B2B Marketing Underperforming in 2024 — Let’s Fix It for 2025 

Multiple surveys show B2B marketing hasn’t hit the mark in 2024. A Pipeline360 report found that over 50% of marketers aren’t reaching their targets. Another survey, the State of B2B Marketing, reveals that those working in small to mid-sized businesses (250 employees or fewer) feel even greater pressure to deliver leads. 

Three primary obstacles are likely behind this year’s slump. First, financial constraints have limited B2B marketing budgets. Second, there’s a disconnect between marketing and sales teams, creating misalignment in goals and strategies. And third, many B2B marketers have stuck to the same old tactics for years, viewing buyers as assets rather than true partners.  

Marketing budget and alignment with the sales team are related to one basic factor—targeting buyers. If a marketer knows what buyer segment they have to focus on, they will figure out the budget according to the strategies and align the sales with accurate information.  

It’s time to rethink our understanding of potential buyers and what they value. B2B strategies should be tailored to each unique buyer, avoiding assumptions about their needs and wants. 

Let’s explore the B2B market and buyer motivations for the coming year more thoroughly and get performance back on a positive track. 

It’s time to address the real issue 

In today’s hyper-competitive landscape, brands are flooding the market with B2B content, bite-sized videos, dynamic generative AI drafts, and automation technologies to generate leads. Yet, many fail to account for a crucial factor: the buyer’s perspective. 

That’s a problem. Take Microsoft, for instance—a top-tier B2B brand that consistently maintains its position among the heavyweights. But here’s the catch: you can’t copy-paste Microsoft’s strategies into your business without understanding your buyers. 

The mistake? Treating every potential buyer as the same and recycling a one-size-fits-all strategy to capture attention. Newsflash: it won’t work. Buyer demographics today are a diverse mix of Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. According to the Buyer’s Beat Report, Millennials are the largest group of buyers, followed by Gen X, Boomers, and Gen Z. 

But here’s where it gets interesting.  Another survey, The Age of Opportunity, revealed the power dynamics within these groups. Boomers and Millennials hold the lion’s share of executive roles, with more than 5% in top positions. Millennials dominate stakeholder roles, with 22% actively participating in decision-making. Gen X thrives in managerial roles, occupying over 20% of leadership positions. 

Understanding who makes decisions within your target audience isn’t just helpful—it’s critical. Tailoring your strategy to resonate with each segment’s unique values, needs, and decision-making power will help ensure your B2B marketing actually performs. 

Plotting B2B marketing strategies to align with buyer preferences 

We’ve got to work with four distinct buyer groups defined by age, each with unique consumption behaviors and preferences. Understanding what excites them, drives their decisions, and keeps them loyal is critical to crafting effective strategies. 

Millennials dominate the buyer demographic, blending a deep understanding of the digital landscape with a familiarity with traditional marketing. But don’t expect one social media post or a couple of snappy videos to win them over. Millennials value consistent engagement, whether through email, chat, or personal visits. 

Research shows that 45% of Millennials need to encounter a brand 3–5 times before taking it seriously, and 41% require 6–10 interactions. The takeaway? Patience and persistence are key. Build familiarity through regular touchpoints that demonstrate value and authenticity. 

While Gen Z’s percentage in B2B buying isn’t huge yet, it is poised to become a powerful force. This group thrives on engagement and immediacy—they don’t just want to see your brand; they want to interact with it. Ghost them for too long, and they’ll move on. Stay in their line of sight with relevant content, quick responses, and platforms they frequent. 

Boomers prefer physical presence and personal interaction. Digital campaigns may not capture their full attention, but creative events, conferences, and one-on-one meetings certainly will. The good news is that once convinced, they’re quick to make decisions. For this group, the personal touch is your winning strategy. 

Effective B2B marketing in today’s landscape means customizing strategies to align with each buyer group’s preferences. Recognizing their needs and respecting how they want to engage will help you bridge the gap between exposure and loyalty—and, ultimately, drive results. 

B2B marketing strategies should ride and rise with buyers in 2025  

It’s easy to forget that B2B marketing isn’t just about collecting leads. It can be both modern and formal, much like B2C advertising, which thrives on being people-oriented rather than strictly product-focused. The secret sauce? Keeping a human touch at the heart of your strategy. 

This same approach is a must for the B2B landscape. Marketers can’t keep recycling the same email templates or crafting another CTA for the hundredth time. Instead, they must ask: Who am I writing or creating content for? 

If it’s a Millennial buyer, will a single email impress them enough to consider my offering? Will they feel inclined to join my Zoom session tailored for local brands if it’s a Boomer? 

Understanding the buyer should be the key resolution for 2025. B2B marketing strategies must shift from treating buyers as metrics to building partnerships. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about creating meaningful, human touchpoints that drive engagement and trust. 

Cut to the chase  

After a year of underperforming B2B marketing in 2024, brands need to kick off 2025 with fresh growth strategies. But let’s be honest—the hurdles are already clear, and one of the biggest challenges is right in front of us: the buyers.