As reported by Marketing Week, a growing number of B2B marketers feel pressure to deliver leads, often without regard for quality. The latest survey from Marketing Week’s State of B2B Marketing study exposes a shift toward volume-driven marketing that many say undermines long-term value.
What the Survey Found
- 37.7% of the 450 brand marketers surveyed say their department is under pressure to deliver marketing qualified leads (MQLs) regardless of lead quality.
- For 26.7%, lead delivery is the only metric used to measure marketing success.
- Over 52% say senior leadership fails to understand marketing’s potential beyond lead generation.
- The focus on lead generation has grown: 71.1% say it matters more now than three years ago.
These numbers suggest many B2B teams are stuck in a numbers-game mindset, chasing volume over viability.
Why Marketers Say It’s a Problem
Marketers interviewed in the broader dataset describe the system as broken. They point to misalignment between marketing and sales, lack of trust in data, and pressure to meet short-term targets. Some argue that the emphasis on volume compromises lead quality, overwhelms sales teams, and weakens long-term brand building.
Others highlight the toll on strategy. When every campaign is judged on MQLs, long-term efforts like brand building, content development, relationship nurturing and complex sales cycles get sidelined. The result: churn, poor conversion rates and wasted effort.
How Tactics Are Starting to Change
The data shows a shift. About 66.7% of marketers say they’re changing their lead-generation methods. More teams now rely on content marketing, social media, thought leadership, employee advocacy and diversified channels, not just volume-driven outreach.
Some firms integrate brand and performance goals. Others push for better alignment between sales and marketing. More are trying to define clearer criteria for lead quality before handing leads off. That way they create fewer, better-fit leads instead of pushing large unqualified lists.
What This Means for B2B Teams – Including Yours
If you run B2B marketing or manage pipeline, this shift matters. Pressure to deliver large lead volumes may feel safe in the short term. But neglecting lead quality carries real costs: wasted sales time, poor conversions, lower customer satisfaction and long-term brand dilution.
Before doubling down on volume, ask yourself:
- Are the leads you generate meeting your ideal customer profile?
- Do your sales and marketing teams align on what qualifies as a “good lead”?
- Are you balancing short-term quota goals with long-term brand-building and nurture strategies?
- Could content, social, thought leadership or brand marketing deliver stronger results over time than high-volume MQL pushes?
The Outlook: A Tipping Point for B2B Marketing Strategy
B2B marketing seems to be at a turning point. The old model of “more leads = more pipeline” is losing credibility. Teams that rely on volume alone risk burnout, poor conversions and wasted budgets.
The smarter path may lie in balance: mixing targeted lead generation with thoughtful content, brand building and long-term nurture, even if it takes more time.
For B2B brands that make this shift, the rewards could include better sales alignment, stronger customer relationships and more predictable outcomes.
