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Data is core to everything we do now. But the concepts can be pretty confusing. Here’s a simplified breakdown of key modern data concepts GTM teams use today. 🔷 Zero-Copy Data/Data Sharing Tools access the data warehouse directly—no duplicating, no syncing nightmares. Breakdown: Standard tech stacks typically involve multiple copies of your database for CRM, MAP, reporting, and other purposes. If tools can access the central data warehouse directly and use that as their database, then there are “zero copies.” Imagine the difference between exchanging multiple word docs versus collaborating on Google Docs. 🔷 Warehouse-Native Processing Logic and data transformations happen inside the warehouse. Breakdown: Let’s say you want to target new users and former users of your product. You’d have to wait for data to come from your warehouse and other sources into your email tool, and then you can build a list (and it might already be out of date). A warehouse-native approach would be to build the list directly in the data warehouse and push to your email tool in real-time (faster, cleaner, more accurate). Examples: Reverse ETL, dbt, AI agents, or analytics tools working directly in BigQuery, Redshift, Databricks, etc. 🔷 Reverse ETL Data is pushed from the warehouse to your business tools, such as Salesforce, Hubspot, Tableau, etc. Breakdown: When you take all the data from your business tools and store it in a data warehouse, that’s called ETL (extract, transform, load). Doing the reverse of that is actually very different and sometimes challenging, we call it Reverse ETL. Imagine - it’s pretty straightforward to take all the files from 20 different offices and put them into one cabinet in a head office. But it’s a completely different job to take all files from one head office and distribute to 20 different offices and make sure everything is in the right cabinet. Example: Hightouch, Census, or GrowthLoop syncing updated segments into your CRM or MAP. 🔷 Composable Architecture Modular systems where tools are loosely coupled and easily swapped. Breakdown: If you use one platform for various functionality (email, forms, lead scoring, personalization) that is called monolithic. But what if you like the email but not the forms or the scoring? Picking separate tools/functionality and having them work effectively together is called composable. Does this diagram resonate with you? Which concepts do you like and which do you dislike? PS: I’m writing more about this in my weekly newsletter. Search “The Marketing Operations Leader” on Google and subscribe for free to keep leveling up your skills. #marketing #martech #marketingoperations #data

I think most GTM teams use website intent data the wrong way. Instead of timely and helpful, they come across invasive and creepy. It’s not about blasting every visitor with a cold email 5 minutes after they check out your pricing page. It’s about context. Relevance. Timing. I put together a quick visual: “DO THIS, NOT THAT – Website Intent Edition” to show how teams can activate visitor intent without being creepy or making buyers feel like they're being watched. ✅ Share helpful resources based on common questions ❌ Don’t say “I saw you looking at our site…” ✅ Route high-fit accounts to the right person with context ❌ Don’t ping your sales team with every visit ✅ Respect the buyer journey ❌ Don’t break the trust before it’s earned What would you add? What don’t you like about the way companies use intent data? By the way, my partner Default just launched a website visitor tracker that helps teams do this right—Slack alerts, routing, and workflow integration that’s actually usable (and not just another dashboard collecting dust). Check them out at www.default(dot)com If you’re activating intent this quarter, it’s worth checking out. Let us know in the comments what you would add to the list! #marketing #martech #marketingoperations #revops #revenueoperations #partnerpost PS: Big thanks to Stan Rymkiewicz and Vin Matano 🐝 for introducing me to Default.

How teams today combine AI and humans—mapped across four models, from low to high automation. NOTE: This diagram is intentionally oversimplified to explain agents at a high level. For a deeper dive, check out the latest LinkedIn article by Justin Norris.   1️⃣ HUMAN AGENT ONLY A human manages the entire conversation—responding via SMS, email, or chat—and manually updates CRM fields. It’s high-touch, but slow and inconsistent. Time is wasted on repetitive tasks like scheduling and answering basic questions. Good for low-volume orgs or bespoke services. Expensive to scale. 2️⃣ AI AGENT ONLY A single AI agent handles inbound questions and updates the CRM. It’s fast and cost-efficient, but rigid. These agents work well for simple FAQs (“What’s my order status?”) but struggle with edge cases. Performance depends on how well the models are trained and integrated. Capabilities vary widely across tools and setups. 3️⃣ HYBRID HUMAN AND AI AGENTS An AI agent handles the front line—triaging questions, booking meetings, and sharing info—then hands off to a human for custom or complex issues. This keeps humans focused on high-value conversations. AI handles volume and speed. This model also introduces human feedback loops, which help the system learn and improve over time. 4️⃣ AI AGENT ECOSYSTEM AI chat agents call multiple AI agents to communicate, reason, and act together—handling comms, enrichment, research, execution, and CRM updates. These agents don’t follow a script. They plan actions dynamically based on goals and inputs.  Humans don’t disappear—they play critical roles in QA, escalation, and prompt design. Agent coordination isn’t perfect. It requires solid architecture, thoughtful orchestration, and constant iteration. Does this diagram resonate with you? What is missing or what would you change? PS: This post is made possible by Clerk Chat! Clerk Chat already supports all 4 models, try them for free or book a demo and start building your own AI agents today. Click the link in the comments. #marketing #martech #marketingoperations #aiagent #partnerpost

Do you have a formal process for Martech tool requests or changes? Something else? Tell us in the comments! #marketing #martech #marketingoperations

What was your first role/responsibility when you started in marketing operations? Something else? Tell us in the comments!

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What's the biggest blocker sales and marketing teams face when it comes to better reporting? Something else? Tell us in the comments! #marketing #martech #marketingoperations #revops

Really enjoyed this interview with Phil Gamache and Ruari Baker - masterclass on email delivery and inbox placement! Listen in.

Ops isn’t just about implementation anymore. Today’s ops leaders are internal consultants—strategic partners who: - Uncover root causes - Explore multiple paths forward - Think beyond short-term wins - Influence direction - Ensure things actually get done Phil Gamache and I had an incredible convo with Danielle Balestra on this exact topic. She made the leap from consultancy to in-house, and it shows in how she leads ops today. Listen in at the humansofmartech(dot)com it's the latest episode! #marketing #martech #marketingoperations

Vendors love to say, “It’s on the roadmap.” But here’s the problem: A roadmap isn’t a contract. It’s not a guarantee. It might never happen. Some say it just to close the deal. Great Martech doesn’t just sell you a dream. It solves your immediate problems. And it has a real roadmap that can grow with your future needs. That’s what this image is about 👇 (It’s me as a Shark Tank judge, rejecting roadmap vaporware.) I’ll be putting that energy into this live event: MarTech Demo Speed Dating → check it out at tinyurl(dot)com/martechspotlight ✔️ Rapid-fire demos ✔️ Real-time evaluations ✔️ My tough questions (and no BS answers) You’ll see which tools are ready now—and which ones are just selling slides. Join us. PS: We'll be joined by some of my fave Martech pros Phil Gamache, Jacqueline Freedman 🦋, and Justin Norris. #marketing #martech #marketingoperations #marketingops #roadmap

Doing ABM right is hard. But measuring the right things is a great place to start. Here are the 8 must-have reports of the ABM leader. 1️⃣ Target Account Revenue This shows revenue by account and where we are falling short. Helps prioritize where to focus sales and marketing resources. Keep in mind that not all target accounts are equal in value. 2️⃣ Open Pipeline by Target Account This tracks pipeline value for each account. If pipeline is off for target accounts, revenue will eventually be off. 3️⃣ Target Accounts by Stage (Funnel Progression) This shows how accounts progress through each funnel stage—from awareness to opportunity. Used to identify drop-off points and bottlenecks in conversion. 4️⃣ Account Engagement Heat Map This compares engagement levels across key channels (web, email, events, meetings). Helps to see which accounts are most engaged, where that engagement is happening, and where there are gaps. 5️⃣ Account Penetration This shows the number of contacts reached per account, separating out the key decision makers and influencers. Helps assess whether your team is building the right relationships and achieving sufficient coverage across buying committees. 6️⃣ Time in Stage (Velocity) This measures how long accounts stay in each funnel stage. Use this to detect friction, optimize handoffs, and improve overall sales cycle speed. 7️⃣ LTV:CAC by Initiative This compares lifetime value to customer acquisition cost across different marketing plays (e.g., 1:1 ABM, field marketing, content syndication). Helps prioritize investments that drive sustainable growth. 8️⃣ Intent Heat Map by Topic This reveals what topics target accounts are actively researching. Use this to refine messaging, trigger outreach, and build campaigns based on real buying signals. This is how modern ABM teams stay aligned, focused, and accountable to revenue. What do you agree with? What is missing? What would you change? I’d like to thank the subject-matter experts who contributed to this graphic, Andrei Zinkevich, Brandon Redlinger , and Océane Li ✅. You are the real experts; I could not have done this without you! Please give them a follow on LinkedIn. PS: I’m writing more about this in my weekly newsletter. Search “The Marketing Operations Leader” on Google and subscribe for free to keep leveling up your knowledge. #marketing #martech #marketingoperations #abm

Tech stacks look different based on company stage. I've created this guide for you, but keep in mind: - This is a sample guide, not instructions, and it's not comprehensive - Many tools can be used at any of the stages - Tools at later stages aren't necessarily better, but they are typically more expensive - I chose the tools here to show variety, not to show which tools are best Here is the framework: ✅ Scrappy ($1M–$9M ARR) ✅ Connected ($10M–$99M ARR) ✅ Scaled ($100M–$999M ARR) ✅ Enterprise-Grade ($1B+ ARR) How to use this graphic: Find where your company is today based on ARR. Check which types of tools are commonly adopted at your stage. Consider any tools where you have gaps - use genAI and ask for competitive tools and compare Look ahead one stage to start planning what you'll need next. This should help you make smarter, faster decisions about what areas to focus on — and where you can wait. What do you think of this table? What would you change if you could? What do you think should be different? PS: I'm writing more about this in my weekly newsletter. Search "The Marketing Operations Leader" on Google and subscribe for free to keep leveling up your knowledge. #marketing #martech #marketingoperations #revops #gtm

There is a world of technology behind every successful GTM team. And it takes tremendous skill, experience, and drive to orchestrate it effectively. Here are the Core Components of Go-To-Market (GTM) Technology. 1 - MARKETING & ABM TECH (select examples) Marketing Automation: Marketo, HubSpot, Salesforce Marketing Cloud DAM, Content, Social Platforms: WordPress, Contentful, Webflow, AEM, Hootsuite, Sprout Social Webinars & Events: ON24, Zoom, Goldcast, Hopin ABM & Intent: 6sense, Demandbase, ZoomInfo, RollWorks, Chili Piper PM, Planning & Budgeting: Uptempo, Monday.com, Workfront, Asana, Smartsheet 2- SALES SYSTEMS & ENABLEMENT (select examples) CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, Microsoft Dynamics, Pipedrive Sales Engagement & Outreach: Outreach, Salesloft, Apollo, Groove Configure Price Quote (CPQ): Salesforce CPQ, DealHub, PandaDoc, Conga Sales Enablement: Highspot, Seismic, Showpad, Paperflite Forecasting & Revenue Intelligence: Clari, Gong, BoostUp, People.ai Comp & Deal Desk Tools: Xactly, QuotaPath, CaptivateIQ 3 - CUSTOMER SUCCESS & RETENTION PLATFORMS (select examples) Customer Success Platforms: Gainsight, Catalyst, Totango Onboarding & Adoption: Userflow, Appcues, WalkMe NPS & Surveys: Qualtrics, Delighted, Medallia, SurveyMonkey Customer Health Scoring: ChurnZero, Vitally, Pendo, Amplitude Knowledge Base & Self-Service: Zendesk, Intercom, Notion 4 - DATA, ANALYTICS, & REPORTING PLATFORMS (select examples) Customer Data Platforms (CDP): Segment, mParticle, Tealium, RudderStack Data Warehouse / Lake: Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, Databricks ETL & Reverse ETL: Fivetran, Airbyte, Hightouch, Census Attribution Modeling: Dreamdata, HockeyStack, Bizible (Adobe) BI & Dashboards: Looker, Tableau, Power BI, ThoughtSpot Data Governance: Collibra, Alation, Atlan 5 - AI, INTEGRATIONS, & GOVERNANCE (select examples) Predictive Scoring: MadKudu, 6sense, Infer GenAI & Content Automation: Jasper, Writer, Copy.ai, ChatGPT etc. Integration Platforms (iPaaS): Workato, Tray.io, Zapier, Mulesoft Privacy & Compliance: OneTrust, Ketch, Transcend Experimentation & Innovation: Optimizely, Statsig, AB Tasty, LaunchDarkly Do you agree with this diagram? What would you change? What is missing? A big thank you to the subject-matter experts Jessica Kao, Paul Wilson, and Josh Hill for giving me advice and direction on creating this diagram. PS: I’m writing more about this in my weekly newsletter. Search “The Marketing Operations Leader” on Google and subscribe for free to keep leveling up your knowledge. #marketing #martech #marketingoperations #GTM