Why Most B2B Marketing Plans Fail Before Q2

Lighting Plan A on Fire and Moving to Plan B

Most marketing plans start the year full of energy, but by the time Q2 rolls around, results are flat and leadership begins to question the spend. The problem isn’t usually the ambition—it’s the lack of alignment between strategy and execution. Too many companies create plans that look good on paper but aren’t tied to funnel math, realistic budget allocations, or the sales team’s ability to execute. Without that grounding, campaigns stall early, leaving teams scrambling to explain missed targets.

10 Budget Mistakes That Kill B2B Marketing Plans

Mistakes to avoid

B2B companies often build marketing budgets on guesswork, last year’s numbers, or competitor activity—leading to wasted spend and missed revenue goals. The most common mistakes include focusing on lead volume instead of revenue, ignoring sales enablement, underestimating martech and personnel costs, and leaving no buffer for change. Strong budgets start with revenue goals and funnel math.