In times of market uncertainty, marketing leaders face no shortage of tough decisions. One of the most pressing: how to structure teams and support systems for both resilience and growth. Should you double down on internal resources? Expand your agency relationships? Or reconfigure your model to adapt to the moment?
To help answer those questions, we’re sharing early findings from our 2026 B2B Marketing Mix Report, a forecasting tool built from 2025 survey data that explores how B2B marketers are preparing for the year ahead. Given the pressure many marketers are facing in early 2025—from shrinking budgets to hiring freezes and leadership turnover—these insights couldn’t be more timely.
(Spoiler: projections point to an upturn in the back half of the year, which we explore further in our recent blog, The Marketing Engine Is Your Lead Engine—Don’t Turn It Off.) You can also reference last year’s full 2025 B2B Marketing Mix Report for year-over-year comparisons.
So, how are B2B marketers navigating the year ahead, and what does the data tell us about where support models are shifting? Let’s dig in.
The Rise of the Hybrid Model
When we asked B2B companies how they are managing their marketing efforts, the most common answer wasn’t “agency” or “in-house.”
It was both.
- In 2025, 36% of companies reported using a hybrid model that combines in-house and external marketing support.
- In 2026, that number jumps to 46%, making hybrid the most common approach overall.
At the same time:
- Fully in-house dropped from 38% to 32%.
- Fully outsourced dropped from 26% to 22%.
So what does this mean? Companies are finding balance. They’re not replacing their in-house teams; they’re reinforcing them. Hybrid models offer flexibility, speed, and strategic coverage when internal bandwidth is limited.
Why Companies Look to Agencies for Help
We also asked: Why do companies partner with outside providers in the first place?
The #1 reason was clear—and it’s growing:
- 42% of 2026 respondents cited “lack of internal resources,” up from 37% in 2025.
Expertise and cost-efficiency still matter, but capacity has become the driving force. Internal teams are stretched thin. Agencies offer critical hands-on support, helping teams focus on high-value initiatives while managing execution.
Importantly, this doesn’t mean in-house teams are being replaced. It means they’re being supported.
Does External Support Actually Work?
We asked respondents if their outsourced support was helping them meet business objectives. The short answer: yes.
- In 2025, 71% said yes. In 2026, that rises to 76%.
Only 4% of companies said outsourced marketing didn’t help meet their goals.
This shows that when chosen strategically, agency partnerships aren’t just helpful; they’re effective, especially when used to fill specific skill gaps, expand campaign capacity, or accelerate key campaigns.
What Companies Value Most
There’s also a notable shift in what companies are prioritizing in their agency relationships. Speed is the new differentiator.
- In 2025, “specialized expertise” was the top benefit companies saw from working with agencies (41%).
- In 2026, “faster execution” takes the lead at 38%, with expertise at 31%.
That aligns with what we’re seeing across the board: B2B companies need more than good ideas; they need responsive execution that keeps up with rapidly changing markets.
The Case for Hybrid Support in 2025
In-house vs. agency is no longer a binary debate. It’s about finding the right mix of resources to stay agile, meet your goals, and protect your pipeline in an unpredictable year.
Hybrid support models give teams breathing room. They let in-house marketers focus on big-picture strategy, internal alignment, and brand leadership, while agencies bring additional bandwidth, tools, and execution muscle.
And with 76% of companies saying agency support helps them meet their goals, the ROI in that alignment speaks for itself.
Questions to Ask as You Plan Ahead
If you’re reevaluating your structure this year, start with these questions:
- What’s falling behind because we simply don’t have the time?
- Are our current efforts scalable and sustainable?
- Do we need help launching faster, reaching wider, or converting better?
If the answer to any of these is yes, now might be the right time to explore a hybrid approach. Because this year, the most successful marketing teams won’t be the ones trying to do everything on their own; they’ll be the ones who know when (and how) to ask for support.
Thinking about making a shift? Contact Sagefrog today to explore what the right support system could look like for your team—without pressure, just perspective.
