Luke Price, Global Head of Sales at Mopinion: “A unified CRM system is crucial for aligning sales and marketing teams across different markets”

One of the overarching themes of our Pipeline series of interviews with sales leaders isn’t actually about technology at all. It’s about people. About the returning importance of in-person meetings, relationships and simple human connection. And that theme once again returns in our interview with Luke Price, Global Head of Sales at Mopinion.

“Interestingly, despite the advancements in digital outreach, we’re seeing a renewed interest in face-to-face interactions,” Luke told us. “With the return of in-person events… these human connections are adding more value to the sales process again.”

It’s all about the balance between technology and “genuine, personal interaction” he added, and as a result generative AI is no magic bullet. “We’ve all seen an explosion of automated outreaches such as emails, LinkedIn messages and more, but this has led to a kind of fatigue on the prospect side,” Luke said. “People are becoming numb to impersonal, mass blasts.”

This numbness is no doubt particularly apparent for Luke, as Mopinion’s reason for being is to gather and analyse feedback. As we mentioned in our Interview with Kees Wolters, Chief Product Officer at Mopinion, the company offers three key products to help companies understand their customers: Mopinion for Websites, Mopinion for Apps and Mopinion for Email.

Read on to discover Luke’s opinions on CRMs, key technology tools (ever heard of Lusha?), the use of AI in sales and how to expand your company internationally.

Related reading: Five CRM solutions for medium-sized businesses

Can you give an example of a complex problem in sales that you – or your company – have been involved in tackling with technology?

One of the most complex problems we tackled as a growing sales organisation was managing and optimising outreach efforts, especially in new business development. When you’re operating as a one-person team, you can track your targets and outreach manually, maybe using Excel. However as the team grows and the volume of prospects expands, this approach becomes inefficient. We quickly realised the need for a more structured system to monitor outreach to who we’re targeting, in which markets, how frequently, and with what messaging.

The first challenge was building a CRM that could handle this at scale. It wasn’t just about logging interactions but making sure we had full visibility into each rep’s activities. Knowing who they were reaching out to, how many times, and when follow-ups were needed. It also became important to track messaging performance, ensuring that the content we delivered to prospects was resonating and effective.

But the real challenge extended beyond the technology. It was about implementing the right workflows and processes for the team. A CRM can only be as good as the data entered into it. If reps don’t update it regularly, or if the data is inaccurate, the entire system fails. So we had to work closely with our team to ensure good data hygiene and accountability. Getting people to adapt to new systems and processes is often the hardest part, far more challenging than the tech itself.

Lastly, we needed to stay agile with our approach to messaging and follow-up strategies. Sales teams need constant feedback loops, testing what works and iterating on what doesn’t. The system we’ve built now not only helps us track the volume and quality of outreach but also supports a data-driven approach to refining our sales messages.

In your view, how has the role of CRM software evolved over the last decade or so? What major breakthroughs stand out for you?

When we first started using CRM software like Salesforce, it was primarily a tool for storing contact information – a digital Rolodex, if you will. However, over the past years, its role has evolved significantly. What started as a simple database has become the central hub for nearly every commercial activity in our business.

Over time, we integrated marketing automation, LinkedIn connections and pipeline management features. This allowed us to track not only individual contacts but also their entire journey through our sales funnel. Now, almost every key performance indicator (KPI) we monitor from sales to marketing metrics is managed and visualised within our CRM. It has become a tool for real-time decision-making, integrating seamlessly with other platforms like marketing, outreach and support tools, offering us a 360-degree view of the customer journey.

The Covid-19 pandemic was another turning point. Before the pandemic, outreach was often done over the phone, often followed by email attempts, and it was relatively easy to get in touch with prospects. But as people transitioned to working from home, reaching out became more challenging. CRM software had to adapt, enabling more sophisticated digital outreach. The emphasis shifted toward digital touchpoints, making CRM integrations with email, social platforms and other communication tools essential for tracking and managing remote interactions.

The latest major development, though, has been the rise of generative AI. We’ve all seen an explosion of automated outreaches such as emails, LinkedIn messages and more, but this has led to a kind of fatigue on the prospect side. People are becoming numb to impersonal, mass blasts. Now, the focus is on personalisation and relevance. You can’t just send generic messages. Our outreach has to stand out and offer real value to the prospect. Gen AI is also helping here by automating parts of the process, like recommending personalised content or crafting tailored messaging based on customer data.

Interestingly, despite the advancements in digital outreach, we’re seeing a renewed interest in face-to-face interactions. With the return of in-person events, smaller meetups and even on-site visits, these human connections are adding more value to the sales process again. So, while CRM continues to evolve with new technology, the importance of balancing tech with genuine, personal interaction has become clearer than ever.

Related reading: Madi Bachar, VP of Global Sales at MGID: “We ran up against the classic issue of data silos hampering visibility”

What is one sales tool you or your team can’t live without? And why is it so important?

While Salesforce remains our central hub for managing sales and marketing activities, we’ve found a few smaller tools that perfectly complement our workflow. One standout is Lusha. We use Salesforce Pardot for larger email campaigns, but for more tactical outreach like testing a new market or running smaller, niche drip campaigns, Lusha has been invaluable.

Lusha offers greater flexibility for business development reps (BDRs), allowing them to streamline the lead generation and outreach process. It integrates well with CRM systems, helping us find contact data, build targeted lists and enrich prospect records. This saves time and ensures our outreach is more efficient and data-driven. In short, Lusha supports our team in being more agile and focused when targeting specific industries or exploring new opportunities.

Moreover, what sets Lusha apart is its user-friendly interface and the quality of its data is quite good. BDRs can quickly access accurate contact information, which enhances their ability to engage prospects effectively. This immediacy is crucial in a fast-paced sales environment where timing can make all the difference. Ultimately, tools like Lusha empower our team to execute strategies more efficiently and successfully connect with potential clients.

How has technology helped marketing and sales work better together? Or, has it increased the gap between those two departments?

Technology has significantly improved the collaboration between marketing and sales by enhancing visibility into the status of leads and ensuring that both teams are aligned on outreach efforts. One of the most critical aspects is tracking when a prospect or lead can be added to a marketing campaign. Without proper coordination, there are risks involved, such as a BDR speaking with a lead, only for that same lead to receive a marketing email moments later. This kind of overlap can create confusion and diminish the effectiveness of our outreach.

Fortunately, technology has facilitated better communication and coordination, allowing us to send the right messages from various angles. A robust CRM system provides a shared view of leads, prospects, and customer interactions, ensuring that both marketing and sales teams have access to the same up-to-date information. This eliminates data silos, promotes collaboration, and helps a lot with a unified approach to engaging with potential customers.

Additionally, technology allows us to automate processes like follow-up emails, lead nurturing, and handoffs between marketing and sales. This streamlining of workflows not only improves efficiency but also ensures that no lead falls through the cracks. Automated notifications and task assignments can alert team members when a lead is ready for follow-up or when specific actions are required, further enhancing coordination. Overall, technology has played a big role in bridging the gap between marketing and sales, enabling both departments to work in harmony toward common goals.

Related reading: AWS and its rivals have created amazing AI tools for businesses – so why not make them easier to access?

What are some examples of AI being used in sales that stand out to you?

One of the most compelling uses of AI in sales is its ability to enhance effective messaging. Tools like ChatGPT can significantly aid in crafting personalised outreach messages that resonate with leads. The challenge, however, lies in ensuring that the generated content does not become too generic. To achieve impactful communication, it’s essential to provide well-thought-out prompts and high-quality input. When executed correctly, AI can create tailored email copy for different audience segments, personalising subject lines, greetings, and the body of the message based on behaviour or demographics.

Moreover, as we operate across various markets in Europe, the challenge of language differences often arises. AI can streamline this process remarkably by quickly translating email content into different languages. This capability not only facilitates communication but also allows marketing teams to localise campaigns effectively, ensuring they connect with diverse audiences without losing the essence of the original message.

In addition, we are exploring Salesforce’s AI solutions, which have the potential to improve our approach to sales. While we haven’t fully integrated these capabilities yet, we are currently experimenting with various features. These tools can provide insights into customer interactions and help us identify the most promising leads.

When thinking of international expansions, how can technology help? What role can it play in developing and executing a strategy for commercial activities in a multinational context?

At Mopinion, we are active in various countries and markets, each with its own unique challenges and requirements. To successfully navigate these differences, it’s crucial to identify quickly what strategies work and what do not. Technology plays a vital role in enhancing the development and execution of a commercial strategy during international expansions.

Technology facilitates localisation and personalisation through translation software and content management systems. This ensures that our marketing materials resonate with regional audiences while maintaining brand consistency. It’s essential not only to translate language but also to adapt messaging and templates to reflect local culture and preferences, ensuring that our propositions are relevant and engaging.

Moreover, a unified CRM system is crucial for aligning sales and marketing teams across different markets. It allows us to track leads and interactions seamlessly, ensuring everyone is on the same page. By improving monitoring capabilities, we can quickly assess performance and identify when adjustments to our strategy are needed, allowing for greater agility in our commercial activities.

In summary, technology acts as a cornerstone for successful international expansion, providing the tools necessary for effective market analysis, localisation and team alignment. By harnessing these capabilities, we can develop strategies that are not only efficient but also highly relevant to our diverse customer base.