by Jen Doyle, Senior Research Manager

Q.What barriers exist to overcoming your top challenges?



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The challenges of the B2B marketer are on the rise, and barriers to success are inhibitive. External forces are certainly at play, but internal barriers exist, as well. What can B2B marketers do internally to overcome these challenges and rise above the competition?

The above chart analyzes barriers that exist in preventing marketers from overcoming their greatest challenges. To succeed, marketers must precisely identify and address these barriers within their organizations, and develop solutions. The MarketingSherpa 2012 B2B Marketing Benchmark Report provides more in-depth data, including analysis of these barriers by organization size and sector.

The complete series of charts includes these terms of breakdowns:

o 62% of all marketers surveyed identify lack of resources in staffing, budgeting or time as the greatest barrier to their marketing success

o Organizations in the manufacturing or packaged goods sector were the most likely to indicate that Sales and Marketing alignment was a barrier to success. They were also the least likely to indicate a lack of sufficient insight on target audience as a barrier. Typically, a greater insight to target audiences supports alignment, but manufacturing or packaged goods demonstrates an exception to this best practice. It is likely that Sales and Marketing disagree on target audience insights, which would certainly fuel an alignment problem.

o Organizations in the media or publishing sector were the least likely to indicate content development as a barrier to success, given their access to a breadth of content.

o Large organizations were the least likely, compared to organizations with fewer than 1,000 employees, to indicate lack of resources as a barrier to success, and yet they were still the most likely to indicate the ability to stop executing and think strategically as a barrier. Large organizations may have greater resources, but smaller organizations tend to have greater agility, and can adapt to change faster. They have a more entrepreneurial culture, which cultivates strategic thinking at more levels throughout the organization, whether the employee is a VP or a specialist.

o Strategic-phase marketers -- or those with a formal process and thorough process in place for their funnels -- value best practices of content development and collecting insights on target audience. It is likely that they have more experience in these practices than do Trial- or Transition-phase marketers. With more experience comes greater maturity, which allows them to find these tactics less challenging over time.


For additional research data and insights about B2B marketing, download and read the free Executive Summary from MarketingSherpa’s 2012 B2B Marketing Benchmark Report: Research and Insights on Attracting and Converting the Modern B2B Buyer.


Useful links related to this chart

Fostering Sales-Marketing Alignment: A 5-Step Lead Management Process

B2B Marketing Infographic: How are B2B marketers optimizing their funnel?

New 2012 B2B Marketing Benchmark Report Research and Insights on Attracting and Converting the Modern B2B Buyer -- Special Launch Offer: Save $100 (ends Oct 31)