Reviewed by: Lisa Battles
Emerging trends in B2B marketing + more Huntsville business news
Reading time: 5 minutes
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Keeping you updated on the business climate here in North Alabama, we focused this month on B2B marketing, while also letting you in on some news regarding Huntsville’s Raython facility and some updates on the local real estate market.
The emerging prevalence of artificial intelligence in business has grown exponentially every month in recent years, and the B2B marketing and sales industry is no exception. We spoke with an expert from the University of North Alabama Sanders College of Business & Technology about B2B marketing and how AI is affecting the industry.
What’s new in B2B marketing?
To learn about emerging trends in the B2B marketing facet of the business world, we spoke with Dr. Brian Morgan, Lecturer of Marketing and the Director of the Steele Center for Professional Selling at the University of North Alabama Sanders College of Business & Technology.
Morgan indicated that AI plays a significant role in today’s B2B environment. Namely, he sees AI-driven pricing and cost-to-serve analytics combined with AI-enabled sales training as major players in the industry.
Specifically, he said one of the most impactful emerging trends in B2B sales is the strategic use of AI in pricing and profitability modeling. He said AI-enabled pricing platforms now allow firms to better understand cost-to-serve at the individual account level.
“This shifts pricing conversations from margin defense to value transparency. Sales professionals can engage customers with data-driven justification for pricing structures while opening broader discussions around operational efficiencies, lean management practices and process improvement initiatives.
In effect, AI is becoming both a margin protection tool and a consultative selling catalyst.”
Dr. Brian Morgan, UNA Sanders College of Business & Technology
In regard to sales training, Morgan said AI-powered interactive training platforms are gaining traction, particularly for onboarding and foundational skill development.
He said new sales hires can now engage with video-based simulations, conversational AI role plays and structured feedback loops that accelerate early-stage competency in commonly used corporate sales processes. However, he said, there is a limit to this development.
“Moderate- to advanced-level consultative selling, negotiation strategy and executive presence still require human mentorship. The future model appears hybrid: AI for foundational repetition and reinforcement; experienced trainers and mentors for strategic and relational mastery.”
Dr. Brian Morgan, UNA Sanders College of Business & Technology
Morgan said AI’s growing prominence in the health care industry is another trend he sees in B2B sales and marketing.
“AI-enabled healthcare solutions are expanding rapidly. Bedside time is limited, and any technology that improves efficiency while maintaining compliance standards creates immediate value.
AI applications in workflow automation, diagnostics support, predictive analytics and administrative streamlining are generating strong demand for B2B sales professionals capable of navigating complex buying centers.”
Dr. Brian Morgan, UNA Sanders College of Business & Technology
Morgan said he sees talent retention as one of the major challenges regionally in B2B marketing, adding that a significant regional and national challenge is cultural and geographic alignment of new sales hires. In essence, ideological, lifestyle and regional preferences matter more than many organizations acknowledge.
“After onboarding and training investments are made, firms must intentionally align placement with a recruit’s cultural and geographic fit. Failure to do so increases turnover risk and erodes return on training investment.
Organizations that treat territory assignment as a strategic retention lever outperform those that treat it as a logistical decision.”
Dr. Brian Morgan, UNA Sanders College of Business & Technology
Raytheon’s Huntsville facility part of expanded Pentagon deal
Raytheon announced recently that it would ramp up production of several key missile systems, which is good news for the company’s Huntsville operations.
Company officials said five agreements were reached with the Pentagon to accelerate annual deliveries of these precision munitions, including:
- More than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles
- At least 1,900 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles
- Approximately 500 SM-6 missiles
Manufacturing under the deal will take place at facilities in Huntsville, Tucson and Andover, Massachusetts.
“These agreements redefine how government and industry can partner to speed the delivery of critical technologies and are a direct result of the administration’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy and commitment to deliver the best technologies faster.”
Chris Calio, RTX CEO
RTX, Raytheon’s parent company, said it plans to make a $500 million increase in investments in 2026, enhancing facilities that make munitions.
A look at real estate trends in the Huntsville area
The Huntsville real estate market remains strong, as an average of 12 new people are moving to the area every day (according to stats from 2024).
In January, we saw a newer trend in the market, with the number of homes sold decreasing in Huntsville and surrounding cities, while the number of new listings and median sales price increased in those same cities.
Some key takeaways from the most recent real estate markets reports from Valley MLS are that new listings increased significantly in January in Huntsville, Athens, Madison and Decatur.
At the same time, median sales prices increased for Athens, Huntsville and Madison.
Here’s a look at January trends for Huntsville and neighboring cities:
| City | Median Home Price in December (% change from November) | New Listings in December (% change from November) | Homes Sold in December (% change from November) | Average Days on the Market (% change from November) |
| Huntsville | $325,000 (+3.2%) | 271 (+35.5%) | 165 (-28.9%) | 126 (-7.3%) |
| Athens | $305,000 (+5.2%) | 184 (+10.2%) | 73 (-30.5%) | 118 (-4.8%) |
| Madison | $424,950 (+10.1%) | 184 (+19.4%) | 122 (-6.9%) | 155 (+1.3) |
| Decatur | $205,500 (-20.1%) | 76 (+61.7%) | 54 (-25%) | 131 (+2.3%) |
Source: Valley MLS
Our monthly North Alabama business news roundup is brought to you by the University of North Alabama Sanders College of Business & Technology.
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