Pre-sales operations are emerging as a critical factor in advertising revenue performance, according to new research from Theorem. The study reveals that while many organizations believe their advertising sales technology is effective, manual workflows, disconnected systems, and approval bottlenecks continue to create delays, errors, and operational inefficiencies that affect deal execution and revenue growth.
Theorem's research identifies pre-sales as one of the most influential stages in the advertising sales cycle, where pricing, approvals, and deal structures are established before execution begins.
According to the findings, 90% of professionals spend more than five hours per week performing manual pre-sales tasks, while 44% dedicate over ten hours weekly to activities such as proposal revisions, pricing validation, and approval coordination.
"This research proves that the pre-sales phase is where revenue integrity is established, and it requires the same level of structure and control as any other revenue driving function," said Jay Kulkarni, Founder and CEO at Theorem.
The research found that 77% of respondents experience manual errors that slow or disrupt pre-sales workflows, with nearly half indicating these issues occur frequently. 92% of organizations still believe their existing sales tools are effective, suggesting a disconnect between perceived efficiency and day-to-day operational realities.
The study indicates that organizations are increasingly investing in automation to reduce manual effort, improve data quality, and streamline collaboration across sales and operations teams.
According to the findings 61% of respondents said automation would allow them to spend more time on strategic initiatives and client relationships. 47% believe automated workflows would help deals close faster. 86% of organizations reported an increase in closed deals after implementing pre-sales automation.
"Organizations are still closing deals, which makes these inefficiencies easy to overlook," said Jay Kulkarni, Founder and CEO at Theorem. "However, as volume and complexity grow, what once felt manageable starts to erode margin, slow growth and introduce risk at scale. Ultimately, this research proves that the pre-sales phase is where revenue integrity is established, and it requires the same level of structure and control as any other revenue driving function."
Theorem notes that organizations are beginning to redesign pre-sales processes by improving workflow integration, reducing manual touchpoints, and strengthening governance around pricing and approvals.
"Pre-sales processes have historically been treated as coordination work, but it plays a much larger role in revenue outcomes," said Michele Bavitz Vice President of Growth at Theorem. "When pricing, approvals and data are not governed early in the process, teams absorb that complexity later through delays, rework and lost efficiency. This is where revenue performance begins to take shape."
As advertising organizations face increasing operational complexity, the research suggests that connected pre-sales workflows are becoming an important driver of faster deal execution, improved accuracy, and stronger revenue performance.
Founded in 2002, Theorem creates, delivers and optimizes digital marketing campaigns for some of the world’s most successful brands. By offering scaled technology, media, operations, marketing, CRM and creative solutions under one roof, Theorem can provide flexible, full-service marketing solutions to their clients.
Theorem’s consultancy teams and operational expertise help brands simplify, streamline and automate complex digital tasks. This value exchange saves clients time, reduces their costs and increases their revenue. For more information, visit theorem.digital.
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