We are in the planning period. In this year of 2026, there is a clear pattern among B2B Tech company leaders: the doubt is not “which path to take” in the face of financial scenarios, growth expectations, and pressure for results.
A large part of the discussions revolves around three central themes: brand positioning, demand generation, and increasing the connections of the B2B Tech brand with its target market.
As human beings, we have the habit of judging. Judging brands that have not yet invested in branding, companies that lack structured communication, and businesses that have not prioritized reputation or continuous market presence.
In some cases, this judgment makes sense. In many others, it does not.
Not every company is at the same stage, and this needs to be considered.
According to data published by the ECO portal, one-third of B2B companies invest less than 1% of their revenue in marketing.
In turn, the annual Gartner CMO Spend Survey 2025 reveals that the marketing budget has stagnated at 7.7% of companies' total revenue and that 59% of marketing directors state that their current budget is insufficient to execute the strategy planned for the year.
It is a fact that a significant portion of B2B Tech companies does not have the minimum budget necessary to sustain robust branding, content, media, and long-term relationship work.
But it is also true that there are companies with financial capacity that still do not assign due value to communication and marketing.
At the same time, there are operations that grow sustainably almost exclusively through strategies such as small committee events, highly qualified networking, and direct relationships with decision-makers. And yes, this works.
The point is that there is no single path. There are paths that are coherent with each company's current stage.
Serious planning always starts from the ideal scenario but must, obligatorily, respect the possible scenario. Ignoring this is to create plans that die in the first quarter.
Respecting the company's stage is the first principle of planning.
In B2B Tech marketing, respecting the company's stage is not about giving up on strategy. On the contrary: it is understanding that strategy without adherence to reality “turns to dust.”.
There are companies in a consolidation phase, others in acceleration, and some in containment. Each one requires different decisions about where to invest energy, time, and resources.
This is where a point often neglected comes in: co-marketing for positioning built around more mature ecosystems, leveraging existing brands, audiences, and structures.
This increases reach and generates credibility by association.
Short and medium terms need to coexist.
Thinking about the short and medium term simultaneously is crucial. There are possible actions even in conservative budget scenarios.
Recent studies by institutes such as Gartner, Deloitte, and the CMO Survey indicate that, globally, marketing budgets have remained stable or in retraction, with few sectors showing real investment growth. This requires smarter choices, not paralysis.
In B2B Tech, being remembered makes a significant difference in reducing friction, shortening explanations, and reducing sales effort.
It is about familiarity, trust, and clarity of proposition. When the brand already occupies some mental space, the conversation no longer starts from zero.
Practical tips for short and medium terms.
B2B Tech marketing is not a closed package nor a ready-made formula. It is a progressive construction that needs to respect the time, context, and maturity of each business.
In the short term, the focus should be on clarity of positioning, before seeking volume of actions. It is the time to use existing assets strategically, prioritizing qualified connections over artificial scale.
In the medium term, the path involves building a continuous presence, even if lean. Investing in content that explains, educates, and generates trust helps consolidate the brand as an asset that, over time, reduces sales effort and cost.
Planning well is not about choosing the most beautiful plan on paper. It is about choosing the plan most honest with the company's reality.
And, often, this honesty already becomes the greatest competitive differentiator.
