Walker Sands, a full-service B2B marketing agency, has released findings from a new report highlighting a significant misalignment between marketing goals and business objectives among leaders.
According to the report titled “Outcome-Based Marketing: The Case for a Perspective-Shift in B2B Marketing,” over 150 marketing leaders and 50 non-marketing C-suite executives were surveyed. The study revealed that more than half of marketing leaders recognise a disconnect between their marketing goals and overall business objectives.
Key findings indicate that while almost 90% of marketing leaders today prioritise business objectives, only about a quarter of them start the planning process by identifying desired business outcomes. This gap in approach poses challenges for B2B marketers striving to achieve results that align with broader business goals, especially in an evolving marketing landscape.
The report also highlights growing pressure on marketing teams to demonstrate their contributions to key business outcomes. Nearly 98% of senior business decision-makers reported an increased evaluation of marketing success based on its impact on key business outcomes compared to 2019.
Moreover, the study revealed that a significant portion of C-suite executives (74%) feel that marketing teams struggle to understand the expected business outcomes, while 86% believe marketing teams find it challenging to demonstrate the impact of marketing activities on business success.
In response to these challenges, Walker Sands has introduced a new agency approach called Outcome-based Marketing (OBM). This approach advocates for leading marketing programmes with outcomes rather than focusing solely on channels. By prioritising outcomes first, marketers can craft strategies that directly contribute to overarching business objectives.
Dave Parro, Co-CEO of Walker Sands, emphasised the need for a shift towards an outcome-first mentality in B2B marketing strategy. He stated, “It’s time to flip the script and lead with outcomes,” underscoring the importance of aligning marketing efforts with broader business goals.
Ann Hagner, SVP of Integrated at Walker Sands, highlighted the aim of redirecting the conversation towards an outcome-first mentality to maximise marketing investments and foster alignment across C-suite executives and marketing teams.
The report’s insights and the introduction of Outcome-based Marketing aim to address the challenges faced by B2B marketers in today’s dynamic business environment, ultimately driving better alignment between marketing efforts and business objectives.
