Short-term leads or long-term brand building? A B2B marketing perspective

What’s the biggest challenge B2B marketing teams face right now? Ask anyone in our Client Services team and they’ll tell you; the pressure to generate leads and drive immediate revenue. But do that at the expense of longer-term brand building, and you risk being in a precarious position where short-term gains are outweighed by long-term losses. Achieving sustainable growth for B2B brands really depends on finding the right balance between the two – tricky. 

 

The Short-Term Focus: Generating Leads 

Of course, leads are the cornerstone of B2B marketing, providing a steady stream of potential customers. Tactics such as content marketing, paid advertising, direct mail (yep – still one of the most effective channels in terms of spend vs return, when done right) and email marketing are crucial to attract and convert prospects. The results are often immediate too, making them even more attractive. But the temptation to just focus on short-term leads can lead to several pitfalls: 

• Short-lived Success: Relying solely on short-term tactics can result in a boom-and-bust cycle, where revenue spikes are followed by lulls. 

• Increased Costs: Continuous investment in lead generation can become expensive, especially if the quality of leads is declining. 

• Limited Brand Awareness: A focus on short-term gains can neglect brand building, limiting market reach and brand recognition.

 

The Long-Term Focus: Building Brand Equity 

Brand building is an investment in the future. Brand advertising campaigns, PR, events, thought leadership/knowledge sharing and CSR initiatives are all in the mix. Creating a strong and positive perception of your brand in the minds of your target audience may take longer, but the benefits can really pay dividends: 

• Increased Customer Loyalty: A strong brand fosters customer loyalty, leading to more repeat business and referrals. 

• Enhanced Brand Recognition: A well-known and trusted brand, is more likely to be considered by potential customers. 

• Risk Mitigation: When the going gets tough, a strong brand can help mitigate the impact of changes to the market.
  

 

A Rule of Thumb 

Truth is, there’s no magic bullet here. Factors such as industry, size of business and marketing maturity all play a part. However, a general rule of thumb is to allocate 60-70% of your marketing budget to short-term lead generation and 30-40% to long-term brand building. 

With a balanced approach, B2B brands can achieve a steady flow of leads while building a stronger more sustainable brand – in other words, combining the new customers they need now with the long term competitive edge they need for the future. 

And if you want to see how it’s done, you know what to do: hello@wethrive.agency.