5 STEPS TO OPTIMISING YOUR 2024 BUDGET

Why invest in RevOps?

RevOps is a strategic approach that aligns sales, marketing, and Client Success (CS) teams to drive revenue growth efficiently. 
It breaks down silos, streamlines processes, and enhances data visibility, leading to better decision making and improved client experiences. In fact, according to 2021 research by Forrester, companies that aligned people, processes, and technology across 
their sales and marketing teams achieved 36% more revenue growth and up to 28% more profitability. In addition, top B2B technology companies reported 100-200% increases in digital marketing ROI, 10-20% increases in sales productivity, and 30% reductions in GTM expenses (Boston Consulting Group, 2020).

RevOps implementation by organisation size

Why invest in ABM?

ABM shifts the focus from broad lead generation to targeting specific high-value accounts. It focuses on enhancing personalisation and relationship-building, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates and larger deals.

ABM implementation by organisation size

Data orchestration and privacy-focused marketing are becoming increasingly crucial for businesses in the B2B space. Investing 
in these areas is not only a responsible approach but also a strategic one for staying competitive and maintaining client trust—
a particularly valuable commodity in today’s market.

The exponential growth in the volume of data and its complexity requires efficient management and data integration from each source to inform decision making. Indeed, 48% of organisations revealed that data accessibility was the greatest challenge 
to enabling high-quality and data-driven client experiences (Precisely, 2022). Consequently, organisations that implement data orchestration successfully, will have a significant advantage in 2024.

The increased popularity of privacy-focused marketing in recent months is driven by a growing awareness of data privacy concerns among consumers and the evolving regulatory landscape. In fact, according to the 2019 Consumer Privacy Survey, 
48% of buyers indicated they already switched companies or providers because of their data policies or data sharing practices.

Adapting marketing strategies to meet privacy regulations and ensuring compliance with stringent data protection 
rules is therefore essential. As a foundation, this should include:

In this dynamic landscape, ensuring accuracy through data-driven insights has never been more crucial. By investing in effective market segmentation, buyer personas, and ICPs, businesses can thrive by resonating with their audience on a deeper level 
to achieve sustainable growth. For example, marketing personas are proven to make websites 2-5 times more effective 
and easier to use by targeted users (Hubspot, 2022).

Utilising cutting-edge technology will be a critical strategy in the following year as tools such as Generative AI and Google Analytics 4 (GA4) enable businesses to create highly accurate and nuanced client segments. By analysing vast datasets, AI algorithms can identify hidden patterns and nuances that may be missed with traditional methods. This results in more granular market segments, enabling businesses to craft highly tailored marketing strategies that resonate with specific client groups.

Investing in omnichannel marketing will be paramount in 2024 due to shifts in buyer behaviour and evolving expectations. Facilitating the buyer’s journey now involves more channels than ever before, as prospective clients now regularly use ten 
or more channels to interact with suppliers (up from five in 2016) (McKinsey, 2021).

With consumers engaging across various devices and platforms, an omnichannel approach ensures seamless interactions 
and a consistent brand experience. This is a critical strategy as 73% of consumers value the ability to start on one channel 
and switch to another without starting over (Zendesk, 2023).

This strategy also harnesses the power of data-driven insights, enabling businesses to make informed decisions whilst 
refining campaigns to streamline their budget.

In 2024, prioritising investments in client journey mapping and client experience (CX) will be paramount for businesses aiming to remain competitive and meet buyer behaviour and demands. This is reflected by research which found that 64% of clients consider CX to be more important than price when making a purchase and that improved CX can increase company revenue 
by 10-15% (Zippia, 2023).

Several emerging trends further underscore the importance of these investments, including:

By harnessing predictive analytics and AI, companies can gain a deeper understanding of client behaviour, deliver tailored recommendations, and proactively address needs, all of which significantly enhance the overall client experience.

Content marketing and syndication remain priority investments due to their pivotal roles in enhancing brand visibility, engaging target audiences, and driving business growth. This is reflected by research which reported that 42% of B2B marketers have successfully generated sales and revenue with content marketing in the last 12 months, whilst 67% have successfully generated demand and leads (Content Marketing Institute, 2023).

In addition, INFUSE Insights 2023 voice of the buyer research indicated that 40% of B2B buyers consume an average 
of 4-6 pieces of content during the buying cycle, highlighting its role in the buyer’s journey for informing purchases.

Diverse content formats will be a key trend, reflecting the growing demand for personalised and engaging content. 
To address this, companies should invest in a variety of content types to cater to different preferences and effectively 
capture and maintain their audience's attention.

Another crucial trend is the continued rise of voice search. Buyers increasingly use voice-activated devices and virtual assistants, making it imperative for businesses to optimise their content for natural language and long-tail keywords. Interactive content will also play a pivotal role in enhancing engagement. By offering content that actively involves users, such as polls, quizzes, and gamification, brands can create memorable interactions and strengthen their connection with audiences.

In 2024, investing in SEO, paid search, and targeted display advertising remains imperative for businesses striving to maintain
a competitive edge in the dynamic digital landscape. This is emphasised by a Hubspot’s 2022 State of Inbound Marketing Trends report, which showed that the top traffic source for all websites is organic search and that it was the second most effective channel, a trend that will continue in 2024.

The integration of cutting-edge technologies like machine learning and AI is reshaping these channels, ensuring they can adapt effectively to evolving search engine algorithms. Prioritising Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T) is vital for SEO success, as search engines continue to implement more stringent guidelines.

Moreover, targeting zero search volume keywords, harnessing the flexibility of dynamic creatives, leveraging the captivating potential of video content, and utilising the value of first-party data are essential strategies for staying ahead.

SEO secures organic visibility, paid search guarantees prime placements on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), and display advertising enhances brand recognition—in combination these initiatives align with emerging trends and evolving consumer behaviours, ensuring your digital marketing efforts remain effective.

Investing in agility with competitive displacement and social listening will be paramount to navigating the ever-changing market dynamics and retaining clients as their needs change. In addition, social listening is the number one tactic used 
by marketers in B2B – no longer a B2C-only tactic – to gather insights on brand sentiment, which is vital to client retention (Hubspot, 2023).

Competitive displacement stands as a pivotal strategy for attaining an advantage in your market. Within the ever-evolving 
B2B landscape, emerging trends include data-driven competitor analysis combined with a client-centric approach, enabling companies to identify market gaps and outperform competitors.

The emphasis on sustainability and adherence to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles continue to play 
a pivotal role, compelling businesses to invest in ethical and progressive practices whilst ensuring transparent reporting. Furthermore, innovating the client experience can swiftly highlight existing shortcomings in competitors' offerings 
to clients, improving client retention.

Social listening in 2024 will evolve with the trend of real-time optimisation through advanced tools and AI-driven insights 
and automation. Leveraging AI for sentiment analysis, chatbots, and predictive analytics will enable organisations to gather 
vital real-time data on client sentiment, industry trends, and competitor activities.

In the coming year, longer sales cycles and brand scrutiny will remain a challenge for B2B marketers. This makes brand advocacy, testimonials, and case studies a priority. In fact, nearly 80% of B2B buyers said they referenced case studies as part of their buying research, and 42% of clients in both mid and late stages of the buying process find case studies valuable (DemandGen, 2022).

Some additional upcoming trends to consider include:

As a staple in most modern marketing, allocating resources for intent activation in combination with lead scoring 
and qualification will remain imperative for businesses seeking to excel. According to a forecast by Gartner, 70% of B2B marketers were estimated to be utilising intent data in some capacity by the end of 2022. In addition, 38% of businesses surveyed experienced higher lead-to-opportunity conversion rates thanks to lead scoring (Kentico, 2022).

The emphasis on targeting specific accounts and greater volumes of intent data will increase as these strategies offer improved resource allocation by concentrating efforts on accounts with higher conversion potential, ensuring optimal utilisation of time and budget. Technology and software identifying account intent will also continue to improve, empowering organisations to pivot their strategies and campaigns with more recent or even 'live' updated information 
for optimal optimisation.

Additionally, fostering alignment between sales and marketing teams through shared lead scoring systems will be vital, whilst data-driven decision making and predictive lead scoring fueled by AI technologies will further differentiate businesses. The rise of ABX, heightened attention on marketing orchestration across all available channels, and the ongoing quest 
for higher conversion rates all underscore the continued relevance and significance of lead scoring and qualification in 2024.

In 2024, resource allocation in sophisticated performance and Key Performance Indicator (KPI) tracking remains 
crucial to ensure investments go further. 74% of B2B marketers set goals, but only 3% achieve them (CoSchedule, 2022). 
This underscores the significance of selecting the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and utilising efficient tracking methods to analyse campaign performance.

With the updated Google Analytics 4 (GA4) making analytics more accessible, the rise of machine learning platforms facilitating predictive analytics, and the power of intersectional data for precise targeting, organisations have 
the potential to improve campaign agility, increase targeting accuracy, and pivot swiftly when necessary to secure outcomes.

Additionally, AI, first-party data, and the growing importance of client journey modeling underline the indispensability of robust performance metrics. The pivotal role that performance metrics and KPI tracking will play in guiding businesses toward success in the year ahead is also emphasised by upcoming shifts toward: