In his article, David Dodd wrote that the innovations in Marketing have promised to improve marketing effectiveness and efficiency, and numerous research studies purport to show that they are delivering a wide range of benefits. But have these innovations really improved the bottom-line productivity of B2B marketing? Can we show – in a credible and convincing way – that B2B marketing is more financially productive today than it was 10 or 15 years ago?” He concluded that Marketing is not. Why is that?

Marketers in general believe they are working harder than ever. They are measuring and reporting more often and with more detailed data. They have made technology and skill investments designed to make and prove that Marketing activities and programs add economic value for their organizations. I believe the lack of improvement in productivity has to do with understanding the difference between activity and action.

Action and activity on the surface may seem the same. They are quite different. Merriam-Webster defines “activity” as: “the quality or state of being active”. Action, on the other hand, is the process of exerting a force or bringing about an effect.” Many of us are familiar with the proverb “It’s better to do something rather than nothing.” So many professionals fill up their day with activity only to land on the never-ending Marketing hamster wheel. In the business world, activity without purpose falls into the category of “busy work.” You and your team may be busy doing tasks, but without action, the energy and time invested will never produce an outcome by itself. You need action.

Action is what achieves our goals; action moves something, such as your business, forward. It has direction. Action is an act that will achieve a result. Action is based on a plan. Our CMO-level customers sometimes admit their organization is so tactically oriented that there is no point in having a plan. There is a set amount of money, and it is up to Marketing to invest that money and then show how those investments made a difference. Your Marketing plan guides you and your team’s daily actions. Your plan is not about executing a list of programs; it’s about ensuring each Marketing action is directly related to a business outcome – every day!

When you transform your Marketing plan from a list of activities into an action-oriented blueprint, you are signaling a change to leadership regarding Marketing’s role. You bring the focus to action rather than activity. This approach enables you, the Marketing leader, to determine whether (and where) a new activity needs to be plugged into the “blueprint”, and what effects it will have up and across the plan in terms of investment and metrics. Your plan serves as a productivity improvement tool. Experts on the topic of productivity all recommend having and working a plan, staying focused on quantifiable outcomes, working to deadlines, and minimizing distractions (a.k.a. activities) to drastically increase productivity. To improve Marketing’s productivity, decide to move from activity to action.

Need an extra hand moving from activity to action? Accelance® is a great place to start.

FAQ:

(written by Penn of Sintra.ai)

Q1: Why does David Dodd conclude B2B Marketing is not more financially productive today than 10–15 years ago?
A: Because many innovations have increased activity (more programs, more tools, more reporting), but not necessarily action that produces measurable business outcomes. In other words, Marketing can be busier and more instrumented without becoming more economically productive.

Q2: What is the difference between “activity” and “action,” and why does it matter?
A: They may look similar on the surface, but they are fundamentally different:

Activity is “the quality or state of being active.” It often becomes busy work—motion without direction.
Action is “the process of exerting a force or bringing about an effect.” It is directional and outcome-producing.
Productivity improves when Marketing shifts from being active to being effective—i.e., from activity to action.

Q3: What causes Marketing teams to end up on the “hamster wheel”?
A: When days fill up with tasks that are not explicitly connected to outcomes. Without a plan that defines intended effects, teams can execute continuously yet fail to move the business forward. Activity consumes time and energy; action creates results.

Q4: What is the role of a Marketing plan in moving from activity to action?
A: The Marketing plan should guide daily actions by linking each action directly to a business outcome. A plan is not a list of programs; it is an action-oriented blueprint that clarifies purpose, sequencing, investment implications, and the metrics chain required to demonstrate impact.

Q5: How does an action-oriented plan improve Marketing productivity?
A: It signals a shift in Marketing’s role—from executing “what we do” to managing “what we deliver.” It enables leaders to evaluate whether a new activity belongs in the blueprint, what it will change across investments and metrics, and whether it will produce an effect. This aligns with core productivity principles: work a plan, focus on quantifiable outcomes, operate to deadlines, and minimize distractions that masquerade as progress.

Q6: What is the practical takeaway for Marketing leaders?
A: Decide to move from activity to action. If you want measurable productivity gains, insist that every Marketing action has direction, is tied to an outcome, and is managed through an action-oriented plan—so effort translates into effect.