Why Your B2B Funnel Is Failing You
Eric V. Holtzclaw
From Invisible to Unforgettable | We Turn Brands into Market Leaders with Strategy, Storytelling & Smart Execution
I read a thing from Andrei Zinkevich recently that I loved. Here are some great points he made and what I think about them.
Every B2B company I talk to says they’re doing demand generation. But when I dig a little deeper, most of them are doing it wrong.
They’ve got the tech. They’ve got the content. They’ve got a funnel diagram that looks great in a presentation.
But here’s the problem: it’s all designed for the tiniest slice of their actual market—the people who are actively “in-market” right now.
Let me be clear: focusing solely on in-market buyers is a recipe for stalled growth.
The Real Buyer Journey Isn’t in Your Funnel
The biggest misconception in B2B marketing today? Believing that the buyer journey begins when someone downloads your eBook or fills out your contact form.
It doesn’t.
By the time a buyer raises their hand, the real decision-making has already started, and you likely weren’t even invited to the conversation. According to a recent TrustRadius/Pavilion study, 86% of enterprise buyers shortlist vendors they discovered before their buying process ever formally began.
That means if you’re waiting for someone to become a “lead” before you engage, you’re already behind.
And don’t get me started on MQLs. No one wants to be your Marketing Qualified Lead. No one asked to be dropped into your automated nurture sequence. The idea that buyers willingly follow a linear path from awareness to consideration to decision? It’s fiction.
B2B Buying Is Messy, and It Happens Without You
Today’s buying process is non-linear and incredibly fragmented.
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If you’re not showing up in these conversations before a buyer is ready to act, you’re invisible when it counts.
Want to talk about leveling up your B2B demand generation strategy? I’d love to help. https://ligermarketing.com/contact/