ABM and Demand Generation Agency Assessment Suite

The ABM and Demand Generation Agency Assessment Suite by The Starr Conspiracy is a four-part decision toolkit for CMOs, VPs of Marketing, and revenue leaders who need to outsource or augment demand generation and want to answer four questions before any RFP goes out: are we ready, which agency type fits, what will it cost, and how do we stack up against peers? Teams using structured agency scorecards report 34% faster partner selection cycles versus ad-hoc evaluation, according to SiriusDecisions 2023 sourcing benchmarks.

How the Suite Scores Your Agency Decision

Each tool in the suite pulls from a different data spine. The Diagnostic Quiz maps your inputs to one of four agency archetypes (full-service demand gen, ABM specialist, content-led inbound, or performance media shop) using a 12-dimension classification rubric built from 25 years of B2B tech pattern recognition inside The Starr Conspiracy. The Readiness Assessment scores three maturity domains (strategy, data, and organization) on a 0 to 5 scale, mirroring the Forrester Demand Marketing Maturity Model. The ROI Calculator uses a transparent formula: (Projected Pipeline Lift x Win Rate x ACV) minus (Annual Agency Fee plus Internal Enablement Cost), divided by Annual Agency Fee. The Benchmarking Comparator compares your inputs against Gartner CMO Spend Survey 2024 data, TOPO/Forrester pipeline coverage ratios, and The Starr Conspiracy's proprietary benchmark set of 180 B2B tech GTM engagements.

Methodology is public. Scoring rubrics, formulas, and benchmark ranges are visible on this page. Only your personalized score, ROI projection, or benchmark position requires an email to unlock.

The Four Tools

1. ABM Agency Fit Diagnostic

A 10-question diagnostic that classifies your GTM motion and recommends one of four agency archetypes. Best for teams who know they need help but do not yet know what kind. Typical completion time: 4 minutes.

2. Demand Gen Partner Readiness Assessment

A maturity scorecard across Strategy and Vision, Data and Infrastructure, and Talent and Organization. Outputs a 0 to 100 readiness score with a stage classification (Not Ready, Foundational, Ready, Advanced). Teams scoring below 40 typically waste the first six months of any agency partnership on foundational cleanup, per our internal benchmark of 180 tech GTM engagements from 2019 to 2024.

3. Agency Engagement ROI Calculator

Inputs: current annual pipeline, target pipeline lift, average deal size, sales win rate, and proposed agency fee. Output: projected 12-month ROI, breakeven month, and payback multiple. Default assumptions are refreshed annually and sourced from Gartner CMO Spend 2024, with formula notation exposed in the results view for finance review.

4. Demand Gen Spend Benchmark Comparator

Inputs: current demand gen spend as percent of revenue, pipeline coverage ratio, and MQL-to-opportunity conversion rate. Output: percentile position against segment peers (by ARR band and vertical) with variance flags on any metric more than one standard deviation from segment median.

How to Read Your Results

Readiness scores from 0 to 39 mean stop before you sign anything. You do not have the data infrastructure, executive alignment, or measurement discipline to make an agency partnership work; fix internally first. Scores from 40 to 69 mean you are ready for a specific type of partner (usually a strategy-led firm that can build foundations while executing). Scores from 70 to 89 mean you are ready for an execution-heavy partner who can move fast on a mature stack. Scores above 90 usually indicate you need specialized augmentation, not a generalist partner.

ROI Calculator outputs below 2.0x in year one warrant either a smaller pilot scope or renegotiated fee structure. Between 2.0x and 4.0x is the healthy midrange for enterprise B2B tech. Above 4.0x, pressure-test the pipeline lift assumption; it is likely optimistic.

Benchmark Comparator positions in the bottom quartile on pipeline coverage (below 3x) signal that spend efficiency, not spend volume, is your real problem. An agency that promises more leads will not fix a conversion issue.

Methodology Sources and Vintage

Benchmarks in the ROI Calculator and Benchmarking Comparator refresh every January. Current data vintage: Q1 2025. Primary sources include Gartner CMO Spend Survey 2024, Forrester B2B Buying Study 2024, TOPO Sales Development Benchmarks 2023, and The Starr Conspiracy's internal engagement dataset (n=180, 2019 to 2024, B2B tech companies with $10M to $500M ARR). Sample sizes and confidence intervals appear on each benchmark tile.

Limitations: benchmark data skews toward North American B2B SaaS and HR tech; teams in EMEA, APAC, or hardware-heavy verticals should treat percentile positions as directional. The ROI Calculator assumes linear pipeline lift over 12 months and does not model ramp curves; teams with sales cycles over 9 months should extend the projection window manually.

Related Resources

For definitions of the capabilities scored here, see our glossary entries on account-based marketing and pipeline coverage ratio. To go deeper on the readiness dimensions, read our demand generation frameworks hub and the B2B agency partnership guide. If you want to see how The Starr Conspiracy operationalizes these methodologies inside client partnerships, visit our demand generation services page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this different from a top-10 agency listicle?

Listicles rank agencies. This suite scores you. The output is a personalized readiness score, ROI projection, agency archetype recommendation, and benchmark position, not a ranked list of names to call.

Do I have to give you my email to use the tools?

Methodology, scoring rubrics, formulas, and benchmark ranges on this page are free. Your personalized results require an email. We do this because the results are worth talking about, and we would like to be the ones you talk to.

How current is the benchmark data?

Q1 2025 refresh. Next refresh: January 2026. Data vintage is stamped on every benchmark tile inside the Comparator.

Can I share my results with my CFO or CEO?

Yes. Every tool exports a PDF summary with formula notation, source citations, and assumption logs so finance and executive stakeholders can pressure-test the numbers.

Ready to Run the Assessment

Start with the Readiness Assessment if you are not sure whether to hire an agency at all. Start with the ROI Calculator if you have a proposal on your desk and need to defend the spend. Start with the Diagnostic if you know you need help and want to narrow the shortlist. Whichever you pick, the methodology is transparent and the benchmarks are sourced. If the output surfaces a conversation worth having, book a working session with The Starr Conspiracy and we will walk through your results together.