Why Brand Building is Your Best B2B Growth Strategy

Joonas Kylliäinen

CEO & Co-Founder

November 11, 2024

Here’s a tough pill to swallow: While you’re battling with competitors over the same handful of “sales-ready” leads, you’re completely missing the biggest opportunity in B2B growth.

Let me explain.

According to the latest research by HubSpot and Adobe, a staggering 96% of your potential customers aren’t ready to buy… yet. Read that again. The vast majority of your future customers are out there, forming opinions, making mental shortlists, and deciding who they’ll trust – long before they ever enter your sales pipeline.

But here’s where it gets interesting (or terrifying, depending on your current strategy).

TrustRadius’s 2024 B2B Buying Disconnect Report drops this bomb: 78% of B2B buyers only consider vendors they already knew before starting their buying process. In other words, if you’re not on their radar before they need you, you’re probably not getting on their shortlist at all.

Think about that for a moment. While your sales team is grinding through cold calls and your marketing team is optimizing those bottom-of-funnel campaigns, your future customers are already deciding whether you’ll be in the running… when they’re ready to buy.

“But we need results now!” I hear you say. I get it. The pressure to deliver immediate pipeline growth is real. But here’s the reality check: by focusing only on that 4% of ready-to-buy prospects, you’re setting yourself up for increasingly expensive customer acquisition and diminishing returns.

In this article, we’re going to challenge everything you think you know about B2B growth. You’ll discover:

Why the traditional demand generation playbook is becoming less effective by the day
How the most successful B2B companies are capturing the entire market, not just active buyers.
A practical framework for building tomorrow’s pipeline today
Real strategies that don’t force you to choose between short-term results and long-term growth

This isn’t just another “build your brand” pep talk. This is about understanding a fundamental shift in B2B buying behavior and turning it into your competitive advantage.

Ready to stop fighting for scraps and start capturing the whole market? Let’s dive in.

Before we continue: This article is based on extensive research from HubSpot, Adobe, TrustRadius, and our own experience working with fast-growing B2B companies. Every claim is backed by data, and every strategy has been tested in the real world.

The B2B Buying Reality in 2024

If you think B2B buying hasn’t changed much in recent years, you’re in for a wake-up call. The game has fundamentally shifted, and many companies are still playing by last decade’s rules. To stay ahead, explore the insights in the State of B2B Sales and Marketing Report 2024 and discover how to adapt to the evolving landscape.

The New B2B Buying Behavior

Let’s start with a reality check from TrustRadius’s 2024 B2B Buying Disconnect Report that might make you rethink your entire go-to-market strategy:

71% of buyers go with their first-choice vendor
63% of shortlists include only 2-3 products
96% of shortlists include five products or less
86% of enterprise buyers only consider vendors they already know

In other words, by the time a prospect hits your radar as a “lead,” the game is largely already won or lost. But wait, it gets more interesting.

The Shortlist Phenomenon: Why Your Brand is Everything

Remember that statistic about 78% of buyers only choosing vendors they knew before starting their search? Here’s what that actually means in practice:

Your prospect opens their laptop one morning, finally ready to solve that pressing business problem. Before they type their first Google search, they already have a mental shortlist of potential solutions. If you’re not on that list, you’re probably not getting the deal – no matter how good your product is or how skilled your sales team might be.

“But we rank well on Google!” you might say. That’s great, but according to the same research, by the time prospects start their formal research process, they’re mainly looking to validate their existing preferences and justify their choices to other stakeholders.

Think about that for a second: The actual decision is often made before the official “buying process” even begins.

Why Traditional Demand Generation is Failing

This new reality explains why traditional demand generation strategies are delivering diminishing returns:

1. The Cold Outreach Crisis

Cold calls and emails are getting ignored because buyers already know who they want to talk to
Your “personalized” outreach is competing against pre-existing brand preferences
The cost per qualified lead keeps rising while conversion rates drop

2. The Content Paradox

You’re producing more content than ever
Your competitors are producing more content than ever
But buyers are engaging with less vendor content than before
Why? Because they’re choosing who to listen to based on pre-existing brand trust

3. The Pipeline Problem

Sales cycles are getting longer (up 20% in the last two years)
More decision-makers are involved (typically 6-10 people)
Yet companies are spending more on bottom-of-funnel tactics that target only active buyers

Here’s the brutal truth: If you’re solely focused on demand generation – trying to capture hand-raisers and convert them into opportunities – you’re essentially hoping to get lucky with the small percentage of buyers who haven’t already made up their minds.

And let’s be real: Hope is not a strategy.

The New Math of B2B Growth

Consider these numbers:

Traditional demand gen: Fighting for 4% of the market with everyone else
Brand-led growth: Building preference with 100% of your market
Result: When the 96% eventually enter buying mode, they already know and trust you

The math isn’t complicated. But it requires a fundamental shift in how we think about B2B marketing and sales.

In the next section, we’ll dive deep into that 96% opportunity – who these future buyers are, what they’re doing right now, and most importantly, how to capture their attention and trust before they ever enter an active buying cycle.

Up next: Understanding and capturing the 96% opportunity – why these “not ready” buyers are actually your biggest asset.

The 96% Opportunity: Understanding the Full Market

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: that massive 96% of your market that everyone else is ignoring.

Breaking Down the 96%

HubSpot and Adobe’s research reveals something fascinating about these “not ready” buyers. They’re not just sitting around doing nothing – they’re actually in various stages of what we call the “pre-buying journey”:

38% are actively researching solutions (but not “buying”)
33% are aware they have a problem (but not researching yet)
25% don’t even know they have a problem (but will)

Here’s the kicker: While your competitors are burning their budgets chasing the same 4% of “hot leads,” these future buyers are forming opinions, building preferences, and yes – creating those mental shortlists we talked about earlier.

The Five Mindsets of Future Buyers

Based on our work with fast-growing B2B companies, we’ve identified five distinct mindsets in this 96%:

1. The Status Quo Settlers

“Things are fine for now”
But: They’re one competitor announcement away from realizing they’re falling behind
Your opportunity: Show them what’s possible before they feel the pain

2. The Silent Researchers

Quietly exploring options
Not ready to talk to sales
But consuming content like it’s Netflix
Your opportunity: Be their trusted guide and educator

3. The Problem Aware

Know they have a challenge
Haven’t prioritized solving it yet
Your opportunity: Help them build the business case internally

4. The Budget Waiters

Want to solve the problem
No budget… yet
But planning for next quarter/year
Your opportunity: Stay top of mind until the money appears

5. The Future Needs

Not in your market today
But will be as they grow/evolve
Your opportunity: Plant the seeds for future harvest

Why These "Not Ready" Buyers Are Your Biggest Asset

Here’s where it gets really interesting. These 96% actually have some massive advantages over active buyers:

1. They're Not Under Pressure

Can absorb your message without the stress of an active buying process
More likely to remember and share your content
Building genuine preference, not just checking boxes

2. They're Cheaper to Reach

Not being bombarded by your competitors
Lower cost-per-engagement
More organic sharing potential

3. They're Building Real Trust

Forming opinions based on value, not sales pressure
More likely to become advocates later
Higher lifetime value potential

4. They're Your Future Pipeline

When they do enter buying mode, they’re essentially pre-sold
Shorter sales cycles
Higher win rates

The Compound Effect

Think of it this way: Every piece of content, every valuable interaction, every bit of brand building you do with these future buyers is like making small deposits in a high-interest account.

While your competitors are spending more and more to fight over the same small pool of active buyers, you’re building compound interest with the other 96%.

The result?

Lower customer acquisition costs
More inbound opportunities
Shorter sales cycles
Higher win rates
Better customer retention

But here’s the best part: Unlike traditional demand generation, where you have to keep spending to keep the pipeline full, brand preference compounds over time. The longer you do it, the stronger your position becomes.

The Real Question

So the question isn’t “can we afford to invest in reaching the 96%?”

The real question is: Can you afford not to?

Up next: The hidden costs of ignoring brand building – and why it’s more expensive than you think.

The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Brand Building

Let’s talk about what’s really happening in the B2B marketplace right now. It’s like watching a feeding frenzy where everyone’s fighting over the same small fish while ignoring the ocean of opportunity around them.

The 4% Bloodbath

Here’s what your competition is doing right now:

Increasing their paid search budgets to bid on the same keywords
Spamming the same decision-makers on LinkedIn
Running remarketing campaigns to the same pool of prospects
Fighting over the same speaking slots at industry events
Targeting the same “intent data” signals

The result? A brutal race to the bottom where:

Cost per click has increased by 30-40% year over year
LinkedIn InMail response rates have plummeted
Sales outreach effectiveness is at an all-time low
Customer acquisition costs are skyrocketing

It’s simple economics: When everyone fights for the same 4% of active buyers, the cost of acquiring those buyers goes up. Way up.

The Price of Being Late to the Party

Picture this all-too-common scenario:

Your sales team finally gets a meeting with a dream prospect
The conversation goes great
Your solution is perfect for their needs
Your pricing is competitive
But… they already have a “preferred vendor” in mind

Sound familiar?

You’re now in the dreaded “column B” position – being used to validate the prospect’s existing preference or negotiate with their preferred vendor. Your chances of winning? According to TrustRadius, about 12%.

Even worse? You’re spending 2-3x more to acquire these opportunities than your better-known competitors, only to lose most of them anyway.

The Real Competition Isn't Who You Think

Here’s the plot twist: Your biggest competitor isn’t that company you’re always losing deals to.

Your real competition is irrelevance.

While you’re focused on that 4%:

Hundreds of potential buyers are forming opinions without you
Future decision-makers are building their vendor knowledge base
Industry conversations are happening without your voice
Trusted relationships are being built by others

And when these prospects finally enter that active buying stage? Your competitors who invested in brand building are already there, waiting for them.

The Compound Advantage

Meanwhile, the smart players are playing a different game entirely:

Building authority through consistent thought leadership
Engaging with the entire market, not just active buyers
Creating content that serves their audience’s current needs, not just their product pitch
Building communities and fostering genuine relationships

The result?

They’re the first name that comes to mind when a need arises
They get invited to pitch instead of begging for meetings
Their cost per opportunity is dropping while yours rises
They’re winning deals before the competition even knows there’s an opportunity

A Tale of Two Approaches

Company A (Traditional Demand Gen)

Spends 80% of budget on bottom-funnel activities
Fights for every lead
Increasing CPL/CAC every quarter
Lengthy sales cycles
Win rate: 15-20%

Company B (Brand-led Growth)

Invests in market-wide visibility
Creates genuine thought leadership
Builds relationships before they’re needed
Gets invited to pitch
Win rate: 45-60%

Same market. Same target audience. Completely different results.

The Wake-Up Call

The truth is, while you’re busy optimizing your bottom-of-funnel campaigns and fighting for that 4%, your smarter competitors are:

Building preference with tomorrow’s buyers
Decreasing their customer acquisition costs
Shortening their sales cycles
Increasing their win rates

And the gap between brand leaders and followers? It’s growing exponentially.

Up next: Why buyers choose known brands – the psychology behind B2B brand preference.

Why Buyers Choose Known Brands

Let’s get inside the head of your B2B buyer for a moment. When facing a significant business decision, what’s their number one priority?

Here’s a hint: It’s not features, and it’s not even price.

The Risk Factor

According to TrustRadius’s research, the primary driver in B2B decisions is risk mitigation. Think about it:

Wrong choice? Could cost them their job
Failed implementation? Their reputation takes a hit
Budget waste? That’s coming up in their next review

This is why 66% of buyers report leaning toward established, leading products – far outranking niche (19%) or new (11%) solutions. It’s not about choosing the best product; it’s about making the safest choice.

The Psychology of B2B Brand Preference

Here’s how brand preference actually works in B2B:

1. Familiarity = Safety

Known brands feel less risky
Recognition builds implicit trust
Easier to justify to stakeholders

2. The "Nobody Got Fired" Effect

Well-known brands are seen as the safe choice
Provides built-in justification for the decision
Reduces perceived personal risk

3. Mental Availability

First brands that come to mind get first consideration
Familiar brands require less cognitive effort to evaluate
Pre-existing knowledge reduces decision fatigue

The Full Journey Impact

Brand awareness doesn’t just influence the final decision – it shapes the entire buying journey:

Pre-Research Phase

Creates mental shortlists
Builds implicit trust
Establishes price expectations

Research Phase

Guides initial searches
Filters potential options
Influences content consumption

Evaluation Phase

Affects how features are perceived
Impacts price sensitivity
Influences stakeholder discussions

Decision Phase

Reduces perceived risk
Accelerates consensus building
Justifies the final choic

Building Tomorrow's Pipeline Today

Now that we understand why brand matters, let’s talk about how to build it effectively.

The 96% Strategy Framework

Brand awareness doesn’t just influence the final decision – it shapes the entire buying journey:

1. Market-Wide Presence

Be everywhere your future buyers are
Consistent messaging across channels
Focus on value, not promotion

2. Content That Serves

Help solve today’s problems
Build authority through genuine insight
Create resources that last

3. Community Building

Foster peer-to-peer discussions
Create valuable networking opportunities
Become the connection point for your industry

Content That Actually Works

Forget the standard “blog post and pray” approach. Here’s what actually builds brand preference:

1. Thought Leadership That Matters

Industry analysis that goes deeper
Original research and insights
Contrarian views backed by data

2. Educational Content

Practical tools and frameworks
Real-world case studies
Implementation guides

3. Community Content

User-generated insights
Peer discussions
Industry trends and analysis

Balancing Short and Long Term

The key is not to abandon demand generation but to build brand simultaneously:

Short-term (20% of effort)

Active buyer targeting
Bottom-funnel optimization
Sales enablement

Long-term (80% of effort)

Brand awareness building
Community development
Thought leadership
Relationship nurturing

Measuring Brand Building Success

“But how do we measure brand building?” I hear you ask. Here’s your framework.

Leading Indicators

1. Awareness Metrics

Share of voice in your category
Brand mention volume
Social media engagement
Content reach and sharing

2. Engagement Metrics

Time spent with content
Return visits
Newsletter subscriptions
Event participation

3. Community Metrics

Community size and growth
Discussion volume
Member engagement
Peer-to-peer interactions

Lagging Indicators

1. Business Impact

Inbound inquiry quality
Sales cycle length
Win rates vs. competitors
Customer acquisition costs

2. Market Position

Category consideration rates
Competitor comparison frequency
Industry analyst recognition
Partnership opportunities

Timeline Expectations

Realistic timeline for brand building impact:

3-6 Months

Increased social engagement
Growing content consumption
Early community formation

6-12 Months

Rising inbound inquiry quality
Improved sales conversations
Growing word-of-mouth

12-24 Months

Significant market position
Reduced customer acquisition costs
Strong brand preference
Compound growth effects

ROI Calculation

Brand building ROI should consider:

Direct Impact

Reduced acquisition costs
Higher win rates
Larger deal sizes
Better retention rate

Indirect Impact

Easier recruitment
Better partnerships
Premium pricing power
Market protection

The key is to understand that brand building isn’t a campaign – it’s an asset that appreciates over time. The sooner you start building it, the more valuable it becomes.

Up next: Your practical implementation framework for capturing the 96%.

Implementation Framework

Let’s get practical. Here’s your step-by-step playbook for capturing the 96%.

Phase 1: Foundation Building (Months 1-3)

1. Audit Your Current Position

Brand mention baseline
Share of voice analysis
Competitor positioning review
Current market perception

2. Define Your Space

Core narrative development
Key message architecture
Thought leadership angles
Content pillars

3. Build Your Platform

Content distribution channels
Community foundations
Measurement framework
Team alignment

Phase 2: Market Activation (Months 3-6)

1. Content Engine

Thought leadership calendar
Expert content creation
Distribution automation
Engagement workflows

2. Channel Strategy

LinkedIn presence optimization
Industry publication partnerships
Community platform launch
Event strategy

3. Team Enablement

Executive social presence
Employee advocacy program
Sales and marketing alignment
Content creation processes

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. The Patience Trap

Expecting overnight results
Abandoning too early
Inconsistent execution

2. The Content Trap

Creating more, not better
Playing it too safe
Following, not leading

3. The Focus Trap

Trying to be everywhere
Speaking to everyone
Diluting your message

Quick Wins vs. Long-Term Investment

Quick Wins (First 90 Days)

Executive LinkedIn presence
Weekly thought leadership
Industry event participation
Community building initiation

Long-Term Investments

Original research programs
Content library development
Community infrastructure
Brand measurement systems

Conclusion: The 96% Decision

Let’s be clear: The market isn’t going to get less competitive. The cost of acquiring those “ready to buy” prospects isn’t going to decrease. And the importance of brand in B2B buying decisions isn’t going to diminish.

The question isn’t whether to invest in brand building – it’s whether you’ll do it before or after your competitors.

The Cost of Waiting

Every day you delay:

Future buyers are forming preferences without you
Competitors are building relationships with your prospects
The cost of entry in your category increases
Your future customer acquisition costs rise

The Opportunity

But here’s the good news: Most B2B companies are still trapped in the 4% mindset. They’re still treating brand as a logo and a color palette. They’re still throwing money at bottom-funnel tactics while ignoring the bigger opportunity.

This is your chance to do it differently. To play a bigger game. To capture the 96%.

Next Steps

Review your current marketing split between demand gen and brand building
Audit your market position and share of voice
Assess your thought leadership capabilities
Map out your 12-month brand building strategy

Remember: The best time to start building your brand was years ago. The second best time is now.

Additional Resources

Want to dive deeper? Here’s what to read next:

Research and Reports

TrustRadius 2024 B2B Buying Disconnect Report
HubSpot and Adobe B2B Buying Behavior Study

Tools and Templates

Brand Building ROI Calculator
Content Strategy Framework
Share of Voice Tracking Template
Brand Measurement Dashboard

Ready to capture your 96%? Contact Norders to discuss your brand building strategy.

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