Account-Based Marketing for the Packaging Industry

Account-Based Marketing for the Packaging Industry

We’re showing you exactly how packaging companies we’re working with are using account-based marketing (ABM) to increase market share, shorten sales cycles, and win more strategic accounts. Consider this a packaging professional’s blueprint for target account success.

What is Account-Based Marketing for the Packaging Industry?

Account-based marketing is a strategic approach that focuses marketing and sales resources on specific high-value accounts rather than broad market segments. This means targeting key accounts with personalized campaigns that address their unique packaging challenges, sustainability goals, and innovation needs.

Here’s an example of what that could look like for a packaging marketer:

If consumers in Brazil begin demanding smaller milk carton sizes to reduce food waste, packaging companies might use traditional marketing to broadly promote “flexible filling solutions” to all dairy manufacturers. Instead, an aseptic packaging provider could use account-based marketing to stand out and create a highly targeted campaign for Nestlé. This campaign could specifically address Nestlé’s need to fill multiple carton sizes (500ml, 750ml, and 1000ml) for their Molico and Ninho UHT milk brands on a single production line.

Unlike traditional marketing, ABM delivers:

  • 2x higher engagement rates with technical decision-makers
  • 42% reduction in packaging qualification cycles
  • 27% increase in contract values
  • 35% improvement in customer retention

How to Build a Winning ABM Strategy

1. Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

Success in ABM starts with identifying the perfect packaging customer. Here are some ways you can start to categorize their characteristics:

Industry Focus:

  • Food and beverage manufacturers
  • Pharmaceutical companies
  • Consumer packaged goods (CPG)
  • Industrial products
  • Chemical companies
  • E-commerce retailers
  • Automotive suppliers

Operational Characteristics:

  • Production volumes and capacity
  • Geographic footprint
  • Technical requirements
  • Regulatory frameworks
  • Sustainability commitments

Business Indicators:

  • Annual packaging spend
  • Growth trajectory
  • Innovation appetite
  • Quality standards
  • Compliance needs

2. Select and Prioritize Target Accounts

Develop a tiered approach to account selection:

Tier 1: Strategic Accounts

  • Major CPG companies
  • Global pharmaceutical manufacturers
  • Leading food and beverage brands

Tier 2: Growth Accounts

  • Regional packaging buyers
  • Emerging brands
  • Contract manufacturers

Tier 3: Scale Accounts

  • Local manufacturers
  • Specialty product makers
  • Start-up brands

3. Map the Packaging Decision-Making Unit

Here’s where you’ll determine who you’ll be targeting. Identify and engage with those key stakeholders. They could be part of any of the following functions:

Technical Team

  • Packaging Engineers
  • R&D Directors
  • Quality Assurance Managers

Commercial Team

  • Procurement Directors
  • Supply Chain Managers
  • Sustainability Officers

Executive Level

  • Operations Directors
  • Innovation Leaders
  • C-Suite Decision Makers

Content for Account-Based Marketing for the Packaging Industry

Technical Content

Develop materials that showcase your packaging expertise:

  • Barrier performance studies comparing EVOH vs. metallized films for snack packaging
  • Technical specifications for child-resistant pharmaceutical blister packs
  • FDA compliance guides for direct-food-contact packaging materials
  • Innovation roadmaps for smart packaging with NFC technology
  • Sustainability impact reports on PCR content in HDPE bottles

Commercial Content

Create content that drives packaging business decisions:

  • Cost calculators comparing glass vs. PET bottles for beverage lines
  • Production efficiency studies for servo-driven cartoning machines
  • Risk analyses of aluminum foil supply chain disruptions
  • Market trends in mono-material flexible packaging adoption
  • Benchmarks of European vs. US sustainable packaging regulations

Implementing Your Packaging ABM Program

Essential Tools and Technologies

Invest in the right technology stack:

  • ABM platforms for account targeting
  • CRM systems for relationship management
  • Marketing automation for personalization
  • Analytics tools for performance tracking
  • Technical collaboration platforms

Multi-Channel Engagement Strategy

Coordinate your outreach across channels:

  • Technical consultations
  • Innovation workshops
  • Sustainability forums
  • Digital demonstrations
  • Industry events
  • Direct mail campaigns

Measuring the Success of Account-Based Marketing for the Packaging Industry

Key Performance Indicators

Track these critical metrics:

  • Account engagement scores
  • Technical trial conversion rates
  • Sales cycle duration
  • Contract win rates
  • Customer lifetime value
  • Innovation adoption rates

ROI Calculation Framework

Measure your ABM investment returns:

  • Cost per account engagement
  • Revenue per target account
  • Marketing qualified account (MQA) conversion
  • Technical qualification success rates
  • Long-term contract values

Common ABM Challenges (+ Solutions) Packaging Professionals Face

Challenge 1: Long Technical Qualification Cycles

Example solutions:

  • Provide rapid prototyping of thermoformed packages using 3D-printed molds
  • Offer accelerated shelf-life testing for new barrier materials
  • Supply preliminary migration testing data for food-contact materials
  • Create digital twins of packaging lines for virtual testing

Challenge 2: Multiple Stakeholder Alignment

Example solutions:

  • Develop sustainability scorecards that satisfy both procurement and ESG teams
  • Create ROI models that connect packaging automation with labor savings
  • Build material transition roadmaps that align with corporate sustainability goals
  • Provide comparative LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) data for different packaging options

Challenge 3: Complex Approval Processes

Example solutions:

  • Map decision workflows
  • Create milestone-based content
  • Offer phased implementation plans

Top Tips for ABM Success

  1. Start with a pilot program focusing on 5-10 key accounts
  2. Invest in technical expertise and support
  3. Align sales and technical teams early
  4. Focus on sustainability and innovation
  5. Measure and adjust continuously

How to Get Started

  1. Assess your current account relationships
  2. Identify your top 10 target accounts
  3. Map stakeholders and decision processes
  4. Develop your technical content strategy
  5. Implement tracking and measurement systems

Questions We’ve Gotten from Packaging Professionals About ABM

Q: Can you give me an example of how ABM is different from traditional packaging marketing?

A: While traditional marketing might broadly promote your shrink sleeve capabilities to all beverage companies, ABM would create a targeted campaign specifically for Coca-Cola’s Southeast Asia expansion, addressing their specific need, sustainability, and localization requirements. This focused approach delivers personalized engagement at every level of their decision-making process.

Q: What budget should packaging companies allocate to ABM?

A: The most successful ABM programs are funded at about 15-25% of the total marketing budget. For example, a flexible packaging manufacturer might allocate $200,000 annually to target 10 key CPG accounts, with roughly $20,000 per account for technical content development, prototype creation, and specialized testing programs.

Q: How long does it take to see results?

A: You’ll start to see the needle move within 3-6 months. For example, you might notice increased participation in packaging innovation workshops or material qualification trials. Significant revenue impact typically occurs within 9-12 months, as seen in new packaging format adoptions or multi-year supply agreements.

Q: Which metrics matter most?

A: Focus on account engagement scores, technical qualification rates, sales cycle duration, and contract values.

Q: How can smaller packaging companies implement ABM?

A: Start with a focused program targeting 3-5 key accounts and leverage digital automation tools for efficiency and AI tools to scale.

Want to change how your packaging company targets high-value prospects and land major accounts? We’re happy to help you get started. Get in touch.

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Securing Executive Buy-In: A Guide to Supply Chain Marketing ROI

Securing Executive Buy-In: A Guide to Supply Chain Marketing ROI

The C-suite demands more than vanity campaign metrics—they require clear evidence of marketing’s contribution to revenue growth, profitability, and market share expansion. The most successful supply chain marketers have mastered a crucial skill: translating marketing activities into the language of financial outcomes.

Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Finance

How can you be sure, really sure, that you are demonstrating concrete business value to the C-suite? While traditional marketing metrics like engagement rates and lead generation are always top of mind for marketing folks, securing executive support is really about speaking the language of financial outcomes and business growth.

Why Supply Chain Marketing Metrics Need a Financial Bent

The disconnect between marketing activities and financial outcomes often creates skepticism among executive leadership. Marketers must change their reporting from activity-based metrics to revenue-focused outcomes. This shift isn’t just about changing terminology—it’s about fundamentally reframing how marketing creates measurable business value.

How to (Effectively) Demonstrate Supply Chain Marketing ROI

1. Prioritize ROI Over Activity Metrics

Transform your reporting approach from campaign-centric to outcome-focused. Instead of: “Our packaging technology campaign reached 100,000 decision-makers.” Say: “Our targeted campaign generated $3.2M in qualified pipeline opportunities, with a 4:1 return on marketing investment.”

2. Connect Supply Chain Marketing Metrics to Revenue

Develop clear links between marketing activities and financial outcomes:

  • Calculate customer acquisition cost (CAC) reduction from targeted marketing campaigns
  • Measure increases in average contract value from enhanced positioning
  • Track acceleration in sales cycle length from marketing-qualified leads

3. Demonstrate Long-term Value Creation

Articulate how marketing investments drive sustainable competitive advantages:

  • Document improvements in customer lifetime value
  • Track market share gains in strategic segments
  • Measure pricing power improvements from brand building

Get Started: Steps for Calculating Supply Chain Marketing ROI

1. Establish Financial Baseline Metrics

Along with your existing supply chain marketing metrics, begin by tracking key financial data:

  • Current customer acquisition costs
  • Average contract values by segment
  • Sales cycle duration
  • Customer retention rates

2. Implement Revenue Attribution Models

Create systems to track marketing’s direct impact on:

  • Pipeline generation
  • Win rates
  • Revenue acceleration
  • Market share growth

3. Develop A Financial Reporting Framework

Structure regular reporting around business outcomes:

  • Quarter-over-quarter revenue impact
  • Year-over-year market share gains
  • Customer lifetime value improvements
  • Return on marketing investment (ROMI)

Making Your Case to Leadership

Frame the Narrative

Present marketing initiatives in terms of business impact: You could say: “Our new campaign focused on electronics procurement professionals has:

  • Reduced customer acquisition costs in that sector by 18%
  • Increased deal size by 25%
  • Accelerated sales cycles by 30 days
  • Improved customer retention by 15%”

Connect Supply Chain Marketing Metrics to Strategic Goals

Align marketing metrics with company objectives: “Our thought leadership content program has positioned us as the leader in sustainable supply chain solutions, directly supporting our goal of capturing 30% market share in the green supply chain segment by 2027.”

Show Value by Becoming a Strategic Business Partner

Supply chain marketing leaders should think like a CFO to secure executive buy-in. By adopting this mindset, marketers can transform their role from cost center to strategic growth driver. This approach not only secures executive buy-in but also elevates marketing’s position as a crucial driver of business success.

 

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Cancellations call for trade show contingency plans (It’s urgent)

Cancellations call for trade show contingency plans (It’s urgent)

With a main lead-generating source canceled or postponed, trade show contingency plans take on increased importance.

The Supply Chain USA 2020 summit in Chicago is a flagship event. Considered a must-attend gathering for strategic decision-making, it draws 1,000 supply chain and logistics leaders for three “unmissable days.”

For executives like Tom Schmitt, chairman and CEO of Forward Air Corp., it is the type of event that generates so many “relevant conversations” that he says it is like getting the value of nine business trips for the price of one.

This year, though, those who planned to head to Supply Chain USA, June 16-18, will need to start working on their trade show contingency plans. The fallout of the coronavirus pandemic has forced EFT, the organizer, to postpone and a new date has yet to be determined.

And — as you have likely experienced yourself — the summit attendees are hardly alone. Within weeks of the Covid-19 outbreak, 1 million people saw their corporate event plans scuttled. MODEX in Atlanta, Ga., in early March, turned out to be one of the last hurrahs for supply chain professionals — half of the pre-registered attendants were no-shows — before cancellations and postponements turned the supply chain conference circuit on its head.

Now, supply chain pros wonder, “What’s next?”

Covid-19 forces domino of cancellations, postponements

A look at this list gives you an idea of the impact: (Check event websites for the latest info)

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Trade show contingency plans need to fill big lead generation gap

For supply chain and logistics companies, the cancellations and uncertainty surrounding the postponed shows are no small matters. Trade shows are one of the largest lead generators for B2B demand generation.

Technology and service providers spend an average of 11% of the marketing programs budget on third-party tradeshows, according to the Gartner 2019 Tech Marketing Benchmarks Survey. And the investment seems to be paying off, as 18% of the same companies rank events as the best-performing calls-to-action of marketing-qualified leads, second only to content assets.

Another survey, by MarketingCharts, found software and technology companies cite events as the most effective demand-generation tactic for attracting top-of-the-funnel qualified leads.

In other words, the need to develop trade show contingency plans is quite urgent.

Trend watch: What some companies are doing

So, what actions have some of your peers taken to date to make up for the loss of face-to-face networking?

Some trends are emerging, including:

E-learning: To ensure business continuity while adhering to stay-at-home policies, DC Velocity notes e-learning has taken on increased significance. The establishment of interactive online courses allows companies to conduct specialist training sessions on complex topics that attendees can complete at their own pace. (E-learning is usually a time-consuming and fairly costly endeavor but can serve its purpose when the audience already has an invested interest in the company. For quick engagement, we recommend webinars.)

Dropped subscription fees: On-premise platforms that run on business servers are not conducive to remote work — and vendors of cloud-based supply chain software have seized the market opening. For the sake of lead generation, a range of companies have dropped subscription fees, offering free access to products like transportation management, route optimization, last-mile visibility, and remote robotic operations. One example: InMotion Global, Inc., has made its cloud-based platform, AscendTMS, available at no cost to any company needing help for 30 days.

Quick actions matter

The fact more people are spending more time than usual on their computers provide an opening for companies that can leverage trade show contingency plans. Gartner, for one, advises teams must be prepared to quickly pivot marketing strategy and build campaigns to address this shift.

Immediately after a cancellation or postponement, actions may include:

  • Replace all scheduled event meetings with online meetings within 24 hours.
  • Create a webinar series that homes in on the key messages you had planned to convey.
  • Develop a series of video posts for the company blog that leverage the materials you prepared for speaking sessions and in-booth presentations.
  • Promote all content on social media (Video content generates better engagement).
  • Combine paid advertising and account-based marketing to target potential buyers.
  • Inquire whether there are any opportunities to use the digital channels of the show host for promotions.

Stay relevant — at a distance

Although it may feel like unchartered territory, you really can have relevant conversations online. Base your opening statement on a trade show contingency plan.

 

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Social Media Mistakes Supply Chain Brands Still Make

Social Media Mistakes Supply Chain Brands Still Make

Digital marketing over social media is a trend that continues to grow, but it’s only effective if you’re doing it right. Here are social media mistakes supply chain brands are still making.


Highlights:

  • When it’s done right, there’s no greater tool for your company to increase brand awareness and generate leads than an engaged presence on social media platforms.
  • Knowing what content hits home with your followers and potential followers is crucial.
  • The most successful companies on social media are the ones that find innovative and creative ways to engage with users.

It’s no mystery why approximately 81 percent of small and medium businesses maintain a social media presence. With 3.5 billion users worldwide, social media is a dream come true for businesses looking to reach a ton of potential customers.

Digital marketing over social media is a trend that continues to grow, as more businesses jump on the social media bandwagon. When it’s done right, there’s no greater tool for your company to increase brand awareness and generate leads than an engaged presence on social media platforms. But it can be virtually useless if your company isn’t doing it right.

Traditional marketing strategies may be misleading for companies hoping to connect with customers over social media. And familiar ways of using social media for personal use can also lead marketers astray. The most effective use of social media for your business centers on knowing your audience and positioning your brand within the right conversations, rather than promoting your product or service.

Are you making social media mistakes? Check out our list of the most common blunders we see companies making to find out.

Mistake #1: Not knowing the audience

Everyone understands how a billboard works. It advertises something for sale where it can be seen by as many people as possible. But for companies looking to increase their effectiveness, that’s a big social media mistake. The most important thing a brand can do on social media is to engage dynamically with other users. And to do that, companies first have to figure out who their audience really is.

It’s surprising how often brands don’t have a clear idea of who they’re trying to connect with on social media. Knowing what content hits home with your followers and potential followers is crucial. And collecting followers and promoting your brand visibility with the right audience means figuring out what other interests your target demographics might have.

So, how do you develop a profile of who your audience is? The first step is to put together a detailed description of your target buyer persona. It’s important to consider details such as the location, education level, and role in the industry of the buyers you’re hoping to reach. Based on this profile, marketers can more precisely pinpoint the needs and concerns of their target audience. This is vital for being able to anticipate the groups to join where potential buyers are most likely to be found.

Bottom line: engage with your audience! Once you have figured out who that audience is, join groups, encourage and leave comments, and pay attention to what your followers care about.

Mistake #2: Using objectives instead of strategy

The best way to use social media for digital marketing involves developing a clear strategy for attracting followers, delivering content, and achieving an ROI. Unlike personal use of social media, effective digital marketing depends on maintaining a regular schedule of generating content. Knowing how often to post content or update profiles can make a huge difference for staying on the top of newsfeeds at key times of day.

Generating new content is crucial for keeping followers engaged and attracting the attention of potential new followers. A variety of different kinds of content prevents followers from tuning out or skimming past your company’s posts. Partnering with brand ambassadors and market influencers boosts the organic visibility of your brand: by working with prominent social media users, your company can benefit from dynamic interactions with brand ambassadors who your target audience follows and views as authentic.

Following a strategy can also help achieve and measure your ROI. It can be particularly difficult to prove the ROI of a company’s participation in social media, so it’s especially important to use analytics tools for tracking how your social media presence is doing. Social Media Examiner’s 2018 Social Media Marketing Industry Report found that only 44 percent of marketers agree that they know how to measure social media ROI, leaving two-thirds of marketers aren’t sure whether their efforts online are paying off. Measuring defined goals against analytics data can help your company identify and react to effective techniques, and improve your social media standing.

Mistake #3: Using the most popular social media platforms

Although the social media platforms with the most users may seem like the most effective platforms for digital marketing, platforms that allow you to engage with your audience can carry more weight than more popular platforms.

All social media channels have a differentiating quality that makes them appealing to specific audiences. So, start by identifying where your target audience is spending their time. For instance, if you are interested in reaching millennial buyers, then your social media efforts should definitely include platforms such as Twitter that millennials tend to use on at least a daily basis.

Once you’ve determined the most effective platforms for your company to concentrate on, be sure to tailor your content to those platforms. Although it’s easy to post the same content across all your accounts simultaneously, the foundation of social engagement is authenticity. Especially with automation tools, many companies post copied-and-pasted content on multiple platforms all at once. But this strategy risks undermining the authenticity of your brand. Work to create content—including video and images—that caters to specific platforms to build brand awareness and loyalty.

Mistake #4: Promoting instead of connecting

This is the big one! Social media platforms are all about fostering engagement among users. Users don’t want to engage with brands that push their products and services through standard marketing techniques. Instead, users will be drawn to companies that appear engaged with the same interests and objectives that they are. Users want informative, interesting, and, yes, even fun content.

The most successful companies on social media are the ones that find innovative and creative ways to engage with users. Brand loyalty arises from emotional bonds and trust that can form through social media interactions.

Greg Hadden, executive director of Motive Made Studios, sums up the power of connecting with users: “What often gets lost is the fact that good storytelling is potent stuff. It has the power to make people want to believe and to belong, which is the goal of all storytellers. We’re all selling something, be it an idea, an exploration of the human condition, or say, a vacuum cleaner. It’s no mistake perhaps that good stories often create products.”

What social media mistakes do you try to avoid?

This post originally appeared on EPS News.

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10 B2B Marketing Stats from Chief Marketer’s 2019 Outlook

10 B2B Marketing Stats from Chief Marketer’s 2019 Outlook

The biggest challenges for B2B marketing, according to a recent report? Finding leads that convert and engaging the right target audience.


Highlights:

  • Measuring social media ROI is a challenge for 58% of respondents, and 39% report that proving ROI is the biggest hurdle to securing C-suite buy-in.
  • Only 23% of brands have a dedicated social media team.
  • 60% of marketers report content marketing is their most valuable technique for lead nurturing.

Chief Marketer’s 2019 B2B Marketing Outlook report is out, and it’s full of revealing statistics for B2B marketers industry-wide. The survey studied 209 B2B marketers in more than 20 verticals, getting a bird’s eye view of biggest challenges and trends in B2B marketing.

Here are the top 10 stats you need to be aware of.

10 B2B marketing stats from Chief Marketer’s 2019 report

1) For 58% of respondents, measuring ROI is the top challenge surrounding social media marketing.

Measuring social media ROI is notoriously difficult, though certainly not impossible. For well over half of the survey respondents, it proved the greatest challenge when it comes to social media.

65% of respondents reported engagement as one of their biggest social media challenge, while 45% cited the challenge of having enough content. Adequate bandwidth to respond to social followers and post frequently and inadequate social budget (24% each) were lower on the list of social concerns.

2) Only 23% of brands have a dedicated social media team.

We’ve written before about how social media management is a herculean task that falls all-to-often to an overworked marketing team. Chief Marketing’s survey found that, for a vast majority of B2B brands (75%), their marketing team is in charge of maintaining social media presence.

Even as social media is becoming increasingly effective at ushering leads through the sales funnel, only 23% of brands surveyed have invested in a dedicated social media team, while 15% are outsourcing their social media management.

3) Articles/blog posts and reviews/customer testimonials are tied as the two most effective types of content for moving prospects through the sales funnel.

45% of respondents reported that articles and blog posts, as well as reviews and customer testimonials, are the most effective content types for moving prospects through the sales funnel.

Following closely behind, 32% reported whitepapers and 31% reported video as most effective. Partner content, at 26%, came next, while social media is gaining efficacy, coming in at 22%.

Respondents reported that for all content types, the visual aspects were key. For Informa Engage, for example, more visual content is performing well, says Tricia Syed, Vice President for Marketing Strategy and Execution. “In some markets, traditional whitepapers and webinars are still hugely popular, but we’re getting more visual with e-books [to illustrate] data.”

4) 39% of survey respondents reported being unable to prove ROI to C-suite as the biggest obstacle for getting approval for marketing expenditures.

Just as proving social media ROI is a poses a challenge for B2B marketing, proving overall content marketing ROI to win C-suite buy-in can be equally daunting. 39% reported it as the biggest hurdle to getting marketing expenditures approved.

46% of respondents cited the challenge of budgets that are focused elsewhere, while 33% reported that executives still don’t understand the need for marketing expenditures.

5) For 60% of respondents, content marketing is the most valuable technique for lead nurturing.

Content marketing is reported by 60% of marketers as their most valuable technique for lead nurturing. Email marketing led the pack at 62%, while in-person marketing took a close third place at 57%. When it comes to lead nurturing for B2B marketing, social media was relatively low on the list, reported by only 20% of respondents as their most valuable technique.

6) Only 22% of respondents have an in-house editorial team dedicated to content creation.

While content marketing is overwhelmingly reported by marketers as being a highly effective technique for generating, nurturing, and converting leads, relatively few brands have chosen to invest in a dedicated in-house editorial team for content creation. Instead, a whopping 80% of marketers are charged with creating their own content.

“That’s a surprising disconnect,” says James Furbush, B2B marketing manager of Lord Hobo Brewing. “I’m not surprised marketing teams are creating content, but if you’re going to be that focused on content marketing, having an editorial team is an important investment.”

Perhaps even more surprisingly, only 23% of respondents are taking advantage of the opportunity to outsource content creation, an excellent alternative for companies who are unable to afford a dedicated in-house team.

7) 42% say that their organizations will increase martech budgets in 2019.

Martech, or the fusion of marketing and technology, is taking over B2B marketing. 42% of survey respondents reported that their martech budgets will be increasing in 2019, while 40% said that existing martech budgets will remain the same. Only 4% reported that they anticipate a decrease in martech budget.

When asked what types of martech they plan on investing in, 45% of respondents pointed to marketing automation, 43% to video, 40% to email, 38% to customer experience, and 37% to social media management.

Interestingly, despite all the discussion surrounding AI, only 9% of businesses surveyed report that they are considering investing in these technologies.

8) When it comes to generating new leads, 55% reported that finding leads that convert is their biggest challenge.

More than half of survey respondents pointed to the challenge of finding leads that ultimately convert as the greatest obstacle to generating new leads. 57% reported that their biggest challenge is getting targeted prospects to engage with their brands.

What’s interesting about these numbers is that, while marketers are reporting these issues as lead-generation obstacles, they are simultaneously pointing to content marketing as their most effective tool for lead nurturing and conversion.

9) For 44% of respondents, email is a top source of B2B leads.

When it comes to which channels are the largest sources of B2B leads, email leads the pack, with 44% of respondents putting it first. Online searches came in at a close second at 43%, and live events came in at 41%.

A respectable 36% of respondents cited content marketing as a top source of B2B leads, while 22% pointed to social media.

Knowing where leads are coming from is only part of the picture. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the channel that produced the leads with the highest ROI was email for just under half (49%) of survey respondents.

10) 56% say cost of conversion is the metric that matters most in marketing attribution.

When asked which metrics matter most in marketing attribution, cost of conversion topped the list at 56%, followed closely by amount of time to convert at 53%. Other important metrics included channel (34%), first click (29%), and last click (22%).

“At the end of the day, the most important takeaway when setting up campaign attribution is to think about your goal,” said one respondent. “Start with the end in mind, reverse engineer your marketing campaign, and set up ‘mile markers’ along the way to track trends in your prospects’ digital footprints.”

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