CM Townhall - B2B Marketing: What Most Marketers Get Wrong - and How to Fix It

1. Who Are You Really Targeting?

   Why many teams lack clarity on the right business customers and decision makers and how this impacts effectiveness.

2. The Value Proposition Gap

   Why B2B messaging often fails to resonate and what strong, business-focused value actually looks like.

3. The Reality of the B2B Buyer Journey

   How business buyers actually move from awareness to decision and where marketing and sales often fall out of sync.

4. Channels vs. Strategy

   Why many B2B marketing plans default to tactics and how to think more strategically about channel selection and mix.

5. The Role of Demand Generation

   What it really means to create demand in B2B and why it’s often misunderstood or underutilized.

6. Q&A

   By the end of this session, you will better understand why many B2B marketing efforts fall short, not due to lack of activity, but due to a lack of clarity and alignment across core fundamentals.

You will gain a clearer perspective on how to think about target customers, value propositions, and the buyer's journey in a more structured and practical way, helping you identify gaps in your current approach.

Finally, you will walk away with a simple, actionable lens you can use to assess your current B2B marketing efforts and identify where to focus on improving effectiveness.

Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the foundational elements required for effective B2B marketing and why getting this right is critical before investing further in tactics or tools. Most importantly, this session provides a practical starting point for marketers looking to strengthen their approach and build more effective B2B programs.

Joanne Pawlicki, Pawlicki Marketing & Communications

Joanne Pawlicki is a global marketing and growth leader with over 20 years of experience driving results across four countries, eight industries, and 30+ brands—including Kellogg’s, Nestlé, Cineplex, and the CN Tower. Her expertise spans brand, product marketing, communications, digital, and loyalty, developed through leadership roles in top-tier CPG, retail, entertainment, and food organizations, as well as complex B2B and multi-stakeholder environments.

Joanne has experience developing marketing strategies that support both consumer and business-facing growth, including environments with multiple stakeholders, longer decision cycles, and a strong need to demonstrate clear business value. Her work focuses on defining target audiences, building strong value propositions, and aligning marketing efforts to support measurable business outcomes.

Currently, Joanne leads her consulting firm, Pawlicki Marketing & Communications, where she helps organizations strengthen their strategic foundations, refine positioning, and accelerate growth across both B2C and B2B contexts. She also serves as the Finance Officer on the board of the Toronto chapter of NextUp, an organization dedicated to advancing women in business.

The Chartered Marketer (CM) designation is the only recognized marketing designation in Canada, highlighting professionals who meet the highest standards of knowledge, experience, and ongoing professional development. The program provides resources, learning opportunities, and exclusive events to help marketers advance their careers and stay at the forefront of the profession.

To learn more about the CM program, how it can benefit your career and how to apply, download the brochure.