I recently came across a Marketing Week article about how Payhawk—a B2B financial services company—is leveraging B2C-style branding to gain market trust. The fact that this is still considered newsworthy in 2025 is telling.

At first glance, this might sound revolutionary. But if you’ve been in the trenches of digital marketing long enough, you know: branding has never been just a “B2C thing.” And frankly, it’s baffling that in a post-automation, post-AI, hyper-competitive world, we’re still treating B2B branding like a side hustle instead of what it really is: a long-term growth engine.

The branding blind spot in B2B marketing

Let’s call it what it is: B2B has a brand problem. Too many businesses still assume that brand is optional, secondary, or something only large enterprises with marketing departments can afford to think about.

This mindset stems from the belief that:

• B2B buyers are rational, so branding doesn't matter

• Lead generation is more measurable and, therefore, more valuable

• Branding can’t be tied directly to ROI

Here’s the thing—none of that holds up in today’s B2B landscape.

B2B buyers are people first. And people don’t buy based on features—they buy based on trust, clarity, and relevance.

When branding is treated as an afterthought, you create a disconnect between what you sell and how it's perceived. You may have a solid product, but if the market doesn't recognise you, trust you, or remember you—you'll always be chasing demand rather than creating it.

The Psychology Behind B2B Branding

Let’s talk about what really drives B2B purchase decisions: risk mitigation and reputation management.

When a decision-maker chooses your brand over another, they’re not just buying software, a service, or a product—they’re placing their professional reputation on the line.

They need to feel confident not just in the product specs, but in your company’s credibility, track record, and values.

That confidence is built through:

• Consistency in messaging

• Strategic thought leadership

• Social proof and market positioning

• Visual and verbal brand identity

These elements aren’t “nice to have.” They’re how trust is built at scale.

The ROI of B2B brand building

Let’s look at the numbers behind a strong brand strategy:

• Companies with strong brands reduce customer acquisition cost (CAC) by up to 50%

• Customer lifetime value increases by over 20% when trust is established early

• 82% of B2B decision-makers say a trusted brand simplifies the purchasing process

Simply put, branding isn’t a vanity play—it’s the difference between being considered first or ignored altogether. And without brand equity, your lead generation efforts will always be more expensive and less effective.

Why performance marketing alone doesn’t scale

Startups and scale-ups often rely on performance marketing—paid media, lead gen funnels, outbound campaigns—because it's tangible. The metrics are clear. The ROI feels immediate.

But without brand infrastructure, those tactics become less efficient over time.

What happens when you only optimise for short-term performance?

• Cost-per-lead keeps rising

• Leads are unqualified or low-intent

• Prospects need extensive nurturing before conversion

• Retention suffers because there’s no emotional connection

Branding acts as a demand multiplier. It raises awareness, filters out noise, and primes the audience for your offer—before your ads or outreach even reach them.

Strong brands don’t fight for attention—they’re already top of mind.

What B2B brand strategy actually looks like

This isn’t about fluffy mission statements or endless brand guidelines. A strong B2B brand system supports your marketing, sales, and growth ops from the inside out.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

1. Brand Identity That Reflects Strategy

Your brand isn’t your logo. It’s the articulation of your value, your point of view, and the transformation you deliver. Great B2B brands stand for something—and it shows up in how they speak, sell, and scale.

2. Consistency Across Channels

From founder LinkedIn posts to paid campaigns, sales decks to onboarding flows—your narrative should be clear, consistent, and human. A strong brand system makes it easier to scale content without diluting message integrity.

3. Marketing + Sales + Product Alignment

If sales is pushing a story marketing doesn’t support—or product doesn’t deliver on—your credibility erodes. A unified brand strategy brings the GTM team together under one clear, market-facing narrative.

4. Brand Health Measurement

Brand isn’t just a vibe. Use qualitative and quantitative tools like:

• Customer interviews

• Share-of-voice tracking

• Social listening

• Direct traffic trends

• Search visibility for branded keywords

Tracking brand sentiment and perception helps you course-correct early and tie brand investment to business impact.

Real-World Examples: Who’s Doing It Right?

Let’s circle back to Payhawk, the original example.

They’re leaning into content that feels human, positioning that speaks directly to CFOs and finance leaders, and a visual identity that feels fresh—without being over-designed.

Other B2B brands executing strategic branding exceptionally well:

• Webflow – Building a creator-centric, design-led ecosystem.

• Notion – Balancing simplicity and depth while scaling their global voice.

• HubSpot – Transitioned from inbound software to thought leadership giant with a sticky brand narrative.

What do these brands have in common?

They’re not just explaining what they do.
They’re showing why it matters and earning trust at scale.

What strategic B2B marketers understand

✅ Branding lowers CAC and increases conversion rates.

✅ Branding enhances demand gen—it builds the trust that performance can’t.

✅ Branding isn’t optional—it’s foundational.

If you're not investing in your brand, you’re investing in short-term survival, not long-term growth.

Final thought: B2B buyers are still human

The belief that B2B is “rational and logic-driven” while B2C is “emotional” is a false binary.

In reality, B2B decision-making is emotional, high-stakes, and deeply tied to trust.
You get treated like a commodity when you show up as a faceless vendor with generic messaging.

But when you lead with clarity, relevance, and authority?
You shift from vendor → partner → market leader.

So I’ll leave you with this:

Is your brand creating demand—or just reacting to it?

🧠 FAQ: B2B branding strategy

Q: Why is branding important in B2B marketing?
A: Branding in B2B creates trust and builds authority. It simplifies decision-making, lowers acquisition costs, and increases long-term customer loyalty.

Q: How is branding different from demand generation in B2B?
A: Branding creates awareness and positions your business as a trusted solution. Demand generation activates interest. One fuels the other.

Q: Can small B2B teams build a strong brand?
A: Absolutely. Brand clarity doesn’t require a big budget—just consistency, messaging alignment, and a clear point of view.