Who Should Marketing Agencies Contact Within a Business?
Identifying the right marketing agency decision makers can make a significant difference to the quality of your B2B lead generation. Finding a company that looks like an ideal client is only the first step. You also need to reach the person responsible for marketing, selecting external agencies or approving the budget.
Depending on the size of the business and the services you provide, relevant contacts can include:
- Marketing Directors
- Heads of Marketing
- Marketing Managers
- Digital Marketing Managers
- Managing Directors
- Business Owners
- CEOs
- Commercial Directors
- Sales Directors
- Communications Directors
- E-commerce Managers
The best decision-maker will vary according to your agency’s services, the size of the target company and whether marketing is managed internally.
Table of contents:
Start with the Marketing Service You Are Selling
Before deciding which job titles to target, consider who is most likely to be responsible for the service you’re offering.
Marketing agencies may provide:
- SEO
- PPC
- Social media marketing
- Content marketing
- Email marketing
- B2B lead generation
- Marketing automation
- Web design
- Branding
- Conversion optimisation
- Paid social
- Account-based marketing
Different services can involve different people.
For example, an SEO agency may target a Marketing Director or Digital Marketing Manager, while an agency offering outsourced marketing to small businesses may be better targeting the Managing Director.
Marketing Directors
Marketing Directors are often one of the most relevant contacts for agencies targeting established businesses.
They may be responsible for:
- Marketing strategy
- Agency relationships
- Marketing budgets
- Campaign performance
- Brand development
- Customer acquisition
- Channel selection
They can be particularly valuable prospects for agencies offering specialist services that complement an existing internal marketing team.
This might include:
- SEO
- PPC
- Content
- Paid social
- Lead generation
- Marketing automation
Heads of Marketing
Heads of Marketing can have similar responsibilities to Marketing Directors, particularly within medium-sized organisations.
They may manage:
- Internal marketing teams
- External agencies
- Campaign planning
- Budgets
- Digital marketing
- Lead generation
If your target market includes companies with established marketing functions, Heads of Marketing can be a strong prospect audience.
Marketing Managers
Marketing Managers can be particularly relevant within SMEs and medium-sized businesses.
They may be responsible for delivering marketing activity while also working with external specialists.
An agency might help them with:
- Additional capacity
- Specialist expertise
- Campaign delivery
- SEO
- PPC
- Content creation
- Lead generation
Marketing Managers may not always have final budget authority, but they can have considerable influence over which agencies are considered.
Digital Marketing Managers
Digital Marketing Managers can be strong prospects for agencies providing specialist digital services.
Relevant services include:
- SEO
- PPC
- Paid social
- Email marketing
- Conversion optimisation
- Analytics
- Marketing automation
These contacts may already understand the service you’re selling, so messaging can focus more specifically on where your agency adds expertise or capacity.
Managing Directors
Managing Directors can be particularly important when targeting smaller and medium-sized companies.
In businesses without a senior marketing team, the Managing Director may be directly responsible for:
- Business growth
- Marketing strategy
- Lead generation
- Marketing suppliers
- Budgets
- Agency selection
They may be especially relevant for agencies selling broader outsourced marketing services rather than one highly specialised channel.
Business Owners
Business owners can be among the best contacts when targeting smaller companies.
Owner-managed businesses may not employ a Marketing Director or Marketing Manager.
Instead, the owner may personally make decisions about:
- Website development
- SEO
- Advertising
- Social media
- Lead generation
- Marketing budgets
When targeting smaller SMEs, focusing exclusively on marketing job titles could therefore cause you to miss many potential clients.
CEOs
CEOs may be appropriate prospects where marketing has a significant strategic impact on the business.
This could include companies:
- Entering new markets
- Launching new products
- Scaling quickly
- Repositioning their brand
- Looking to accelerate growth
However, for routine marketing services within larger organisations, a Marketing Director or Head of Marketing may be a more relevant first contact.
Commercial Directors
Commercial Directors can be useful prospects for agencies where marketing is closely connected to revenue generation.
They may oversee:
- Sales
- Marketing
- Business development
- Commercial strategy
- Revenue growth
This can make them particularly relevant for:
- B2B lead generation agencies
- Demand generation agencies
- Performance marketing agencies
- Account-based marketing specialists
If your proposition is heavily focused on generating sales opportunities rather than general brand activity, commercial decision-makers can be worth targeting.
Sales Directors
Sales Directors aren’t always responsible for marketing, but they can be important prospects for agencies offering lead generation services.
Relevant agency services could include:
- B2B lead generation
- Appointment setting
- LinkedIn lead generation
- Email marketing
- Account-based marketing
- Sales enablement
A Sales Director may have a direct interest in anything that can help create more qualified opportunities for their team.
Communications Directors
Communications Directors can be relevant for agencies specialising in:
- PR
- Corporate communications
- Content
- Brand reputation
- Media relations
- Thought leadership
This role is more common within larger organisations.
Depending on the company, communications may sit within marketing or operate as a separate department.
E-commerce Managers
Agencies working with online retailers may need a different decision-maker strategy.
Relevant contacts can include:
- E-commerce Managers
- Heads of E-commerce
- E-commerce Directors
- Digital Directors
- Marketing Directors
These contacts can be particularly relevant for:
- PPC
- Paid social
- SEO
- Email marketing
- Conversion optimisation
- Performance marketing
The most appropriate role will depend on how the company’s digital and marketing teams are structured.
Match the Contact to Company Size
Company size can significantly affect who controls marketing decisions.
Micro and Small Businesses
Consider:
- Business Owners
- Managing Directors
- CEOs
These companies may have little or no internal marketing resource.
Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Relevant contacts could include:
- Marketing Managers
- Heads of Marketing
- Managing Directors
- Commercial Directors
These businesses may have a small internal marketing function but still rely heavily on agencies.
Larger Businesses
Consider:
- Marketing Directors
- Heads of Marketing
- Digital Marketing Directors
- Communications Directors
- Specialist department heads
Larger companies may already work with several agencies covering different marketing disciplines.
Match the Contact to Your Agency Service
The strongest contact can also change depending on what you’re selling.
| Agency Service | Potential Decision-Makers |
|---|---|
| SEO | Marketing Director, Head of Marketing, Digital Marketing Manager |
| PPC | Marketing Director, Digital Marketing Manager, Head of Performance |
| B2B Lead Generation | Marketing Director, Sales Director, Commercial Director |
| Social Media | Marketing Manager, Social Media Manager, Marketing Director |
| Content Marketing | Marketing Director, Content Manager, Head of Marketing |
| Email Marketing | Marketing Manager, CRM Manager, Marketing Director |
| Web Design | Marketing Director, Managing Director, Digital Manager |
| Branding | Marketing Director, Managing Director, CEO |
| Marketing Automation | Marketing Director, CRM Manager, Head of Marketing |
| E-commerce Marketing | E-commerce Director, Head of E-commerce, Marketing Director |
These aren’t fixed rules, but they provide a useful starting point for building your target audience.
Don’t Automatically Target the Most Senior Person
A common mistake in B2B prospecting is assuming the CEO is always the best contact.
Within a large organisation, the CEO may have little direct involvement in choosing an SEO, PPC or content marketing agency.
The Marketing Director may be much closer to:
- The problem
- Existing agency relationships
- Marketing performance
- Available budget
- Supplier selection
Target seniority should therefore reflect the size and structure of the company.
Identify the Person Experiencing the Problem
The strongest initial contact is often the person most affected by the problem your agency solves.
For example:
Lack of Sales Leads
Potential contacts:
- Sales Director
- Marketing Director
- Commercial Director
- Managing Director
Poor Search Visibility
Potential contacts:
- Marketing Director
- Head of Marketing
- Digital Marketing Manager
Lack of Internal Marketing Resources
Potential contacts:
- Managing Director
- Marketing Manager
- Business Owner
Poor Paid Advertising Performance
Potential contacts:
- Marketing Director
- Digital Marketing Manager
- Head of Performance
This problem-led approach can help make your targeting more precise.
Understand the Difference Between Influencers and Buyers
The person interested in your agency may not be the person who ultimately approves the contract.
For example, a Marketing Manager may identify the need and research agencies, while a Marketing Director or Managing Director approves the expenditure.
The buying process could involve:
- Marketing Manager
- Marketing Director
- Finance Director
- Managing Director
- Procurement
This becomes increasingly common as contract values and company size increase.
Target More Than One Contact for Important Accounts
If a business is particularly valuable, consider identifying several relevant contacts.
For example:
- Marketing Director
- Head of Marketing
- Commercial Director
This can reduce your dependence on one individual.
However, avoid sending identical messages to several people at the same company simultaneously.
Each contact should be approached according to their responsibilities and potential involvement in the decision.
Use Job Role and Company Criteria Together
Job-title targeting becomes much stronger when combined with company-level criteria.
Rather than simply targeting every Marketing Director available, an agency could focus on:
- Marketing Directors at UK manufacturers with 100+ employees
- Heads of Marketing at SaaS companies
- Managing Directors at recruitment agencies
- Business Owners at professional services firms
- Commercial Directors at B2B technology companies
This creates a much more focused prospect audience.
Build Separate Campaigns for Different Decision-Makers
Different roles should not necessarily receive the same message.
For example:
Marketing Director
Focus on:
- Marketing performance
- Specialist expertise
- Additional capacity
- Campaign results
Managing Director
Focus on:
- Business growth
- Lead generation
- Commercial outcomes
- Outsourcing marketing activity
Sales Director
Focus on:
- Qualified leads
- Sales pipeline
- Opportunities
- Supporting the sales team
Digital Marketing Manager
Focus on:
- Channel performance
- Specialist expertise
- Execution
- Additional resources
Changing the message to reflect the recipient’s responsibilities can make outreach more relevant.
Analyse Your Existing Clients
Look at who originally engaged your agency within your current client base.
Ask:
- What job title did they have?
- Who attended the first meeting?
- Who approved the proposal?
- Who manages the relationship now?
- Did several people influence the purchase?
Patterns may quickly emerge.
If Marketing Directors consistently generate your strongest opportunities, they can become a priority audience for future campaigns.
Test Different Job Roles
Don’t assume you know the perfect decision-maker before testing.
Run separate campaigns targeting:
- Marketing Directors
- Marketing Managers
- Managing Directors
- Commercial Directors
- Sales Directors
Compare:
- Positive replies
- Meetings
- Qualified opportunities
- Proposals
- New clients
- Contract values
Your own sales data can provide the clearest evidence of which roles work best for your agency.
You can learn more about our Lead Generation for Marketing Agencies services.
Summary
Identifying the right marketing agency decision makers requires more than simply finding the most senior person within a company.
Marketing Directors, Heads of Marketing, Marketing Managers, Managing Directors, Business Owners, Commercial Directors and Sales Directors can all be relevant depending on your services and target market.
Consider company size, the marketing service you’re selling and who is responsible for the problem you solve. Combining the right job roles with industry, employee numbers, turnover and geography can help create more targeted B2B campaigns and increase your chances of reaching people with genuine influence over agency selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should a marketing agency contact within a business?
Potential contacts include Marketing Directors, Heads of Marketing, Marketing Managers, Managing Directors, Business Owners, Commercial Directors and Sales Directors.
Should marketing agencies target Marketing Directors?
Yes. Marketing Directors can be particularly relevant within established businesses where they manage marketing strategy, budgets and external agency relationships.
Should agencies contact Managing Directors?
Managing Directors can be strong prospects within SMEs, particularly where the company doesn’t employ a senior internal marketing team.
Who should lead generation agencies target?
Marketing Directors, Sales Directors, Commercial Directors, Managing Directors and Business Owners can all be relevant depending on company size.
Should marketing agencies target business owners?
Yes. Business owners can be particularly relevant when targeting smaller companies where the owner personally controls marketing and supplier decisions.
Is the CEO always the best marketing decision-maker?
No. Within larger businesses, Marketing Directors, Heads of Marketing or specialist marketing managers may have much greater involvement in selecting agencies.
Can marketing agencies target multiple people within one company?
Yes. For valuable accounts, identifying several stakeholders can be useful, particularly when multiple people influence agency selection and budget approval.
Data & Lead Generation Services
RD Marketing provides bespoke B2B data lists and fully managed lead generation services to help businesses build pipeline and drive revenue growth. These include:
- Automated Email Campaigns
- LinkedIn Automation
- Industry Databases
- Job Role Databases
- Email Lists
- Telemarketing Data
- Direct Mail Data
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