Beyond MQLs: Reframing success in B2B marketing

Conclusion

The evolution in B2B marketing continues to accelerate. Our first edition revealed how marketing leaders were moving beyond MQLs, with 78% prioritising revenue impact and a similar percentage adopting account-based marketing. This second edition exposes deeper shifts in marketing's strategic role and measurement approaches.

Marketing's Strategic Evolution

  • Marketing has matured from a lead generation function to a strategic driver of business value
  • The most successful teams now take ownership of the entire revenue journey
  • Marketing leaders increasingly influence product strategy and organizational direction

Complex Buyer Dynamics

Buyers complete 70-80% of their journey before contacting sales

  • While most respondents report engaging with 1-5 contacts, research indicates B2B buying teams are often larger, suggesting many stakeholders remain invisible
  • Intent signals and early engagement have become critical for success

Measurement Sophistication

  • Revenue impact remains paramount, but measurement now encompasses the entire customer journey
  • Pipeline influence (35%) and opportunity creation (15%) are emerging as key metrics
  • Cross-channel measurement and predictive analytics are gaining importance

Technology and Human Balance

  • Intent data and visitor identification are the most valuable technologies (65% combined)
  • AI is enhancing capabilities in data analysis and personalization
  • Human expertise remains crucial for strategy and creativity

Organisational Alignment

  • 35% see greater sales-marketing integration as the most significant upcoming change
  • Lack of shared metrics (30%) remains the biggest alignment challenge
  • The trend toward "growth teams" is replacing traditional departmental divisions

Looking ahead to 2025, marketing leaders must focus on:

  • Building early-stage engagement capabilities
  • Developing comprehensive measurement frameworks
  • Balancing technology adoption with human expertise
  • Strengthening cross-functional alignment
  • Creating lasting customer relationships
  • Enhancing team capabilities in data and analytics

The findings suggest B2B marketing is entering a new era where success depends not just on generating leads, but on orchestrating complex buying journeys, influencing anonymous stakeholders, and demonstrating clear business impact. Organisations that can balance sophisticated technology with authentic human connections, while measuring impact comprehensively, will be best positioned for success.

Regularly evaluate and integrate new technologies into your marketing stack to stay ahead of the curve.

Illuminate your dark funnel!

A customised revenue intelligence report

As a valued partner, we offer you:

  • A comprehensive analysis of your total addressable market
  • AI-powered insights into buyer intent signals
  • Strategic framework for early buyer engagement

The reality of B2B buying: Understanding your revenue potential

▶ Buyers conduct 70% of their research anonymously

▶ Early engagement leads to 84% win rates

▶ AI-powered intent signals drive 12-15x higher conversion

▶ Complex buying groups require sophisticated targeting

In this focused 60-minute session, we'll share:

Complete dark funnel analysis

Active buyer intent signals in your market

Priority in-market account identification

Competitor engagement patterns

Contact Chris.Frampton@6sense.com

to schedule your session

About 6sense

6sense is on a mission to revolutionise the way B2B organisations create revenue by predicting customers most likely to buy and recommending the best course of action to engage anonymous buying teams. 6sense Revenue AI is the only sales and marketing platform to unlock the ability to create, manage and convert high-quality pipeline to revenue. Customers report 2X increases in average contract value, 4X increases in win rate and 20-40% reduction in time to close deals. Know everything, do anything, with 6sense.

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