06 Jun Lead Gen Isn’t Dead. It’s Just Not Where You’re Looking: Why CMOs Must Rethink the Funnel in 2025
Still waiting for your next lead to come from a landing page? In 2025, that ship has sailed.
Today’s buyer doesn’t follow your neat funnel. They zigzag, ghost your forms, binge on content anonymously, and only show up when they want to, not when you ask.
If you’re still measuring event success by registrations and brand visibility, you’re already behind.
The Funnel Is Broken — But the Buyer Journey Isn’t
Modern B2B buyers don’t trust hard-sell tactics. They’re self-educating, community-driven, and channel-agnostic. And most importantly, they’re not converting on traditional touchpoints anymore.
“The new lead isn’t captured on a form — it’s nurtured in a conversation.”
— Anonymous CMO, Fortune 500 Tech Brand
Here’s what’s changed:
- 76% of B2B buyers now prefer events as a first engagement before connecting with sales (Forrester, 2024)
- 61% of marketers rank events as their top source of qualified leads, even over digital ads and content syndication (Statista, 2024)
This shift isn’t a coincidence. It’s a signal.
CMOs: You’re Not Just Competing for Attention — You’re Competing for Time
In 2025, time is the real currency.
When decision-makers choose to attend your event, they’re giving you time you didn’t have to steal with ads or cold emails. But what you do with that time — that’s where most brands fail.
Too many events still feel like extended pitch decks or panel karaoke. What buyers crave is depth, dialogue, and context.
So, here’s the hard truth:
Events aren’t awareness campaigns anymore. They’re sales enablement disguised as experiences.
Mid-Funnel is the New Frontline
Most CMOs think lead gen is about driving traffic. In reality, it’s about driving progress.
TTC has spent the last decade engineering events that aren’t just “memorable” — they’re measurable.
Our formats are built to move leads from curiosity to commitment through:
- Pipeline-first content strategy!
- Intent-based attendee profiling
- Hyper-personalized follow-ups post-event
- Data-backed lead journeys with sales alignment
The result? A sharp drop in vanity metrics. And a steep rise in qualified pipeline.
A TTC Event Isn’t Just an Event — It’s a Buyer Activation Engine
We’ve helped B2B tech brands host:
- Roundtables that generated 4x more SQLs by putting CIOs and CTOs into structured peer conversations
- Webinars that convert 2.5x better than the industry average by combining panel insights with tailored exit journeys
- Experiential events that double as relationship accelerators, getting your brand into the right rooms with the right people
What’s the secret? It’s not bigger budgets. It’s a smarter execution.
The FOMO Is Real — Are You In?
Your competitors are already rethinking their funnel. They’re turning events into demand centres, not just campaigns.
So, if your 2025 marketing plan still treats events as “top-funnel,” it’s time for a reset.
Because while others are capturing contacts, you could be capturing conversations that convert.
Ready to re-engineer your event strategy for lead velocity, not vanity?
Let’s talk. TTC builds pipeline-first events for solution-led tech brands.
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