Let’s not beat around the bush: marketing is seriously undervalued in many companies. According to a 2023 Gartner survey, while 75% of CEOs acknowledge marketing’s role in driving growth, only 44% of companies allocate adequate resources to their marketing departments.
We see this all too often. No dedicated marketer in-house? No problem—just hand the task over to the office manager. ‘Can’t they post something on LinkedIn, too?’ Or, there’s a marketer on board, but they’re also expected to fix the printer, send out birthday cards, and plan the Christmas party.
The results? Disappointing marketing performance met with equally disappointed reactions. But should that really be a surprise? When marketing isn’t given the proper investment or focus, things inevitably go wrong. Very, very wrong.
As Peter Drucker famously said: “Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two–and only two–basic functions: marketing and innovation.“ (The Practice of Management, 1954)
So why is marketing still so often treated as a luxury? An expense you ‘tack on’ only when it’s convenient? That’s like expecting your car to keep running without ever stopping to refuel. A well-crafted marketing strategy is the fuel that drives your business forward. It’s not a ‘nice-to-have’; it’s a necessity.
Yet, in practice, marketing often falls to the bottom of the priority list. The result? A half-hearted, inefficient approach that benefits no one. Maybe the office manager takes it on as an extra task, lacking the expertise or focus to do it justice. Or your marketer is expected to juggle everything from social media to event planning, leading to burnout.
And then? Businesses still hope for impressive results. Unfortunately, that’s wishful thinking. A thriving business doesn’t leave its marketing to chance—it makes it a priority.
Marketing often faces a critical challenge in its positioning within a company. Too frequently, it’s treated as a separate function, relegated to handling social media or coordinating PR efforts. This perspective is where the issue begins.
Marketing is not an island. It should work hand in hand with sales, with the management, with everyone who plays a role in the objectives from the overarching business plan.
It all starts with investing marketing well within your organization. A few tips:
If you really want to make a change, it is essential that someone takes the lead. This needs to be a person with the right strategic vision and knowledge of marketing. Ideally, this is an experienced marketer or someone who understands the value of marketing and who has the power to translate this vision into concrete actions within the company.
In addition, clear boundaries must be set. Colleagues such as the office manager must learn to say no if marketing is not their responsibility. It is essential that each function has its own focus and that everyone understands where his or her role begins and ends. Marketing is not a job for an ‘all-rounder’; it is a field that requires expertise and focus. This is how the right results can be achieved.
