COO Marisa Carroll, helped establish Denholm in 2002, and throughout the years has developed an enviable network and unrivalled knowledge of the Scottish and UK marketplace.
What an incredible milestone for B2B marketing! Congratulations to Antonia Wade, PwC’s Global CMO, on being named Marketer of the Year by Marketing Week—the first B2B marketer to achieve this honour.
Having worked in marketing recruitment for over two decades, I’ve seen B2B marketing often overshadowed by the faster-paced and more glamorous world of consumer marketing. That’s why this recognition is not only a personal triumph for Antonia but also a huge win for the entire B2B marketing profession, signalling how far this field has come and the recognition it truly deserves.
Why B2B Marketing Matters
Today’s B2B marketing landscape is sophisticated, data-driven, and customer-centric, with digital channels playing an increasingly central role. Research shows that 70% of the B2B buyer journey is now completed online before engaging with a sales professional. This highlights how vital marketing is in guiding buyers, building trust, and addressing complex challenges long before a purchase decision is made.
Our very own B2B Growth Marketeer, Keira Hodge, adds her views from being a practitioner in the field.
“B2B marketers today are tasked with juggling a wide array of responsibilities, requiring a diverse skill set that combines creativity, strategy, technical expertise, and commercial acumen. While not an exhaustive list, here are some key aspects of the modern B2B Marketing role (in my experience):
- Data Analytics and Segmentation: Developing clear buyer journeys with sensible customer segmentation is essential for targeting the right audiences effectively.
- Collaborative Account-Based Marketing (ABM): Addressing multiple decision-makers across the sales and marketing funnel requires digital expertise and close collaboration between sales and marketing teams. Working harmoniously as one “buying journey” team ensures success.
- Personalised Content: Crafting content that speaks directly to buyers’ challenges and pain points is vital. It’s about delivering solutions that exceed customer expectations and foster trust.
- Clear Messaging and Positioning: Ensuring a strong product-market fit with strategic and creative thinking helps create brands with value propositions that resonate deeply with buyers.
- Integrated Sales and Marketing Funnels: A seamless customer journey requires a comprehensive understanding of all channels, with each team member held accountable for their role in the process.
- Revenue Accountability: Perhaps the most important learning—everyone in marketing, sales, and customer success is collectively responsible for customer revenue. Aligning these teams around shared objectives ensures a smoother journey and better outcomes.
It’s fair to say that today’s B2B marketers need to be strategic, data-driven, and creative, while also working closely with sales and customer success teams. Together, these efforts drive business success and create meaningful connections with customers.”
The Role of Marketing in Growth
In challenging economic times, the role of marketing becomes even more essential. For businesses with ambitions to grow, having marketing deeply integrated into all aspects of the business—and represented at board level—can be the key to thriving. Senior B2B marketers bring a blend of traditional brand-building and data-driven insights, enabling businesses to build meaningful, long-term relationships with their customers.
Antonia Wade’s achievement isn’t just a personal accolade—it’s a testament to the strategic value of B2B marketing in today’s business world. Her success is a reminder of how far this profession has come and why it deserves to be celebrated.
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