Veteran CMO Rajesh Kumar launches 'Decoding B2B Marketing' playbook

Veteran Chief Marketing Officer Rajesh Kumar has announced the launch of 'Decoding B2B Marketing', published by ZebraLearn, as 84% of Indian B2B CMOs say that proving ROI has become a priority.

The book was unveiled at Museo Camera in Gurugram at an event attended by marketing professionals, founders and students.

Kumar said B2B purchasing behaviour has changed significantly.

He noted, “B2B buying is different from consumer markets. Major technology decisions rarely hinge on a single executive. They’re shaped by a buying group-champions, decision makers, influencers, ratifiers, and users-each with distinct needs and risk thresholds. Sales no longer hold the power they used to. Buyers, who depended on sales representatives for information, discovered the power of online - 67% of the buyer's journey is now done digitally. This puts marketing in the driver’s seat.” said Rajesh Kumar, author of Decoding B2B Marketing.”

The foreword for the book is by late Piyush Pandey, ex Ogilvy India “The book has been written for people to savor, enjoy, learn, and teach the art of B2B. I believe that B2B is an art and not a pure science. It is with this belief that I recommend Rajesh Kumar to all the readers of this book!”

According to the author, the book addresses what he described as the ‘ask economy,’ where professionals seek immediate answers using AI tools and expect marketing content to be accessible and reusable across roles and channels.

The publication outlines frameworks covering brand building, thought leadership, press and analyst relations, market sizing and segmentation, demand generation, channel marketing, account-based marketing, marketing technology and the role of AI. It also includes QR codes linking to interviews with marketing leaders.

Industry trends cited at the launch included estimates that by 2025, roughly 80% of B2B sales interactions will occur in digital channels, with buyers conducting most research before speaking to vendors. Significant purchases often involve 6-10+ stakeholders, and a large majority of buyers describe the process as difficult or complex.

The event also referenced India’s growing IT and SaaS sectors. India’s SaaS industry has scaled into the tens of billions of dollars in annual revenue and is widely projected to reach roughly $35 billion by 2027. Demand in India for B2B marketers with strengths in product marketing, account-based programs, revenue operations and marketing analytics has also risen, according to the information shared at the launch.

Speaking at the launch, Rajesh Kumar, said, “The time has come for new global brands to rise from Asia. I am thrilled to launch Decoding B2B Marketing as a practical resource for career aspirants, early professionals, and startups-crafted in a format that is simple to understand and easy to apply. My mission is to make B2B marketing more accessible, learnable, and actionable for the next generation of marketers. Marketing is at the very core of B2B success-where the science of sharp analytics meets the art of creativity, magic happens. I want SaaS companies from India to harness the true power of marketing and make their mark on the world stage.”