Marketing and Sales in 2026 is not just about lead generation or closing deals—it’s about strategic investment. On Wednesday, November 5, 2025, SmartFinds Marketing and Our Sales Coach will co-host a high-impact webinar for CEOs: “Marketing vs. Sales: Where Should CEOs Invest to Drive Growth in 2026?”. This private session is designed to help mid-market leaders navigate today’s shifting business landscape and uncover what truly drives sustainable growth in the year ahead.
The webinar will be presented by Ken Cheo, President of Our Sales Coach and a seasoned expert in building measurable, scalable sales processes—and Melih Oztalay, CEO of SmartFinds Marketing, an industry veteran in AI-driven digital strategies, conversion optimization, and B2B growth marketing. Together, they’ll walk through actionable frameworks that align sales and marketing for higher ROI in 2026.
“When marketing and sales operate in isolation, CEOs lose visibility and control over their growth engine…”
— Melih Oztalay, CEO, SmartFinds Marketing
For CEOs navigating the mid-market space, the landscape has changed. Growth no longer comes from simply scaling one department or increasing budgets in a silo. The real challenge lies in knowing where to invest—marketing, sales, or both—and how to align those investments to maximize impact. In a year where economic pressure, customer expectations, and digital transformation all converge, your company’s growth trajectory will be determined by how well these two functions support each other, not compete for resources.
“CEOs don’t need more leads—they need qualified opportunities that convert. A measurable sales process gives you predictability, accountability, and higher revenue per rep. That’s what we’ll be covering.”
— Ken Cheo, President, Our Sales Coach
Too often, marketing is seen as a cost center and sales as the revenue driver. But this outdated thinking leads to misalignment, lost opportunities, and weak ROI. In 2026, CEOs must take ownership of the marketing and sales relationship—not delegate it entirely to their VPs. That means setting the vision, allocating resources with precision, and holding both teams accountable to shared growth outcomes. Marketing generates demand. Sales converts that demand into revenue. Without executive alignment, neither will operate at full potential.
Marketing and Sales in 2026: A CEO’s Dilemma
For today’s CEOs, the pressure to deliver sustainable growth has never been higher. Budgets are under tighter scrutiny, buyer journeys are more complex than ever, and competitive intensity has increased. On one hand, marketing teams are pushing for expanded digital programs and demand initiatives. On the other hand, sales teams complain that lead quality is slipping or hand-offs are weak. In practical terms, the CEO is often left in the middle, forced to arbitrate between two functions that should be allies—not adversaries.
The data backs this up: in a 2025 study by Mutiny featured in MarketingProfs, only 24% of sales and marketing leaders said their departments were completely aligned, while 43% said they were mostly aligned. Yet paradoxically, two-thirds of those same professionals admitted they think about replacing their counterparts. Even after collaboration, just 34% said they felt positive about the interactions. These figures underscore a deeper problem: surface-level alignment is not enough—true alignment runs deeper in behaviors, incentives, and leadership.
Why Marketing and Sales in 2026 Isn’t Just a Departmental Question
It’s tempting for CEOs to treat the tension between marketing and sales as a departmental turf war—something for the CMO and VP of Sales to hash out. But that mindset misses the strategic nature of the issue. This is not about managing personalities or workflows. It’s about redefining how the organization drives growth in an increasingly complex environment. The lines between departments have blurred as digital buyers demand seamless experiences, and AI reshapes how leads are generated, qualified, and converted. Delegating decisions without C-level involvement risks allowing misalignment to fester—impacting ROI, morale, and even market perception.
The 2025 Marketing and Sales Alignment Study by Mutiny revealed a concerning gap: while many leaders report alignment on paper, deeper collaboration often falters in execution. Just 24% say they’re completely aligned, and 66% admit they’ve considered replacing their counterpart in the other department. This suggests that true integration requires more than shared KPIs—it requires executive-level commitment to structural change. CEOs must lead the alignment from the top, not just sign off on departmental budgets. Revenue growth in 2026 will be less about doing more and more about doing it together—with purpose, coordination, and shared vision.
How AI and CRO Reshape Marketing and Sales in 2026
Today’s marketing isn’t about guesswork—it’s about data. AI-driven B2B strategies and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) from SmartFinds Marketing allow companies to attract, qualify, and convert leads more efficiently than ever. From predictive analytics to intent-based targeting, artificial intelligence is helping mid-market CEOs make smarter marketing investments that align with revenue goals. Rather than relying on gut feeling or historical performance, CEOs can now measure real-time buyer behavior and forecast outcomes with greater accuracy.
A real-world example: One of our clients, a global CDN provider, had minimal brand visibility despite investing $1 million in sales efforts with little return. After implementing a CRO-driven, AI-informed strategy, the results speak for themselves.
- Total Leads: 4,386 globally — including 1,009 from the U.S. (average 4.97/day) and 3,377 internationally (average 10.05/day).
- Year-over-Year Growth: 198% increase in global leads compared to the prior six months.
- U.S. Market Growth: Lead volume rose 94%, from 2.56/day to 4.97/day.
- Lead Quality: Improved by 70% through CRO refinements and better targeting.
- Cost Efficiency: Cost per qualified lead decreased by 35% within six months.
But understanding these tools isn’t enough—it’s about integration. CRO and AI work best when marketing and sales teams are aligned on lead definitions, KPIs, and handoff processes. This is where the CEO’s role becomes critical: driving a culture of experimentation and data literacy across both departments. In 2026, the winners will be the companies that move beyond siloed tactics and adopt unified, data-driven growth engines where AI optimizes the path to conversion and CRO ensures every website visit counts. CEOs who lead this shift won’t just support growth—they’ll accelerate it.
Learn more about how Our Sales Coach supports organizations in building top-performing sales teams at oursalescoach.com/develop-a-top-performing-sales-team. Their programs help align marketing insights with frontline sales execution, ensuring growth strategies translate into measurable, consistent performance.
Closing the Marketing and Sales Gap in 2026 with a Measurable Sales Process
Generating qualified leads is only half the equation. For CEOs focused on real business outcomes, the greater challenge often lies in turning that lead flow into predictable revenue. Without a structured and measurable sales process, even the most promising leads can slip through the cracks. This isn’t about managing more reps or pushing harder—it’s about building a sales engine that consistently converts with clarity and accountability. CEOs must ask: Do we have a documented sales process? Are we tracking key sales metrics at each stage of the funnel? And can we forecast revenue with confidence based on our current pipeline?
Ken’s experience leading sales organizations reveals a powerful truth: organizations that implement a measurable sales process close deals faster, increase win rates, and drive higher customer lifetime value. Rather than relying on internal claims or assumptions, modern sales teams back their strategies with metrics. According to Yesware’s 2025 article “34 Sales Metrics High-Performing Sales Teams Are Tracking”, elite teams focus on efficiency, conversion, and funnel health—building predictable, accountable pipelines rather than guessing. To see how Our Sales Coach helps executive teams implement measurable, repeatable sales systems, visit their Sales Training & Coaching page. The key isn’t just process—it’s alignment. When sales teams use insights from marketing—such as lead scoring and buyer intent data—they can tailor outreach with surgical precision. For 2026, CEOs must ensure their sales function isn’t operating on intuition but on systems—and that those systems are integrated with marketing, not operating in a vacuum.
Join the CEO-Only Webinar
If you’re a mid-market CEO navigating 2026 planning, this strategic webinar is for you. Hosted by two seasoned experts—Ken Cheo of Our Sales Coach and Melih Oztalay of SmartFinds Marketing—this session brings together proven frameworks, real-world case studies, and actionable insights to help you align marketing and sales for measurable growth.
You can also RSVP and follow updates on the official LinkedIn Event page.
Marketing vs. Sales: Where Should CEOs Invest to Drive Growth in 2026?
📅 Wednesday, November 5, 2025
⏰ 12 PM – 1 PM EST
🔗 Register here
What This CEO Webinar Will Cover
In this exclusive, CEO-focused session, we’ll dive into the core issues shaping revenue growth in 2026. This is not about campaign tactics or sales quotas—it’s about aligning your executive decisions with scalable results.
- How to drive qualified lead flow through Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) and AI-powered marketing
- How to turn that lead flow into closed business with a measurable sales process
- Which KPIs and ROI metrics mid-market CEOs should actually track
- Real-world case studies and a strategic framework for 2026 decision-making
What You’ll Walk Away With
- Confidence in how to evaluate your CMO and CSO heading into 2026
- Clarity around where to invest your budget—marketing, sales, or both
- Benchmarks for aligning your team, technology, and executive focus for growth
Final Thoughts: Take Control of Your Growth Strategy
In 2026, growth doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of deliberate, aligned decision-making at the executive level. This webinar is your opportunity to break out of the marketing vs. sales debate and build a revenue engine that’s measurable, scalable, and future-ready. If you’re ready to lead with clarity, confidence, and conviction, this session is built for you.
If you’d like to explore how alignment can drive your company’s 2026 growth plan, connect with Our Sales Coach to start the conversation.
About SmartFinds Marketing
SmartFinds Marketing is a digital marketing agency established in 1987 and based in Birmingham, MI. The agency helps mid-market and enterprise companies grow through AI-powered marketing, conversion optimization, and data-driven strategy. With a collaborative team that has worked together for over a decade, SmartFinds delivers measurable results in lead generation, SEO, content marketing, and performance analytics. Learn more at smartfindsmarketing.com or connect on LinkedIn.
About Our Sales Coach
Our Sales Coach helps business owners, sales managers, and service professionals develop strategic marketing and prospecting plans that produce measurable, predictable growth. Founded in 2006 and based in Braintree, Massachusetts, the firm provides customized sales training, coaching, and consulting to transform average performers into top producers. Led by President Ken Cheo, the company empowers organizations to build repeatable systems that align sales and marketing for sustainable growth. Follow Our Sales Coach on LinkedIn for insights and sales leadership strategies. Follow Our Sales Coach on LinkedIn.
Author: Melih Oztalay
