More than three quarters (76%) of B2B business leaders believe marketers overstate their impact on revenue, according to new research from Propolis, the global intelligence membership for B2B marketers.
The research, which surveyed 150 UK CEOs and business leaders at B2B organisations, explores how senior leaders perceive marketing’s contribution to commercial success.
The findings point to a disconnect between the value marketing creates for the business and how that contribution is recognised by senior leadership, which can have a knock-on effect on marketing’s influence within the business and the investment it receives.
Almost a quarter (24%) of business leaders cite a lack of confidence in marketing’s commercial impact as a factor limiting its influence within the business. Meanwhile, more than four in five (83%) say they are more likely to back brand investment when marketers demonstrate commercial credibility.
The research also points to one way this gap could be closed. Almost nine in ten (88%) business leaders believe marketers would be more credible if they spoke the “language of business”, while 83% say they would trust marketers more if they demonstrated stronger commercial understanding.
Richard O’Connor, CEO of Propolis, said: “There’s a clear disconnect here. Marketing can be creating genuine commercial value, but if senior leaders don’t understand or recognise that contribution, it will struggle to secure the investment it deserves.
“Commercial credibility shouldn’t mean turning marketers into salespeople or asking every marketing activity to demonstrate an immediate return. Rather, it’s about understanding the wider business and being able to connect marketing decisions to commercial objectives.
“But this isn’t a problem for marketers to solve alone. If CEOs want marketing leaders to become stronger commercial partners, businesses have a responsibility to give them the access and development they need to do that. Marketers can’t be expected to demonstrate their full business impact while operating in a silo.”
The full CEO Blind Spot report is available to read here, exploring the disconnect between how marketing creates commercial value and how that contribution is perceived in the boardroom.
