CMO Confidential: Bill Zengel | ANA | The Confident B2B Marketer - Are You One of the Few?

Date: February 24, 2026
Host: Mike Linton
Guest: Bill Zengel, B2B Practice Leader, Association of National Advertisers (ANA)

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Mike Linton sits down with Bill Zengel, the B2B Practice Leader of the ANA, to dive into what it means to be a confident B2B marketer. They explore the results of the ANA’s “Confident B2B Marketer” study, discuss the unique pressures and inconsistencies in B2B marketing, and analyze why only a minority of B2B marketers feel truly confident in their roles. Bill shares practical insights on measurement, data, AI readiness, and how B2B marketing is evolving for those brave enough to lead change.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Why So Many B2B Marketing Studies?

Timestamps: 03:24 – 07:20

• Lack of Standardization:
  Bill emphasizes that marketing is a "heterogeneous practice" with few common principles, making benchmarking and best practices elusive.
  • “There are no common traits or commonly agreed to principles in marketing. ... It’s really what was the last marketer in the door. That’s what the chief of operations hears about.” — Bill Zengel (04:00)
• C-suite Inconsistency:
  Mike calls marketing the “least consistently structured, worst managed function in the C-suite,” especially in B2B. Both agree it's even more variable than in B2C.

2. What’s Different in B2B vs. B2C Marketing?

Timestamps: 04:28 – 07:35

• Heritage of Brand:
  Consumer (B2C) companies have a history of brand-building and clearer metrics; B2B is bigger as a sector but is less valued at the strategic table.
• Marketing’s Seat at The Table:
  Bill notes that B2B historically treated marketing as “marcom” (adjacent to sales), but this is changing as buying groups become more digital and self-service oriented.
  • “The B2B companies are the biggest in the world. 65% of the global economy is B2B, not B2C.” — Bill Zengel (06:53)
• Consequence of Decisions:
  “If you make the wrong decision [in B2B], bad things could happen, including you could lose your job.” — Bill Zengel (07:14)

3. The ‘Confident B2B Marketer’ Study

Timestamps: 07:35 – 13:01

• Study Overview:
  Surveyed 200 senior marketers to identify 8-9 key markers of success for B2B marketers.
• Only 39% Are Truly Confident:
  • “Only 40% of B2B marketers are really in the confident camp. … 39% actually.” — Mike Linton (09:07)
• Finding the Markers:
  Bill likens the process to finding “biological markers” in medicine—the key diagnostics to treat marketing success.

4. The 8 Markers of Confident B2B Marketing

Timestamps: 11:07 – 13:01

1. Measurement: The most critical—ability to show commercial contribution, not just activity.
   • “If you can't report on the outcome of...how you spend your time, I would think your career is in trouble.” — Bill Zengel (11:29)
2. AI Readiness: The need to be ready for AI-driven change; “the tsunami is already at your ankles.”
3. Account-Based Marketing
4. Buyer Group Understanding
5. Channel Marketing
6. Brand and Creativity
7. Data Foundation: Data quality is often overlooked but foundational for AI and automation.
8. Marketing Technology

AI and Data Foundation Deep Dive

Timestamps: 13:01 – 15:19

• “You can't be AI ready if you don't have a strong data foundation.” — Bill Zengel (13:42)
• Bill gives practical advice: “Just get the column headers” for your data sets to get started (14:52).

5. Brand in B2B: Trust and Testimonial

Timestamps: 16:21 – 18:20

• Brand is Trust:
  “The very first thing a B2B company does is borrow trust. At the bottom of any B2B website is a long list of logos … That's what’s at the heart of branding – do I know you? Do I trust you?” — Bill Zengel (17:13)

6. The 39/61 Split: What About the Majority?

Timestamps: 18:20 – 19:35

• Contribution vs. Attribution:
  Bill advises flipping the conversation from “how much did I spend” to “what did I contribute.”
  • “Invert the conversation. Don't tell me about your attribution. Tell me about your contribution.” — Bill Zengel (18:43)
• Confidence is not a personality, “it’s a compass point”—skills that can be learned.

7. Why So Few Confident Marketers?

Timestamps: 21:45 – 24:00

• Short-Term Addiction:
  B2B companies (and their C-suites) are “addicted to leads in the next 90 days,” prioritizing short-term performance over long-term value.
  • “Marketing can only reflect what the C-suite wants.” — Bill Zengel (22:48)
• “Performance Marketing” is a Misnomer:
  • “All marketing should be performance [marketing].” — Mike Linton (23:41)

8. Emotions and Fear in B2B

Timestamps: 24:24 – 26:29

• Emotion in B2B is Fear (vs. Joy in B2C):
  B2B decisions are often driven by fear—risk aversion, job security—making it harder to push creativity.
  • “In B2C, it's emotion-driven and it's joy. In B2B, it's emotion-driven as well, but it's fear ... will I lose my job if this goes wrong?” — Bill Zengel (24:55)

9. How to Navigate and Win in B2B Marketing?

Timestamps: 26:29 – 28:42

• Choose B2B for Opportunity:
  • “If you get in and solve it, you're going to last longer, you're going to live longer ... B2B is a giant opportunity.” — Bill Zengel (27:57)

10. Advice for Leadership: Boards, CEOs, and Marketers

Timestamps: 28:42 – 31:18

• Marketing as Strategy, Not Tactic:
  Study leaders, not laggards—see how the best companies use marketing as strategy.
• Customer Advocacy:
  Take care of current customers and leverage peer reviews to get onto buyers’ “Day One lists".

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On B2B’s Share of Economy:
  “65% of the global economy is B2B, not B2C.” — Bill Zengel (06:53)

• On Brand as a Moat:
  “Warren Buffett says that a brand is a moat. … If you don’t have proprietary IP or you do, a brand is the moat around your business.” — Bill Zengel (20:48)

• On Emotion in B2B:
  “In B2B, it’s emotion driven as well, but it’s fear. … Will I lose my job if this goes wrong?” — Bill Zengel (24:55)

• On Advice to Marketers:
  “Don’t tell me about your attribution. Tell me about your contribution. How much money are you materially bringing to the bottom line of the company?” — Bill Zengel (18:43)

Practical Tips

• Measurement Must Focus on Contribution:
  Shift focus from budget cuts (attribution) to bottom-line results (contribution).
• Data Foundation is Table Stakes:
  Even smaller companies can start by organizing "column headers" before diving into analytics or automation.
• Brand = Trust in B2B:
  Even without global fame, projecting trust via existing clients/partner logos is essential.
• If You Want Leverage, Make B2B Your Arena:
  The white space is large—success in B2B offers greater impact and longer tenures.
• Get on the ‘Day One’ List:
  Take care of customers and foster peer reviews; that’s how you become a default choice.

Entertaining Stories

Timestamps: 31:42 – 33:54

• The Trojan Horse Missed in Greece:
  Bill tells a story from the movie business—hundreds of extras, perfect production, but someone forgot the Trojan Horse!
• Burger King Fries Commercial:
  While shooting a commercial, no one knew the number of fries in a Burger King kids’ meal bag. The team resorted to buying fries from every local store to average out a number—only to find out later it was off by one.

Episode Takeaways

• Only a minority of B2B marketers are “confident,” and this comes down to foundational skills: measurement, data, and AI readiness.
• B2B marketing is evolving rapidly—embrace measurement, build your data, and leverage brand as a strategic asset.
• Confront organizational fear and short-term focus—seek out environments that let you build long-term value and take strategic risks.
• B2B is not just as important as B2C; in many ways, it’s the bigger, bolder opportunity.

Want to learn more? Visit ana.net/b2b for access to research, frameworks, and resources for B2B marketers (30:24).