22,000 steps a day, 500+ conversations and this is what I took away…
Last week, I attended the RSA Conference in San Francisco, walking the halls of Moscone—and practically every nearby hotel—averaging about 22,000 steps every day (that’s roughly 10 to 11 miles, or 16 to 18 kilometers!). Instead of being exhausted, I came away energized by the optimism and excitement around me.
Big thanks to Cindy Zhou (Chief Marketing Officer, KnowBe4), Shashi Kiran (Chief Marketing Officer, Check Point Software) Gary Hayslip (Global CISO, SoftBank Investment Advisers), Caleb Sima (CSO | CEO | Founder), Yvonne Eskenzi (Eskenzi PR) and Clive Room (Pulse Conferences) for an incredible session (which I will write about later) where I got to connect with 80+ marketing leaders all in one room.
More than ever, the conference reinforced something I’ve always believed: there’s nothing better than face-to-face conversations. Given the market uncertainty, I wasn’t sure what I’d learn, but here’s what stood out most from my conversations:
The changing dynamics of B2B sales and marketing
I spoke with numerous buyers and marketers. One consistent theme emerged: the buying process has fundamentally changed. Millennials stepping into decision-making roles bring new expectations, while technologies like AI and ChatGPT accelerate the demand for timely, relevant information.
It is clear that everyone is focused on being agile. Scott Gordon, a customer and experienced CMO, noted, “Programs never run directly from point A to point B. There are always tweaks and nuances.” That’s exactly why memoryBlue continually adapts, closely aligning with our customers’ evolving needs.
Flexibility is key
People frequently mentioned memoryBlue’s flexibility at RSA. Simply put, we’re built for a rapidly changing market. Our outsourcing-to-insourcing model allows customers to scale critical sales functions quickly, without heavy upfront investment—a message that strongly resonated with attendees facing resource constraints.
In today’s uncertain economy, our clients leverage our talent first, transitioning seamlessly to internal hires once confident.
Global reach, local expertise and deep industry depth
Another validation at RSA was the importance of global reach combined with localized industry expertise—a combination memoryBlue has honed for years. Beau Roberts, a customer, highlighted how our deep cybersecurity experience accelerated his company’s entry into UK and EMEA markets. “Their agents secured appointments we couldn’t, largely because they’d built those relationships over years,” he explained. Investing deeply in domain expertise clearly opens doors faster than generalist approaches.
Maximizing event ROI
Events are exciting but demanding. At RSA, I described memoryBlue’s structured event approach: meticulous pre-event preparation (target lists, tailored interactions), active on-site engagement (sending our teams to represent clients, capturing leads), and systematic post-event follow-up to maximize pipeline impact.
Ariella Robinson, VP of Marketing at Eclypsium, reinforced this value which comes from our systematic process and real-time feedback loops that significantly boosted her team’s event effectiveness and market entry speed.
Leveraging AI and data insights
I’m particularly excited about our “mad scientist lab.” memoryBlue has 23 years of valuable data, now leveraged with AI and machine learning to create actionable insights. At RSA, attendees were intrigued—not just because we improve internal operations, but because these insights directly enhance our clients’ success.
Integrated marketing support and nurture strategy
Another hot topic at RSA was turnkey SDR+Marketing campaigns. memoryBlue’s expanded marketing services complement and amplify our SDR efforts, addressing bandwidth challenges in client marketing teams. From ABM campaigns and nurture programs to LinkedIn Lives, webinars, roundtables, and tailored outreach sequences, we help clients engage prospects long before a sales conversation is triggered.
The impact is remarkable—clients see up to 3x higher conversions from meeting to closed business. By building thoughtful, sustained interactions, we’re not just generating pipeline; we’re accelerating revenue quality and velocity.
The bottom line
Reflecting on RSA, conversations reaffirmed my belief: this truly is the right time to leverage memoryBlue. Shifting buyer behaviors, economic uncertainty, and increased expectations for quick, measurable results align perfectly with our unique flexibility, global reach, industry expertise, and innovative technology.
I left RSA inspired—not just by renewed face-to-face connections, but by how clearly memoryBlue aligns with current market needs. If you’re thinking about your next move in sales and marketing, I genuinely believe this is your moment. Join us! If you are making changes to your sales organization and need support, reach out!
