We're going to try to get through this whole newsletter without mentioning the T word. Let's see how we do.
—Jay & Adam
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💥 MARKET MOVES: Empathy is the most surprising takeaway from Forrester’s new volatility report
Nestled among Matthew Selheimer’s timely Forrester piece outlining how B2B leaders can thrive through volatility, there’s one insight that hits harder than the rest—and it’s not about cost-cutting or tech consolidation.
It’s empathy.
Not as a soft skill.
As a strategic edge.
“Customer insights aren’t just for marketing—they’re fuel for decision-making across the org.”
He argues that understanding how your buyers feel—their frustrations, their hesitations, their fears in uncertain times—is a decisive advantage. Especially now, when budgets are tighter, buying committees are bigger, and sales cycles are longer.
Here’s the shift:
Most brands optimize for efficiency.
The best ones optimize for emotional intelligence at scale.
👉 Takeaway:
Empathy gives you real-time emotional context—and that context is a leading indicator. In uncertain markets, brands that feel what their buyers are going through make better decisions—faster.
Understanding tone, tension, and buyer hesitation isn’t soft. It’s the difference between a stalled deal and a signed one.
🌋 DEMAND & GROWTH: AI + ABM = the end of the sales vs. marketing blame game
We're big boosters of sales and marketing alignment as a key to success in B2B, so maybe we're reading between the lines a bit on this latest piece from Demand Gen Report…
But it seems to us as ABM matures and AI reshapes how teams target, personalize, and engage, something big is happening:
The handoff is disappearing.
Instead of tossing MQLs over the fence, smart teams are using AI to:
Filter for fit in real-time (so sales isn’t wasting time on “maybe” accounts)
Generate tailored content at speed (so marketing can support outbound without weeks of lead time)
Reinforce a single, central narrative (so buyers hear the same story no matter who’s talking)
In other words: AI isn’t just scaling campaigns—it’s shortening the distance between strategy and revenue.
👉 Takeaway:
If your marketing and sales teams still feel like separate departments, AI-powered ABM platforms like 6sense and Terminus might be your fastest fix. Same targets, same signals, same message, for alignment that actually drives growth.
🤝 Your Messaging Might Be Costing You Deals
Your product is great. Your team is solid. But if your messaging isn’t landing, neither are your deals.
In B2B, buyers don’t have time to decode what makes you different. If your message isn’t clear, you’re losing revenue.
We help B2B brands craft messaging that sticks—so prospects instantly get what you do and why it matters.
📌 Take our 2-minute brand audit and get a free strategy call to sharpen your positioning.
✍️ THE MESSAGING LAB: Stock Photos Are Killing Your Trust
Is photography messaging? We wondered that while reading Admind's recent deep dive on B2B branding trends, where they called out a subtle but deadly trap:
Over-relying on stock photography is quietly undermining your credibility.
And we couldn’t agree more. Photography absolutely sends a message. And when that message is “we look like a template,” you’re handing away your first impression.
Why This Matters Now:
Trust is visual. If your site talks innovation but shows a stock photo of people high-fiving in a glass tower, buyers feel the disconnect.
Authenticity is a differentiator. In crowded categories, showing what it’s actually like to work with you is a way to stand out.
Even one original photo makes your brand more real.
👉 Takeaway:
Buyers don’t want polish. They want proof. Make room in your brand budget for original photography. Can’t swing a professional shoot right now? No problem. Snap real candids with your phone. Show your team, your space, your work in progress.
Show them what working with you really looks like.
📊 DATA & INSIGHTS: B2B winners are growing at 2x the rate of the field
The biggest growth lever in B2B might be doing fewer things—but doing them all the way.
Bain’s latest report, The B2B Growth Divide, reveals a blunt truth: It’s not that top B2B firms are experimenting more—it’s that they’re finishing what they start:
They don’t test AI—they build on it.
They don’t run ad hoc sales plays—they systematize them.
They don’t raise prices—they optimize pricing across customer segments.
They don’t chase new tools—they invest in internal clarity and repeatability.
👉 Takeaway:
Growth in 2025 won’t come from doing more. It’ll come from doing the right things—with discipline. AI, pricing, playbooks, and productivity are the dividing lines between B2B winners and everyone else.
🤝 Ad spend wasting your money? Fix your funnel.
Too many B2B companies pour money into paid ads without fixing the landing experience or aligning creative with buyer intent.
Our ad optimization partner helps teams tighten their paid strategy, improve ROAS, and build creative that clicks and converts.
Want more ROI from your next campaign?
📌 Book a free ad strategy session
🔥 FAMOUS TAKE: When the market gets shaky, murky categories kill momentum.
If buyers can’t tell the difference between you and everyone else, they freeze—or go with the cheapest.
Want to grow in uncertainty? Define the space, lead the language, and make your category make sense.
Clarity cuts through chaos.
—Adam
B2BOOM! is written and compiled by Jay Dingwall and Adam MacLean, principals at FamousFolks. We started this newsletter to share the ideas, insights, and strategies that actually move the needle for modern B2B leaders in a digestible format that respects your time.
Thanks for reading. You could be spending your time anywhere—we’re glad you’re here. 💥
—Jay & Adam
Heads Up: In each issue of B2BOOM!, we highlight services from our crew at FamousFolks or friends we trust. When you see the 🤝, it means we’re sharing something we genuinely back. We only shout out things we believe are truly valuable for your business—no shady promos, just stuff we stand behind.