Top B2B news stories from this week

I’m writing this in a rush. It’s Black Friday and we’re only 20 minutes from Oxford Street. Unless I get a move on, the racks will be empty, the discounted electronics will be gone and I will be left sadly contemplating the abandoned packaging swirling round my feet, with nothing but the early evening twinkling of the Christmas lights to fill the consumerist void in my heart.

You’re probably already there. You’ve probably been sensible and planned in advance. How I envy you. So, if all your time has been in preparation for this holiest of days, you might not have seen the top B2B news stories from this week. But unlike the Black Friday sales, you don’t have to miss out. Here’s our round-up.

For the full versions of all the articles below, as well as any other stories you may have missed, check out our news section.

Top B2B news stories from this week

Top 75 B2B agencies revealed

Amaze has been announced as the top B2B agency of the year in B2B Marketing’s B2B Agencies Benchmarking Report 2015/16.

Amaze experienced an impressive 102 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth, climbing from second place in 2014.

OLIVER finished in second place, enjoying an 86 per cent YoY growth, followed by last year’s number one agency Bray Leino in third place.

The fastest-growing agency was Impression, with a remarkable 625 per cent YoY growth, with Digital Radish ranking second with 323 per cent.

For the definitive rankings of the top 75 B2B agencies and top 20 fastest-growing agencies, download the full report here.

Sales rejects 80% of marketing-qualified leads

The relationship between marketing and sales remains a topic for hot debate, with 6Sense’s recent study adding fuel to the fire.

The report uncovered that 80 per cent of leads generated by marketing are rejected by the sales department.

With marketing and sales alignment cited as one of the key benchmarks for company success, this stat paints a worrying picture.

61% of marketers plan to switch jobs in 2016

According to a Hays report, 61 per cent of marketers plan to seek new employment next year.

The study also revealed that UK marketing salaries have risen 2.6 per cent in 2015, 0.3 per cent higher than the national average.

This, combined with the fact a third of those seeking new employment are motivated by the promise of more money, indicates that marketing salaries may continue to rise as employers desperately seek to retain and attract top talent.

Other statistics worth noting include 69 per cent of marketing employers planning to increase their headcount over the next year, and the same percentage confident that business activity will continue to increase into 2016.

Understanding mobile ranked as most important 2016 tech trend

Sabio has revealed its top technology trends for effective customer engagement in 2016, with understanding the true impact of mobile taking pride of place.

Other top tech trends to keep in mind for next year include: placing embedded services at the heart of the web browser, video-based services, messaging platforms scaling to deliver a social service, and increasingly smart use of data and analytics.

For the complete list of tech trends for 2016, read the full story here.

Emirates signs record sponsorship with ATP World Tour

If there was ever an example of a sports sponsorship extending global reach on an almost unprecedented scale, then Emirates’ partnership with the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), is a stellar example.

The five-year extension will see the airline’s global reach extend to the 32 countries and six continents that ATP’s 62 tournaments span.

The partnership will also see Emirates offer on-site hospitality at events and enjoy extensive branding on the ATP Tour website, which generates a staggering 325 million visits per year.

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