How Successful Sales Teams Are Embracing Agentic AI by Jaya Prakash (Jay) Kaza, Doug J. Chung, Candace Lun Plotkin, Siamak Sarvari, Jennifer Stanley, Maria Valdivieso

Successful sales teams are embracing agentic AI—autonomous tools that identify, nurture, and close deals. These systems adapt in real time and integrate seamlessly to scale sales impact.

The AI Marketing Revolution: Key Insights from G2’s CMO on How B2B Buying Has Forever Changed by Jason Lemkin

Buyers now expect AI to be built-in rather than optional, and are choosing platforms that allow them to build “agentic” workflows. Traditional funnels are being disrupted: people begin with large language models, value trust over polished messaging, and favor content optimized for LLMs.

Why B2B Tech Deals Really Stall — And What Marketers Can Do About It by Jonathan Franchell

Deals often stall not because of competitors, but because of internal buyer confusion, misalignment, and lack of clarity among decision-makers. To move forward, marketers need to shift from pushing for urgency to helping buyers build confidence, align stakeholders, and clarify their path forward.

Business Automation for Scalable B2B Marketing & Sales by Mike Hakob

​There’s a crucial shift in B2B marketing where leaders can no longer rely solely on stacking up MQLs and webinar signups—they must clearly connect marketing efforts to actual revenue. This article outlines a strategic framework that uses unified data, AI-driven touchpoints, and optimized customer journeys to turn marketing into a revenue-driving machine.​

5 P’s of Marketing Meets Outbound Sales: Aligning Marketing Mix with B2B Lead Generation by Rachana Pallikaraki

When marketing and sales align around the 5 Ps—Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People—outbound lead generation is significantly more effective, with higher conversion and revenue uplift. Disjointed outreach undercut by mismatched messaging and mis-aligned strategy is replaced by coherent, value-led communication that better resonates with prospects.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!  If you have B2B news sources you rely on we’d love to hear about them.  Please share them with us.  

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CMOs Plan Big Investments In AI For The Next Three Years by Megan Poinski,

A recent Forbes report reveals that 71% of CMOs plan to invest over $10 million annually in generative AI in the next three years, with 83% optimistic about its impact. This shows that AI is moving from experimental to foundational in marketing strategy. The article highlights real-world examples of how AI is already improving content creation, targeting, and customer insights, making it clear that this is a trend marketers can’t ignore.

Laying the Groundwork for Smarter, AI-driven Marketing by Mike Pastore

AI-powered decisioning is only as good as the governance and data infrastructure behind it. This piece emphasizes the importance of clean data systems and internal guardrails before chasing flashy tools, reminding marketers that the basics are critical. Companies that invest in this groundwork see smoother scaling and avoid costly missteps, which makes it a must-read for anyone planning to implement AI strategically.

Standing Out In A Zero-Click World Starts With Stronger Collaboration by Lisa Gately

As AI-powered search and summaries reduce clicks to brand websites, marketers need to rethink how they reach buyers. This article explains why collaboration across teams and structured content is key to standing out in a zero-click environment. It’s practical advice for brands that want to maintain visibility and influence in an increasingly AI-driven search landscape.

AI-powered Personalization: The Future is Here, but are Brands Ready? by Claire-Louise Green

Marketing Week reports that only 39% of B2B marketers personalize their website experiences, despite AI strategies boosting productivity by 64% and customer engagement by 61%. The article makes it clear that the tools are available, but many brands haven’t turned them on yet. It’s a solid reminder that personalization isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s becoming table stakes for effective B2B marketing.

Why Pilots, not RFPs, Define the Future of Martech Selection by Gareth Chilton

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!  If you have B2B news sources you rely on we’d love to hear about them.  Please share them with us.  

The post B2B Reads: Smarter AI, Strategic Personalization, and Modern Martech Wins appeared first on Heinz Marketing.

A Practical Guide to B2B Marketing and Sales Alignment By Twelverays Agency
When marketing and sales paddle in sync, growth accelerates—when they don’t, chaos follows. This guide breaks down practical strategies to bridge the gap and turn alignment into revenue growth.

Mind the Lead Nurture Gap: New Strategies for B2B Marketing Success by Matt Hummel
Even in the age of AI and ABM, lead nurturing remains critical. Research shows top-performing teams excel at it, while most struggle to keep up with today’s chaotic buyer journey.

Marketing Must Own The B2B Commercial Operating System: Here’s Why The Future Depends On It by Cameron Partridge
AI won’t fix broken go-to-market systems—it’ll just make the cracks bigger. Forbes argues that marketing must take ownership of the entire commercial system to drive lasting growth.

Strategic Growth: Aligning B2B Marketing & Sales by Proven ROI Marketing Team

Aligned marketing and sales teams can generate 32% more annual revenue. This guide explores why old approaches fail and introduces a new framework for true collaboration.

How to Build a Winning B2B Digital Marketing Strategy for Success by Breakthrough3X
A strong B2B digital marketing strategy combines audience insight, measurable goals, and channels like SEO, content, and email to build trust and generate qualified leads. Success comes from data-driven decisions and consistent, personalized engagement that drives long-term growth.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!  If you have B2B news sources you rely on we’d love to hear about them.  Please share them with us.  

The post B2B Reads: Sales & Marketing Alignment, Lead Nurturing, and B2B Digital Marketing Success appeared first on Heinz Marketing.

75% of B2B Buyers Will Prefer Sales Experiences that Prioritize Human Interaction Over AI— Colleen Giblin and Elizabeth Jones

According to new Gartner research, the human element will remain central in sales . Buyers will increasingly seek personalized, human-led interactions over AI-driven engagement. A timely reminder that while AI enables, it can’t replace trust-building human connection.

The B2B Marketing AI “Magic Bullet’ Myth — Curtis Bendt, Chief Revenue Officer, MarketJoy

AI isn’t a plug-and-play solution. Success still relies on orchestrated strategy, thoughtful workflows, and teams capable of using AI, not just owning it.

Jump-starting B2B sales performance — Darius Bates and Yasir Mirza

McKinsey highlights how one company accelerated cross-sell revenue tenfold in just eight weeks by using advanced analytics and structured execution — even suggesting generative AI for scaling prospecting effectiveness.

Dear Clients, AI Is Smart, But It’s Not an Agency — MarketingProfs (Andrew Smith)

AI should augment creativity, not replace strategic thinking and accountability. A great perspective for maintaining human-led quality in AI workflows.

Five Trends Changing Marketing Today — MarketingProfs (Dipesh Jain)

This article highlights five major shifts including AI integration, first-party data, and authentic storytelling; that are redefining how marketers connect with buyers in 2025. It offers strong directional insights for teams building next-year strategies.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!  If you have B2B news sources you rely on we’d love to hear about them.  Please share them with us.  

The post B2B Reads: B2B Marketing and AI, Trends Changing Marketing Today appeared first on Heinz Marketing.

Soak up one of the last lazy weekends of summer with a few standout reads for CMOs—covering common pitfalls, deal pauses, brand in the age of AI, and a little Ann Handley wisdom to top it off.

6 of the Biggest Marketing Pitfalls for CMOs – and How to Course-Correct  by James Pintsak at DemandGen Report
This piece is worth a read if you’ve ever felt your team is spinning its wheels. It calls out six traps CMOs often fall into—like chasing too many priorities, working in silos, or waiting for “perfect” before launching—and offers simple fixes. The takeaway: focus on a few clear goals, test and learn quickly, and lean on fresh perspectives to keep marketing moving with impact.

Why the Last Year Has Been the Biggest Challenge for CMOs by Greg Jarboe
This read lays out how recent turbulence like shifts in consumer habits, relentless tech change, budget pressure, and a hyper‑competitive digital landscape has made being a CMO suddenly feel like steering through a perfect storm.

Mastering the Silent B2B Deal Pause by Carla A. Fleming
This one dives into a silent reality every CMO faces: nearly 40% of B2B deals stall.  About 60% of lost deals aren’t because you were outmatched, but because the buyer simply decided not to decide. The article gives you a smart game plan to treat those “hibernating” deals not as failures, but as signals worth reengaging.

CMOs Must Protect Their Brand in an AI-First World by Jessica Apotheker
This one’s a reality check: in an AI-driven landscape, your brand’s distinct voice is more fragile than ever, with AI enabling copycats to flood the market effortlessly. The playbook? Lean into the things only humans can do—creativity, values-driven messaging—and back it up with sharpened insights so you don’t get lost in the noise. It’s about leading with brand intent, not letting AI erode who you are.

When to Use AI: Lessons From My Fave Library by Ann Handley
Ann says it best in this charming library tale that shows how AI and human creativity aren’t adversaries but teammates. She reminds us: let AI speed up the tedious stuff, but lean on your uniquely human flair to truly connect. It’s a light-hearted nudge that the secret sauce still lives in our own authentic voices, even in an AI world.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!  If you have B2B news sources you rely on we’d love to hear about them.  Please share them with us.  

The post B2B Reads: CMO Challenges, Stalled Deals, Course Corrections and the Humanness of AI appeared first on Heinz Marketing.

This particular post is more about AI than B2B marketing, but consider it cross-training.

How AI is Transforming Strategy Development by Alexander D’Amico, Bruce Delteil, Eric Hazan, Andrea Tricoli, and Antoine Montard
McKinsey has written a lot about how AI is changing business.  I really enjoyed this post about what that really looks like.  It helped me to conceptualize the ways that agents can fit into a team.  Very useful.

Reconfiguring work: Change Management in the age of gen AI by Erik Roth
It wouldn’t be a B2B reads from Tom without a bit about change management.  If you are integrating AI into your B2B marketing team, change management is something you should be considering.  So, using AI to help manage the change is very apropos.

Data Strategies for AI Leaders by Snowflake
Garbage in, garbage out, as the saying goes.  I have been digging deep into how to structure data for AI usage in B2B marketing, and how data is structured is the key to success.  This eBook gives a good overview of how to think about it.

3 Advanced B2B Lead Generation Strategies: AI, GA4, and Session Recordings by Andy Crestodina
Andy is back with another great post.  I found this to be really interesting to take what I read in the above 3 links and seat it down into B2B marketing.

Everything you should know about GPT5 by Aryan Kargwal
To close this up, here is something you really should read no matter where you sit.  Know about what is now available in GPT5, and how you can use it.  I liked this post by Aryan Kargwal to go over it.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!  If you have B2B news sources you rely on we’d love to hear about them.  Please share them with us.  

The post B2B Reads: Agents, Data, Change Management, and Marketing appeared first on Heinz Marketing.

How Modern B2B Sales Really Works (If Your Activity Sucks, Everything Else Will Too) —by Haris Halkic

A crisp LinkedIn post that debunks the myth of “more activity = more outcomes.” Haris emphasizes that it’s the quality of sales activity—metrics, sequences, mindset—that truly moves the needle.

2025 B2B Marketing Budget Planning Guide — by John Arnold, Principal Analyst, Forrester

This guide offers clarity on where B2B marketing budgets are headed: modest growth at best. It urges strategic investment in AI, partner ecosystems, and retention, while reinforcing cross-functional collaboration.

Content Restraint: Marketing’s Most Overlooked Strategy — by Robert Rose, Content Marketing Institute

A thoughtful take on a rarely discussed tactic: knowing when not to publish. CMI highlights that reducing content clutter can actually elevate focus, quality, and impact.

19 Expert Tips: Using AI to Help Your Marketing Ops — by Ann Gynn, Content Marketing Institute

AI can be a game changer for marketing operations—this post compiles practical, expert guidance on streamlining workflows, improving campaign agility, and enhancing planning effectiveness.

Boost Sales by Addressing the Emotional B2B Buying Journey — Gartner Research

Gartner explores how emotional dynamics in B2B decision-making—fear of failure, loss aversion, risk perception—can shape deal outcomes. Addressing these emotions builds trust and drives conversion.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading! If you have B2B news sources you rely on we’d love to hear about them. Please share them with us.

The post B2B Reads: Sales Reality, Budget Smarts & Content Strategy appeared first on Heinz Marketing.

ABM Strategy 2025: Tactics for Tech CMOs to Drive ROI — Arise GTM

A four‑pillar framework—target selection, personalization, automation, and ROI measurement—helps tech teams build ABM programs that deliver high‑quality leads and measurable results.

The Ultimate Guide to Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Priorities in 2025 — Userled (Vincent)

In 2025, success hinges on building a true 360° account view—integrating zero-, first- and third‑party data, leveraging predictive analytics to focus on accounts that matter most.

10 ABM Trends to Watch for in 2025 — Altitude Marketing (Ziera Soda)

Personalization and tighter sales‑marketing alignment remain core, but new trends include using advanced intent signals for prioritization and scaling personalized touchpoints strategically.

Account-Based Marketing in 2025: Boost ROI with Proven Tactics — O8 Agency (Seth Viebrock)

Focus on identifying high-value accounts, aligning teams, deploying personalization, using the right toolset, and iterating based on performance metrics.

Account-Based Marketing: Examples, Tactics & Strategy (2025) — Moosend (Marilia Dimitriou)

ABM is a revenue-driven strategy that treats high-value accounts as markets of one; aligning marketing and sales across personalized, omnichannel campaigns accelerates deal cycles.

15 ABM Best Practices to Follow in 2025 — Ryan Kane

Effective planning, alignment on goals, choice of the right ABM tools, and personalized messaging are among 15 best practices that help reduce risk and boost campaign impact.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!  If you have B2B news sources you rely on we’d love to hear about them.  Please share them with us.  

The post B2B Reads: ABM insights to fuel alignment, personalization, ROI and more appeared first on Heinz Marketing.

The 6QA Mistake: How Teams Misinterpret a Key Buying Signal by Dan Hieb
Misunderstanding what a “6QA” actually signals can lead teams to pounce on accounts that aren’t really ready—and miss the ones that are. This post breaks down how to better time your outreach using intent signals.

Best B2B Content by Funnel Stage by Activate Marketing Services
Not all content is created equal—especially when it comes to funnel fit. This post gives you a quick, actionable rundown of the right types of content for awareness, consideration, and decision stages.

Top B2B Lead Gen Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them) by RemoteReps247
From over-relying on automation to ignoring follow-up, this is a no-fluff checklist of common B2B lead gen missteps and how to fix them. Worth scanning before your next campaign launch.

Predictive Account Scoring: The Complete Guide for B2B Marketers by Praveen Das
This practical guide explains how predictive account scoring works, why it beats static firmographics, and how to get started. If you’re scaling ABM or building a more intelligent ICP model, this is a great primer.

How to Nurture Leads and Improve Conversions for Complex B2B Sales by Jesse Galanis
For long-cycle, multi-touch B2B sales, basic lead nurture just won’t cut it. This post offers tips on mapping nurture flows, adapting messaging by lifecycle stage, and bridging gaps between marketing and sales.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!  If you have B2B news sources you rely on we’d love to hear about them.  Please share them with us.  

The post B2B Reads: Funnel-Smart Content, Lead Gen Missteps, Predictive Scoring & More appeared first on Heinz Marketing.

B2B buyers want less sales contact by Mike Pastore

B2B buyers are shifting toward self-serve—around 61% don’t want to talk to sales reps unless it’s absolutely necessary. But right at those crunch-time moments, like choosing the best solution or weighing risk, they actually welcome sales’ help to simplify complex decisions. Sellers who step in with tailored insights during these key moments are 3x more likely to close deals than those who just stick to basic 1-on-1 conversations.

Stop Segmenting Like It’s 2015: Why B2B Marketers Are Still Struggling to Reach the Right Buyers by Sonia David

B2B marketers are still stuck in the past, using outdated firmographic and account-based segments instead of focusing on real humans and their actual behavior. They’re often targeting companies instead of the decision-makers, influencers, blockers, or users inside them. To do better, teams need to shift toward dynamic, behavior-driven segmentation that maps out who’s involved and what they’re actually doing.

Forrester: AI search is reshaping B2B marketing by Mark Brohan

Forrester’s report shows that AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity are shaking up B2B marketing by delivering “zero-click” answers—2–6% of organic traffic now comes from AI, and that share is growing over 40% each month. Instead of browsing vendor websites, buyers are getting smarter insights straight from AI, arriving at sites more informed, sticking around longer, and asking deeper questions. Marketers need to rethink their playbook and craft bold, AI-friendly messaging, optimize for generative search, and create clear, quotable content that AI systems love to surface.

Influencer marketing best practices for B2B brands by Tim Murphy

Influencer marketing in B2B is most powerful when it’s interactive and collaborative, like hosting polls, challenges, or user-generated content campaigns with influencers rather than just handing them scripted posts. Webinars aren’t dead, but they should educate and entertain with dynamic formats, polls, and Q&A rather than dry slide decks. In short, successful B2B influencer campaigns lean into co-creation, meaningful engagement, and authentic content that respects both your brand goals and the influencer’s voice.

Why B2B Sales And Marketing Need To Stop Aligning And Start Unifying by Sarah Goodall

Sales and marketing teams in B2B are past the “alignment” stage. It isn’t enough anymore. Instead, unification is about building shared priorities, programs, and success metrics from the ground up. Right now, sales blames marketing for low-quality leads and marketing blames sales for letting leads go cold, but that back and forth just slows everything down. Treat sales and marketing as one unified engine that collaborates from planning to results, showing up together for buyers and measuring performance as a team.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!  If you have B2B news sources you rely on we’d love to hear about them.  Please share them with us.  

The post B2B Reads: Buyers, Out-Dated Segmentation, AI Search, Influencer Marketing, and More appeared first on Heinz Marketing.