The 5 R’s of Building Trust in B2B Marketing

B2B marketing has spent the last decade chasing growth hacks and lead gen tactics. But buyers have caught on and now they’re turning it all down like an invite to a pyramid marketing mixer at a Radisson by the Airport. 

They’re not giving up their contact info for a PDF and a drip sequence that quickly devolves from “circling back” emails to “u up?” texts. And they’re not hopping on a “quick call to see if it’s a fit.” 

In fact, 90% of the buyer journey now happens independently, before any sales interaction. That’s because modern buyers aren’t looking to be sold to, they’re looking to be empowered. 

From Lead Generation to Demand Generation

The role of B2B marketing has shifted from lead generation to demand generation. It’s about building brands and experiences that make customers come to you when they’re ready to buy.

It's like being the fastest route on Waze. You didn’t convince them to choose you, you just made it easy to get there. Even if it took three cornfields, a dirt road, and someone’s backyard with a “Live, Laugh, Love” sign on the lawn.

Too many marketers think demand is something you force into existence. That’s how we end up with intrusive GTM motions and Vibe Marketing. But that sort of thinking is why buyers went cold in the first place.

The 5 R's of Building Trust

So, how do you build demand nowadays? The answer isn’t more content, outreach, ads, or tech. The truth is actually boring, but in a “nobody dies in the end” kind of way. Not that I want anyone to die, but you get the point!

The truth is that you build demand through trust. I know that sounds a little nebulous, so I put together a simple framework to break it down: The 5 R’s. 

1. Resources

In the past it was best practice to be a resource to your customers. That’s still true, but with how noisy the web has gotten and how scarce reach has become, it’s not enough to simply be a resource. You have to build the resources that keep people coming back to you. 

Blog and social media posts won’t cut it.

💡B2B Marketing Resources That Move the Needle:

• Proprietary research, reports and data

• Building tools or apps that warrant repeated use

• Community building

• Event-based marketing

• Owned media

All these items are things that you own and can help keep your audience engaged with your brand over the long-haul.

2. Reputation

Reputation is how your market views your credibility, expertise and reliability. This is what gives your buyers confidence that you know your stuff. 

You build reputation by showing up consistently and credibly in the right places.

💡How to Build Your Brand's Reputation:

• Press coverage that validates your expertise

• Publishing meaningful thought leadership beyond firing off staccato-style hot takes on LinkedIn

• Strategic visibility - podcast appearances, speaking gigs, video channels

• Collaborations with trusted voices in your industry

• Showcasing awards and certifications

• Elevating personal brands and employee advocates who can represent your company with authority

  
  

3. Results

Reputation is perception. Results are proof. This is where you back up everything you’ve said with actual outcomes.

Buyers don’t just want to know what you can do, they want to see what you’ve done. 

💡 How to Share Proof Points:

• Sharing case studies

• Client testimonials

• Customer success stories

• And if you can reliably forecast results with ROI calculators, do it 

When buyers see that you’ve helped others like them succeed, they’re far more likely to believe you can do it again.

4: Relationships

If your marketing is built on transactions, everything stays skin deep.

But when you build relationships, you show your customers that you’re committed to helping them succeed. 

💡 What Builds Relationships in B2B Marketing:

• Creating meaningful and personalized experiences built on audience research 

• Excellent customer service and account management for better retention 

• Meeting your customers and prospects at events, trade shows, or even your own meetups

5: Referrals

Your existing customers are your best growth channel. If they trust you, they’ll refer you…and no campaign can beat the conversion rate of a great referral. 

💡How to Earn Referrals from Your Customers:

• Deliver an experience that makes people want to recommend you.

• Make it easy for happy customers to refer others—through referral programs or partner intros.

• Or just take the old-fashioned route: ask!
  

Don't try to convince your buyers to choose you. Make it easy for them to get there - like the best route on Waze

Earn Trust, Generate Demand

Not everything we covered is a digital play. With the web being so noisy and AI adding to the clutter, you’ll need to think about how you can apply the 5 R’s in-person too. 

But no matter where it happens, online or off, trust is built between people.

You can’t hack it, you can’t automate it. You have to earn it.

And earning it is how you generate real demand.