The Digital Marketing Podcast by Exposure Ninja

How To Create a Results-Driving B2B Marketing Strategy for 2026

·42 min·4 clips

Charlie Marchant explains why targeting specific people, not just companies, is the first step to a successful B2B marketing strategy.

The episode begins with Charlie Marchant explaining that a successful B2B marketing strategy must start by defining the Ideal Customer Profile, including both firmographics and the specific roles of people within target companies. He highlights a common pitfall: treating businesses as monolithic entities rather than collections of individuals with distinct pain points. The hosts discuss the need to consider all stakeholders in the decision-making process, such as CFOs and marketing leaders, and how marketing must avoid turning them off. Charlie provides an example of 1Password, which arms advocates with comparison materials like cost breakdowns to address internal stakeholder objections. The conversation shifts to the role of marketing in sales enablement, balancing lead generation with asset creation. Tim Cameron-Kitchen notes that B2B marketing has evolved, with increased tracking and measurement, but the core process remains similar. He points out that AI tools like ChatGPT are now used for supplier research, pulling data from review sites and summarizing options. This requires marketers to ensure their content is visible in AI searches, akin to traditional SEO. Charlie adds that B2B marketing leaders are concerned about this shift, as it simplifies comparisons but may overlook brand messaging. Tim suggests that AI search optimization should be a filter for all marketing activities, from content creation to channel selection. The hosts explore how B2B marketing is becoming more fun and creative, citing examples like AirOps using UGC and Monday.com's YouTube ads. They debate whether all businesses can adopt disruptive marketing, with Tim arguing for adapted, brand-appropriate fun, like Whiz's cocktail series for cybersecurity. Charlie mentions the 'B2Cification' of B2B, where channels like TV ads make sense for high-value customers, as seen with Salesforce and Formula One sponsorships. The episode concludes with practical steps for 2026: starting with ICP, using metrics like MQLs and lifetime value, and integrating AI search optimization across all efforts. Tim and Charlie encourage marketers to enjoy the process, follow data, and avoid being pulled in too many directions.

As heard by us

A clear B2B strategy episode connecting buyer roles, ChatGPT research, and focused marketing decisions.

A results-focused B2B strategy for 2026 begins with a simple but often skipped question: who is actually making the decision? The episode moves cleanly from ICP definition, including firmographics and internal buying roles, into the different pressures facing a CFO, CMO, CEO, or…

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Why you'd press play

You want a 2026 B2B marketing plan that starts with the right buyers instead of turning every loud idea into a priority.

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