Vanessa Howard FCIM

The budget SQUEEZE is real in 2025. 🧵 NEW marketing data for you: The CMO Insights 2025 Report is here 👇 CMOs are being asked to do more with less. 73% of CMOs were forced to downsize their teams and reduce their tech spend... Who got hit the hardest? Startups. 83% say economic uncertainty has directly impacted their growth goals. Budgets shrank. But expectations did NOT. 81% of CMOs list revenue as their # 1 priority metric - up from previous years. Meanwhile, Gartner found marketing budgets fell by 15% on average last year. The classic "do more with less" squeeze. SO... What's happening behind closed doors? 1) Teams are getting leaner but more specialized - Marketing generalists dropped from 69% to 52% of teams - Video marketing roles jumped by 17 percentage points - SEO specialists increased by 7 percentage points 2) Tech investment is changing dramatically by company stage - Startups are doubling down on martech (33% of budget vs 16% last year) - Enterprise companies are cutting back (12% of budget vs 20% last year) - 54% of CMOs feel they have key tools missing from their stack 3) AI adopting is slower than you think - 63% of CMOs have integrated AI tools - BUT only 25% of startup CMOs have adopted AI - 44% are using generative AI specifically - 77% report AI tools being effective or very effective ✍️ We should have put this CMO quote on the cover "Reduced marketing budget by 20%. Therefore every penny has to work harder and ROI is measured to determine the most fruitful investment." 👀 The biggest change? A shift toward hyper measurable channels: - Email marketing importance is up (35% vs 30% last year) - Account-based marketing grew substantially (41% vs 27%) - Product marketing is gaining traction (37% vs 31%) Teams are feeling the pressure to deliver TODAY. With 67% of budget allocated to short-term goals. (Which is 17% higher than CMOs would prefer) Credit to Elena Verna for the hilarious meme 😂 Make sure you give Elena a follow! — 👋 P.S. Are you feeling the squeeze?

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Attention is the new currency. Get the playbook behind how top agencies are cashing in on conversions: https://lnkd.in/e98CiTyw High-performing teams are breaking down silos, integrating stacks, and aligning brand with performance to drive consistency across the funnel. Download our latest research report to see how top marketers are shaping their conversion strategies: https://lnkd.in/e98CiTyw

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Marketing in 2025: what’s in and what’s out? Find out in this year’s Language of Effectiveness report, in partnership with Marketing Week and Google. In this video, Simon Atherley, our Head of Marketing Effectiveness, shares the lowdown on the report, plus his personal highlight! Download your copy here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eGDN5CEw

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Marketing is about to change forever. Harvard Business Review notes: of all managerial functions, marketing is likely to face the most disruption from Generative AI. Join our UK-based marketing and AI experts for a 30-minute masterclass designed for marketing leaders: • Review of the latest GenAI developments • Framework to prioritise high-value initiatives • Real-world project examples to inspire action • Practical guidance on implementation and organisational change Date: 18th September Time: 10 am and 4 pm UK Time / GMT+1 👉 Registration links in comments

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Still relying on surveys to understand your customers? You’re missing the full picture. 98% of customers don’t respond. The 2% who do? They’re telling you what they think you want to hear. Insights iQ™ captures 100% of customer interactions — voice, chat, SMS, social — in real time. No sampling. No spin. Just the truth about what’s driving satisfaction, churn, and revenue. If your VOC program isn’t telling you exactly what to fix today, it’s already behind. Discover what next-gen customer intelligence looks like: https://lnkd.in/gK2jPRHH #iQorCXBPO #InsightsiQ #CX #CustomerExperience #VoC #PredictiveAnalytics #CustomerInsights

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A key insight from our latest Born to B2B podcast episode with Robin Smith is that research underpins every stage of B2B marketing. It informs audience understanding, shapes campaigns, guides content and demonstrates results, helping marketers make smarter evidence-based decisions. Without it, strategy can lose focus and impact. Discover more actionable takeaways in the full episode: https://lnkd.in/eWBVgCUC #TTTAgency #B2BMarketing #Research #ThoughtLeadership #MarketingPodcast

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Sales and marketing aren’t aligned. In fact, our research reveals only a 16% overlap in audiences targeted by both teams, on average. That’s a lot of wasted time, budget and effort (a recipe for frustration). And with today’s B2B buyer consuming 13 pieces of content before even talking to sales, there’s a real need for alignment. Not just on audiences, but on strategy. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gUs63FZi

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This blog takes you inside how interactive content can reshape ABM campaigns turning static outreach into engaging, data-rich experiences. Expect real-world examples of companies driving higher demo bookings and faster sales cycles, plus practical tips on weaving interactivity into every stage of the funnel. If you want your ABM to move beyond impressions and spark real conversations with buyers, this blog is a must-read. #ABM #AccountBasedMarketing #InteractiveContent #B2BMarketing #ContentStrategy #LeadGeneration #B2BLeads #MarketingInnovation #DemandGeneration #BuyerEngagement #B2BStrategy #DigitalMarketing #ContentMarketing #MarketingTrends https://lnkd.in/gavfdHd7

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🔥 5 Quick Techniques to Instantly Increase Your Sales 1️⃣ Mix Social Proof Formats Testimonials aren’t the only way to show credibility Use endorsements, customer statistics, case studies, and social media shout-outs 💬 The more diverse your social proof, the stronger the impact 2️⃣ Implement Calls-to-Value Shift from “Do this” to “Get that” ✅ Instead of “Click here” → say “Get instant access” Instead of “Start today” → say “Get 14 days free” Instead of “Buy now” → say “Lose 5 pounds of fat” Calls-to-value focus on outcomes and make action irresistible 3️⃣ Place Click-Triggers Around CTVs Reduce friction by surrounding your calls-to-value with phrases like: ✨ No commitment ✨ Free 7-day trial ✨ Instant download ✨ No credit card needed ✨ Shipping costs included 4️⃣ Reframe Your Price Make pricing relatable and justifiable 💡 Say “Only $0.99/day” Or “It only costs 3 lattes/month” Or “Less than a Netflix subscription” 5️⃣ Alter the Value Gap Show the total package: main product, premium support, bonuses, extra features 🎁 When the value clearly outweighs the price, it becomes a no-brainer Credit: Chase Dimond (go follow him)

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