When it comes to B2B software marketing today, it’s easy to feel like we’re all sitting on a Formula 1 car — and only using it to drive to the grocery store.Most SaaS companies are not struggling because they lack the right tools. They’re struggling because they haven’t activated the tools toward clear, measurable business outcomes. Martech isn’t underperforming. We are underutilizing it.
The Stack Isn’t the Problem. Activation Is.
I’ve seen it firsthand across industries: the CRM is configured, the automation sequences are live, the attribution dashboards are flashing—but sales and marketing still operate like parallel tracks.
Standing up your martech stack is like buying a fancy gym membership. Real ROI only happens if you show up consistently, sweat a little, and work toward actual fitness goals—not just post selfies.
Before you invest in that next AI tool, CDP, or ABM platform, ask: What business decision will this tool accelerate? What financial metric will it move?
If you can’t answer that crisply, it’s time to rethink.
Martech Theater vs Martech ROI
There’s a big difference between implementation and impact.
- Implementation checks if the data flows correctly.
- Impact checks if customer acquisition cost (CAC) drops or if pipeline velocity improves.
The easiest trap to fall into? Celebrating platform health metrics (“Campaign X sent successfully!”) instead of business health metrics (“Campaign X reduced our lead-to-demo time by 20%!”).
Martech ROI isn’t how fast you stand up the system. It’s how fast you turn it into growth.
Common Martech Leaks (and How to Fix Them)
The New Martech Mindset: Outcome First
Every tool should answer two questions before you deploy it:
- What business metric are we improving? (Conversion Rate, LTV, ROAS, etc.)
- How will we measure success inside 90 days?
Otherwise, it’s not an investment. It’s just an expense.
Marketers need to operate like revenue owners, not just campaign managers. Especially in software, where every small optimization compounds dramatically across user journeys, CAC, and LTV.
Building a stack is a technical skill. Activating a stack for real business outcomes? That’s a growth skill.
And that’s what separates a cost center from a growth engine.
Sources:
- McKinsey & Company
1. “The new B2B growth equation” (2023)
Highlights how growth teams must align martech capabilities with revenue outcomes — not just implementation milestones.
2. “Unlocking marketing-led growth in B2B”
Emphasizes using data to drive actions and the need for tighter sales-marketing integration in SaaS. - Gartner
3. “The State of Marketing Budget and Strategy 2024”
Reveals that nearly 71% of CMOs say they have not fully utilized their martech stack, despite large investments.
4. “Why Marketing Technology Implementations Fail”
Discusses the gap between tech deployment and business outcome realization — often due to lack of activation, training, or ownership. - Deloitte
5. “Elevating the role of marketing in the C-suite” (2023 CMO Survey)
States that CMOs who tie martech decisions to EBITDA-level impact see better internal buy-in and longer-term ROI.
6. “CMO Insights 2024”
Explores how activation of martech capabilities is the new battleground for differentiation in software companies. - Forrester
7. “2024 Marketing Technology Survey”
Outlines that only 24% of companies report using their marketing tools to their full potential.