Pipeline Behind? A Mid-Year Marketing Fix
By Sarah Taylor, Yo Marketing Agency Head of Global Events
The calendar says June, but your pipeline says February. If you're a marketer or sales lead silently stressing that your targets are still on the horizon rather than within reach, you’re in good company.
73% of B2B marketers say they’re struggling to meet lead gen targets this year and we're only halfway through. (Source: Demand Metric)
So what’s going wrong? Here are 3 common (and fixable) reasons marketing and sales targets are off-track at this point in the year:
1. The Strategy Never Left the Slides
Let’s be honest: many teams started the year with ambitious OKRs and bold GTM plans. But somewhere between January kick-offs and budget re-forecasts, the actual strategy got buried under campaign chaos and content requests.
Without a clear, actionable roadmap, teams are defaulting to ad hoc tactics; launching webinars, running paid ads, or planning an event with six weeks to go and praying for results.
Only 42% of marketers say their marketing strategy is clearly aligned with sales goals. (Source: HubSpot)
2. Events: Still a Great Play…When Done Early
A well-executed event can still deliver quality leads and sales momentum in H2 - but here’s the catch: last-minute event planning won’t cut it. Late planning leads to:
• Rushed messaging
• Poor delegate turnout
• Weak pre/post follow-up
• Zero alignment with sales
68% of marketers say they plan events too close to the date to maximise results. (Source: EventMB)
3. Your Pipeline Problem Isn’t Volume - It’s Direction
Many teams are busy, not effective. More leads, more content, more outreach but little conversion. Why?
Because activity ≠ strategy. Without proper segmentation, buyer journey mapping, and aligned messaging, most efforts feel like shouting into the void.
Marketers who document their strategy are 313% more likely to report success. (Source: CoSchedule)
So, what now?
Here’s the brutal truth: if you wait until Q4 to fix this, it’s already too late. But you don’t need to tear everything up.
✅ Revisit your GTM and event strategy.
✅ Align marketing and sales on what “qualified” really means.
✅ Focus your time and budget on fewer, higher-impact channels.
✅ Don’t just “do events” - use them as a strategic lever for pipeline.
Need help refocusing your event or marketing strategy before the year runs away from you? Let’s chat.
Book a free consultation with the Yo Marketing team.. Together, we’ll design a plan that delivers ROI - not regrets.
