I get a couple of calls a week from marketing directors, marketing VPs and CMOs reaching out to see if we can help with a plethora of B2B marketing challenges they are facing. I welcome their calls, but after we hang-up I find myself wondering why is that we feel the need to overcomplicate marketing these days.

Is it the glut of MarTech, the overwhelming amount of unactionable data or the appeal of shiny new marketing concepts that muddy the effort? Is it the fierce level of competition for today’s buyer or ever-growing revenue expectations that drives marketers to fiddle and tinker with virtually every aspect of their program to the point of frustration and confusion?

I think it might just be that it’s all become a bit too much, we’ve strayed a little too far from the foundational building blocks of good marketing – and even sales for that matter.

When I think back to the early days of my marketing career, there weren’t so many choices for engaging and connecting with prospective buyers. There wasn’t this level of technology and automation demanding investment and attention. Most importantly, there wasn’t so much noise from “experts” promoting themselves and their shiny new marketing concepts as there is today.

All of that overcomplicates marketing. Worse, it’s distracting and causes marketers to lose sight of their most critical deliverable – influencing revenue.

Influencing revenue isn’t something that should be overcomplicated. It starts with setting an efficient revenue strategy in place and then layering it with people and process to execute efficiently and effectively. This roadmap to revenue keeps you going in the right direction reducing the frustration of wrong turns and the confusion of “where are we?”

Let’s be clear, I’m not suggesting marketers ignore new channels, trends or concepts. I’m also not suggesting you throw your technology to the curb. But, I do think the primary focus of a marketing team should be on building the foundation for influencing revenue on a consistent basis before chasing something new. Get it working, get it right and then improve on it.

Are you overcomplicating your marketing to the point of frustration and confusion? If so, let’s connect and talk about getting you back on track.

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