In our latest The RevRoom episode, we brought together two marketing operations powerhouses - Mike Rizzo, CEO of marketingops.com, and Darrell Alfonso, Director of Marketing Strategy and Operations at Indeed.com - to unpack what this evolution means for marketing ops teams and leaders.

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The Marketing Ops Evolution: Key Transitions

The conversation revealed several critical shifts happening in marketing operations:

• From support function to revenue enablers - Marketing ops teams are moving beyond tactical execution to drive strategic revenue initiatives and enable natural buying journeys.
• From report builders to insight generators - Rather than simply creating reports, successful teams are uncovering actionable insights that drive business decisions and strategy.
• From tool implementers to ecosystem integrators - The focus has shifted from managing individual tools to orchestrating an integrated tech stack that powers the entire go-to-market motion.
• From campaign builders to experience orchestrators - Marketing ops now plays a crucial role in crafting and delivering seamless customer experiences across channels.

Read more on this in Darrell’s recent LinkedIn post. 

Becoming a Strategic Partner: Practical Steps

Mike and Darrell shared tactical advice for marketing ops teams looking to level up their strategic impact:

• Conduct internal roadshows and listening tours with key stakeholders to understand their goals, challenges, and priorities.
• Use frameworks like RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort) for project prioritization and demonstrating the strategic value of initiatives.
• Set aside dedicated time (aim for 20%) to analyze data, identify patterns, and generate insights rather than just responding to tactical requests.
• Think in terms of business problems and outcomes rather than tools and technologies.

The Three Questions Every Marketing Ops Team Should Ask

Mike Rizzo shared three fundamental questions that can help reframe marketing ops' approach:

1. What business problem am I solving?
2. How does this align with our revenue goals or customer outcomes?
3. Are the data and systems I'm managing informing decisions across teams?

People, Process, Then Technology

A key theme throughout the episode was the importance of addressing challenges in the right order: people first, then process, and finally technology. As Darrell noted, "You should never try to make things efficient just for efficiency's sake. You should always see if the things we're doing are aligned and if they're working."

What This Means for Marketing Leaders

For marketing leaders looking to modernize their operations function, the message is clear: invest in your marketing ops team's development into strategic partners. This means:

• Creating space for strategic thinking and analysis
• Empowering teams to challenge status quo
• Building bridges between marketing ops and other business functions
• Focusing on business outcomes rather than tactical metrics

The new B2B marketing playbook requires a sophisticated approach to technology, data, and operations. Marketing ops teams that can evolve from tactical executors to strategic partners will be crucial in driving marketing success in 2025 and beyond.

Catch the full episode on Inverta’s YouTube channel here or on your favorite podcast platform and join us next time on The RevRoom as we continue to explore the strategies transforming modern marketing.

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