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.

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.

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.

Every August the same refrain echoes through sales teams: “You cannot get hold of anyone”. For those working internationally, particularly with European clients, it is even more pronounced…

…So, if your prospects are out of office, what can you do that is genuinely valuable? The answer lies in using August not as a waiting room but as a control room. This is a time to assess, clean up and align your go to market efforts before the final push.

Negotiation is an essential part of sales, but it’s not about winning at the expense of the other party. A successful negotiation should always focus on creating a mutually beneficial outcome, where both sides feel like they’ve gained value. Let’s explore the key principles that can transform your approach to sales negotiation.

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.

For me, BANT is not just a sales acronym. It is the decision point. It is the moment where you determine whether to continue the conversation or politely park it. By this stage, you should already know the lead fits your Ideal Customer Profile. You have done the homework. The organisation is right. The vertical makes sense. The person is relevant. But are they genuinely worth progressing into your sales process?

Let us break it down.

In the world of outbound sales, there is no room for guesswork. The days of flicking through a telephone directory and calling random companies in the hope that someone might say yes are firmly in the past. The most effective outbound sales strategies begin with knowledge, and that means knowing exactly who you are targeting and why.

At the heart of that understanding is your Ideal Customer Profile, or ICP. If you are not clear on who your ideal customer is, your outbound efforts are likely to fall flat.

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?