One of the most common challenges inside any business is the clash between sales and marketing. Both teams ultimately want the same thing: revenue growth. Yet because of the way they are measured, the language they use, and the way they report success, they often end up pulling in different directions.

This is not new. The sales versus marketing debate has existed for decades, and in many organisations it is almost baked into the culture. But when you take a step back, you realise how damaging it can be to growth. This is why alignment between the two functions is such a vital part of the Chief Revenue Officer’s role.

Modern marketing leaders face the same challenge: proving which activities actually drive pipeline and revenue. From event sign-ups to social media engagement, the ability to connect the dots between marketing activity and sales outcomes is what separates guesswork from data-driven growth. This is where Marketing Operations plays a central role, creating systems and processes to capture, track, and report on impact.

We break down the most common marketing channels and activities, and explore how attribution works in practice.

When most people think of marketing, they picture creative campaigns, clever social media, and compelling content. These are all essential parts of the function, but there is a crucial layer that often gets overlooked: Marketing Operations.

Many organisations assume that anyone in marketing can also manage technology, data, and processes. In reality, these are distinct skills that require dedicated expertise. So, how exactly is Marketing Operations different, and why is it so important today?

Whenever you launch a campaign, one of the first questions you’ll be asked is: What’s the ROI going to be? It’s a chicken and egg scenario. The truth is, you can only forecast return on investment by looking at what’s gone before. That’s why post-campaign analysis is so important: it’s the foundation for planning the next one.

We may still be in August, with long evenings and summer holidays in full swing, but now is the time to start preparing for the final quarter of the year. In just a few short weeks, the conversation will shift. As the nights draw in, people will be talking about Christmas parties, festive campaigns, and the winding down of business before the new year.

Marketing has never been more complex.

From campaign strategy and brand storytelling to SEO, paid media, data tracking, content operations and funnel experimentation, the modern marketing function is no longer just a creative department. It is a commercially driven, technology-enabled growth engine. Yet the path to senior marketing leadership is still largely shaped by generalist experience rather than operational expertise.

So what does that mean for growing businesses trying to make sense of it all?