Martech360 Podcast with Lee Salem, Vice President of Sales for the Americas at Way Media

In this episode of the Martech360 Podcast, host Samarth sits down with Lee Salem, Vice President of Sales for the Americas at Way Media, a multi-award-winning sales leader with over three decades of experience in lead generation, digital marketing, market research, and high-impact B2B strategies. Lee has helped power revenue engines for industry giants like IDG, UBM, and NetLine- earning a reputation for his consultative approach, long-term vision, and deep understanding of what truly drives results in today’s value-driven landscape.

With refreshing candor, Lee breaks down the real meaning of demand generation in 2025, cutting past the buzzwords to focus on building one-to-one conversations with genuinely interested buyers. He emphasizes that a lead is a person, not just a data point, and that trust and relevance should guide every touchpoint.

From there, the discussion zeroes in on one of marketing’s biggest challenges: choosing the right demand generation partner. Lee shares hard-earned criteria for vetting vendors, from transparency and data ownership to operational alignment with a client’s sales cycle. He warns against the common traps overpromising and underdelivering, chasing low-cost leads at the expense of quality, and falling for hype over proven capability.
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Lee’s advice is as practical as it is strategic: test before committing, prioritize long-term trust over quick wins, and look for partners who align with your processes, not just your budget. And when in doubt? Trust your instincts.

The conversation also tackles red flags marketers should watch for, the importance of open communication in vendor relationships, and how to separate suppliers who deliver genuine performance from those dressing up vanity metrics. Along the way, Lee calls out the empty hyperbole that clutters sales pitches (“game changer,” “best in class”) and makes a strong case for why warm nurtures always outperform cold outreach in the long run.

Whether you’re a marketing leader onboarding a new vendor, a sales pro refining your pipeline strategy, or simply trying to see past the noise in a crowded vendor landscape, this episode is packed with clear-eyed insights from someone who’s seen it all, and stayed at the top of the game for 30+ years.