Ep. 113 - Beyond ROI: CRO Secrets That Stick - Katie Desmond
In this episode of Future Fuzz, Justin is joined by Katie Desmond, Chief Revenue Officer and Partner at iMarc, a full-service digital agency with a 27-year legacy and one of the highest client retention rates in the industry. Katie shares how her agency leverages AI not for novelty but for real operational impact - from streamlining translation and content optimization to accelerating B2B research cycles. She also dives into the evolving expectations of B2B buyers, the importance of authenticity in digital marketing, and why relationships and strategic insights remain irreplaceable - even in an AI-driven age.
Guest Bio
Katie Desmond is the Chief Revenue Officer and Partner at iMarc, a premier digital agency with over 35 employees and clients ranging from Marriott to JetBlue. With a background in business development, account leadership, and project management, Katie is focused on helping brands achieve measurable results through strategic custom marketing solutions. She is a vocal advocate for using AI to enhance, not replace - human creativity and decision-making. Under her leadership, iMarc has sustained a 27-year reputation for client loyalty, innovation, and exceptional outcomes.
Takeaways
- AI should solve real problems, not be used for its own sake.
- Authenticity in B2B is more vital than ever, especially on platforms like LinkedIn.
- Buyers often make decisions before ever contacting a business.
- Entry-level marketing roles are shifting toward prompting and data analysis.
- Client retention depends on trust, results, and being the voice of the client.
- Cross-functional team collaboration builds long-term agency success.
- B2B is catching up to B2C in leveraging video and authenticity.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Katie Desmond
01:11 The Evolving CRO Role in the Age of AI
03:00 Real-World AI Use Cases at iMarc
04:38 Using AI to Optimize Internal Applications
06:08 QA and Human Oversight in AI Workflows
07:05 Budget Pressures and Efficiency in Client Work
08:37 Paid Media Trends and AI Optimization
09:36 B2B Buyer Behavior Has Changed Drastically
10:40 Using ZoomInfo to Detect Early Interest
12:03 Is the Traditional Sales Call Dead?
13:42 Future of Entry-Level Roles in AI Marketing
14:18 Voice Search and Longer Prompts
15:15 Authenticity and the Role of Video in B2B
17:51 B2C vs. B2B: Speed vs. Depth
20:05 Tips for High Client Retention
21:45 Polite Push-Pull with Clients Builds Trust
23:26 What Makes the iMarc Team DNA Special
25:30 Where to Find Katie
Follow Katie Desmond on LinkedIn
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