B2B Marketers Say Leadership's Sole Obsession with Lead Volume is Breaking the System

A new survey shows B2B marketers feel their departments are judged almost solely on the quantity of leads generated, a myopic focus they say is breaking their strategic approach and ignoring marketing's broader value, as reported by Marketing Week. The findings reveal a deep disconnect between marketers and their bosses, with more than half of B2B professionals reporting their leadership simply doesn't understand what marketing can do beyond lead gen.

• Volume over value: The result is a high-pressure environment where many marketers are pushed to hit lead quotas—no matter the value. For over a quarter of them, it's the only way their department's performance is judged.

• Strategic blinders: This obsession with volume stems from a bigger strategic problem. Around 40% of marketers report their leadership understands neither the value of long-term strategy nor the B2B sales cycle.

• Confessions of a marketer: The demand for leads has accelerated over the last three years, according to over 70% of those surveyed. Yet despite the increased priority, over a fifth admit their own lead-gen approach is broken, citing a fundamental disconnect with the sales team and a failure to invest in building the actual brand.

The relentless pursuit of low-quality leads creates a vicious cycle of wasted sales effort and missed brand-building opportunities, ultimately undermining the long-term health of the business. Meanwhile, a recent webinar summary explores how marketing leaders are trying to fix the misalignment and shift from quantity to quality.