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?

AI is everywhere right now. Every product launch, every SaaS update, every pitch deck seems to include it. But here’s the reality: customers don’t care that your solution has AI built in.

That might sound brutal, but it’s true. AI is already no longer the shiny differentiator it once was. For many buyers, it’s assumed. If your competitors are already using it, then the question isn’t “does your product have AI?” but “what does it actually do for me?”

And if you’re working with a business solution that doesn’t leverage AI in some way, then buyers will increasingly ask why not? It’s becoming one of the biggest questions in the room.

For many years, customer relationship management platforms such as HubSpot, Salesforce, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 were relatively simple. A marketing team could update campaign data, a sales manager could log opportunities, and both could view reports without needing a technical background.

That picture has changed.

When it comes to modern outbound sales, a well-structured sequence, also known as a cadence, is one of the most powerful tools in your sales arsenal. Whether you're using HubSpot, Outreach.io, Salesloft or any other platform, building the right sequence can dramatically increase your chances of opening conversations with potential customers.

But before we dive into what makes a perfect sequence, let’s take a step back and understand why sequences exist in the first place.

The term “AI” gets thrown around a lot these days as I have mentioned in my other recent Insights topics on AI, and while it promises to revolutionise sales and marketing, the reality is this: if you're not careful, adding AI into your sales process can quickly feel like bolting on a shiny toy rather than building a smarter, more human pipeline.

So how do you bring AI into your sales tech stack in a way that actually supports your team, amplifies the right parts of your process, and still puts people first? Let’s break it down.

Over the years I have had the privilege of working with some brilliant businesses. Forward thinking teams, the right people in the right roles, and critically, the right technology stack already in place. CRM? Present and correct. Marketing automation? Ticking along. Customer success tools? Absolutely. On the surface, it is all there.

So why do things still break?

Everyone is talking about AI right now. It’s on every product page, all over sales decks, and regularly thrown into boardroom conversations. “We need to bring AI into the business” is becoming a common theme. But let’s be honest. What does that actually mean?

This piece is for those who want to understand the difference between real AI and marketing spin, how that affects the tools you’re already using, and what your responsibilities are when it comes to data privacy and regulation, especially with the EU AI Act now in place.

When it comes to choosing the right CRM platform to support your B2B sales and marketing efforts, two tools consistently stand out from the crowd: HubSpot and Salesforce (SFDC).

This is not a comparison designed to criticise either tool. It is about highlighting the strengths and benefits of each platform from a B2B commercial perspective, focusing on how they support sales, marketing, and the wider revenue function.

The AI revolution is no longer on the horizon. It is already here, and it is evolving rapidly. By looking at the progression of AI from 2005 to 2025 and projecting forward to 2030 and 2040, we gain valuable perspective. Here are some critical questions and answers to help sales and marketing leaders evaluate their current position and plan for what is coming.

At first glance, Outreach and Salesloft do very similar things. And that is because they do. Both tools are built to help sales teams manage multistep prospecting workflows, track activity, and measure what is working. Outreach calls it a sequence, while Salesloft prefers cadence, but ultimately they are both talking about the same thing, structured repeatable outreach across email, phone, LinkedIn and other channels.

So if the differences are minor, what actually matters when choosing or using a platform like this?

One of the most common questions I am asked is what a modern, high-performing B2B sales and marketing technology stack should look like. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are fundamental layers that every successful B2B sales and marketing team should build around. Whether you are scaling your go-to-market strategy or refreshing your existing systems, the right technology stack can make all the difference.

When I speak with businesses, there is usually a familiar theme. Either the CRM has become far too complicated over time, or no one really knows what to add to the tech stack to make it more effective. There is a desire to improve things, but not always a clear plan.