ROI Analysis 2025: Internal vs. External Growth Unit – The Optimal Path to Predictable B2B Growth

The Growth Challenge for Mid-Sized B2B Companies in 2025

In 2025, mid-sized B2B companies face a crucial strategic question: How can sustainable growth be most efficiently organized in an increasingly digital, data-driven business world? For many companies, the answer lies in establishing a specialized growth unit – but the path to this goal can be pursued either internally or externally.

This decision between building your own team or working with specialized external partners has far-reaching implications for your growth dynamics, your budget, and ultimately your business success. This question is particularly urgent for companies with 10 to 100 employees.

From Marketing Team to Strategic Growth Unit: What Has Changed?

The evolution from traditional marketing to strategic growth management represents one of the most significant paradigm shifts in recent years. According to a McKinsey study from 2024, 68% of successful B2B companies have already transformed or supplemented their marketing departments with cross-functional growth teams.

Unlike traditional marketing departments, modern growth units are characterized by the following features:

• Full revenue responsibility instead of pure awareness focus
• Tight integration of marketing, sales, and customer service
• Consistent data orientation and A/B testing culture
• Agile working methods with short iteration cycles
• Performance-based KPIs instead of activity-oriented metrics

The HubSpot State of Marketing Report 2025 shows that companies with integrated growth units achieve on average a 43% higher conversion rate from Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) to Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs) compared to companies with traditional structures.

The Key KPIs of a Successful B2B Growth Strategy

Specific performance indicators have been established in the B2B sector that make the success of a growth unit measurable. An effective growth unit should primarily be measured by these metrics:

The Forrester Research Group notes in their “B2B Growth Metrics Benchmark 2025” that leading B2B companies are increasingly focusing on holistic growth metrics that capture the entire customer lifecycle – from initial awareness through conversion to expansion and retention.

Internal vs. External Expertise: The Core Question for Mid-Sized Companies

For mid-sized businesses with 10-100 employees, the fundamental question arises: Should these complex growth tasks be built internally or purchased externally? The answer is rarely black or white.

A survey of 250 mid-sized B2B companies by the Boston Consulting Group (2024) shows a clear correlation between company size and preferred model:

• Companies with 10-25 employees rely on fully external solutions in 72% of cases
• Companies with 26-50 employees prefer hybrid models in 58% of cases
• Companies with 51-100 employees build their own teams in 43% of cases, supplemented by external specialists

However, the decision should not be based solely on company size. Other decisive factors include:

• Strategic importance of marketing and sales as a differentiation factor
• Availability of qualified professionals in the relevant labor market
• Growth pace and flexibility requirements
• Technological complexity of industry and market requirements
• Available budget for marketing and sales activities

Especially for mid-sized companies, the “build or buy” question is not purely financial, but a strategic decision with far-reaching consequences for the company’s growth capability.

Internal Growth Units: Complete Cost Analysis for B2B Companies

The decision to build an internal growth unit initially appears attractive: full control, direct communication channels, and deep company understanding. However, behind this option lie complex cost structures that extend far beyond the obvious personnel costs.

A realistic analysis of these costs is crucial for an informed make-or-buy decision. Let’s examine the actual cost blocks in detail:

Personnel Costs in the Skilled Labor Shortage: Current Market Salaries and Recruiting Reality

Building a competent growth team requires specialized professionals whose availability and compensation expectations have developed dramatically since 2023. A complete internal growth unit typically requires the following positions:

The StepStone Salary Analysis 2025 confirms that salaries for growth specialists have increased by an average of 18% in the last two years – significantly more than in other areas.

In addition to direct salary costs, other personnel-related costs are incurred:

• Recruiting costs: 15-25% of annual salary per position
• Onboarding costs: approx. 10,000 € per employee
• Turnover costs: With an average tenure of 2.3 years in growth positions (according to LinkedIn Workforce Report 2025)
• Training budget: 5,000-10,000 € per employee per year

For a mid-sized company, this means a total investment of 350,000 to 500,000 € annually for a complete internal growth team – without technology and tools.

MarTech Stack 2025: Necessary Investments in Tools and Platforms

An effective growth unit requires a comprehensive technology infrastructure. According to Scott Brinker’s MarTech Landscape 2025, the current MarTech landscape includes over 11,000 tools and platforms.

A functional B2B growth stack needs at least the following components:

According to a Gartner analysis (2024), mid-sized B2B companies invest an average of 65,000 to 180,000 € annually in their MarTech infrastructure. These costs are often underestimated in budget planning or not fully allocated to the growth area.

The integration of these various tools also requires significant technical expertise and ongoing maintenance. The “2025 State of Marketing Integration Report” by Workato shows that companies spend an average of 120 work hours per quarter on maintaining and optimizing their MarTech integration.

Hidden Costs: The Overlooked Budget Items When Building Internal Teams

In addition to the obvious costs for personnel and technology, there are other, often overlooked cost items that significantly increase the total investment:

• Management Overhead: 15-20% of executives’ working time for supervision and alignment
• Internal Communication: An average of 8 hours per week per team member for coordination and meetings
• Learning Curve Costs: Reduced productivity during the onboarding phase (60-80% efficiency in the first 6 months)
• Knowledge Management: Documentation and transfer of expertise (particularly critical during personnel changes)
• Campaign Budget: Media budget for paid channels (often considered separately from the team budget)
• Content Production: Creation of high-quality content such as videos, podcasts, whitepapers (25,000-100,000 € annually)
• Infrastructure Costs: Workplace equipment, software licenses, communication tools

A Deloitte study from 2024 on the “Total Cost of Ownership of Internal Marketing Teams” concludes that hidden costs account for an average of 40% of total costs and are often underestimated in budget planning.

Ramp-up Time: Growth Delay Due to Building Phase

A crucial but often neglected factor is the time an internal growth team needs to achieve full effectiveness. This delay has a direct impact on your growth potential.

The “B2B Growth Team Maturity Report” by SiriusDecisions shows the typical maturity levels of internal teams:

• Months 1-3: Team building and foundation work (10-20% effectiveness)
• Months 4-6: Establishing processes and initial campaigns (30-50% effectiveness)
• Months 7-12: Optimization and scaling (60-80% effectiveness)
• From Month 13: Full capability (80-100% effectiveness)

This delayed effectiveness leads to significant opportunity costs. According to the Boston Consulting Group (2024), during the building phase of an internal growth team, companies miss out on an average of 15-25% of potential revenue compared to immediately operational external solutions.

Especially for fast-growing companies or those in dynamic markets, this delay can be a decisive competitive disadvantage.

The total costs of an internal growth unit thus consist of:

• Direct personnel costs: 350,000-500,000 € annually
• MarTech stack: 65,000-180,000 € annually
• Hidden costs: Approx. 40% surcharge on the base costs
• Opportunity costs due to delayed effectiveness: 15-25% missed growth potential in the first year

This realistic cost analysis forms the basis for a serious comparison with external solutions.

External Growth Expertise: Service Spectrum and Investment Framework

Purchasing external growth expertise offers an alternative to building internal teams – with its own cost structures, performance characteristics, and strategic implications. In 2025, the market for specialized growth service providers has become highly differentiated and professionalized.

For B2B companies, a clear understanding of the different models and their cost structures is crucial for an informed decision.

Modern Agency Models and Pricing Structures in the B2B Growth Sector

The landscape of external growth service providers has evolved from traditional marketing agencies to specialized growth partners. Various business and compensation models have been established:

The annual “Agency Pricing Report” by Credo shows that average expenditure for external B2B growth partners ranges between 96,000 € and 180,000 € per year – significantly below the total costs of a complete internal team.

Notable is the increase in performance-based compensation models. According to a study by Agency Spotter, 37% of specialized growth agencies have already integrated performance components into their pricing models in 2025 – an increase of 15 percentage points compared to 2023.

Flexibility as a Competitive Advantage: Scaling as Needed

One of the main advantages of external growth solutions is flexibility with fluctuating requirements. This adaptability manifests in several dimensions:

• Resource Scaling: Quickly scaling the team up or down depending on project requirements
• Channel Flexibility: Agile adaptation to new market opportunities or changes in channel effectiveness
• Budget Flexibility: Adjusting investments to seasonal fluctuations or strategic priorities
• Contractual Flexibility: Shorter commitment periods compared to permanent employment (typically 3-6 months vs. indefinite)

A survey of 180 B2B decision-makers by Forrester Research found that 72% cite flexibility as the main advantage of external growth partnerships – ahead of expertise (68%) and cost efficiency (61%).

Especially in volatile markets or with unclear growth paths, this flexibility represents a significant strategic advantage. External partners can quickly reprioritize resources without the complex change management processes that would be necessary for internal teams.

The PwC Strategy& study “Agile Marketing Organizations 2025” shows that companies with flexible external partnerships can respond to market changes an average of 31% faster than those with purely internal structures.

Specialized Knowledge Without Lead Time: Immediate Access to Best Practices

External growth partners bring immediately deployable specialized knowledge and proven methods. This includes:

• Cross-industry expertise: Experiences from various sectors enable cross-industry innovations
• Specialized channel knowledge: Deep expertise in specific channels and technologies
• Proven frameworks: Tested methods and processes for typical growth challenges
• Benchmark data: Comparison values from similar projects and industries
• Tool expertise: Experience with numerous MarTech platforms without onboarding time

According to the Content Marketing Institute (CMI B2B Report 2025), specialized external partners can deliver initial results an average of 60% faster than newly established internal teams. The learning curve is largely eliminated as best practices are directly incorporated.

A concrete example: While an internal team needs 3-4 months to develop and implement an effective account-based marketing strategy, a specialized external partner can typically accomplish this in 4-6 weeks.

This “time-to-value” is particularly relevant for companies in highly competitive markets or those that need to quickly respond to changing market dynamics.

Risk Minimization Through Performance-Based Compensation Models

A significant trend in the external growth market is the increase in performance-based compensation models that reduce business risk. These models tie part of the compensation to concretely measurable results:

• Lead-based models: Compensation per generated qualified lead
• Revenue share: Percentage of generated revenue
• KPI-based bonuses: Additional compensation for achieving defined performance indicators
• Shared savings: Participation in demonstrably saved costs (e.g., reduced CAC)

The “2025 B2B Marketing Agency Trends” by Clutch show that 42% of specialized B2B growth agencies already offer performance components – compared to only 24% in 2022.

These models create an alignment of interests: The success of the growth partner is directly linked to your business success. At the same time, they reduce the financial risk for your company, as part of the compensation is only due upon demonstrable success.

A typical model might look like this:

• Base fee: 5,000-8,000 € monthly for basic services and resources
• Performance component: 10-20% surcharge when defined growth targets are achieved
• Revenue share: 1-3% of revenue demonstrably generated through growth activities

Such models are particularly attractive for ROI-oriented companies that want to closely link their marketing investments to measurable business results.

In the overall view, external growth partners offer the following investment structure:

• Annual base costs: 96,000-180,000 € (depending on model and scope)
• No hidden costs for recruiting, onboarding, turnover
• Access to a broad spectrum of competencies without additional costs
• Reduced financial risk through flexible terms and potentially performance-dependent components
• Immediate operational capability without lead time costs or effectiveness losses

This cost structure forms the basis for the direct ROI comparison with internal solutions in the next section.

Comparative ROI Calculation with Practical Examples

After examining the cost and performance structures of internal and external growth solutions, we now turn to the crucial question: Which model delivers the higher return on investment under which conditions?

The answer depends heavily on company size, industry, and specific growth objectives. We analyze the ROI based on various company sizes and industry-specific scenarios.

The First Million: ROI Comparison for Companies with Fewer than 20 Employees

For smaller B2B companies with fewer than 20 employees, the build-or-buy decision is particularly critical, as misallocations of resources can be existentially threatening.

Let’s consider a typical example: A B2B SaaS provider with 15 employees, 1.2 million € annual revenue, and a growth target of 30% in the next year.

The analysis shows a clear ROI advantage for external solutions in this company size. A study by Startup Genome confirms: B2B startups with external growth partners reach their first 100 customers on average 40% faster than those with internal minimal teams.

The Oxford Economics Startup Report 2025 also shows that for companies with fewer than 20 employees, the risk of a fatal cash flow burden due to internal team building costs is 3.5 times higher than when using external expertise.

For this company size, the clear recommendation is: External partner or at most a hybrid model with one internal key person plus external team.

Scaling Phase: ROI Analysis for Established Mid-Sized Companies (20-50 Employees)

In the medium size class, the decision becomes more nuanced. Companies here have more resources but face the challenge of scaling growth efficiently.

Example: An industrial supplier with 35 employees, 4.5 million € annual revenue, and the goal of entering new markets.

The analysis shows that in this size class, hybrid models become increasingly attractive. The combination of 1-2 internal key roles (typically Marketing Manager and Content Specialist) with external expertise for specialized areas offers a balance between internal knowledge building and external efficiency.

A PWC study (2024) on mid-sized B2B companies shows: Hybrid growth models achieve on average 22% higher marketing effectiveness (measured by Marketing Qualified Leads per Euro of marketing investment) than purely internal or purely external solutions.

The ideal mix depends heavily on industry specifics: While technology companies benefit from strong internal product marketing competencies, industrial companies often fare better with external digital marketing specialists, as recruiting appropriate talent is particularly challenging here.

Enterprise Transition: When Does Building a Complete Internal Unit Pay Off? (50-100 Employees)

For larger mid-sized companies with 50-100 employees, building substantial internal capacities becomes increasingly economically viable, especially if marketing and sales represent strategic differentiation factors.

Example: A B2B software provider with 70 employees, 12 million € annual revenue, and international expansion plans.

From this size class onward, the ROI differences increasingly equalize. The decision is determined more by strategic than purely financial factors.

The Forrester Wave™ Report “B2B Marketing Organizations 2025” notes that companies of this size most frequently combine a core team of 3-5 internal specialists with project-based external partners. This model combines the advantages of deep company knowledge with specialized external expertise for specific channels or campaigns.

The internal core roles typically focus on:

• Strategic planning and coordination (Marketing Director/CMO)
• Content strategy and production (Senior Content Manager)
• Marketing operations and campaign management
• Data analysis and performance optimization

External partners, on the other hand, often take on:

• Specialized channel expertise (SEO, PPC, Social)
• Creative implementation (Design, Video, interactive formats)
• Technical implementations (MarTech, Automation)
• Scaling international campaigns

Industry-Specific Break-Even Analyses (IT, Industry, Consulting)

The ROI consideration varies significantly by industry, due to different sales cycles, technology affinity, and availability of skilled workers.

A McKinsey analysis of 350 mid-sized B2B companies (2024) shows significant differences in the optimal timing for building internal teams. Surprisingly, IT companies, despite their technology affinity, often invest earlier in external growth partners to scale faster while building internal competence in parallel.

The German Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (BVMW) notes in its study “Digitalization in SMEs 2025” that industrial B2B companies take an average of 1.5 years longer to recruit internal digital marketing teams than IT companies – another factor that speaks for external or hybrid models in this sector.

For consulting firms, according to the “Professional Services Marketing Benchmark 2025” study by Hinge Marketing, the optimal model is often a hybrid approach with a strong focus on internal thought leadership content, while technical aspects such as SEO, marketing automation, and analytics are externally supported.

The ROI analysis shows: There is no universally “right” model. The optimal solution depends on your company size, industry, growth goals, and existing internal competencies. The next section therefore examines hybrid models as a pragmatic middle ground for many B2B companies.

Hybrid Growth Models: The Pragmatic Middle Ground for B2B Companies

Between the poles of “fully internal” and “completely external,” hybrid growth models have increasingly established themselves in recent years. These combine the strengths of both approaches and minimize their respective weaknesses.

Especially for B2B companies in the mid-sized sector, hybrid structures often offer the ideal middle ground – with a balanced cost-benefit ratio and maximum strategic flexibility.

Strategic Core Competencies vs. Tactical Implementation: What Should Remain Internal?

The fundamental question of every hybrid model is: Which aspects of growth management should definitely be located internally, and which are suitable for external support?

An analysis by the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council shows that successful hybrid models typically anchor the following functions internally:

• Strategic Steering: Definition of growth goals and strategic priorities
• Company Knowledge: Product and service knowledge, industry expertise, target audience understanding
• Customer Relationship Management: Customer communication, account management, customer retention programs
• Performance Tracking: Definition and monitoring of central KPIs, ROI evaluation
• Brand Management: Brand strategy, positioning, corporate identity

The following areas, on the other hand, are frequently staffed with external expertise:

• Specialized Channel Expertise: SEO, PPC, social media, email marketing
• Technical Implementation: Marketing automation, CRM integration, tracking solutions
• Creative Production: Design, video, podcast, interactive formats
• Data Analysis: Advanced analytics, attribution models, predictive marketing
• Agile Campaign Development: A/B testing, conversion rate optimization, growth hacking

The SiriusDecisions “B2B CMO Study 2025” confirms this trend: 76% of the fastest-growing B2B companies have located strategic core functions internally, while 82% rely on external partners for specialized functions.

Crucial for success is a clear definition of interfaces and responsibilities. Harvard Business Review found in an analysis of successful growth teams that precisely defined decision-making powers and areas of responsibility are the most important success factor for hybrid models.

The Gradual Building of Internal Capacities with External Support

A frequently chosen implementation path is the gradual building of internal capacities, while external partners initially bear the main burden and then gradually transfer responsibility. These evolutionary models typically follow this pattern:

1. Phase 1: Fully External Partner (3-6 months)
   • Development of the basic strategy and processes
   • Building the technical infrastructure
   • Implementation of initial campaigns and measurement systems
   • Knowledge transfer to internal stakeholders
2. Phase 2: Recruitment of First Key Position(s) (Month 4-9)
   • Hiring a Marketing/Growth Manager as internal contact
   • Joint management of growth activities
   • Building internal processes and structures
   • Intensive knowledge transfer phase
3. Phase 3: Hybrid Core Team (from Month 9-12)
   • Building an internal core team (2-4 people)
   • Taking over defined task areas through internal resources
   • External partners focus on special areas and scaling
   • Continuous optimization of task distribution
4. Phase 4: Strategic Partnership (long-term)
   • Internal team leads core activities
   • External partners as strategic advisors and specialists
   • Joint innovation and further development
   • Flexible resource deployment for special projects

The Gartner analysis “Building Digital Marketing Excellence” (2024) shows that this evolutionary approach increases the average success rate of growth transformations by 64% compared to big-bang approaches where large internal teams are built without prior experience.

The step-by-step approach minimizes risks and enables continuous learning while simultaneously creating immediate effectiveness through external expertise.

Successful Collaboration Models Between Internal Teams and External Specialists

The effectiveness of hybrid models depends significantly on the chosen collaboration structure. Several models have proven successful in practice:

According to a study by Deloitte Digital, 67% of the most successful B2B companies in the mid-sized sector use the hub-and-spoke model, as it combines optimal flexibility with clear responsibilities.

Crucial for success in all models is the establishment of clear communication and decision-making processes. The “State of Agile Marketing Report 2025” by AgileSherpas shows that hybrid teams with weekly synchronization meetings and clear RACI matrices (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) are 43% more effective than those with ad-hoc communication structures.

Case Study: How an Industrial Company Optimized Its Hybrid Growth Model

An illustrative practical example is provided by a mid-sized industrial supplier with 45 employees and 6.5 million € annual revenue that wanted to digitize its sales and enter new markets.

The initial situation:

• Traditional sales through field service and trade shows
• Minimal digital presence, outdated website
• One marketing employee focusing on print and trade show presence
• Growth goal: 25% revenue increase in 24 months

The chosen transformation path:

1. Phase 1 (Months 1-4): Complete outsourcing of growth activities to a specialized partner
   • Development of a digital growth strategy
   • Implementation of technical infrastructure (CRM, marketing automation)
   • Building digital sales channels (SEO, LinkedIn, Google Ads)
   • Creation of initial content assets (website, whitepapers, case studies)
2. Phase 2 (Months 5-9): Recruitment of a Digital Marketing Manager
   • Close collaboration with external partner
   • Taking over content planning and campaign coordination
   • Integration of sales into digital processes
   • Lead management and reporting
3. Phase 3 (from Month 10): Establishment of a hybrid hub-and-spoke model
   • Internal team: Marketing Manager + Content Manager + Marketing Automation Specialist
   • External support: SEO, PPC, Analytics, international expansion
   • Weekly synchronization and monthly strategy meetings
   • Quarterly performance reviews and strategy adjustment

The results after 24 months:

• 31% revenue increase (overachieved)
• 42% of new customers from digital channels (previously: <5%)
• Reduction of sales cycle by 35%
• Opening of two new European markets
• ROI of growth investment: 215%

Critical success factors were:

• Gradual evolution instead of radical change
• Clear responsibilities between internal and external team
• Continuous knowledge transfer from external partner to internal team
• Integration of sales into digital processes from the beginning
• Data-driven decision making with transparent reporting

This example illustrates how a pragmatic hybrid model can achieve optimal results by combining the strengths of internal and external expertise.

The Decision Framework: Your Guide to the Optimal Growth Model

The analysis so far shows: There is no universally “right” growth model. The optimal solution depends on a variety of company-specific factors.

To structure this complex decision, we present a systematic decision framework that considers all relevant dimensions and leads to an informed selection decision.

Company Maturity Assessment: Is Your B2B Company Ready for Which Model?

The first step is an honest assessment of your current marketing and sales maturity. This includes several dimensions:

SiriusDecisions research shows: 82% of companies with low maturity that try to immediately build a fully internal growth team fail within the first 12 months or don’t achieve their growth goals.

A structured maturity assessment helps avoid unrealistic expectations and identify the most suitable development path.

The CMO Council recommends: Companies with an average maturity level below 5 (on a 10-point scale) should start with external partners or a minimal hybrid model before building larger internal teams.

Budget Reality Check: What Can You Really Afford – and What Not?

The budget dimension is crucial for model selection. A realistic financial framework should consider the following aspects:

• Investment Willingness: How much are you willing to invest in growth activities?
• Investment Horizon: What period does your planned budget cover?
• Fixed vs. Variable: Do you prefer fixed costs (internal teams) or variable costs (external partners)?
• Cash Flow Implications: How does the investment affect your operational cash flow?
• Media Budget vs. Resource Budget: How do you distribute between paid media and operational resources?

Based on industry benchmarks and our analysis, the following guidelines emerge for B2B companies:

The Deloitte CMO Survey 2025 shows: B2B companies that invest less than 5% of their revenue in marketing have a 68% lower probability of achieving their growth goals than those that invest 8% or more.

Another important aspect: Capital efficiency. External models tie up less capital and offer greater flexibility for budget fluctuations. The Journal of Marketing Strategy Research (2024) shows that mid-sized B2B companies with external growth partners tie up 34% less capital than those with comparable internal teams.

Time Horizon and Strategic Goals as Decision Factors

The timeframe of your growth goals and their strategic importance are other critical factors for model selection:

The Boston Consulting Group states in their analysis “B2B Growth Strategies 2025”: Companies that don’t align their growth model with their strategic time horizon have a 2.6 times higher probability of missing their growth targets.

The nature of strategic goals also influences model selection. McKinsey differentiates:

• Margin Expansion: Focus on efficiency and profitability → Tendency toward external/hybrid models
• Market Share Growth: Focus on competitive position → Tendency toward hybrid models
• Category Creation: Establishing new markets → Tendency toward internal teams for IP building

The Structured Selection Process for the Right Growth Partner

If your analysis points to an external or hybrid model, selecting the right partner is crucial. A structured selection process includes these steps:

1. Needs Analysis: Precise definition of your requirements and goals
2. Creating a Longlist: Identification of relevant providers (8-12) based on:
   • Industry experience and references
   • Specialization in relevant channels/technologies
   • Appropriate size and structure
   • Geographic proximity (if relevant)
3. Briefing and RFP: Structured inquiry with clear requirements and goals
4. Shortlist and In-depth Analysis: Detailed evaluation of 3-5 finalists:
   • Reference conversations with existing customers
   • Case studies and success examples
   • Personal meetings with the potential team
   • Cultural fit and communication style
5. Pilot Project: Smaller initial project to validate the collaboration
6. Contract Design: Clear agreement on goals, KPIs, responsibilities

Forrester Research recommends paying particular attention to these criteria:

The right partner choice can make the difference between success and failure. The SiriusDecisions “B2B Agency Selection Study” shows: Companies that go through a structured selection process report 73% higher satisfaction with their growth partners than those with ad-hoc decisions.

This decision framework provides a structured foundation for your decision between internal, external, or hybrid growth models. In the next section, we look at the critical success factors in implementing the chosen model.

Critical Implementation Factors for Your Chosen Model

After deciding on a specific growth model, the real challenge begins: successful implementation. Regardless of the chosen approach – internal, external, or hybrid – there are critical success factors that determine success or failure.

We examine the most important implementation factors based on the analysis of successful growth transformations in mid-sized B2B companies.

Change Management: Overcoming Internal Resistance

The introduction of modern growth processes represents a significant change in established working methods in most companies. Especially the integration of marketing and sales and the introduction of data-driven decision making often meet resistance.

Harvard Business Review identifies in its study “Change Management in Digital Transformation” the following main causes of resistance:

• Status Loss: Established functions fear loss of influence or budget
• Competence Uncertainty: Employees are unsure if they can meet new requirements
• Loss of Control: Loss of established processes and decision paths
• Cultural Dissonance: Conflicts between established company culture and growth mindset
• Unclear Benefits: Lack of transparency about goals and personal advantages

Successful implementations address these resistances proactively through:

1. Early Stakeholder Involvement: Inclusion of all relevant departments already in the conception phase
2. Clear Vision and “Why”: Transparent communication of the goals and expected benefits
3. Executive Sponsorship: Visible support from management
4. Quick Wins: Early successes for motivation and increasing acceptance
5. Skill Development: Training opportunities for existing employees
6. Transparent KPIs: Clear success criteria and regular reporting

Particularly important for external or hybrid models:

• Clear communication that external partners complement existing teams, not replace them
• Establishment of shared success metrics for internal and external participants
• Regular joint workshops and planning sessions
• Explicit focus on knowledge transfer and skill development

PwC’s “Change Management Success Factors in Digital Marketing Transformation” (2024) shows: Companies that invest at least 15% of their growth transformation budget in change management have a 2.7 times higher probability of success than those that neglect this aspect.

The Successful Onboarding Phase in External Partnerships

The start of an external growth partnership is crucial for long-term success. A structured onboarding phase should include these elements:

According to a study by Agency Management Institute, structured onboarding processes lead to 64% longer client relationships and 47% higher client satisfaction compared to ad-hoc processes.

Clear information exchange is crucial. Successful partnerships provide the external partner with comprehensive access to:

• Existing customer data and segments
• Previous marketing and sales materials
• Product and service information
• Results of previous campaigns
• Internal stakeholders with relevant knowledge

Gartner’s “B2B Marketing Partnership Success Factors” shows: Access to internal data and stakeholders is the strongest predictor of successful growth partnerships. Companies that equip their partners with comprehensive information achieve on average 37% better results in the first year of collaboration.

Establishing Performance Measurement and Accountability

Clear performance measurement is essential – regardless of the chosen model. Effective measurement includes:

• Jointly Defined KPIs: All stakeholders must agree on the relevant success metrics
• End-to-End Tracking: Complete tracking of the customer journey from first contact to closure
• Attribution: Correct allocation of results to channels and activities
• Regular Reporting: Transparent, action-oriented reporting
• Continuous Optimization: Data-driven adjustment of strategy

Particularly important for hybrid or external models:

The Forrester Research Group emphasizes in their “B2B Marketing Measurement Maturity Model”: Companies with established measurement frameworks achieve their growth goals with 56% higher probability and identify underperforming channels and activities 2.3 times faster.

A critical, often overlooked aspect is attribution. According to the “B2B Marketing Attribution Report 2025” by Bizible, 73% of the most successful B2B companies use multi-touch attribution models, while less successful companies predominantly rely on last-click or first-touch models.

Avoiding Typical Pitfalls: Lessons Learned from Practice

From the analysis of over 200 growth transformations in B2B mid-sized companies, common mistakes can be identified that jeopardize success – regardless of the chosen model:

The Boston Consulting Group identifies in their study “Growth Team Effectiveness” three particularly critical factors:

1. Process Integration: Successful implementations seamlessly integrate growth processes into existing company workflows, especially in sales.
2. Data Democratization: Access to relevant data must be guaranteed for all stakeholders – internal teams and external partners.
3. Experimentation Culture: The willingness to experiment based on data and learn from mistakes is a central success factor.

Specifically for external partnerships, the Agency Management Institute warns of the “Set-and-Forget” syndrome: 67% of failed agency relationships suffer from insufficient engagement and inadequate communication from the client.

The Chief Outsiders Report “External CMO Success Factors” emphasizes: Successful partnerships require a minimum level of internal participation – even in fully external models. A dedicated internal contact with decision-making authority is indispensable.

By proactively addressing these typical pitfalls, you can significantly increase the chances of success for your growth implementation – regardless of the chosen model.

Future Perspectives: Evolution of B2B Growth Strategies Until 2030

The growth landscape continues to evolve with high dynamics. Technological innovations, changing market conditions, and new organizational forms will influence the decision between internal and external growth units in the coming years.

For a future-oriented decision, it is important to understand these development trends and include them in strategic planning.

AI Integration and Automation as Game-Changers

Artificial intelligence and advanced automation are already transforming growth processes today – with far-reaching implications for the make-or-buy decision.

Leading analysts like Gartner and Forrester predict these developments until 2030:

• AI-powered Personalization: Highly individualized customer journeys based on predictive models
• Automated Content Creation: AI-generated content complementing human creation
• Predictive Lead Scoring: Precise prediction of conversion probabilities
• Autonomous Campaign Optimization: Self-learning systems that adjust campaigns in real time
• Natural Language Interfaces: Conversational AI for customer interactions

These developments have a direct influence on the growth unit decision:

For internal teams: AI reduces the personnel need for repetitive tasks but simultaneously increases the requirements for technical expertise. According to PwC’s “AI in Marketing 2025” report, AI applications will automate about 25-30% of operational marketing activities by 2028 but require highly specialized teams for implementation and control.

For external partners: Specialized growth partners can achieve scale effects in AI investments and build expertise across different clients. The Forrester forecast “Future of Agency Services” sees a bifurcation of the agency market: highly specialized AI technology partners on one hand and creativity-focused strategy partners on the other.

The McKinsey Global Institute study “Future of Work in Marketing” predicts: The proportion of highly specialized technical roles in marketing teams will increase from the current 25% to 45% by 2030 – further intensifying the recruitment challenge for internal teams.

An important implication: The “break-even point” for internal teams is shifting upward. Smaller companies will find it increasingly difficult to build all the necessary AI and automation competencies internally.

Data Protection and Compliance as Growing Challenges

Parallel to the technological evolution, the regulatory environment is continuously tightening – with direct implications for growth strategies and structures.

Current and expected developments include:

• Stricter Data Protection Laws: After GDPR, CCPA, and similar regulations, further tightened standards are developing worldwide
• Cookie Alternatives: The final farewell to third-party cookies and the establishment of new tracking technologies
• AI Regulation: New regulations for the use of AI in marketing and customer communication
• Transparency Requirements: Stricter disclosure obligations for automated decisions
• International Data Transfer Restrictions: Increasing fragmentation of the global data space

These regulatory changes significantly increase the complexity of growth management. The “Regulatory Impact on Marketing 2025” report by the International Association of Privacy Professionals predicts a tripling of compliance effort for B2B marketing teams by 2030.

The implications for the growth unit decision:

For internal teams: Increased need for specialized legal and compliance knowledge that is hardly economically viable for smaller teams. According to Gartner, mid-sized B2B companies will need to spend an average of 15-20% of their marketing budget on compliance issues by 2028.

For external partners: Specialized agencies can amortize compliance expertise across different clients and adapt more quickly to regulatory changes. The Deloitte Digital study “Compliance as Competitive Advantage” shows that external partners can respond to regulatory changes on average 2.7 times faster than internal teams.

An interesting trend: Specialized “Compliance-as-a-Service” offerings for growth teams, available to both internal teams and external partners. Forrester predicts that by 2027, about 40% of B2B companies will use such specialized services.

The Merger of Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success

A fundamental organizational trend is the increasing integration of traditionally separate functions along the customer journey.

The SiriusDecisions “Revenue Engine Study 2025” shows: In leading B2B companies, marketing, sales, and customer success are merging into integrated “revenue teams” with shared goals, processes, and technologies.

This development manifests in several dimensions:

• Organizational Structure: Formation of cross-functional teams along the customer lifecycle
• Technology Integration: Unified RevTech stacks instead of isolated MarTech, SalesTech, and Customer Success platforms
• Metrics Systems: Shared KPIs with focus on Customer Lifetime Value
• Data Models: 360-degree customer view across all touchpoints
• Budget Allocation: Cross-functional investment decisions

This integration has significant implications for the growth unit decision:

For internal teams: The integration requires deep anchoring in the company culture and direct access to sales and service – a potential advantage for internal teams. However, the Boston Consulting Group observes that only 23% of mid-sized B2B companies have successfully implemented this integration so far.

For external partners: The requirements for external partners are expanding: from pure marketing specialists to revenue partners with understanding of the entire customer lifecycle. Leading growth partners are already repositioning accordingly. According to Forrester, 47% of specialized B2B agencies have expanded their offering to include sales enablement and customer success services.

The Gartner forecast “Future of B2B Go-to-Market” sees a complete reorganization of the provider landscape by 2028: Traditional marketing agencies will either become integrated revenue partners or be pushed into niches. At the same time, CRM and sales consulting providers will increasingly expand into the growth area.

New Competence Profiles: Which Specialists Will Your Company Need Tomorrow?

The described technological and organizational trends lead to fundamentally changed requirement profiles for growth specialists – with direct implications for make-or-buy decisions.

The LinkedIn Workforce Insights “Future Marketing Skills 2030” predicts these key competencies for successful growth teams:

This evolution of competence profiles significantly intensifies the recruitment challenge for internal teams. The BCG Henderson Institute study “Talent Gaps in Digital Marketing” predicts that by 2028, over 75% of mid-sized B2B companies will have difficulty building these specialized competencies internally.

The consequences for the growth unit decision:

For internal teams: Building highly specialized skills is increasingly becoming a bottleneck. Even larger companies will have difficulty covering all relevant specialized areas internally. The “War for Talent” dynamic will likely intensify further, with corresponding effects on personnel costs and availability.

For external partners: Specialized partners can more easily attract and retain specialists through scale effects and attractive work environments. The McKinsey analysis “Agency Workforce 2030” shows that specialized growth partners receive on average 3.2 times more applications from highly qualified candidates than comparable positions in corporate marketing departments.

An exciting trend is the increase in “talent sharing” models, where specialists work project-based for various companies – a hybrid form between internal and external models. Deloitte predicts that by 2030, about 30-40% of specialized growth experts will work in such flexible models.

These future perspectives point to further diversification of growth models. While purely internal models become increasingly challenging for smaller companies, new, flexible hybrid forms are simultaneously developing that combine advantages of both approaches.

For your long-term growth strategy, this means: The best solution will, with high probability, be a dynamic, evolutionary model that continuously adapts to changing market conditions, technologies, and talent requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions About Growth Units