#198: B2B Marketing Budget Allocation: The Sustainable Way Small Teams Should Do It

B2B Marketing Budget Allocation: The Sustainable Way Small Teams Should Do It

If your marketing budget keeps getting cut or ignored, it’s not you—it’s the model.

In this episode, we break down a practical B2B marketing budget allocation for small teams. We explain why top-down and bottom-up alone fall apart, how to validate messaging before you buy reach, and how to shift from BOFU-only spend to a balanced brand + demand mix that compounds.

We share the path we use with our 5 BEs framework—start lean and organic, prove the message, then use paid to amplify. You’ll hear realistic ROI guardrails, when to rebalance spend, and how category (established vs new) should change your split.

Tune in and learn:

+ How to avoid the top-down and bottom-up budget traps

+ The “validate, then amplify” approach that saves cash and increases impact

+ ROI ranges and a stepwise shift from BOFU to demand + brand

If you’re a B2B marketer in a small team, this is the clearest way to plan and defend your budget—and actually deliver revenue impact.

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🔗 Links + CTAs

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00:00 The B2B Budgeting Problem No One Solves Clearly

00:27 Who We Help: Small Teams, Big Revenue Goals

01:05 The 5 BEs Framework in 60 Seconds

02:30 Why Budgeting Is So Hard (Variables You Can’t Ignore)

03:45 The Trap: Overcommitting to Channels Having “Their Moment”

04:38 Top-Down Budgeting: Looks Great on a Slide, Breaks in Reality

06:05 The 95:5 Rule vs “Just Spend More on BOFU”

07:18 Bottom-Up Budgeting: Sensible… Until Leadership Says “Bigger”

09:45 Our Recommendation: Start Lean, Prove It Organically

11:30 Validate PMF & Messaging Before You Buy Reach

12:40 Paid = Amplification Once the Message Works

13:40 Evolving the Mix: From BOFU-Heavy to Balanced Demand

15:05 Setting ROI Targets You Can Defend (and Reinvesting)

16:45 Category Matters: Established vs New (Webjet vs Uber)

18:50 Build Mental Availability to Lower Future CAC

20:40 Key Takeaways & Your Next Budget Moves

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👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team??

💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you??)

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So you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand.

See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B Incubator

https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course

S07 E198 - The B2B Playbook

#b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing #demandgeneration #communityledgrowth