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Survey: driving sales is in and brand building is still out

According to the findings of an exclusive BtoB survey of 422 marketing execs, which revealed that while b-to-b companies appear ready to boost spending in 2004, they generally will do so in an effort to produce short-term, measurable results, such as driving sales.

BtoB's "2004 Marketing Priorities and Plans Survey," conducted last month via e-mail, found that to boost sales, many marketers are choosing to communicate directly with customers and prospects. A majority of these b-to-b marketers plan to increase spending on e-mail marketing and direct mail, while holding steady their investments in print, broadcast and events.

In the study, 48.2% of respondents said their advertising budgets would increase in 2004 compared with 2003. But 36.1% said their ad budgets would be flat in the same period. Only 15.7% said their ad budgets would decline this year.

Other findings:

* Driving sales, cited by 31.7% of respondents, was the most common marketing goal for 2004. A close second was customer acquisition, which was cited by 28.6% of respondents. Brand awareness was third, with 15.7% of respondents saying that it was their primary marketing goal.

* 45% of respondents plan no change in its print spending. 37% of respondents planned to increase spending; 18% planned a decrease.

* 62% of survey respondents plan to boost online spending. 54% of respondents plan to boost direct mail spending; 38% planned no change and 8% planned to decrease spending.

BtoB's survey of marketing executives suggests optimism about the economy. Perhaps the survey's most striking finding is that 84.3% of respondents are increasing or keeping their ad budgets flat.