B2B Brief | 30 May 2025

Some people have reached out and said while they find this useful, they're sometimes strapped for time. There's always quite a few links to follow, so I'm testing a new format, which means there's a tl;dr summary up front. Let me know thoughts and feelings.

• Findability and strong branding are a bit late to the party, but now more critical than ever to stand out. AI is stepping up as a real-time conversational partner, changing how marketers engage and work with data as part of this process.
• B2B buying journeys are pretty complex - what a surprise(!) But buyers kind of “stage” their moves, so sales teams really need to tune into those signals to keep up.
• Branding and tech integration can feel chaotic, but it’s super important for brands to stay sharp and adapt fast.
• Events are feeling the heat with hybrid formats and shifting buyer needs, so they need fresh ideas to stay worth the investment.
• ABM? It’s not the magic fix everyone hoped for - just one part of a bigger strategy.
• Trust is always key: When it comes to value in tech, telecom, and manufacturing, it’s all about really knowing your customers and solving their problems, not just pushing products.

Events are under pressure

Competition for attendees and sponsors has grown fiercer, and attendee behaviour is shifting: People are registering later and expecting more interactive experiences.

Late to the party, early with the takeaways: B2B branding, findability, and the gems

Last week was the B2B Marketing Leaders Forum | Singapore | 8-9 October 2025 , where 500+ senior B2B folks nerded out. Anol Bhattacharya has a stellar writeup of the key sessions.

ABM isn’t the B2B salvation we were promised

Account-based marketing's promise of sales and marketing unity got lost in tools, with marketers still too focused on the technology, without doing the strategic work upfront.

On navigating M&A and brand consolidation chaos

Brand confusion, culture clashes, and tech stack chaos aren’t footnotes. My wonderful friend Uzma Atcha talks about the darker sides of B2B marketing during strategic deals.

Is your brand invisible to AI? The new rules for B2B marketing

"AI has compressed the B2B buyer’s journey. What used to take multiple sessions, site visits, and vendor comparisons can now unfold in a single AI interaction..."

Value Creation for B2B Customers in Tech, Telecom, Contact Centres, and Manufacturing

B2B value creation is the competitive foundation on which industry leaders operate. Yet many companies still struggle to define and deliver real value for their business customers.

Buying Journey Theater: How buyers stage the 'sales process' after deciding what they want

Validation dressed up as a sales cycle. Kerry Cunningham brings a touch of the theatrical to the buyer journey and decision-making process.

20 reasons authentic thought leadership is so important in B2B

Engaging without promoting services or products gives businesses the opportunity to prove they’re not just participants in the industry - they’re shaping it.