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Plain answers to real Salesforce problems.

Account Engagement

AI in Account Engagement (Pardot): The Einstein Tools You Probably Already Own

Marketing Cloud Account Engagement ships with six Einstein AI tools — predictive scoring, attribution, ABM tiering, and generative copy. Here's what each does, what it requires, and how to actually use it.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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Salesforce

Salesforce AI for IT Leaders: Architecture, Trust, and What to Set Up First

The IT view of Salesforce AI: how the stack fits together, what the Einstein Trust Layer does (and doesn't), and the readiness work that decides whether it succeeds.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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Salesforce

What Salesforce AI Actually Does for Your Team, Day to Day

Forget the keynote demos. Here's what Salesforce AI concretely changes in a workday for sales reps, service teams, and marketers — and how to work with it well.

Brett Thompson
6 min read
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Strategy

The Executive's Guide to AI in the Salesforce Ecosystem

Predictive, generative, and agentic AI — what each actually does, which Salesforce products deliver them, how they're priced, and what to ask before you buy any of it.

Brett Thompson
9 min read
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Account Engagement

Pardot vs. HubSpot for B2B: An Honest Comparison From a Pardot Consultant

Pardot (Marketing Cloud Account Engagement) vs. HubSpot for B2B marketing — an honest comparison from a consultant who makes money on one side of it.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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Account Engagement

What Is Pardot? Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Explained for Executives

Pardot — now Marketing Cloud Account Engagement — is Salesforce's B2B marketing automation platform. What it does, who it's for, and what it costs.

Brett Thompson
6 min read
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Account Engagement

How to Embed Tracking Pixels in an Account Engagement (Pardot) Form

Fire ad-platform tracking pixels when a Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot) form is submitted — the clean ways to do it, and the traps.

Brett Thompson
6 min read
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Salesforce

How to Refresh Salesforce Self-Signed Certificates (Before They Expire)

Salesforce certificate expiring? Here's how to identify where a self-signed certificate is used, refresh it safely, and stop the warning emails.

Brett Thompson
5 min read
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RevOps

Why Your Salesforce Reports Don't Match Pardot (And How to Fix Attribution)

Salesforce says one number, Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot) says another. Here's why the reports diverge and how to build attribution both teams trust.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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Account Engagement

Salesforce–Pardot Sync Errors: Causes and Fixes for the Account Engagement Connector

Sync errors between Salesforce and Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot) break routing and reporting. Here's how to diagnose and fix the common ones.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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Strategy

How Much Does a Salesforce Consultant Cost in 2026? (Rates, Models, and What You Get)

Salesforce consulting rates in 2026 range from $50 to $350+ per hour. Here's what drives the price, what each model gets you, and how to avoid overpaying.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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RevOps

What Is RevOps? A Plain-English Guide for Small B2B Teams

RevOps aligns sales, marketing, and customer success around one revenue engine. Here's what it means in practice for small B2B teams — without the jargon.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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Salesforce

Salesforce Managed Services: What's Included, What It Costs, and When to Outsource

What Salesforce managed services actually include, what they cost, and how to decide between outsourcing, hiring an admin, or a retainer partner.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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Account Engagement

Engagement Studio Examples: 5 Pardot Nurture Programs That Actually Work in B2B

Five Engagement Studio program blueprints for Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot) — welcome, nurture, re-engagement, post-demo, and recycled leads.

Brett Thompson
8 min read
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Account Engagement

Why Your Pardot Emails Aren't Performing (And How to Fix Deliverability)

Declining opens in Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot) usually trace to deliverability, not copy. Here's how to diagnose and fix it, step by step.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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Account Engagement

Pardot Form vs. Form Handler: Which Should You Use in Account Engagement?

Forms and form handlers do the same job very differently in Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot). Here's how to choose — and the mistakes to avoid.

Brett Thompson
6 min read
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Account Engagement

Pardot Scoring vs. Grading: What's the Difference (And How to Use Both)

Score measures interest. Grade measures fit. Here's how scoring and grading work together in Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot) to route better leads.

Brett Thompson
6 min read
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Account Engagement

How to Set Up Lead Scoring in Account Engagement (Pardot): A Practical Framework

Most Pardot lead scoring models are arbitrary — and sales knows it. Here's a practical Account Engagement scoring framework that predicts buying behavior.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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Account Engagement

Is Pardot Going Away? What Marketing Cloud Next Means for Account Engagement

Pardot isn't dead — but the roadmap has changed. Here's where Account Engagement stands in 2026, what Marketing Cloud Next is, and what to do about it.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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Account Engagement

UTM Tracking in Account Engagement: A Practical Guide for B2B Marketers

UTM parameters help you track exactly where your website traffic comes from. Here's how to set up, manage, and report on UTM tracking in Marketing Cloud Account Engagement.

Brett Thompson
8 min read
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Account Engagement

Salesforce Marketing Cloud vs. Pardot (Account Engagement): What's the Difference?

Salesforce Marketing Cloud and Pardot (now Account Engagement) serve very different purposes. Here's how to determine which platform is right for your business — plus what Growth Edition and Marketing Cloud Next mean for the future.

Brett Thompson
7 min read
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Account Engagement

Did Pardot Change Its Name? Pardot vs. Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Explained

Yes, Pardot changed its name to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement in April 2022. Here's what actually changed, what stayed the same, and what it means for your business.

Brett Thompson
5 min read
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Account Engagement

The Account Engagement Audit Checklist Every Marketing Team Needs

Before you rebuild anything, you need to know what's actually broken. This checklist covers the 12 areas most teams overlook.

Brett Thompson
8 min read
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