client feedback, and product needs that to build the right solutions. But raw feedback can be overwhelming. Organizing it and presenting it in a structured, actionable way keeps everyone productive and aligned.

Turning Customer Feedback into Actionable Insights

Anna Nuñez | 03:12–06:00

Sales gathers unfiltered input daily. My role is to transform it into something product can use—analyzed trends, prioritized needs, and contextualized data. We use **Gong** to capture conversations and spot themes, and **customer or partner communities** to surface recurring questions. Organized properly, this feedback becomes gold for roadmap decisions.

Building Direct Communication Without Filters

Anna Nuñez | 06:00–07:16

There shouldn’t be too many intermediaries between product and sales. Direct collaboration—while still including marketing as needed—removes distortion and speeds up decision-making. Every company I’ve seen benefit from this kind of transparency.

Aligning Sales, Marketing, and Product Teams

Rina Alexin | 07:16–09:43

Sometimes marketing sits between sales and product, which can dilute messages. Establishing a **direct bridge** between product and sales ensures customer needs are communicated accurately and promptly.

Using Tools like Gong, Asana, and Customer Communities

Anna Nuñez | 09:43–10:42

Tools help structure collaboration. **Voltrix** for feedback surveys, **Gong** for call insights, and **Asana** for internal tracking all help teams visualize customer requests and monitor progress transparently.

Handling Roadmap Discussions and Managing Customer Expectations

Anna Nuñez | 10:42–13:37

Roadmaps show future vision—but they’re not promises. Sales must remind customers that decisions should be based on current capabilities. Transparency prevents frustration and builds trust. Product leaders should coach reps on communicating roadmaps responsibly.

Coaching Buyers and Avoiding Overpromising

Rina Alexin | 13:37–15:27

As buyers, we should also be cautious—not basing decisions on unconfirmed features. Educating clients to buy for today, not for speculative tomorrow, helps everyone succeed.

Anna Nuñez | 15:27–15:55

Exactly! Buyers should always ask for clarity on timelines and features and have open conversations with sellers about what’s certain versus planned.

The “What’s in It for Me” Perspective for Sales Teams

Rina Alexin | 15:27–18:30

Product managers are often told to “speak the language of sales.” What does that mean to you?

Anna Nuñez | 16:56–18:30

Approach with **curiosity and partnership**. Ask what sales is hearing from customers, how new releases are performing, and what challenges exist. That two-way communication builds mutual understanding and eliminates silos.

Breaking Down Silos and Creating Value in Every Interaction

Anna Nuñez | 18:30–20:55

Great collaboration happens when both sides prepare conversations that deliver value—insights, data, or feedback that moves the business forward. Even in large organizations, strive to connect directly and share meaningful information.

Preparing for Meaningful Product–Sales Meetings

Anna Nuñez | 20:55–21:52

Come prepared. Know your goals—whether to share roadmap updates, gather insights, or discuss client outcomes. Meetings that end with concrete next steps build credibility and trust.

Defining Value and Business Impact in Collaboration

Anna Nuñez | 21:52–22:44

For sales, “value” means measurable impact—higher revenue, retention, or customer stickiness. Product managers can support that by providing insight into metrics that strengthen the business case.

How to Connect with Anna Nuñez and Final Reflections

Rina Alexin | 22:44–End

Anna, thank you so much for joining!

Anna Nuñez | End

Thank you, Rina. I’m always happy to connect—find me on **LinkedIn** by searching *Anna Nuñez Databricks*.