LinkedIn reports that ‘nearly 94% of marketers agree that trust is the most critical factor in B2B success’. And honestly, I’m not surprised. In a world where attention is fleeting and competition is fierce, trust is what keeps your brand top of mind – even when your audience isn’t in market.
In B2B, trust isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the difference between being considered and being dismissed. Between a buyer saying ‘yes’ and saying ‘not now’. Between a brand that’s remembered and one that’s forgotten.
So how do we build it?
Here are a few thoughts from my corner of the B2B world – shaped by experience, conversations and the evolving expectations of buyers today.
1. Show up consistently and confidently at a brand level
Trust starts with familiarity. And familiarity is built through consistency. If your brand feels scattered – different tone here, different message there – it’s hard for buyers to know what you stand for. And if they don’t know what you stand for, they won’t trust you as a partner of choice when it really matters.
Consistency isn’t just about visuals or logos. It’s about showing up with a clear point of view, a confident voice and a unified experience across every touchpoint. From your website to your sales deck to your social posts – it all needs to feel like it’s coming from the same place.
As our August insights highlight, B2B is evolving from siloed campaigns into a unified brand-to-demand growth engine. That shift demands clarity, cohesion and confidence. When your brand shows up with purpose, buyers feel safer choosing you – and safer defending that choice two years down the line if things go sideways.
2. Serve the 95% who aren’t in market
This one’s big, and a favourite stat amongst my B2B marketing friends: most B2B buyers – 95% of them in fact – aren’t ready to buy right now. They’re simply researching, learning and forming opinions. And if you only show up when you want something – a demo booked, a form filled – you’re missing the chance to build a relationship. To put it frankly, if you only show up when they are in the 5% bucket, you’re already too late.
Trust is built in the quiet moments. In the ungated content that helps someone solve a problem. In the thought leadership that makes them think differently. In the newsletter that lands in their inbox and actually adds value.
B2B needs to reframe its understanding of the buyer’s mindset, because for them, the fear of messing up now outweighs the fear of missing out. They want to make decisions they can defend. That means they’re looking for brands that educate, support and validate – not just sell.
So serve the 95%. Be useful. Be generous. Be present. Because when they are ready, they’ll remember who showed up.
3. Know your audience inside out
Trust comes from relevance. And relevance comes from understanding. If you know your audience’s world – their pressures, their language, their aspirations – you can speak to them in a way that resonates. That’s when they start to listen. And that’s when trust begins to form.
This isn’t just about personas and segments. It’s about empathy. It’s about listening. It’s about showing that you get them – not just as a business, but as people navigating complex decisions. So dig deep. Ask questions. Use data, yes – but also use curiosity. Because the better you understand your audience, the more likely they are to trust that you can help them.
4. Be human
This one might sound soft. But it’s anything but.
Behind every business is a person, and people trust people. In a world of AI-generated everything, being genuinely human has become a competitive advantage. Content that shows real people, honest struggles or even failures, consistently outperforms polished corporate messaging.
Buyers want to see the people behind the brand. They want to hear real voices, not scripts. They want to feel something – even in B2B. I recently read a quote which said, ‘The number one thing B2B buyers want isn’t the best product or the best price – it’s a decision they can defend.’ And that decision is easier to defend when it’s backed by human connection, not just technical specs.
It’s time to be human, share stories and show empathy. Celebrate wins and own mistakes. Because when you do, you don’t just build trust. You build relationships.
5. Final thought: Trust is built every day
Trust isn’t built overnight. It’s built in every interaction, every campaign and every moment you choose to show up with purpose. It’s built when your brand is consistent, when your content is helpful, when your messaging is relevant and your voice is human.
In B2B, trust is the foundation of everything. It’s what makes your brand buyable. It’s what makes your message believable. And it’s what makes your audience stick around - even when they’re not ready to buy. Let’s treat it like the strategic growth driver it is. Not a soft metric, but the hard currency of success.
