The B2B Playbook

Is Account-Based Marketing Worth It? (Most Teams Get This Wrong)Most B2B teams jump into ABM without asking the one question that actually matters: should you even be doing it?In this episode, we break down what account-based marketing really is, where it fits in your go-to-market strategy, and why most ABM efforts fail before they even start.We go beyond theory and show you the practical decisions you need to make, including how to define your target list, why deal size changes everything, and why “cataloguing the market” is the missing piece most teams ignore.Tune in and learn:When ABM actually works (and when it doesn’t)Why most teams waste money targeting the wrong accountsHow to use cataloguing to stop guessing and start closingIf you’re a B2B marketer trying to drive real pipeline, not just activity, this is a must-watch.SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybookSUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter/GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/00:00 Why Everyone Is Talking About ABM (But Few Get It Right)00:35 The Big Question: Should You Even Do ABM?01:10 Why Most B2B Marketing Still Feels Like “Spray and Pray”01:30 The Hidden Truth: ABM = Disciplined Go-To-Market02:00 Why Weak Targeting Kills Your Positioning02:30 When ABM Actually Makes Sense (And When It Doesn’t)03:00 What ABM Really Is (And What It Isn’t)04:00 The 3 Decisions You Must Make Before Doing ABM05:00 Step 1: Define Your Objective06:00 Why Most Teams Skip Proper Target Lists07:00 The ICP Trap08:00 When Your TAM Is Too Small for Paid Ads09:00 The Real ABM Filter: Deal Size10:00 Why ABM Fails for Low-Value Products11:00 Step 2: The Missing Piece – Cataloguing12:00 Why Marketing Can’t Guess Who’s In-Market13:00 The 95/5 Reality14:00 The Contract Problem That Kills Deals15:00 Real Example: Why Campaigns Fail16:00 How Cataloguing Changes Everything17:00 Why Your TAM Might Be Wrong18:00 Step 3: Not Everything Should Be ABM19:00 Running ABM + Broad Marketing Together20:00 Enterprise vs SME21:00 Why Over-Personalised Ads Don’t Work22:00 What Actually Works: Real Conversations23:00 The Problem With AI Personalisation24:00 Why Buyers Don’t Share Pain Publicly25:00 The Final Answer: Is ABM Worth It?26:00 The 3 Rules for Deciding27:00 Final Takeaways👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team?💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you)?Get the:🔹 strategy🔹 templates🔹 toolsSo you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand.See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B IncubatorCheck out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-courseS08 E2255 - The B2B Playbook#b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing #demandgeneration #accountbasedmarketing

Most B2B marketers run LinkedIn ads… but never turn them into real pipeline.In this video, I break down the exact LinkedIn Ads strategy we used to help a B2B agency client go from zero to $185k a month in just 22 months.💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency I cover ICP targeting, Thought Leadership Ads, scaling beyond the founder's personal brand, and the feedback loops that keep the whole thing growing.If you are a B2B founder or marketer trying to figure out how to use LinkedIn Ads to stay top of mind with the right buyers and actually turn that into booked calls and revenue, this video is for you.-----------------------------------------------------🔗 Links + CTAs-----------------------------------------------------💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school -----------------------------------------------------SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ -----------------------------------------------------Timestamps:00:00 How LinkedIn Ads Helped Scale to $185K/Month01:30 Step 1: Get Brutally Clear on Your ICP04:00 Step 2: Using Thought Leadership Ads to Grow09:30 Step 3: Scaling Beyond the Founder Brand12:00 Step 4: Optimisation & Feedback Loops14:10 Step 5: Most Buyers Aren’t Ready Yet-----------------------------------------------------S08 E224 - The B2B Playbook#b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #linkedinads #linkedinthoughtleadership #linkedinadsagency

In this video, we break down what OpenAI's new ChatGPT ads mean for B2B marketers, and why it's probably not the performance channel you should be betting on in 2026.We cover:→ The background behind OpenAI's push into advertising and why they're starting with B2C→ Why ChatGPT ads are unlikely to impact B2B marketing anytime soon (ad-free business/enterprise tiers, limited tracking, shopping-focused formats)→ How buyer discovery is shifting from search + social toward AI assistants→ Our 3-point framework (based on the Five B's) to prepare your B2B marketing for the age of LLMsIf you are a B2B founder or marketer wondering whether you should be spending on ChatGPT ads, or trying to figure out how to get your brand surfaced in AI-driven search results, this episode is for you.Tune in and learn:✅ Why the fundamentals of trust-building and demand gen matter more than ever✅ How to tighten your ICP messaging so LLMs actually surface your brand✅ The content and distribution strategies that build organic visibility in ChatGPT✅ How to set up measurement and UTM practices now so you're ready when B2B ads do arrive-----------------------------------------------------🔗 Links + CTAs-----------------------------------------------------🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program:https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School:https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads?https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency-----------------------------------------------------SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ -----------------------------------------------------Timestamps:00:00 - Intro01:40 - What's happening with ChatGPT ads03:54 - Does AI make the Five B's Framework obsolete?07:06 - Why ChatGPT ads won't help B2B marketers yet13:49 - B2C vs B2B: Why OpenAI is targeting consumers first15:49 - The Five B's still stand the test of time16:00 - 3-point framework to prepare for ChatGPT ads16:08 - Step 1: Be Ready - tighten your ICP and messaging19:27 - Why LLM context makes ICP clarity even more critical20:42 - Step 2: Be Helpful - build trust with content at scale23:46 - Growth is about people, not platforms24:31 - Step 3: Be Seen - measurement, distribution, and experimentation 27:41 - Practical action points and repurposing strategy30:00 - Key takeaways and recap31:17 - OutroS08 E222 - The B2B Playbook#chatgpt #b2bmarketing #chatgptads

If you're competing against companies with massive marketing budgets, paid ads alone won’t win.In this episode of The B2B Playbook, we sit down with Alex Bedwani, founder of PetsOnMe, to unpack how he built growth using a B2B2C marketing strategy instead of competing head-to-head in B2C channels.In industries like insurance, the biggest brands dominate paid channels. They can outspend you on ads, outbid you on keywords, and convert better because people already trust them.So Alex took a different path.Instead of competing directly, he built partnerships with associations and corporations to distribute pet insurance to their employees and members.We break down exactly how the B2B2C strategy works, how to land partnerships, and how to activate them so they actually generate revenue.Tune in and learn:+ Why competing head-on in B2C markets is often a losing game+ How to use partnerships as a distribution channel+ The activation tactics that turn partnerships into real revenueIf you're a founder or marketer trying to grow in a competitive category, this episode will change how you think about distribution.-----------------------------------------------------🔗 Links + CTAs-----------------------------------------------------🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency-----------------------------------------------------SUBSCRIBE to our channel: / @theb2bplaybookSUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletterGET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/-----------------------------------------------------00:00 Why Small Brands Lose in Paid Acquisition00:35 Competing Against Big Insurance Brands02:00 Why Alex Started PetsOnMe03:30 The Hidden Monopoly in Pet Insurance05:30 Why B2C Marketing Was Impossible to Win07:00 The Real Cost Advantage Big Brands Have09:00 The Pivot: Discovering the B2B2C Marketing Strategy10:00 What B2B2C Looks Like in Practice12:50 Turning Pet Insurance Into an Employee Benefit15:00 Finding the Right Corporate Partners17:00 Why Signing the Partnership Is Only 10% of the Work19:00 The Key to Getting HR Managers Interested20:50 The Fitness First Example of B2B2C Growth22:00 How to Stay Top of Mind With Corporate Partners24:00 The 3-Way Win That Makes B2B2C Work26:00 The Due Diligence Corporates Will Do On You28:00 Activating Members After the Partnership Is Signed29:00 Creative Activation: The Cutest Dog Competition31:00 Why Data Is Harder in B2B2C Partnerships33:00 Using Events and Talks to Drive Signups35:00 Why Face-to-Face Still Converts Best36:30 Personalised Marketing That Converts39:00 Managing 70+ Partnerships Without Chaos40:00 When to Kill a Partnership Quickly42:00 The Most Important Rule in B2B2C Partnerships-----------------------------------------------------👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team??💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you??)Get the:🔹 strategy🔹 templates🔹 toolsSo you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand.See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B IncubatorCheck out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-courseS08 E222 - The B2B Playbook#b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing #demandgeneration #b2b2c #partnerships

If you’ve ever struggled to defend brand budget in a performance-obsessed company — this episode is for you.We sat down with Matt Maynard, VP of Brand Advertising & Comms at Asana, to break down how brand actually drives growth — and how to measure it properly inside a B2B business.This isn’t theory. It’s a practical framework for small teams trying to prove brand works.We unpack:- Why brand keeps losing to performance- Why “consideration” is usually measured wrong- How to use Category Entry Points (CEPs)- The 95:5 rule explained simply- And how to measure mental availability without a massive budgetTune in and learn:- Why growth is driven by memory, not persuasion- The 3 brand metrics every B2B team should track- How to turn brand into a performance engineIf you’re in a B2B team trying to punch above your weight, this is mandatory viewing.-----------------------------------------------------🔗 Links + CTAs-----------------------------------------------------🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency-----------------------------------------------------SUBSCRIBE to our channel: / @theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletterGET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/-----------------------------------------------------00:00 Why Brand Keeps Losing Budget in B2B02:10 Brand vs Performance: Vibes vs System04:00 Why Finance Doesn’t Fund “Brand”07:10 The Science Behind How Brands Actually Grow10:00 Brand = Memory (Not Campaigns)12:30 Why Loyalty & Word of Mouth Don’t Drive Growth14:00 What Are Category Entry Points (CEPs)?17:00 Why Small Brands Grow Slower20:30 How to Measure Brand Properly in B2B25:00 Breaking Consideration Into 3 Metrics30:00 Measuring Brand Without a Big Budget31:40 The 95:5 Rule Explained34:00 Brand Lift vs Vanity Metrics36:00 Brand & Performance Aren’t Enemies37:40 What Brand Teams Should Report41:10 Protecting Consistency43:00 The 3 Jobs of Brand Marketing44:50 How Small Teams Can Start Today-----------------------------------------------------👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team??💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you??)Get the:🔹 strategy🔹 templates🔹 toolsSo you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand.See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B IncubatorCheck out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-courseS08 E221 - The B2B Playbook#b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing #brandmarketing #demandgeneration

In this video, we dive into why B2B partnerships are one of the most powerful (and underused) growth strategies in 2026, and how to get your first one off the ground.We cover:Why partnerships act as a trust shortcut with your target audience, how rising paid media costs (up ~14% per year) are making partnerships more essential than ever, and the exact 4-step framework to land your first B2B partnership.If you are a B2B marketer or founder struggling with rising customer acquisition costs and want a more affordable, high-trust way to reach your ideal customers.Tune in and learn:- Why partnerships transfer trust from aligned brands to your audience- How overlapping ICPs make partnerships more effective than cold outreach- Why AI-generated content is making owned audiences even more valuable- The importance of executive buy-in and clear KPIs to make partnerships stick- Brian's #1 tip: don't go for the big fish first. Start with complementary, similarly-sized partners- The 4-step action framework: identify, shortlist (top 3–5), reach out, and go deep-----------------------------------------------------🔗 Links + CTAs-----------------------------------------------------🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organization with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency-----------------------------------------------------SUBSCRIBE to our channel: / @theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletterGET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/-----------------------------------------------------Timestamps:00:00 – Why partnerships are a trust shortcut00:56 – Welcome to Season 8 (first in-person recording!)02:14 – The Five Bs Framework recap10:52 – Why noise is getting worse (and what to do about it)12:18 – The real-life analogy: partnerships as personal introductions14:24 – Rising paid media costs & the 14% CAC benchmark16:14 – How partnerships help share distribution costs18:08 – Why AI makes trust-based channels even more important20:04 – Key ingredients: overlapping ICP & give-and-get relationships24:22 – Getting executive buy-in & setting clear KPIs26:13 – The fastest way to kill a partnership29:14 – The 4-step action framework to get started this week-----------------------------------------------------👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team??💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you??)Get the:🔹 strategy🔹 templates🔹 toolsSo you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand.See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B IncubatorCheck out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-courseS08 E220 - The B2B Playbook#b2b #partnerships #b2bmarketing

Revenue leaders don’t trust their pipeline anymore.In this episode, we sit down with Phil Cleary – 20+ year Salesforce veteran and co-lead of the Revenue Enablement Society – to unpack what’s really happening inside revenue teams right now.We break down why forecasts are slipping, why pipeline feels fabricated, and why traditional sales training isn’t fixing behaviour.This is a deep dive into revenue enablement strategy at the leadership level.We cover:+ Why buyers are frozen (FOBO from FOMO)+ The 2x2 coaching model every sales leader should use+ Why “software with a service” is the future of SaaS+ How behaviour, identity, and mindset drive real adoption+ Why you are your calendarIf you lead sales, marketing, or revenue teams – this conversation will challenge how you think about enablement.Tune in and learn:+ How to fix forecast uncertainty+ How to build behaviour-led performance+ How to align revenue teams around real commercial oversightIf you care about predictable revenue, commercial common sense, and long-term alignment – this one’s essential.-----------------------------------------------------🔗 Links + CTAs-----------------------------------------------------🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency-----------------------------------------------------SUBSCRIBE to our channel: / @theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletterGET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/-----------------------------------------------------00:00 Why Revenue Leaders Are Losing Confidence in Their Forecast04:40 FOMO vs FOBO: Why Buyers Are Frozen08:10 Is Your Pipeline Fake?11:20 Revenue Retention Is Changing Sales Behaviour14:00 Why Commercial Handover Is Broken16:20 The Smash-and-Grab Sales Problem19:50 The 2x2 Coaching Framework22:30 Toxic High Performers25:00 What Good Behaviour Looks Like29:30 Why Training Fails31:00 The Kirkpatrick Model33:10 Specialisation in Sales Teams36:10 Thinking Like a Franchise Owner39:40 You Are Your Calendar42:10 Growth Mindset in Revenue Teams48:20 SaaS vs Software With a Service54:30 Crossing the Chasm01:00:10 Revenue Enablement Society01:04:00 The Art and Science of Leadership-----------------------------------------------------👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team??💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you??)Get the:🔹 strategy🔹 templates🔹 toolsSo you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand.See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B IncubatorCheck out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-courseS08 E219 - The B2B Playbook#b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing #demandgeneration #salesleadership #salesadvice #revenueenablement

Most B2B content looks polished. But almost none of it gets remembered.In this episode, we break down why humour isn’t a creative risk in B2B.It’s a strategic advantage.We’re joined by Luke Winter, founder of Deadpan and one of the few people proving that B2B marketing with humour drives memory, brand lift, and real revenue.Luke shares how a single funny B2B video generated over $300K in sales, why AI-generated content is creating sameness, and how brands can use comedy frameworks to stand out without needing a massive budget.We also unpack:+ Why most B2B brands confuse looking professional with being effective+ The science behind entertaining ads and higher conversion rates+ How to turn real customer pain points into memorable content+ Five practical frameworks to generate funny B2B ideas+ How to build a sitcom-style content series for your brand+ How to get CEO buy-in without calling it “comedy”Tune in and learn:+ Why humour works better than features in B2B+ How to create distinctive brand memory in a world of AI slop+ How to apply comedy without damaging credibilityIf you’re a B2B marketer trying to stand out, build trust, and stop blending in, this episode is essential.-----------------------------------------------------🔗 Links + CTAs-----------------------------------------------------🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency-----------------------------------------------------SUBSCRIBE to our channel: / @theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletterGET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/-----------------------------------------------------00:00 Why Humour Is a Smart B2B Brand Strategy01:10 Why B2B Comedy Is Untapped02:00 AI vs Memorability03:20 Why Corporate Videos Fail04:10 The Video That Changed Everything06:00 From 234 Views to $300K07:00 The Showmanship Era08:10 Why B2B Content Gets Ignored09:10 Showmanship vs Salesmanship10:00 Turning Pain into Comedy11:30 The Data Behind Funny Ads13:00 Why Humour Isn’t Risky15:00 The Customer Is the Hero16:40 Comedy Frameworks20:20 Comedic Displacement23:20 Opposites in Comedy26:00 Metaphors That Work28:00 Parody and Associations31:40 Testing with Memes34:30 Sitcom-Style B2B Content36:50 Getting CEO Buy-In-----------------------------------------------------👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team??💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you??)Get the:🔹 strategy🔹 templates🔹 toolsSo you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand.See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B IncubatorCheck out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-courseS08 E218 - The B2B Playbook#b2b #b2bmarketing #brandstrategy #humourinmarketing #demandgeneration

Most small B2B teams know product marketing matters.Very few know how to make it work without specialists or big budgets.In this episode, we’re joined by Kayla Medica, creator of the Medica Method, to break down how product marketing actually works inside lean B2B teams.We unpack what breaks when no one owns product marketing, how to align product, sales, and leadership around one story, and why pricing is just as much a product marketing problem as it is a commercial one.Kayla also explains why most B2B personas fail, how to build real feedback loops with sales, and how small teams can punch above their weight without burning out.Tune in and learn:+ How product marketing really works in small B2B teams+ What product marketers should say no to (and when)+ Why pricing and positioning are inseparableIf you’re in a small B2B team trying to create consistency between marketing, sales, and product, this episode is a must-watch.-----------------------------------------------------🔗 Links + CTAs-----------------------------------------------------🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency-----------------------------------------------------SUBSCRIBE to our channel: / @theb2bplaybookSUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletterGET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/-----------------------------------------------------00:00 Why Product Marketing Breaks in Small Teams02:10 What Happens When No One Owns Product Marketing04:16 Product Marketing Explained05:23 The Medica Method07:46 Why Small Teams Can’t Pause Work09:11 Who Product Marketing Aligns With10:52 Executive Buy-In12:00 Net-New vs Expansion Growth14:15 Product Marketing Boundaries17:50 Fixing Sales Feedback Loops23:50 Why B2B Personas Fail29:50 Pricing as Product Marketing35:40 Showing Pricing on Your Website38:40 Taylor Swift Pricing Lessons42:30 Status Signalling in B2B46:00 Product Marketing as a Career-----------------------------------------------------👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team??💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you??)Get the:🔹 strategy🔹 templates🔹 toolsSo you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand.See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B IncubatorCheck out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-courseS08 E217 - The B2B Playbook#b2b #productmarketing #b2bmarketing #pricingstrategy #gotomarket