• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, October 29, 2024

Halloween is not even here yet, and experts are already making predictions about marketing in 2025. Take the new report from Forrester: Predictions 2025, B2B Marketing and Sales. 

Forrester envisions a return to basics -- a move that can only help email teams that specialize in solid, response-driven marketing.  

“B2B organizations experimented boldly in 2024, catalyzed by the promise of generative AI,” the paper states. “In 2025, focus will shift to the bottom line as leaders look to turn experiments into revenue growth.”

“Some will pursue quick wins that won’t deliver meaningful change or scale back promising, longer-term investments prematurely," the paper says. "Success B2B leaders will balance the short and the long view, using 2025 to build on hard-won lessons.”

So what are the major predictions? Forrester forecasts these shifts (and we quote):

• CMOs and CSOs will aim to reorganize, but half will fail to fix what ails them
• Most enterprises fixated on AI ROI will scale back prematurely
• Half of younger buyers will include 10 or more external influencers in their purchase
• Half of large purchases will be processed through digital sales channels 
• Enterprises betting on product-led growth strategies will drop to less than 20%

Underlying these predictions is a piece of advice: “Use the insights from this trial and error to methodically build a path to growth. Avoid the pitfalls of short-term thinking and focus on strengthening your infrastructure and data practices. Commit to mending broken revenue processes and reoriented planning around customers. The moves you make this year will lay the groundwork for future success.”