At any given time, only about 5% of B2B buyers are in the market for what you’re selling. If you’re only going after them, you’re competing in a very crowded field.
This is the 95:5 rule from Professor John Dawes at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. Competing for the 5% of active buyers is great, and you definitely shouldn’t stop lead-gen and similar marketing and sales activities. But more than likely, you’re spending money and time playing catch up with competitors buyers already know.
When people are ready to buy, they call the names they remember. If they don't know you yet, you're probably not making the list.
Why isn't lead gen enough?
Lead-generation activities only reach buyers who are already shopping, and most of them started with a shortlist before they ever filled out your form. The other 95% will buy eventually, but only from a name they know. A strong B2B brand earns that memory over months and years. Using brand-led strategies will earn your company mindshare, landing you a spot on a buyer’s wishlist.
If everyone agrees brand matters, why don't they invest in it?
Belief isn't a strategy. In Marketing Week's State of Brand in B2B 2026, 58% of 300 B2B marketers said they'd increased their focus on brand building. Only 8.5% said long-term strategy was their main focus. And, for the most part, CMOs are measured heavily on immediate returns. Whether due to fear, impatience or lack of vision, everyone seems to acknowledge brand a long game but few actually play it.
Are you only talking to the 5%?
Ask your leadership team:
Would a buyer who isn't shopping know your name?
Does marketing only chase accounts that are already in a deal?
Can your team say what you stand for in one line?
Do buyers meet you before they start shopping?
If you paused on any of these, the 95% doesn't know you yet. Raise your brand equity before you need it, and be the competitor everyone else has to beat. See how we build it.
FAQ
How long does B2B brand building take to pay off?
Longer than a campaign cycle. Brand works by building memory over time, so expect leading signals like awareness and preference to move before pipeline does.
Should we cut lead-gen to fund brand?
No. Lead-gen captures the buyers who are ready now. Brand makes sure you're already known when the rest of the market is ready.
Sources: Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, the 95:5 rule; Marketing Week, State of Brand in B2B 2026 (n=300).
