The B2B Demand Game is Changing

Welcome back to Demand Crush!

I’ve been looking at the state of demand gen in B2B companies, and it’s clear:

✋🏼 More competition means it’s harder than ever to stand out.

🌊 AI is flooding the market with more content, more noise, more sameness. If a buyer discovers you through an AI chat you’ll want to have something worthwhile.

👯‍♀️ B2B products are becoming harder to differentiate—buyers struggle to tell the difference.

🧭 The buying journey is increasingly complex, leaving teams unsure of what works.

It’s harder to build demand. It’s harder to be a buyer. Something has to change.

In many ways there are stark differences between B2B and B2C marketing. The constant is that you’re marketing to humans.

The best B2B companies won’t operate like demand gen machines anymore. They’ll operate like media brands. Designed to engage, educate, and entertain humans.

So let’s dive in on how to take building demand to the next level!

What Comes Next: Engage Creator Mode

The smartest companies are already making this shift:

✅ From lead gen → to audience-first growth
✅ From performance marketing → to owned attention
✅ From chasing pipeline → to attracting inbound demand

Instead of gated eBooks and cold outbound, they’re building audiences, creating trust, and becoming the go-to source for their category.

Tomorrow’s B2B winners will look less like software vendors and more like content powerhouses. And this shift isn’t just about brand—it supports the entire funnel. The best media-first companies aren’t just attracting attention; they’re accelerating demand, improving conversion rates, and making sales more efficient.

The New Playbook: A Phased Approach

I get it—marketers are already stretched thin. Shifting to a media-first strategy sounds great in theory, but in reality? You need a plan that works with the resources you have today.

So instead of overhauling everything, start with what you already have. Here’s how:

Phase 1: Audit and Amplify

• Look at your top-performing content—LinkedIn posts, blogs, webinars, customer stories. What’s already getting engagement?

• Repurpose and amplify it across different formats (turn a blog into a LinkedIn carousel, a webinar into a podcast clip, etc.).

• Get your internal experts involved—your CEO, sales team, and customer success reps should be part of your content distribution strategy.

Phase 2: Shift from Lead Gen to Audience-First Growth

• Move from chasing leads → to building an engaged audience.

• Ditch gated content in favor of open, high-value media.

• Measure influence & awareness in your ICP, not just MQLs.

The best brands aren’t just generating leads; they’re creating demand before buyers are even in-market. And they’re doing it efficiently—reducing reliance on paid channels, increasing organic reach, and ensuring marketing and sales align around engaged buyers.

Examples of Companies Leading This Shift

🔥 HubSpot → Built a full-fledged media arm with The Hustle, expanding its reach beyond traditional inbound marketing.

🔥 Gong → Uses LinkedIn like a daily show, engaging their audience with humor and high-value insights instead of generic B2B sales content.

🔥 Lattice → Uses narrative-driven content instead of lead-gen funnels to attract and retain its audience, making the buying experience seamless.

Baby Steps on the Road to B2B Creator

1. Start with what you already have: Identify high-performing content and repurpose it.

2. Think like a media brand: Invest in LinkedIn, podcasts, YouTube, and newsletters—not just landing pages.

3. Create binge-worthy content: If your audience wouldn’t consume your content for fun, you’re doing it wrong.

4. Own your channels: Stop relying on ads. Build organic distribution you control.

5. Prioritize trust over tracking: Influence and reputation will drive sales, not just lead forms.

In the next issue, I’ll dive into how B2B companies can sharpen their audience and ICP targeting, create content that truly resonates, and stay laser-focused on engaging the right buyers.