Notes from the Helix team

Field notes.

Practical notes on AI GTM operations, audits, signals, and content systems. We run Helix on Helix first - what works ends up here.

LatestJun 2, 20263 min readJustin Henriksen

39 Marketing Automation Statistics for 2026: What SMBs Actually Need to Know

GTM8020 compiled 39 statistics on marketing automation for 2026. Here's what matters for SMBs running lean GTM stacks and trying to improve ROI without adding headcount.

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Jun 2, 20263 min readJustin Henriksen

AI Sales Agents for SMBs: What Actually Works

Stop hiring junior SDRs to burn through leads. AI sales agents handle the grueling outreach and follow-up so your small business can close deals without the overhead.

Jun 1, 20263 min readMatt Merrill

AI Personalization in Marketing Automation: What SMBs Actually Need to Know

AI personalization is now accessible for SMBs. Here's how to use customer behavior data to deliver personalized experiences without a massive tech stack.

Jun 1, 20264 min readJustin Henriksen

2026 Is When AI Marketing Automation Actually Pays Off

InsiderOne calls 2026 the tipping point for AI marketing automation ROI. Here's what that actually means for SMBs running lean GTM stacks.

May 30, 20264 min readJustin Henriksen

Microsoft Advertising AI Max: What SMBs Should Actually Test

Microsoft's Activate 2026 event unveiled AI Max and several ad platform upgrades. Here's what SMB advertisers should test now and what to ignore.

May 30, 20265 min readMatt Merrill

AI Handles Execution. Judgment Just Got More Valuable.

Forbes Councils nailed it: AI automates execution work, which means your judgment calls matter more. Here's what SMBs should do with that insight.

May 30, 20264 min readAda Mendez

Top CMOs Drive Influence in 2026

Forbes 2026 CMOs treat influence as an outcome, not a goal. Here's what SMBs can borrow from their playbook.

May 29, 20264 min readAda Mendez

Partner Marketing in B2B for 2026: Why Alliances Beat Cold Outreach

B2B partner marketing is becoming essential for SMBs. Here's how strategic alliances help you reach more buyers without burning budget on cold outreach.

May 28, 20264 min readMatt Merrill

Self-Optimizing Marketing Automation Is Coming in 2026

Scheduled workflows are giving way to systems that plan, execute, and adjust campaigns automatically. Here's what SMBs should do before the shift hits.

May 27, 20264 min readJustin Henriksen

Beam.ai's Sales Operations AI Agent Template Actually Does the Boring Work

Beam.ai released a Sales Operations AI Agent that pulls sales orders from emails and standardizes them. Here's what that means for SMBs running lean operations.

May 27, 20264 min readMatt Merrill

Sales Operations AI Tools That Actually Drive Growth

Improvado's latest research shows AI lets sales teams scale operations without adding headcount. Here's what that looks like in practice for SMBs.

May 26, 20264 min readJustin Henriksen

A Practical Guide to AI in Sales Operations

Sales ops teams waste hours on manual work that AI handles in minutes. Here's what to automate first and how to prove ROI to your team.

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