B2B marketers want results, not more technology

B2B marketers want solutions that deliver results, not more tools to add to their martech stack, according to a new survey.

The Pipeline360 2025 State of B2B Pipeline Growth Report found 69% of marketers value delivered insights or “done-for-you” services over adding new tools to their tech stack. 

The number was 81% among those identified as “high performers” – teams that indicated significant progress or full achievement of their 2024 goals, reported high job satisfaction and perceived their companies as having above-average performance versus competitors.

The biggest difference between high and low performers was in foundational areas like data, technology, engagement, nurturing, content and sales alignment.

Out of these, the biggest gap was in effective data-handling practices, where 79% of high performers rated their data capabilities as “very good” or “excellent,” compared to 14% of low performers. Similarly, large gaps exist in having streamlined tech stacks (60 points), consistent buyer engagement (60 points), superior lead nurturing (59 points), above-average content quality (58 points), and strong alignment with sales (51 points).

Dig deeper: MarTech’s 2025 State of Your Stack Survey | Download The Report

Here are other key findings: 

Data compliance and accuracy as a performance driver

Beyond the regulatory necessity of data privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA, prioritizing data compliance and accuracy is a significant performance driver. 

High performers are considerably more likely to make data compliance and accuracy a high or top priority (90%) compared to low performers (57%), resulting in a 33-point gap. This indicates that data governance contributes to competitive advantage through data accuracy in targeting and personalization.

Friction at the bottom of the funnel

The report highlights a “bottom-of-funnel crisis,” where teams encounter the most customer friction or drop-offs, and all occur in areas traditionally shared with sales: closing deals (38%), retaining customers (38%), and qualifying leads (38%), followed closely by nurturing leads (34%). 

That suggests a disconnect between the complex, non-linear way B2B buyers purchase today — often in large committees — and the traditional, linear, structure of marketing and sales teams and processes. This challenge in navigating the late-stage, collaborative buying process might be more acute than many veteran marketers realize.

Dig deeper: What, exactly, is a ‘full-stack marketer?’

Sales-marketing alignment still lags

Is there a more evergreen topic in B2B than aligning sales and marketing? There’s a reason for that: only 11% say they have full alignment, while 40% are “mostly aligned.” A more surprising finding is that 63% of teams have no formal process to gather input from sales for buyer identification. The increasing size and complexity of B2B buying groups and committees means this is a must-have collaboration. 

Methodology 

The report is based on a survey of 534 B2B marketing professionals in February 2025. The respondents were split between the US, UK, Europe, and Asia, with a strong focus on revenue marketing roles. The full report can be found here. (Registration required)