The Top 10 Marketing Challenges Slowing Value Creation in Mid-Market PE

Written By Kristyan Mjolsnes

Mid-market PE-backed companies wrestle with a specific set of marketing challenges driven by the push to scale fast, improve EBITDA, and bring discipline to their operations - all while keeping investors confident in the plan. Here are the top ten struggles our fractional CMO team sees most often:

1. Lack of Marketing Infrastructure

  • Many companies at this stage have little to no foundational marketing systems (CRM, automation, analytics, attribution).

  • Marketing has historically been seen as “sales support,” not a growth engine.

  • By the time PE wants growth, the basics aren’t in place.

2. Short Time Horizons vs. Long-Term Brand Building

  • PE firms want results in 12–24 months.

  • Marketing impact — brand equity, positioning, thought leadership — usually takes longer to compound.

  • This creates tension between quick demand gen vs. sustainable brand value.

3. Misaligned Go-to-Market Strategy

  • Many companies don’t have clarity on their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), buyer personas, or differentiated positioning.

  • PE firms often push for expansion into new markets or verticals without enough customer/market insight.

  • Marketing ends up reactive, not strategic.

4. Talent Gaps

  • There is often a lack of senior marketing leadership.

  • Marketing teams are typically 1–2 people managing tactical work (events, website updates, collateral).

  • They need strategic leadership (CMO or fractional CMO) to tie marketing to growth and valuation.

5. Data & Measurement Challenges

  • Weak reporting makes it hard to connect marketing spend to revenue impact.

  • Inconsistent use of data across portfolio companies.

  • Leadership and PE sponsors want hard ROI metrics, but marketing doesn’t always have the tools.

6. Differentiation in Crowded Markets

  • Many portfolio companies compete in mature or commoditized industries.

  • They struggle to articulate a unique story, making growth overly reliant on sales push and pricing.

7. Sales & Marketing Alignment

  • Siloed functions lead to finger-pointing.

  • Marketing generates leads, but sales complains they’re low-quality.

  • Sales closes deals, but marketing can’t prove attribution.

8. Scaling Post-Acquisition

  • Bolt-ons and roll-ups create brand confusion.

  • Each acquired company has its own website, messaging, collateral.

  • Integration takes time, and marketing is often last in line.

9. Overemphasis on “Cost Center” Mentality

  • Marketing spend is scrutinized heavily in PE-backed environments.

  • Growth investment gets treated as overhead rather than value creation.

  • PE boards push for evidence before committing budget.

10. Digital Maturity Gap

  • Many portfolio companies are behind on digital, including SEO, paid media, content, ABM.

  • They’ve relied on sales relationships and trade shows.

  • Digital transformation requires new skills, systems, and mindset.

Mid-market PE-backed companies often struggle with marketing because they’re expected to perform like scaled enterprises but are operating with early-stage marketing maturity. That gap is where things break down.

With more than two decades of B2B mid-market experience, Maven Marketing helps portfolio companies set KPIs that actually map to growth, build buyer journeys that convert, and empower teams to execute with clarity and confidence.

If you want to raise your marketing maturity and strengthen enterprise value, the right Fractional CMO can help get you there.

Kristyan Mjolsnes https://www.mavenmarketingmn.com
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How Mid-Market PE-Backed Companies Are Finally Closing the Gap Between Short-Term Performance and Long-Term Brand Growth