The B2B Playbook

In this video, Kevin and I break down Be Better, the fourth step of our 5Bs go-to-market framework, covering why the MQL is broken, how to measure what actually matters with leading and lagging metrics, and how to build marketing's credibility inside your business. We cover: → Why the MQL is outdated and how chasing it misaligns sales and marketing → The lagging metrics that show real outcomes: pipeline influence, revenue, deal velocity → The leading metrics that signal you are moving in the right direction → Why attribution is helpful but should never be treated as gospel → The "how did you hear about us" trick for uncovering dark social and hidden content impact → How to build marketing's credibility internally by tying activity to business goals → What good reporting for leadership actually looks like If you are a B2B marketer stuck chasing MQLs and struggling to prove your impact to leadership, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn: → Why quality engagement beats arbitrary lead scores and lead volume → How to align leading and lagging metrics to your funnel and stage of growth → Why you should be data informed, not just data driven → How to get leadership to change their beliefs using real customer stories → How to become a strategic advisor internally, not just the person dumping data into a report ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-gen... 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-a... ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: / @theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 0:00 Intro and the Be Better framework 0:50 What Be Better focuses on 1:35 The death of the MQL 3:40 Leading vs lagging metrics 6:20 Qualitative signals from your sales team 7:00 Avoiding the attribution trap 9:00 Be data informed, not data driven 10:30 Building marketing credibility internally 12:45 Getting leadership buy-in 14:20 What good reporting for leadership looks like 15:55 Key takeaways and recap S08 E244 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #gotomarket #b2bsaas #marketingstrategy #icp #contentmarketing #revenuegrowth

In this video, I hit the floor at the Generate B2B conference grabbing quick hot takes from LinkedIn, SEO, CRM and ABM folks on what's actually worth the money, then Kevin and I break down the sessions we loved ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/

In this video, Kevin and I break down Be Seen, the third step of our 5Bs go-to-market framework, and how to actually get your helpful B2B content in front of your dream customers using organic and paid distribution. We cover: → Why even the best content flops without a smart distribution plan → The "post and pray" mistake B2B teams make and how to think like a media company instead → Getting seen in an AI-driven world where traditional SEO is shifting → Organic vs paid distribution and when to use each → Using paid media to amplify your best content, not just push product ads → Category entry points and how to tie your brand to buying triggers → Mapping content to the five stages of awareness so you meet buyers where they are If you are a B2B marketer or founder creating great content that nobody sees, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn: → Why distribution is just as important as content creation → How to test organically and boost the winners with paid → How to extract content from busy subject matter experts on a regular cadence → How to find your category entry points through customer interviews → How to run a simple, repeatable distribution rhythm even with a small team ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-gen... 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-a... ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: / @theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 0:00 Intro and the Be Seen framework 0:45 Why great content flops without distribution 2:50 Getting seen in an AI-driven world 3:20 Organic vs paid distribution 5:35 Using paid to amplify your best content 6:00 Extracting content from subject matter experts 7:45 Category entry points explained 9:55 Finding entry points through customer interviews 10:40 The rhythm of distribution 11:10 The five stages of awareness framework 13:20 Setting a consistent distribution cadence 14:45 Key takeaways and recap S08 E242 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #gotomarket #b2bsaas #marketingstrategy #icp #contentmarketing #revenuegrowth

In this video, Kevin and I break down the Be Helpful phase of the 5Bs Go-To-Market framework, the second step in building a B2B demand generation engine that actually works. We cover: → Why helpful content beats hype content every time and how it builds real trust with your dream customers → The "nobody got fired for hiring IBM" problem and why buyers stick with the status quo → How to extract content from subject matter experts without wasting their time → Matching your content format to each stage of the funnel, from top to bottom → Using the five stages of awareness framework to map content to where buyers actually are If you are a B2B marketer or founder pumping out hype content instead of building trust, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn: → Why demand generation is about solving real problems, not interrupting with hype → How to run quick 15 to 20 minute expert interviews that give you gold mine insights → The right content formats for top, mid, and bottom of the funnel → How to map content to the five stages of awareness, from unaware to most aware → Why content is your most scalable trust building asset, not just a traffic tool ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 0:00 Intro and the Be Helpful framework 0:45 Why helpful content beats hype content 1:40 Nobody got fired for hiring IBM 3:00 HubSpot as a trust-building example 4:15 Extracting content from subject matter experts 6:30 Matching content format to the funnel 8:00 Repurposing webinars and pillar content 9:30 The five stages of awareness framework 12:30 Content as a trust-building tool 14:00 Key takeaways and recap S08 E41 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #gotomarket #b2bsaas #marketingstrategy #icp #contentmarketing #revenuegrowth

In this video, Kevin and I break down the Be Ready phase of the 5Bs Go-To-Market framework, the first and most critical step in building a B2B demand generation engine that actually works. We cover: → Why deeply understanding your market is non-negotiable before any messaging or content goes out → The 80/20 analysis for identifying the top 20% of customers driving 80% of your results → How to run five to ten high value customer interviews the scrappy way, even on a small team → Cataloging your market to know who is in market, who is out of market, and who is with who → Segmenting down for precision so your content and campaigns feel one to one even at scale If you are a B2B marketer or founder relying on guesswork or third party personas instead of real buyer insights, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn: → Why demand generation only works when it is rooted in real customer insights, not assumptions → How to find and prioritize your dream customers using the 80/20 rule → The right open ended questions to ask in customer interviews to uncover pain points and triggers → How cataloging your market gives sales and marketing a shared playbook → How niching down by triggers, roles, and use cases sharpens your outreach and messaging ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 0:00 Intro and why messaging needs deep customer understanding 0:49 Why Be Ready is the non-negotiable first step 2:05 The 80/20 analysis to find your dream customers 3:35 Running effective customer interviews 6:18 Cataloging your market and target accounts 7:59 Niching down through segmentation 9:59 Key takeaways and recap S08 E40 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #gotomarket #b2bsaas #marketingstrategy #icp #contentmarketing #revenuegrowth

B2B Go To Market Strategy: Why Your Lead Gen Is Broken Your lead gen program is filling a CRM and burning your market at the same time. In episode one of The 15 Minute GTM Fix, a miniseries with our friends at Dealfront, George Coudounaris and Kevin Chen break down why so many B2B go to market programs quietly fail. If you run marketing in a small team and you are stuck firefighting instead of building, this one is for you. We pull apart the gated ebook play every marketer gets asked to run, why it destroys buyer trust before sales ever picks up the phone, and what to do instead. Then we walk through the Five BEs framework - the flywheel we use to move a go to market motion from reactive chaos to something that scales. Tune in and learn: + Why traditional lead gen produces MQLs that never convert + What 95% of your market is doing while you chase the other 5% + The difference between capturing demand and shaping future demand + How brand marketing and demand marketing work together + The five stages of the BEs framework and how they compound If you are a marketer in a small B2B team being asked for leads with no time, no budget, and no strategy behind it, start here. ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter/ GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- 00:00 95% of Your Market Is Not Ready to Buy 00:32 Welcome to the 15 Minute GTM Fix 01:00 Why Lead Gen Is Broken in B2B Right Now 01:20 Vanity Metrics and MQLs That Never Convert 01:40 The Sales and Marketing Tension Nobody Fixes 01:55 How Lead Gen Burns Your Own Market 02:10 The Gated Ebook Play Every Marketer Gets Asked to Run 02:35 What Happens When Sales Calls a Cold Ebook Download 02:50 The Playbook That Keeps Destroying Buyer Trust 03:05 Capturing Demand vs Shaping Future Demand 03:25 Only 5% of Buyers Are In Market Today 03:45 The Five Stages of Awareness Explained 04:00 Brand Marketing vs Demand Marketing 04:30 Why Holistic B2B Marketing Needs Both 05:00 The Chaos Small Marketing Teams Live In 05:30 Reactive Marketing Is Killing Your Pipeline 06:00 Why Fundamentals Beat Tactics Every Time 06:30 Five BEs Framework: Be Ready 07:00 Be Helpful - Earning Trust With Content 07:30 Be Seen - Amplifying to Your Dream Customers 08:00 Be Better - Optimising With Data 08:20 Be the Best - Future-Proofing Your Strategy 08:40 Why Every Great Framework Is a Flywheel 09:00 What to Expect From This Miniseries ----------------------------------------------------- 👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team? 💰 Need to bring in more revenue so Sales and your boss actually respect Marketing? Get the: 🔹 strategy 🔹 templates 🔹 tools So you have everything you need to drive more demand and revenue for your brand. See why 315+ B2B marketers love The B2B Incubator: 👉 https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course ----------------------------------------------------- S08 E239 - The B2B Playbook ----------------------------------------------------- #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #b2bsales #revenueoperations #closedcircuitselling #linkedinads #b2bpodcast #gtmstrategy #demandgen #pipelinegeneration

In this video, I sit down with rev ops expert Pasha and Adem to unpack why revenue is really an architecture problem, not a sales problem. We get into cutting through the AI noise, why your CRM ends up as a record of optimism, and what it actually takes to get sales, marketing, and success working as one unit. We cover: → Why the hardest part of rev ops today is separating what's real from the AI hype → How stacking tools and methodologies on a broken operating system only compounds the mess → Why your CRM fills up with inflated pipeline and deals that advance on optimism → How misaligned incentives pull sales, marketing and success in different directions → The simple cataloging questions most teams still never ask their buyers If you are a founder, rev ops leader or B2B marketer drowning in tools and dashboards but still can't get clean data or a straight answer on which accounts are actually in market. Tune in and learn: → Why revenue is an architecture problem and what that changes about how you build your systems → Where AI genuinely helps in the sales motion and where it just makes better spam → How to spot the difference between real alignment and another meeting that changes nothing → Why marketing was never equipped to decide who's in market, and who should own it instead → Practical, bite size AI use cases that actually move the needle without a 90th operating system ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Cutting Through The AI Noise Without Losing The Plot 00:55 Welcome Back: Rev Ops With Pasha Irshad 02:48 The Hardest Thing About Rev Ops Right Now 06:03 Chasing Tools Versus The Business Fundamentals 07:47 Why Revenue Is An Architecture Problem, Not A Sales Problem 09:33 Rev Ops Full Circle: Back To Commercial Management 14:24 Why Reps Default To Broken Habits Under Pressure 17:14 How Misaligned Incentives Break Sales And Marketing 20:41 Can Rev Ops Actually Fix This Or Just Champion It 32:22 One Source Of Truth That Everyone Muddies 36:12 Who Really Owns Deciding If An Account Is In Market 42:29 What It Takes To Get Back To Human Conversations 49:00 Cool Things Built With Claude Code And AI 52:36 Wrap Up And Thanks S08 E38 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #revops #revenueoperations #gotomarket #b2bsaas #gtmengineering #crm #hubspot #demandgeneration

In this episode, Kevin and George break down their entire Five BE's framework for B2B marketing and demand generation, recorded live in studio. It's the system we came up with over 200 episodes ago, and we put it through the test of time to see what still holds up. We cover: → The 95/5 rule and why talking to the 95% out of market matters as much as the 5% ready to buy → Be Ready: deeply understanding your dream customers and documenting your ICP, not just your TAM → Be Helpful: building trust with helpful content that makes you the obvious choice when buyers are in market → Be Seen: deliberate distribution across one to many, one to few and 1 to 1 channels → Be Better and Be the Best: optimising your processes, revenue alignment and building a flywheel If you are a B2B marketer or founder on a small, lean team who's tired of random acts of marketing and wants one practical framework to run demand gen without getting lost in the weeds. Tune in and learn: → Why 95% of your market isn't ready to buy today, and how to influence them before they are → How to niche down on your ICP and turn customer interviews into messaging and content → Why the person delivering the message is now just as important as the message itself → How to pick the right channels based on where your buyers actually hang out and who they trust → How Revenue Alignment Architecture breaks down the silos between sales, marketing and CS ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-gen... 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-a... ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: / @theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Why Not Everyone Is In Market To Buy 00:46 Welcome Back: The Five B's Framework Live In Studio 01:30 What The Five B's Framework Is And Why It Matters 03:47 The 95/5 Rule Grounded In A Real Example 05:28 Be Ready: Deeply Understanding Your Dream Customers 08:57 Be Helpful: Building Trust With Helpful Content 12:00 Making Your Product The Obvious Conclusion 13:03 Subject Matter Experts And Repurposing Content 16:05 Be Seen: Deliberate Distribution That Works 18:05 One To Many, One To Few And 1 To 1 22:26 Be Better: Optimising Your Processes 24:43 Revenue Alignment Architecture With Sales And CS 27:57 Be The Best: Building The Flywheel And Advanced Tactics 30:29 Does The Framework Hold Up? Key Takeaways 31:37 Wrap Up And Thanks S08 E237 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #gotomarket #b2bsaas #marketingstrategy #icp #contentmarketing #revenuegrowth

In this video, Sam from Breaking B2B and I get into what B2B SEO and AI search actually look like in 2026, and how you can pull pipeline in just 90 days without overcomplicating the whole thing. We cover: → Why doing SEO and AI search alone makes life way harder, especially for higher ticket B2B → How buyers now search inside LLMs with their exact persona, problem, company size and budget → Why positioning and controlling your own narrative matters more now than it ever did → The page structures that get snapped up by AI search, like TLDRs, why trust us sections and tables → Backlinks, brand mentions and value exchanges, plus what listicle placements actually cost If you are a B2B marketer or founder who's tired of panicking about AI search and wants a clear, no nonsense way to show up in ChatGPT, Claude and Google when buyers are ready to buy. Tune in and learn: → Why your own website should be your foundation before chasing backlinks and PR → How to nail every way someone searches for your offer when they're in the buying window → Why hiding your pricing lets Reddit tell your story for you, and what to do instead → How to land top listicle placements through value exchanges, not just pay to play → What entry level versus aggressive SEO campaigns look like, and where humans still beat AI ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Why You Shouldn't Do SEO and AI Search Alone 02:00 Welcome Back to The B2B Playbook 02:54 What Sam Had to Revise About SEO 05:05 SEO vs GEO vs AIO: What Do We Call It Now? 05:49 How Buyers Search Inside LLMs 08:33 Why Positioning and Controlling Your Narrative Matters 10:18 Nailing Money Keywords and Search Intent 13:30 Building Pages AI Will Actually Pull From 21:00 Backlinks, Brand Mentions and Value Exchanges 24:28 What a Listicle Placement Costs 39:00 Mining Sales Calls for Bottom of Funnel Keywords 43:06 SEO Tiers: Entry Level vs Aggressive 44:32 Human Content vs AI and Keeping a Human in the Loop S08 E236 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #b2bseo #aisearch #seoforsaas #b2bsaas #demandgeneration #gotomarket #geo #digitalmarketing

In this video, Kevin and I get into whether you actually need flashy AI-powered analytics to measure your B2B marketing, or whether some clear objectives and a simple spreadsheet will do the job just fine. We cover: → Why another dashboard, AI-powered or not, was never the silver bullet for growing your business → The data problem in B2B marketing and why so many metrics are just vanity metrics → Our practical framework for getting insights without expensive tools → How to tier your ICP and tailor your reporting to match each tier's play → Where AI genuinely helps, especially when you're sifting through loads of qualitative data If you are a B2B marketer or founder who's tired of drowning in flashy dashboards and wants a simpler, clearer way to measure what actually drives revenue. Tune in and learn: → Why clarity beats complexity and what questions to nail down before you buy any AI tool → How to revisit your ICP and segment accounts into tiers that shape your reporting → How to track a handful of meaningful metrics instead of drowning in data → How to use AI and Claude to pull together messy qualitative data and surface real patterns → Why holistic measurement that links marketing to revenue matters more than any tool ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Do You Really Need AI Analytics for B2B Marketing? 00:53 Welcome Back to The B2B Playbook 01:48 The Five B's Framework Explained 03:02 Why This Matters: Tight Budgets, AI Hype and Uneven Maturity 08:51 Start With Your Objectives and Ideal Customer 10:45 Segmenting Your ICP Into Tiers 14:28 Matching Your Measurement to Your Plays 17:46 A Real Client Example With Claude 19:57 Where AI Actually Helps Your Analysis 23:16 Key Takeaways: Clarity Beats Complexity S08 E234 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #marketinganalytics #aimarketing #b2bsaas #marketingmeasurement #gotomarket #abm #digitalmarketing

In this video, we sit down with Brian Williams from Hockey Stick Advisory to break down how B2B companies can actually build partnerships into a real revenue channel, not just a logo wall. We cover: → Why partnerships needs to be a top down strategic decision, not a side experiment → The foundations most companies are missing before they even hire a partnerships manager → How to pick the right partners using a capacity, commitment, mutual customers and capability matrix → Why partnerships takes a two year cycle and how to set realistic expectations with your leadership team → How AI is changing the way partnership ops and rev ops teams work together If you are a B2B marketer, CRO or founder who knows partnerships should be part of your growth mix but has no idea how to actually build it out properly. Tune in and learn: → How to align your whole leadership team on what partnerships is and what it isn't → How to validate your partner categories before you activate anything → What a mutual success plan looks like and how to operationalize partners like a sales team → Why referral leads close faster and how to make that engine predictable → How to build a line of sight to partnerships ROI that your CFO and CRO will actually get behind ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Why Partnerships Is a Real Revenue Channel 00:48 Meet Brian Williams from Hockey Stick Advisory 01:47 How the Partnerships Landscape Has Shifted 03:05 The Foundations Most Companies Are Missing 06:30 Why Partnerships Has to Be a Genuine Exchange 07:51 Are You Actually Partnerships Ready? 09:47 How to Identify the Right Partners 13:18 The Biggest CRO Blocker With Partnerships 16:10 How AI Is Changing Partnerships 19:06 Why Partnerships Managers Burn Out Early 22:04 The Two Year Cycle Explained 24:02 When Partnerships Doesn't Work 25:26 The Big Hire Mistake to Avoid 28:26 The Partnership Revenue Gap Calculator 31:53 Where to Find Brian and Hockey Stick Advisory S08 E233 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #partnerships #b2bsaas #partnermarketing #ecosystemledgrowth #gotommarket #channelpartners #digitalmarketing

In this episode, we break down why B2B marketing attribution is broken and what you should actually be doing instead to measure what's working without losing your mind. We cover: → Why multi-touch attribution keeps lying to you and what it's actually measuring → Why ad platforms are deliberately making attribution harder for us as marketers → How to blend quantitative and qualitative data to get a real picture of what's driving revenue → Why being data influenced beats being data driven every single time If you are a B2B marketer or demand gen lead who's tired of attribution tools that promise clarity and just deliver more confusion. Tune in and learn: → Why multi-touch attribution is click obsessed and built on disappearing data → How to layer in marketing mix modeling and incremental testing without drowning in complexity → Why qualitative signals like "how did you hear about us" are more valuable than most attribution tools → How to communicate attribution as a range, not a definitive number, to your leadership team → How to align sales, CS and finance on what attribution can and can't tell you ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Why Attribution Keeps Lying to You 00:50 Welcome + Season 8 Overview 01:56 The Five B's Framework Explained 02:54 Why B2B Attribution Is So Much Harder Than B2C 04:08 The Real Problems With Multi-Touch Attribution 07:35 Why Privacy Changes Are Making This Worse 08:32 Attribution Software Is Just Repackaged Last Click 09:55 How Long B2B Cycles Break Attribution Models 10:56 The Blended Measurement Framework 17:10 Why Qualitative Signals Are Your Most Honest Data 18:57 How to Communicate Attribution Uncertainty to Leadership 20:56 Don't Overpromise on Attribution Internally 23:30 Why Industry Benchmarks Are Mostly Useless 25:37 Key Takeaways 27:06 Final Thoughts and Where to Learn More S08 E234 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #marketingattribution #marketingmeasurement #digitalmarketing #b2bsaas #leadgeneration #revenuemarketing #demandgen

In this episode, we break down category entry points and how to use LinkedIn ads to plant your brand in buyers minds way before they're even ready to buy. We cover: → What category entry points actually are and why they matter for B2B demand gen → Why LinkedIn ads is such a strong fit for targeting these key buyer moments → Real examples of category entry points you can build campaigns around → If you are a B2B marketer trying to build pipeline and stay top of mind with your ICP before they enter market. Tune in and learn: → How to identify the moments that trigger buyers into market → How to use LinkedIn ads targeting to reach the right people at the right time → Why cataloging your market beats relying on intent data platforms → How to turn category entry points into ad creative and thought leadership content ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Why Category Entry Points Change How You Advertise 00:01 What the Five B's Framework Is 00:04 Category Entry Points Defined 00:05 Why LinkedIn Ads Fits So Well for B2B 00:08 How to Use ICP Lists and Thermographic Targeting 00:12 How Long Demand Gen Actually Takes 00:14 Saturation, Frequency and the 95/5 Rule 00:19 Category Entry Point 1: Contract Renewals 00:23 Why Cataloging Beats Signal Sensing Platforms 00:26 Category Entry Point 2: Growing Pains and New Hires 00:29 Category Entry Point 3: Slowing Growth Rate 00:31 Real World Example: The Will Smith Slap Ad 00:33 You Don't Have to Dream Up Category Entry Points 00:34 How Entry Points Become Ad Creative and Content 00:35 Key Takeaways S08 E232 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #leadgeneration #digitalmarketing

In this video, I sit down with B2B YouTube specialist Samu Kovács to break down why YouTube is one of the most underrated and untapped channels in B2B right now. We cover: → Why YouTube beats LinkedIn for cutting through the noise in B2B → How to rank your videos and attract your exact ICP without needing thousands of views → The YouTube-first content strategy that actually drives inbound leads and pipeline → How to convert views into booked calls with the right CTAs If you are a B2B marketer or founder looking for a channel that builds trust, drives pipeline, and compounds over time. Tune in and learn: → Why 300 views from your ICP beats 30,000 random views → How search-based YouTube content creates evergreen traffic for years → What actually makes a video rank (hint: it is not the tags) → How to turn YouTube into your number one lead gen channel ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Why YouTube Is the Most Underrated B2B Channel Right Now 00:02 Introducing Samu Kovács, B2B YouTube Specialist 00:04 How Samu Got Started and Why He Went All In on B2B YouTube 00:06 Why LinkedIn Is Getting Crowded and What YouTube Offers Instead 00:12 Why 300 Views From Your ICP Beats 30,000 Random Views 00:14 How to Build a YouTube Strategy That Actually Drives Inbound 00:20 Search vs Algorithm: Which Should B2B Companies Prioritize 00:21 What Actually Makes a YouTube Video Rank (It Is Not the Tags) 00:24 Podcast Format vs YouTube-First Videos: What Performs Better 00:44 Will AI Kill YouTube? Why Storytelling Is the New Moat 00:46 How to Make Your Content Impossible to Replicate 00:47 How to Convert YouTube Views Into Booked Calls and Leads 00:49 Where to Find Samu and Learn More S08 E231 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #leadgeneration #digitalmarketing

In this video, I sit down with Georgia Watson, a 21-year IBM veteran, and Adem Manderovic to dig into why sales enablement keeps failing even when companies are spending big on it. We cover: → Why strategy is rarely the problem but execution almost always is → What revenue enablement actually means and why most orgs get it wrong → The real reason AI pilots fail 95% of the time → Why human skills like trust, storytelling and value articulation still win deals If you're a sales leader, revenue leader or marketer wondering why your sellers still struggle to have commercial conversations despite all the investment you're making in them. Tune in and learn: → Why tools and training alone don't move the needle → How incentives and measurement drive the wrong behaviours → What world class enablement actually looks like in practice → Why the best sellers win 88% of the time no matter what they're handed ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Why Revenue Performance Is an Execution Problem 00:07 Georgia Watson's 21 Years at IBM 00:12 What Revenue Enablement Actually Is 00:20 The 7-Part Enablement Framework 00:25 Why AI Pilots Fail 95% of the Time 00:31 Human Skills AI Can't Replace 00:38 Incentives, Measurement and Broken Pipeline Reviews 00:45 What World Class Enablement Really Looks Like 00:51 Where Most Enablement Programs Hit Their Ceiling S08 E230 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #leadgeneration #digitalmarketing

In this episode, we break down how to actually measure brand impact without overcomplicating it, including the leading indicators lean B2B teams should track before pipeline shows up. We cover: → Why leading indicators matter more than lagging ones early on → What early brand signals actually look like in practice → Why qualitative data and self-reported attribution is so powerful → A simple list of brand metrics lean teams should focus on If you are a B2B marketer trying to justify your brand investment to leadership or figure out if your demand gen is actually working before revenue shows up. Tune in and learn: → The difference between leading and lagging brand metrics → What signals to watch for before pipeline materializes → Why qualitative beats quantitative for brand measurement in B2B → How to build a simple brand scorecard without bloated dashboards ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 How to Measure Brand Without Overcomplicating It 00:01 Why B2B Teams Struggle to Measure Brand Impact 00:02 The Five B's Framework Refresher 00:03 Definitions: Leading vs Lagging Brand Indicators 00:07 Why Brand Programs Get Killed Too Early 00:07 What Early Brand Signals Actually Look Like 00:09 ICP Engagement as a Brand Signal 00:10 Self-Reported Attribution and How Did You Hear About Us 00:12 Sales Feedback as an Early Brand Signal 00:13 Category Entry Points and Customer Interviews 00:14 Why Qualitative Data Beats Quantitative in B2B 00:16 Self-Reported Attribution in the Age of AI 00:19 Why Ad Platforms Are Giving Advertisers Less Control 00:20 Simple Brand Metrics for Lean Teams 00:23 Share of Search as a Brand Metric 00:24 Key Takeaways: What to Track and Why S08 E229 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #leadgeneration #digitalmarketing

Most B2B marketers think demand generation and lead generation are the same thing. They’re not. And confusing the two is exactly why your pipeline isn’t growing. In this episode, we break down the real difference between demand generation vs lead generation — and why most teams are stuck running a system that creates activity, not revenue. We walk through the 5 BE’s Framework and show how to shift from chasing leads to building real demand in your market. Tune in and learn: → Why lead generation breaks at scale → How demand generation actually builds pipeline → What most teams get wrong about the 95/5 rule If you’re under pressure to generate more leads but know something isn’t working, this will change how you approach marketing. ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help generating demand for your B2B business? https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Demand Generation vs Lead Generation: Why This Debate Matters 00:03 The Real Problem: It’s Not Tactics, It’s Sequencing 00:05 Lead Generation Explained (And Why It Breaks) 00:07 Why Sales Hates Lead Gen (And They’re Right) 00:09 The “Leaky Bucket” Problem in B2B Marketing 00:11 Why Lead Gen Becomes Financially Unsustainable 00:12 Why Demand Capture Alone Doesn’t Scale 00:14 The 95/5 Rule That Changes Everything 00:16 Why Buyers Ignore You (Even If You’re Better) 00:18 Demand Generation Explained (What It Actually Means) 00:20 The 5 B’s Framework: A Better System 00:23 Category Entry Points: The Missing Link 00:25 Why “Cataloguing” Beats Intent Data 00:29 How Sales & Marketing Became Misaligned 00:30 Building Trust Before Buyers Are Ready 00:33 Why Most Content Doesn’t Work 00:34 Distribution: The Difference Between Seen vs Ignored 00:36 LinkedIn Strategy That Drives Real Demand 00:40 Case Study: From $50K to $200K/Month 00:43 Measuring Demand Gen (Without Last Click Bias) 00:44 Revenue Alignment: The Missing System 00:46 How to Build a Competitive Advantage 00:48 Where to Start (Without Breaking Everything) 00:50 Balancing Demand Gen vs Lead Gen in Reality 00:53 AI Won’t Replace This Skill 00:57 How Long Demand Gen Actually Takes S08 E228 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #leadgeneration #digitalmarketing

In this video, I break down AI visibility and GEO vs traditional SEO, and whether any of it actually changes how B2B teams should go to market. We cover: → What AEO and GEO actually mean and how they differ from traditional SEO → Why the Five B's framework still holds up in the age of AI → Why "be helpful" content is now more important than ever → 3 practical things to do instead of chasing AI visibility hacks If you are a B2B founder, marketer, or sales leader trying to figure out if AI search changes your content strategy or if the fundamentals still apply, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn: ✅ Why AI doesn't replace your go-to-market playbook, it just raises the bar on being helpful ✅ How to tighten your positioning so AI chatbots actually cite your brand ✅ Why niche, question-led content wins in AI interfaces ✅ How partnerships and trust signals drive distribution in the AI era ✅ A bonus tip on using Bing's AI performance reporting for Copilot visibility ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 - Does AI change the B2B playbook? 01:11 - Intro and what we're covering today 01:56 - Quick recap of the Five B's framework 03:04 - Does AI visibility change anything? 07:37 - Why being helpful matters more than ever 08:40 - The context shift in buyer discovery 12:35 - Why helpful content gets picked up by AI 13:42 - Be helpful is the main event 15:27 - The bar for content is getting lower 18:18 - Three things to do instead of chasing AI hacks 21:52 - Practical examples using the five stages of awareness 24:35 - Distribution and earning trust signals 27:25 - Low hanging fruit: partnerships 28:08 - Bonus: Bing's AI performance reporting 29:00 - Key takeaways 30:33 - Outro S08 E227 - The B2B Playbook #aivisibility #seo #b2bmarketing

Closed Loop Sales Strategy: Why Most B2B Teams Are Getting It Wrong Most B2B teams are still chasing meetings, pipeline, and MQLs—without ever understanding if a buyer is actually ready to buy. In this episode, we join Kieran Longhurst to break down the Closed Circuit Selling Strategy —why traditional sales models are failing, and how to fix them. We unpack how sales should really work, why booking meetings is the wrong goal, and how cataloguing your market creates a feedback loop across marketing, sales, product, and leadership. This isn’t about selling harder. It’s about building a system that aligns with how buyers actually make decisions. Tune in and learn: Why focusing on “meetings booked” is killing your pipeline How to use sales conversations as real market intelligence The exact method to sell on your buyer’s timeline If you’re a B2B marketer or revenue leader trying to drive real pipeline—not just activity—this episode will completely change how you think about sales. SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter/ GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ 00:00 Why Most B2B Sales Strategies Are Broken 01:00 The 95% Problem: Why You’re Only Talking to Buyers 02:00 The Real Sales Mindset (That No One Teaches) 03:00 Why “Sell Me This Pen” Is the Wrong Model 05:00 Architecture vs Tactics: The Core Shift 07:00 Why Relationship Building Is Misunderstood 09:00 What Sales Actually Is (And Why Most Get It Wrong) 11:00 The Hidden Cost of Booking Bad Meetings 13:00 The Cataloguing Method Explained 15:00 Why Most Sales Teams Waste 90% of Their Effort 18:00 How to Use Sales as Real Market Research 20:00 The Feedback Loop That Fixes Marketing 23:00 Why Founders Forget How They Originally Sold 27:00 The Death of the “Scale Fast” Sales Model 30:00 Human Selling vs Automated Outreach 33:00 How to Actually Get Buyers to Share Information 38:00 Real Examples: Closing Enterprise Deals with LinkedIn 45:00 Why MQLs Destroy Marketing Teams 50:00 The Smartest Prospecting Tactic We’ve Seen 55:00 AI, Search, and the Future of Sales 59:00 Final Takeaways: Rapport Over Relationships 👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team? 💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you)? Get the: 🔹 strategy 🔹 templates 🔹 tools So you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand. See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B Incubator Check out: theb2bplaybook.com S8 E226 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing #demandgeneration #outboundsales

Is Account-Based Marketing Worth It? (Most Teams Get This Wrong) Most B2B teams jump into ABM without asking the one question that actually matters: should you even be doing it? In this episode, we break down what account-based marketing really is, where it fits in your go-to-market strategy, and why most ABM efforts fail before they even start. We go beyond theory and show you the practical decisions you need to make, including how to define your target list, why deal size changes everything, and why “cataloguing the market” is the missing piece most teams ignore. Tune in and learn: When ABM actually works (and when it doesn’t) Why most teams waste money targeting the wrong accounts How to use cataloguing to stop guessing and start closing If you’re a B2B marketer trying to drive real pipeline, not just activity, this is a must-watch. SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter/ GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ 00:00 Why Everyone Is Talking About ABM (But Few Get It Right) 00:35 The Big Question: Should You Even Do ABM? 01:10 Why Most B2B Marketing Still Feels Like “Spray and Pray” 01:30 The Hidden Truth: ABM = Disciplined Go-To-Market 02:00 Why Weak Targeting Kills Your Positioning 02:30 When ABM Actually Makes Sense (And When It Doesn’t) 03:00 What ABM Really Is (And What It Isn’t) 04:00 The 3 Decisions You Must Make Before Doing ABM 05:00 Step 1: Define Your Objective 06:00 Why Most Teams Skip Proper Target Lists 07:00 The ICP Trap 08:00 When Your TAM Is Too Small for Paid Ads 09:00 The Real ABM Filter: Deal Size 10:00 Why ABM Fails for Low-Value Products 11:00 Step 2: The Missing Piece – Cataloguing 12:00 Why Marketing Can’t Guess Who’s In-Market 13:00 The 95/5 Reality 14:00 The Contract Problem That Kills Deals 15:00 Real Example: Why Campaigns Fail 16:00 How Cataloguing Changes Everything 17:00 Why Your TAM Might Be Wrong 18:00 Step 3: Not Everything Should Be ABM 19:00 Running ABM + Broad Marketing Together 20:00 Enterprise vs SME 21:00 Why Over-Personalised Ads Don’t Work 22:00 What Actually Works: Real Conversations 23:00 The Problem With AI Personalisation 24:00 Why Buyers Don’t Share Pain Publicly 25:00 The Final Answer: Is ABM Worth It? 26:00 The 3 Rules for Deciding 27:00 Final Takeaways 👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team? 💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you)? Get the: 🔹 strategy 🔹 templates 🔹 tools So you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand. See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B Incubator Check out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course S08 E2255 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing #demandgeneration #accountbasedmarketing