B2B Marketer Pain Points, Performance, and Priorities for the Year Ahead: B2B Marketing Monitor

Digital-first has created customer experience challenges for B2B enterprises, while demand gen and brand positioning have become the top priorities. Building/strengthening customer relationships in a digital world and delivering an excellent customer experience throughout the customer lifecycle are the most widespread challenges faced by B2B brands. Delivering an excellent customer experience is the highest priority challenge being addressed, while demand generation and building the brand position have become the top marketing strategies of focus.

Mediocre marketing performances across B2B enterprises and CX challenges highlight three opportunities: embracing empathy in the digital-first ecosystem, thinking beyond leads and loyalty to lifetime value, and shifting from a product-first to customer-centric mindset. The best-in-class B2B brands are those that deliver hyper-relevant, personalized experiences tailored to real people behind the digital touchpoints.

The B2B Marketing Monitor survey was conducted in Q1 of 2021 by B2B International, with a sample size of 301 marketing, insight, CX, and business strategy decision-makers across brands serving B2B audiences. Building a thought leader position is the highest-performing practice area, while demand generation and building the brand position are the highest-priority strategies.