Is customer experience the new marketing or vice versa?
Marketing gets people in the door. Customer experience decides if they stay. Every ad, every touchpoint, every promise—it’s all CX. So why do so many companies still treat them as separate?
In this episode of Doing CX Right, Stacy Sherman and Nicole Donnelly challenge this outdated mindset. They discuss why great marketing fails without great customer experience, how AI is reshaping market research, and why data alone isn’t enough. Plus, hear how one brand drove real growth by putting experience first—and how you can apply the same strategies to your business.
Key Questions Explored:
- How can companies ensure marketing and CX teams are aligned?
- What’s the best way to measure the effectiveness of customer messaging?
- Why is it critical for marketers to talk directly to customers?
- How can AI support (but not replace) customer research and personalization?
- What leadership advice helps teams work across departments effectively?
Valuable Insights Shared:
Doing CX Right means breaking down silos between marketing, sales, and customer experience to create a consistent, customer-first strategy. It’s about listening—not just to structured survey data, but to real, unfiltered feedback from support calls, social media, and qualitative interviews.
Key Topics Discussed:
- Bridging the Gap Between Marketing & CX: How misalignment affects customer trust.
- Measuring Success: The importance of combining Net Promoter Score (NPS) with qualitative insights.
- Customer Feedback as a Growth Strategy: Why real conversations with customers are a must.
- AI’s Role in Marketing & CX: How AI can assist research—but why human validation is still key.
- Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration: How to ensure marketing, sales, and CX teams work together.
Practical Takeaways:
- Don’t rely solely on surveys—conduct real conversations with customers.
- Encourage marketers to sit in on customer service calls for valuable insights.
- Use AI for initial research, but validate findings with real customer interactions.
- Ensure ongoing feedback loops between marketing, CX, and sales teams.
- Make data-driven decisions—balancing quantitative and qualitative insights.
Leadership Advice:
“All they can do is say no.” You’ll hear stories and powerful lessons from a former mentor—reminding leaders to take bold action and ask for what they need.
Looking Ahead – Industry Predictions:
AI will continue to play a bigger role in marketing and CX—but trust remains a major challenge. Companies need to be cautious about over-relying on AI to shape customer interactions.
Final Thought:
Marketing and customer experience aren’t opposing forces—they’re two sides of the same coin. If businesses want true customer loyalty, they must align messaging with experience and listen to feedback from every touchpoint.
Want to ensure your teams are working together for customer success? Start by listening—to your customers, your employees, and the conversations happening in between.
Listen to the full episode for actionable strategies to better align your marketing and CX.
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About Nicole Donnelly:
Nicole is the Founder and President of DMG Digital, where she helps B2B manufacturers and distributors embrace digital transformation and thrive. A former Marketing Director for a U.S.-based industrial manufacturer, she led initiatives that quadrupled marketing-influenced profit, including the launch of a high-performing B2B eCommerce platform.
Nicole also hosts the Hello Moxie podcast, sharing stories and sparking conversations that empower women to step into courage, creativity, and bold leadership.
As a professionally trained keynote speaker and graduate of the HEROIC Public Speaking GRAD program, Nicole delivers dynamic talks on change management and women’s empowerment. She’s spoken at events across the U.S. and U.K., including her 2023 keynote at Meet Magento NYC. Her signature keynote, Trust Your Moxie, inspires women to live their boldest, truest lives through her practical and proprietary five part framework, the Moxie Method.
Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn and website.
About Stacy Sherman:
Stacy Sherman is a professional speaker, advisor, and founder of Doing CX Right® consultancy, helping companies build unbreakable loyalty across customers, employees, and partners for lasting retention and growth. With 25 years at top companies, a Marketing MBA, and certifications in Journey Mapping and UX, she provides a proven, research-backed framework that drives real business impact. A trusted, award-winning CX leader, Stacy is recognized as a Top Global CX Guru and ICMI Top 25 Influencer (2021-2025). She continues to shape the future of CX through LinkedIn Learning courses, workshops, best-selling books, and her award-winning podcast, equipping professionals with the strategies to deliver measurable results, competitive advantage, and enriched experiences.
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A Gift For You:
Do you want to know if your customer experience creates loyal advocates who genuinely love your brand? Are your employees inspired to champion your mission as others in your industry view you as the gold standard they strive to reach?
Take FREE CX Assessment to uncover:
- Barriers limiting your brand’s growth and impact.
- Factors that drive stronger customer connections and deeper loyalty.
- Strategies to create meaningful experiences that set your brand apart.
Doing customer experience the right way can transform your business and enrich the lives of the people you service. Don’t leave it to chance.
