IntroductionThe go-to-market (GTM) landscape is rapidly evolving, with organizations increasingly relying on data-driven strategies to drive revenue growth. In the latest episode of the NextG GTM Podcast, Mike Bell, co-founder and CTO at SCH AI, sits down with Matt Deal, a partner at Vaulted, to discuss cutting-edge sales and marketing trends. Their conversation explores the power of intent data, the decline of traditional email outreach, and the rise of AI-driven marketing workflows.
This blog post breaks down the key takeaways from their discussion and provides actionable insights for GTM professionals looking to optimize their approach in 2024 and beyond.
Companies today are facing a data problem—not just in terms of collection but in making sense of it. Matt Deal highlights that many organizations lack the right data in their CRMs, making it difficult to generate useful insights for sales and marketing decisions. This is especially crucial as third-party cookies disappear and new email regulations affect traditional tracking methods.
Intent data is one of the most powerful tools in modern sales and marketing. By tracking what prospects are researching, companies can engage potential buyers at the right time. However, organizations often struggle with how to activate intent data—should they reach out immediately, add the prospect to a targeted campaign, or wait for further signals?
🔹 Actionable Takeaway: Instead of using intent data in isolation, combine it with multi-channel engagement—phone, email, and ad retargeting—to increase effectiveness.
In 2024, Gmail and Yahoo implemented new rules affecting bulk email senders. These changes have significantly impacted email deliverability, making it harder for sales teams to rely on mass outreach campaigns.
Another major shift is how buyers want to engage. Many are now opting to watch on-demand demos instead of booking discovery calls. This trend is particularly evident in B2B SaaS sales, where companies are reducing friction in the buying process.
🔹 Actionable Takeaway: Companies should invest in high-quality demo videos as part of their sales funnel to let buyers educate themselves before committing to a conversation.
Many companies assign arbitrary point values to different lead behaviors without validating them against real sales data. Matt suggests that a better approach is to reverse-engineer lead scoring based on past closed deals.
Rather than guessing which attributes define a high-quality lead, companies should:
🔹 Actionable Takeaway: Review your historical sales data to uncover patterns that define your ideal customer profile (ICP) and refine your lead scoring accordingly.
While AI adoption is increasing, many professionals still haven't leveraged AI tools to their full potential. Matt points out that AI can assist with tasks like:
Despite HubSpot’s push into AI with tools like ChatSpot, Matt notes that AI-powered CRM analysis is still in its early stages. While AI can extract insights, it struggles with more complex data analysis and decision-making.
🔹 Actionable Takeaway: Use AI for data extraction & automation, but validate its insights with human analysis to ensure reliability.
Looking ahead, sales and marketing teams must prioritize data hygiene to stay competitive. Without clean and structured data, companies risk making misinformed decisions about their target audience and outreach strategies.
With more AI-driven tools entering the market, companies must evaluate:
🔹 Final Takeaway: Success in GTM isn’t just about AI or automation—it’s about leveraging data effectively to drive revenue-generating strategies.
The sales and marketing landscape is shifting rapidly, with data, AI, and intent signals playing an increasingly critical role. Companies that adapt to these changes by refining lead scoring, leveraging AI smartly, and embracing buyer preferences for self-service demos will have a competitive edge in 2024 and beyond.
