The CEOs aha moment

As CEO, you might need to admit that you've strayed down a less effective path in terms of your long term marketing strategy.

Perhaps you’ve given precedence to sales activation, "lead generation" or "demand generation" in the B2B arena. You've pursued the immediate gratification of short-term growth, only to find that its impact decays swiftly and doesn't contribute to sustainable growth.

You may have overlooked the power of brand building. This marketing approach, while also generating some immediate benefits, is designed to promote long-term growth. Brand building's true value lies in its capacity to compound over time, shaping future sales by creating demand, not just capturing what's already there.

Your strategic misstep has been in misunderstanding your customer base, which comprises two distinct types. There are those who are ready to buy now, and then there are those who might be ready to buy in the future. You've focused too heavily on the short-term demand, neglecting the potential long-term demand.

It's become clear that a more balanced approach is needed, one that appropriately weighs the importance of brand building and sales activation. Research from Binet and Field suggests that a 50/50 split between long-term brand building and short-term activation is the ideal formula for maximizing growth.

It's easy to see why you, and many others, have been swayed by the allure of immediate results. When one marketer promises 10,000 leads and another proposes a five-point increase in awareness, it's tempting to opt for the former.

We've pigeonholed ourselves into viewing performance marketing and brand building as opposing forces, and we've let the immediate, tangible results overshadow the long-term, cumulative benefits.

I am optimistic that we are on the brink of a transformation. Slowly but surely, B2B marketers are recognizing the overemphasis we've placed on lead generation tactics. Stronger arguments for the importance of brand investment are emerging, and the case for prioritizing brand building will only become more compelling over the next decade.

You know it’s time to shift your focus and start investing in the long-term success of your brand. To balance your efforts between harvesting the immediate demand of todays buyers while building sustainable future demand. This is the path forward.