Prospecting playbook · Updated September 28, 2026
How to prospect marketing leaders on LinkedIn
Marketing leaders get more vendor outreach than almost anyone, because every martech category sells to them. The ones worth reaching are the ones writing about a specific problem this quarter, such as attribution, a rebrand or a team they are building, rather than general thought leadership.
Who to target
In-house marketing teams at B2B companies of roughly 20 to 1,000 people. For agencies, see the agency owner playbook.
Titles to search
Skip these, they only look the part
- Fractional CMOs and marketing consultants, unless you sell to them.
- Agency staff with in-house-sounding titles (“Head of Growth at [agency]”).
- Marketing influencers who post daily and do not run a team.
- Martech vendors’ own marketers.
Where marketing leaders show up
Ranked for this audience, best first. Each one is a source an outreach agent can watch.
- 1
Keyword posts
Leaders posting about a live problem: attribution, dark social, pipeline from content, a rebrand, budget cuts.
Marketers write in public for a living, so their problem posts are specific and easy to cite.
- 2
Buying events
A new CMO or head of marketing, or a first demand-gen hire.
New marketing leaders audit the stack and the agencies in their first quarter.
- 3
Competitor engagement
People engaging with your competitors’ content and launches.
Good for categories with visible competitors. Remove other vendors and agencies.
- 4
Creator audiences
Comment sections of B2B marketing voices that practitioners follow.
Big, active pool. Qualify hard on company type.
Words they actually post
Watch posts that use the words marketing leaders use for their own problems, not the words vendors use to sell to them. The author of a post like that is usually the buyer. The commenters under a vendor post usually aren’t.
Timing: which buying events matter
Buying events are public and dated. They say when a person or a company is likely to buy, but not what they want to buy.
Job change
StrongMarketing leaders turn over often, and every new one reviews tools and agencies.
Funding
UsefulA raise often funds the first real marketing budget.
Hiring
UsefulA first content or demand-gen hire signals a new motion that needs tools.
Three connection notes that fit
Each one cites something true about the person, stays under LinkedIn’s 300-character limit and leaves out links. When there is nothing to cite, say how you found them. Don’t invent a reason.
“Hi Elena, your post about self-reported attribution telling a different story from the dashboard was refreshingly honest. I work on that gap with B2B marketing teams. Would be glad to connect.”
192 / 300 characters
“Hi Ben, congrats on the new role. The first quarter as head of marketing is usually half audit, half keeping the lights on. No pitch in this note, just glad to connect.”
168 / 300 characters
“Hi Kiara, your comment that content only moved pipeline once sales started using it in follow-ups is the point most people miss. I work on that handoff. Happy to connect.”
170 / 300 characters
What doesn’t work
- Marketing jargon in the note. They will recognise their own buzzwords.
- Leading with your own content (“thought you’d like our new report”).
- Confusing the agency world with in-house teams.
Questions
Which marketing titles actually buy software?
The CMO, VP or head of marketing at most B2B companies, and the head of demand gen for pipeline tools. Content and brand leads influence but rarely sign.
What is the best time to reach a marketing leader?
In their first few months in a new role, when they are auditing tools and agencies.
How do I avoid reaching agencies and consultants?
Qualify on the company, not the title. Agency and fractional titles often match in-house ones exactly.
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Run this playbook as an agent
Paste your website and rivomi drafts the segment for you. An agent then watches these sources for marketing leaders, explains why each person fits, and drafts a note. Turn on review mode and nothing is sent until you approve it.