Before You Hire Marketing in 2026: The B2B Marketing Services Buyer Journey
If you are leading a B2B organisation into 2026, you may soon decide to strengthen marketing. Before you recruit or retain, the first step is understanding the B2B marketing services buyer journey inside your own business. This is the moment that shapes capability, spend and performance for the next twelve months.
As a senior B2B marketing lead, I have seen this first decision dictate everything that follows. Businesses often jump straight to delivery capacity without defining the reason for spend. When that happens, activity increases but value creation does not.
Why the first marketing investment goes wrong
In most SMEs, the first marketing decision is framed as a capacity problem. Leadership looks at volume and asks who can take it on. The assumption is that more output equals more traction.
Common early moves include:
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Hiring a generalist to carry brand, content, events and sales support
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Blending commercial responsibility with delivery in one role
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Commissioning a broad agency scope without strategic grounding
None of these paths address the root issue. They are operational reactions rather than strategic choices. At this point in the B2B marketing services buyer journey, clarity is not present, yet long-term decisions are made.
Three internal buyer views that shape the outcome
Every marketing investment involves three distinct internal buyer lenses.
Finance
Seeks risk management, cost certainty and payback logic.
CEO or Founder
Seeks market presence, revenue traction and competitive position.
First Marketer or Commercial Hire
Carries execution pressure without foundational strategy or authority.
When these views are not aligned, the decision produces a role or a supplier remit that is broad, reactive and difficult to measure. This explains why early marketing hires often feel overloaded and why external partners are judged before strategy exists.
The B2B marketing services buyer journey is therefore not a procurement path. It is a leadership alignment exercise.
What the early journey actually looks like
The sequence is familiar.
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Leadership recognises pipeline fragility or growth stagnation.
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Discussion centres on channels rather than constraint.
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A job description is drafted to cover multiple mandates.
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Finance caps investment before clarity exists.
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Delivery begins in isolation from commercial direction.
Activity increases. Confidence does not. Reporting focuses on surface metrics because deeper alignment has not yet taken place.
Understanding this pattern is essential if you operate in Marketing Leadership. You cannot lead growth if the structure beneath it is mis-scoped.
What should be commissioned first
The first purchase is not output. It is clarity. A Leadership team should secure:
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A commercial review of the customer journey and revenue pattern
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A defined description of where the constraint sits
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A resourcing model based on function rather than preference
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A 90-day plan grounded in evidence not urgency
This is the work that forms the starting point at https://cmonow.uk. It is designed for B2B leaders who want a rational sequence before committing full cost.
Marketing Leadership and 2026 planning
Rather than entering 2026 with campaign urgency, enter with commercial rationale. Leadership should be clear on:
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Where value is leaking in the journey
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What realistic growth can be achieved with current structure
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Which capabilities must be permanent and which can be fractional
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What leading indicators will confirm traction
This reframes the B2B marketing services buyer journey as a leadership decision rather than a marketing purchase.
The December series
This first piece introduces the leadership frame. The next articles will explore the internal buyers that influence your early stage choice.
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Finance and risk logic
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CEO expectation and brand credibility
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First marketer feasibility and operational scope
Each is critical for any board considering marketing investment and leadership structure.
If you require support before year end
Through cmonow.uk I provide structured diagnostic support and Marketing Leadership for B2B SMEs that need strategic control before committing to full-time cost.
This includes:
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A commercial growth analysis
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A 90-day leadership roadmap
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A resourcing recommendation built to scale
Before you confirm a 2026 hire or agency relationship, ensure the leadership decision solves the correct problem.
Next Steps for CEOs
Determining whether your marketing supports business goals is often about clarity rather than capability. I work with CEOs to make marketing strategy visible, actionable, and measurable. If you want to ensure your team is driving growth rather than just completing tasks, book a conversation at cmonow.uk.
Find out how CMONOW.UK can help your B2B Brand
