Marketing Maturity in 2024: More than half of UK SMEs are marketing in the dark

We recently conducted a survey of 1,988 key decision-makers across hundreds of small businesses in the UK, to understand what companies are doing to measure, maintain, improve and ultimately grow their businesses by using the findings from our bespoke Marketing 360 Assessment.

Our findings, are revealing and concerning. It turns out that only half of SMEs have a documented business plan, and two-thirds lack a clear marketing action plan - a critical oversight in the journey to success.

Other key insights include:

• Only 25% of respondents believe they have clearly defined marketing performance measures.

• Just 28% said that they generate enough leads to achieve their business growth objectives.
  
  
• Only 40% have a CRM system in place which is used effectively across both the sales and marketing teams.

Our report doesn't stop at statistics; it offers key insights into the challenges SME's face in defining marketing performance measures, lead generation struggles, and the limited effectiveness of CRM systems in sales and marketing teams.

Be among the first to explore the full Marketing Maturity Report, packed with invaluable insights across marketing disciplines – from brand definition to customer retention. Compare your standing with peers and industry sectors.

"This report is a must for SMEs, providing practical insights and strategies for navigating today's market challenges and ensuring sustainable growth." Pete Jakob, Marketing Director at The Marketing Centre.