An Energize Marketing report shows B2B teams shifting from activity-based marketing to pipeline and revenue accountability as buying groups grow complex.
Energize Marketing highlights how B2B marketing teams are changing their strategies as companies demand clearer links between marketing activities and business results.
The report is based on a survey of 300 senior marketing, demand generation, and revenue operations leaders from organizations around the world.
It shows that many companies are moving away from measuring marketing success based on activity levels, such as the number of campaigns or leads generated, and instead focusing on how marketing contributes to qualified sales pipeline and revenue growth.
According to the study, this shift marks what researchers describe as “the Year of the Pipeline Mandate.” In simple terms, marketing teams are now expected to prove that their work directly contributes to the sales pipeline rather than just generating large volumes of leads.
Despite major investments in marketing technologies, many companies are still struggling to translate data and tools into consistent results. According to David Steifman, most organizations already use technologies such as intent data platforms, marketing automation systems, and artificial intelligence tools.
However, many teams have not yet developed the processes needed to turn those insights into reliable pipeline growth.
The report found that 52 percent of marketers consider generating qualified pipeline their top priority, while more than 90 percent say pipeline, account-based marketing (ABM), or lead quality are among their most important goals.
However, the maturity of demand generation programs varies widely across organizations. Nearly 70 percent of companies describe their demand generation efforts as “somewhat mature,” but only about one-third believe their programs are truly advanced or highly mature.
The research also highlights several ongoing challenges facing B2B marketing teams.
One issue is what the report calls a data-to-activation gap. While almost every company surveyed uses third-party intent data to identify potential buyers, only a small percentage believe they are using that data effectively to drive marketing campaigns and sales outreach.
Another challenge involves marketing and sales alignment. Although many marketers say they are satisfied with the process of handing overqualified leads to sales teams, inconsistent follow-up from sales representatives remains one of the biggest obstacles to converting leads into real sales opportunities.
The study also found that content credibility plays a major role in pipeline generation. In particular, research reports, industry insights, and executive-level thought leadership content tend to perform better than lighter marketing content when it comes to generating qualified leads.
To help organizations evaluate their progress, Energize Marketing introduced a new framework called the Demand Generation Maturity Matrix. This model identifies characteristics shared by the most effective demand generation teams.
According to the report, organizations in the highest maturity category typically have stronger confidence in their data, clearer lead qualification processes, closer collaboration between marketing and sales teams, and more positive expectations for future growth.
Overall, the report suggests that B2B marketing is entering a new phase where success is increasingly defined by measurable business outcomes rather than marketing activity alone.
“The pressure to prove impact is real, but it’s also productive,”
said Michael Greenhut, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Energize Marketing.
“This research shows that organizations willing to move from adoption to disciplined activation are not only meeting pipeline goals but redefining what modern B2B marketing leadership looks like.”
