Efficiency Will Be Key to CMO Success in 2025

If there’s been a mantra for CMOs in recent years, it’s: “Do more with less.” According to the 2024 Gartner CMO Spend Survey, average marketing budgets fell 15% to a post-pandemic low of just 7.7% of overall company revenue this year. CMOs focused exclusively on B2B fared slightly better, with average budgets of 8.4% of revenue.

The environment for business is looking slightly more favorable in 2025, with modest growth and easing inflation balanced by lingering uncertainty and trade tensions. In general, CMOs don’t anticipate budget cuts, but additional resources aren’t in the cards for most of them, either. Research by Forrester suggests only 35% of B2B marketing decision-makers are expecting budgetary increases of more than 5% in 2025. The majority (47%) are looking at growth of just 1 to 4% — essentially flat when you consider inflation.

The most common types of questions we’re hearing from CMOs are familiar refrains: 

• “What can we streamline?” 
• “How can we market more efficiently?” 
• “Are there any ways we can get more out of this budget?”

Thriving in 2025 will be about finding ways to be more efficient and effective. Here are our recommended strategies for marketing success in the year ahead.

Stay Focused on What Matters

Every CMO should have a well-defined set of objectives. According to the Content Marketing Institute’s B2B Outlook for 2025, nearly half of all B2B marketers say their strategy struggles because they lack clear goals. 

Data is key to understanding what’s working (and what isn’t), so it’s critical to measure at every stage. This can be harder than it sounds because there’s a lot more data — and types of data — to sift through. It’s easy to find data, but even more important to find the right data.

Pressure to demonstrate results makes it easy to fall into the trap of favoring short-term channels and strategies that offer easy metrics. Unfortunately, this short-sighted strategy comes at the expense of essential investments that support sustainable growth. 
Of the latter, the priority that’s still at the top of this list is brand building.

Balance Lead Generation With Brand Building

And let’s talk about tracking leads. It’s easy to do and is getting even easier again. Although third-party cookie data has largely gone away, tools for pinpointing lead attribution are still improving. And the more visibility you have into the entire sales process, the more accurately you can tie a given sale to a specific media or ad spend.

But we know B2B buying cycles are typically two years or more. If you’re only focusing on customers who are ready to buy, you’re trading easy wins today for an uphill battle tomorrow.

The other side of the coin is brand building because it’s a force multiplier for your limited budget. If prospects know and trust your brand, you don’t have to work nearly as hard to generate leads, conversions and sales. Approximately 90% of a buyer’s decision is made long before you have any direct contact with a prospect. Before that, your customers are identifying the need for your offering, conducting research online, asking colleagues for referrals, and more. The process can literally take years, yet the majority of B2B marketing campaigns remain focused on short-term operational initiatives.

There are signs that a growing number of B2B marketers are recognizing the importance of brand awareness. According to the LinkedIn 2024 B2B Marketing Benchmark Report, more than 2 in 3 (67%) of marketing organizations surveyed say they have increased their investments in brand building. In addition, the 2024 Gartner Tech Marketing Benchmarks Survey offers a cautionary tale to CMOs who ignore this critical work. More than one-third (38%) of B2B technology companies that reduced their investments in brand awareness reported a negative impact on their marketing program performance over a 12-month period in 2023–2024. Another 28% claimed they had no way to track the impact.

Make New Friends But Keep the Old

This year’s LinkedIn benchmark report highlighted another commonly overlooked metric that should matter more to resource-strapped CMOs: 60% of marketing budgetary allocations are focused on generating new business, while only 40% are devoted to retaining existing customers. 

Do the math, however, and it’s easy to see that existing relationships generate revenue more efficiently. As vital as new customer acquisition is, it may be worth paying a bit more attention to the accounts you’ve already won.

Find a Smart Approach to Artificial Intelligence

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools are significantly increasing the quantity (if not the quality) of available content. There’s a lot more noise and distraction out there, making a strong brand essential to standing apart.

AI is still a hot topic for many CMOs and continues to lead lists of martech investments. Implementing AI technology was #2 on LinkedIn’s lists of top challenges and biggest business priorities for 2024, second only to (you guessed it) “growing a high-quality lead pipeline” on both charts. According to LinkedIn data, AI was the fourth fastest-growing skill for marketing professionals and number one on the list of the fastest-growing digital skills.

Creativity Will Still Be King

Last year, we encouraged B2B CMOs to pursue bold creative approaches with the potential to cut through the noise. It’s still some of the best advice we have to offer. Several of the research studies quoted in this article rank innovative thinking and creative strategy among the most important skills B2B marketers will need in 2025 and beyond. Simply rattling off features and benefits won’t make you memorable in 2025.

According to LinkedIn data, about 6 in 10 marketers have reported more brand engagement as a result of outstanding creative work. And 55% said it increased their share of voice, while 48% saw an increase in earned media coverage. These are numbers you can confidently show to any corporate bean-counter.

Don’t Lose Sight of the Big Picture

It’s easy to default to year-over-year comparisons. But looking ahead into 2025, it’s more important than ever to set cohesive goals and strategies for your brand. You’ll need to use your budget wisely to continue to benefit. A lack of focused effort will put you behind any competitors who have well-defined marketing goals and objectives. Stay focused. 

Continuing to invest in your brand cannot be ignored. While these efforts can be challenging to measure, it’s important not to let efficiencies overpower your brand-building strategies. These activities are truly what makes your entire strategy effective. Invest in your brand.

Creativity is more important than ever too. It’s the fuel that powers your marketing strategy. Although B2B thrives on automation, innovation and process efficiencies, the humanity and authenticity behind your messaging are what inspire customers to connect to your brand. If you need guidance with your marketing budget, let us know. The humans here can help provide creative and strategic input. Push the creative envelope.