Marcus Cooper, Business Director at Making Science: “Technology has transformed marketing and sales into two sides of the same coin”

If your job involves sales in any form, it’s worth taking a few minutes of your time to read this interview with Marcus Cooper, Business Director at Making Science. Although even as we type these words, we can’t help but think that we’re trying “sell” you something. Really, explains Marcus, we should be building a relationship. So, um, how are you?

Let’s get back to the interview. In fact, let’s rewind ten years to a time, Marcus explains, when CRMs were “essentially a digital Rolodex,” and when marketing and sales departments would often operate in silos. “[Marketing] would focus on brand awareness and lead generation, while sales concentrated on closing deals. This division has sometimes led to misalignment, with sales teams questioning the quality of leads or marketing unsure of how their campaigns were impacting revenue. Thanks to the integration of digital tools, that gap is rapidly closing.”

As Marcus explains, Making Science (which includes American Express, Deliveroo and Uber among its clients), attempts to unify the two departments. “Marketing automation platforms, coupled with CRM systems, offer full visibility into the entire customer journey – from initial engagement to final sale. This transparency enables marketing teams to tailor their campaigns to attract the right leads, while sales teams can track how prospects are engaging with those efforts in real-time.”

But data alone isn’t enough. You need accuracy too. “As someone responsible for growing revenues, I have learned that accurate data is the key to unlocking predictable revenue patterns. Accurate data not only tells you where you stand but also provides insights into where opportunities for growth lie. Leveraging it in the right ways, we can make informed decisions that allow us to pivot quickly and adapt to changing market conditions, ensuring that we are always capitalising on growth opportunities.”

If that sounds like something your company would like to do, we suggest you read on. And we promise that’s not a line to sell you on reading this article.

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?

Aligning various internal stakeholders – from sales and marketing to customer operations – under one unified strategy can be difficult to navigate. Many organisations struggle with this challenge as they scale and realise that the impact drivers around long-lasting success go beyond a mere customer success plan. The complexity increases when multiple teams have different objectives, timelines or understandings of customer needs, causing a disconnect that can slow down the sales process and lead to missed opportunities.

To overcome this, we offer AI-powered proprietary tools to foster efficiency, streamline and address the unique needs of our customers across the whole funnel. In this way, we can create a unified view of the customer journey that integrates input from every department – collecting and analysing data from marketing campaigns, sales interactions and post-sale customer support to provide real-time insights that guide each step of the customer lifecycle.

Our technologies can help predict sales outcomes and identify potential roadblocks before they become critical. This proactive, AI-driven approach unlocks a significant competitive edge for businesses, enabling faster, more informed planning and execution across all teams. They also enable our clients to prioritise leads more effectively, improving win rates and investment efficiency.

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

Ten years ago, CRMs were primarily used to store customer information and track interactions – essentially a digital Rolodex. Today, CRM systems are integrated across multiple business functions and workflows – sales, marketing, customer success and even finance – offering a complete visualisation of the customer journey.

With modern CRM systems, organisations can track every interaction and milestone along the way, from the first marketing touchpoint to the final sale and beyond. This 360-degree view enables all teams to come together, ensuring that marketing efforts support sales goals and customer success teams are fully informed of past interactions when delivering post-sale support.

Another major development has been the move to cloud-based CRMs, which has dramatically improved collaboration across global teams. This has been crucial in our internal operations, ensuring that teams in different regions can access up-to-date customer information, enabling more consistent and personalised client interactions.

Additionally, integrating AI and automation into CRM platforms has further enhanced their value. These tools not only help in predictive lead scoring but also automate routine tasks, freeing up sales teams to focus on building relationships and closing deals. As a result, CRMs have become an indispensable asset for companies, driving efficiency, collaboration, and better decision-making.

Related reading: Rishi Mallik, Chief Growth Officer at Workato: “Sell how you would want to be sold to”

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

Over the last five to ten years, technology has transformed marketing and sales into two sides of the same coin. In the past, these departments often operated independently – marketing would focus on brand awareness and lead generation, while sales concentrated on closing deals. This division has sometimes led to misalignment, with sales teams questioning the quality of leads or marketing unsure of how their campaigns were impacting revenue. Thanks to the integration of digital tools, that gap is rapidly closing.

At Making Science, we’ve seen how technology allows both departments to work hand in hand, driving a more unified workforce. Marketing automation platforms, coupled with CRM systems, offer full visibility into the entire customer journey – from initial engagement to final sale. This transparency enables marketing teams to tailor their campaigns to attract the right leads, while sales teams can track how prospects are engaging with those efforts in real-time. The result is a seamless flow of data, allowing both teams to adjust tactics based on what’s working and what isn’t.

Moreover, technology has enabled a more strategic approach to both new business acquisition and client retention. By using data analytics, marketing can fine-tune their outreach, while sales can follow up with the right cadence to maximise conversion rates. The synergy between the two departments, powered by tech, ensures that companies can optimise both lead generation and deal closures with greater efficiency.

How do you leverage digital technologies and data analytics to enhance commercial operations globally?

Data is vital for crafting a go-to-market strategy or designing a revenue forecast. By using digital technologies to gather and analyse insights, we can better understand lead cycles, forecast sales more accurately, and ultimately improve conversions. In a global context, this data-driven approach ensures that we are making decisions that not only benefit individual regions but also align with the broader objectives of the organisation.

As someone responsible for growing revenues, I have learned that accurate data is the key to unlocking predictable revenue patterns. Accurate data not only tells you where you stand but also provides insights into where opportunities for growth lie. Leveraging it in the right ways, we can make informed decisions that allow us to pivot quickly and adapt to changing market conditions, ensuring that we are always capitalising on growth opportunities.

For example, data analytics allows us to map out the entire sales journey, from lead generation to deal closure. By identifying key patterns in customer behaviour, such as which touchpoints drive the most engagement or which sales milestones result in higher conversions, we can optimise our strategies to be more efficient and effective. This predictive approach enables us to allocate resources where they will have the greatest impact, whether it’s in marketing, sales or customer retention.

Related reading: What is CRM?

In your view, what role can technology play in providing a unified view of offline and online sales? How can it improve both worlds? What challenges can it tackle?

The integration of data from both online and offline sources can significantly enhance how companies measure and track overall performance. For instance, tools that link online marketing efforts with in-store purchases offer brands a clearer understanding of how digital campaigns are influencing foot traffic and conversions in physical locations. This level of insight is invaluable when it comes to accurately allocating marketing budgets and determining the success of multi-channel strategies, especially in complex environments where both digital and traditional methods play a role.

The challenge, of course, lies in the accuracy of tracking offline interactions. While it’s relatively straightforward to trace a customer’s journey online- through clicks, forms and transactions – capturing offline data is much more complicated, making it difficult to form a complete picture of a campaign’s ROI.

That said, overcoming this challenge is entirely possible. At Making Science, we’ve developed tools specifically designed to address this issue, ensuring our clients can effectively track both online and offline sales in a cohesive and integrated manner. This unified approach provides a more comprehensive view of customer engagement, which is essential for optimising both digital and traditional sales strategies. By bridging this gap, companies can make more informed decisions and improve overall performance across all channels.

What advice do you have for those wanting to start a career in sales?

Sales can be an incredibly rewarding career, but it’s not for everyone. It’s a field that requires a unique combination of passion, discipline and resilience. My first piece of advice for anyone considering a career in sales is to find something you’re truly passionate about selling. Whether it’s a product or service, you need to believe in the value you’re offering to your customers, understanding how your solutions benefit clients and address their specific pain points. The ability to clearly articulate that value is what separates average salespeople from exceptional ones.

Another key aspect of sales is discipline. Sales roles often require a structured approach, whether it’s managing a pipeline, hitting quotas, or following up with leads. You need to be organised and persistent because not every pitch will result in a win. Those who are able to maintain focus and stay motivated, even in the face of rejection, are the ones who will succeed.

Lastly, I recommend viewing sales not just as a transactional role but as a relationship-building one. It’s about creating long-term value for clients, not just closing deals. When you approach sales with this mindset, you’re more likely to cultivate lasting partnerships that benefit both you and your customers.