B2B marketing takes time – a lot of time.

Your marketing efforts in Q1 will most likely not impact a lot of Q1 revenue, and most won’t even show up in Q2. 

Painful, but true. 

We heavily consider the concept of B2B marketing time lag in our strategies at Dreamdata, yet many marketers and organisations still struggle with it. 

The time lag refers to the delay between when marketing efforts take place and when they ultimately contribute to revenue. This delay can be quite significant for B2Bs, where deals are notoriously much more lengthy than in B2C. Contrary to the quick, impulsive nature of B2C transactions, B2B deals involve multiple stakeholders, longer decision making processes and higher price points.

According to a recent analysis of our customers, only 37% of revenue impact from marketing activities occurs within a single quarter. This means two-thirds of the results marketers work toward will take months to fully materialise.

Let that sink in. 

This slow, but constant build-up is a defining distinction of B2B marketing, and it’s critical that teams, especially at the executive level, fully understand and plan for it.

A common marketer mistake is focusing too much on short-term results, aiming for quick wins to meet quarterly targets. In B2B, this can lead to poor decision-making and misalignment between marketing, sales, and finance.

A campaign that looks like it’s underperforming after three months might, in reality, be driving significant pipeline growth that is not yet visible in the bottom line. By recognizing and accepting this time lag, marketing leaders can better align their expectations with reality and avoid pulling the plug on initiatives too early.

At Dreamdata, our data-driven approach gives us the power to pinpoint exactly where this time lag occurs. We map out the B2B journey, observing how each touchpoint – from initial content engagement to lead nurturing and sales handoff – contributes incrementally to the eventual conversion.

It’s not a linear process. Some prospects may engage heavily with marketing materials early on, only to go dark for months before re-engaging. Others may show interest occasionally, requiring multiple touchpoints across different channels before a decision is made.

By understanding this buyer behaviour, we are more prone to set realistic expectations with the sales team, ensuring they have the patience and persistence to see deals through.

This brings us to the importance of measurement and attribution. In B2B, where the marketing-sales handoff is more nuanced, putting robust and first-party tracking mechanisms in place is non-negotiable. Without them, it’s impossible to understand which touchpoints are driving revenue and which are not.

Many companies rely on last-click attribution models, but these are not precise enough to capture the full complexity of B2B journeys. We advocate for multi-touch attribution models that account for the entire customer journey, giving credit to every touchpoint – from the first piece of content a prospect reads to the last webinar they attend before closing the deal.

At the executive level, marketing should be seen as a long-term growth engine rather than a short-term fix. So communicate the realities of B2B time lag to other departments because if marketing is judged only on short-term gains, it risks undervaluing initiatives that deliver bigger wins over time. Educate leadership on how and when revenue from marketing activities will materialize so that they can align forecasts and KPIs accordingly.

Success in B2B marketing requires patience, persistence, and precision. It’s not enough to generate leads quickly – those leads need to be nurtured thoughtfully, and the revenue will follow, often months after the initial marketing push.

 By playing the long game and tracking progress with data, marketing can become a true revenue driver in B2B, where the returns are well worth the wait.

[**Full disclosure: The views and opinion expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not reflect the views or opinions of any organisation or entity.]

The post Understanding the revenue time lag in B2B marketing appeared first on Financial Marketer.

The Changing Landscape of B2B Finance Marketing

The B2B finance sector has traditionally relied on conventional marketing approaches like direct sales, display advertising and industry events to generate awareness. However in recent years financial institutions have transitioned to digital channels to reach target audiences.

Influencers are part of what’s become known as the Creator Economy and is powered by platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Its scale is now undeniable with Goldman Sachs projecting it reaching a staggering US$500 billion by 2027. 

This opens up new opportunities for B2B finance brands to leverage relevant influencers who can credibly convey financial concepts to their followers. 

Financial institutions should take note that 75% of B2B brands currently use influencer marketing according to a global report by advertising and public relations agency Ogilvy.

The Ogilvy report also found 93% of B2B Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) are planning to increase their use of influencers. 

“Carefully selected Influencer partnerships now play an integral role in how businesses consume, verify and act on information. “ Titus said.

It is also now clear that finance influencers are relevant at all levels of the industry, from the obvious adoption by retail finance brands and fintech, right through to the sophisticated investor environment of institutional investing.

As reported in the Financial Marketer, a Brunswick Digital Investor Survey found that 88% of institutional investors have made recommendations or decisions based on digital or social media information. 

This statistic underscores the growing importance of digital channels in institutional investment decision-making, with LinkedIn rated just under corporate investor relations websites as the most important source of information.

Further, LinkedIn’s Research indicates that 44% of institutional investors consume content based on the individual who produced it, while 24% connect with leading voices to help shape their views. 

This personalisation of financial information consumption demonstrates how individual influencers have penetrated even sophisticated institutional investment processes.  

So what makes a B2B influencer? While B2C is about trendsetting in the B2B space an influencer needs credible expertise and proven experience so they can contribute to professional industry opinion.

They come in the form of thought leaders, subject matter experts, academics, business leaders, and from finance companies own staff such as chief investment officers (CIOs).

However, the Ogilvy report points out B2B brands need to choose talent wisely and carefully select influencers whose “voice and values” fit with the brand.

Further, the CMO of Schroders, Beth Saint, highlights individualism is important for finance brands to stand out in a world swamped with content.

“Whether your Influencers are your employees, or your customers, the individual is critical for brands to be recognised now.” Saint said.

The rise of financial influencers

Unsurprisingly, LinkedIn has emerged as the hub for B2B financial thought leadership, hosting a diverse ecosystem of finance professionals who have built substantial followings through their specialist knowledge and insights. 

These influencers range from corporate executives, industry experts, and chief investment officers, each bringing informed perspectives to the financial arena.

Oana Labes stands out with more than 375,000 LinkedIn followers and is known for her ability to create detailed infographics that break down complex financial matters for a broad audience. 

The Chief Commercial Officer at the Business Partnering Institute, Anders Liu-Lindberg, has amassed more than 410,000 LinkedIn followers by providing actionable advice to finance professionals.

Prominent venture capitalist Hunter Walk, with more than 870,000 LinkedIn followers, shares funding strategies and start-up culture with entrepreneurs and investors alike.  

But LinkedIn is not the only place for finance influencers with other social platforms catering to other audience demographics.

Instagram has become home to several mega-influencers, including Vivian Tu with 3.3 million followers, Tori Dunlap 2.2 million followers, and Haley Sacks, known as “Mrs. Dow Jones” 1.2 million followers. 

While these influencers often focus on personal finance, many have successfully crossed over into B2B partnerships, bringing financial literacy concepts to business audiences.

Successful B2B finance influencer partnerships

Several financial institutions and fintech companies have pioneered innovative approaches to B2B influencer marketing, creating campaigns that demonstrate the evolving sophistication of these partnerships.

For example, global alternative investments asset manager Man Group partnered with Eddie Donmez of Creative Capital with more than 265,000 LinkedIn followers.  During a few months campaign Donmez created videos and content posts highlighting Man Group with each post attracting at least hundreds and up to thousands of audience interactions and comments.

[Full disclosure: Man Group is a client of finance marketing group The Dubs Agency and is the publisher of Financial Marketer]

Another example comes from financial services technology provider, FIS, which created the #Finpact program which paired internal FIS subject matter experts with reputable industry leaders such as American fintech industry banker Theodora Lau to develop thought leadership content on securities & investments, insurance, and financial institutions. 

Even traditional financial institutions like American Express have embraced influencer marketing. But rather than relying on finance experts, American Express selected influential bloggers from the design and lifestyle sectors to support small enterprises in promoting AmEx credit cards through video tutorials.

Future trends in B2B finance influencer marketing

B2B influencer finance marketing is being led by several emerging trends that deliver authenticity, strategic relationships, and multi-platform engagement.

Authenticity is the bedrock of any successful B2B influencer campaign. B2B finance decision-makers quickly filter out overt promotional content but do respond to real expertise and useful insights according to B2B content-creator platform MarketScale. 

In B2B marketing long-term relationship building is more important than one-off campaigns as finance brands recognize the compound benefits of sustained influencer partnerships. 

These enduring relationships also help finance brands weather market volatility and regulatory changes by maintaining consistent, trusted voices in the marketplace.

Multi-platform content distribution strategies are key as different social channels serve distinct purposes in the B2B buyer journey. 

While LinkedIn remains the dominant platform for professional thought leadership, Gartner marketing research indicates YouTube influences up to 65% of B2B purchase decisions. 

This has prompted finance brands to develop integrated influencer strategies that leverage the unique strengths of each platform – LinkedIn for professional credibility, YouTube for detailed explanations, and where relevant, Instagram or TikTok for broader awareness.

This all means finance brands are focused on addressing the challenges of B2B influencer marketing in their sector. These include navigating regulatory environments, maintaining compliance standards in influencer content, and measuring the business impact of influence beyond vanity metrics. 

Leading finance marketers are developing specialized frameworks for influencer selection, content oversight, and performance measurement that account for these industry-specific considerations.

Do you need help with finance influencer marketing? 

Navigating the complexities of finance influencer marketing can feel daunting for marketing teams that have not done this before. Even marketers who have started using influencers in some form may be unsure if they are using the right influencers effectively for their finance brand.

If you relate to either of these statements, then The Dubs Agency finance marketing experts would love to speak with you because we can help. Contact Us to start a conversation.

The post The evolution of B2B finance influencer marketing appeared first on Financial Marketer.

Traditionally, B2B marketers target a “Buying Committee” for example in ”cloud services” this includes the IT Decision Maker (ITDM) at the center surrounded by their team.

However, research by LinkedIn’s The B2B Institute and Bain & Company shows this approach is incomplete.

They identified there are two types of B2B buyers in a buying committee:

1. Target Buyers: Product experts (e.g., ITDM, engineers).
2. Hidden Buyers: Process experts (e.g., procurement, finance, legal).

Why are they called ‘Hidden Buyers’?

Because they don’t engage with B2B content.

The Head of Ops isn’t attending your Cloud Summit webinar; and Deal Desk aren’t downloading whitepapers on Cloud Infrastructure. 

Hidden Buyers aren’t interested in the product solution like the Target Buyers are.

This means they are more-or-less hidden from signals B2B brands use to report campaign effectiveness.

Yet, Hidden Buyers are powerful.

They have almost equal amount of decision-making power in a B2B purchasing decision as the ITDM.

With a business case, the Target buyers (ITDM) do the vendor shortlisting for the solution and need the Hidden/Process buyers to agree to the purchase. However, about 50% of B2B deals get killed by these hidden buyers.

Why?

While Target Buyers care most about the products “advanced features”, “transformational potential” and “innovation”; Hidden Buyers care most about “reliable brands”, “peace-of-mind”, and “vendors that are trusted by my peers”.

Hidden buyers don’t kill the deals because the product is not innovative or transformational for the business; they don’t care. 

Instead, deals frequently fall through because Hidden Buyers are risk-averse and unpersuaded. They kill deals because they are in charge of mitigating risk in the company and if they don’t know the vendor, they won’t likely take a chance on them.

This is important because about 40% of all B2B deals don’t go ahead because of lack of agreement. Deals collapse because it was too hard to persuade Hidden buyers to agree.  

In fact, the study found Hidden Buyers are 70% more likely to reject vendors that are not well-known to them and their peers.

What should B2B Marketers do?

1. Understand the B2B buying Committee is larger than first thought. Expand your targeting to include both Target and Hidden Buyers.
2. Invest in marketing your Brand, not just your Product. The study found deals are done more often and faster with vendors who were well-known across the whole buying group than those that were only known to the ITDM.

Investing in that reputational air cover with the hidden buyers ensures that when the deal comes across their desk they say “Yes, I know this company, I’m aware of their reputation”.

Check out the study here: https://lnkd.in/gNyKHxZM

[**Full disclosure: The views and opinion expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not reflect the views or opinions of any organisation or entity.]

The post Reaching hidden influencers of B2B buyer groups appeared first on Financial Marketer.