Warrier Wala's Test + Learn

Introduction: The Challenge of Non-Market Buyers

In B2B marketing, only 5% of buyers are actively in-market at any given time. The 95-5 rule emphasizes the importance of advertising to build mental availability, ensuring that your brand is top-of-mind when buyers eventually need your product or service.

Learn more about how intent data can keep your brand in front of relevant audiences, even when they’re not in-market, by checking out this article.

Why Mental Availability Matters

Mental availability ensures that when buyers enter the market, they think of your brand first. According to Byron Sharp’s How Brands Grow, creating memory structures is critical to success. In B2B, this translates to consistent exposure through brand messaging, even when immediate sales aren’t guaranteed.

For more on strategic marketing frameworks, see our blog on Strategic Thinking in B2B Marketing.

Advertising Beyond Immediate ROI

Immediate returns often dominate marketing strategies, but in B2B, brand-building over the long term has significant benefits. Jenni Romaniuk’s research highlights the importance of category entry points (CEPs)—the situations or triggers that make a buyer recall your brand. By associating your brand with multiple entry points, you increase the chances of being recalled when a buying decision is imminent.

Category Entry Points (CEPs) and How to Find Them

CEPs refer to specific moments, needs, or situations that make a buyer think of a brand. In B2B, these can include compliance needs, cost-efficiency, or innovation. To identify your brand’s CEPs, consider:

1. Customer research to understand key problems.

2. Behavioral analysis to see when buyers search for solutions.

3. Mapping buyer journeys to anticipate triggers.

By consistently addressing these CEPs in your messaging, you can create brand recall long before a buyer is actively in the market.

Explore how aligning your strategy with key marketing triggers enhances mental availability in our Strategic Thinking in B2B Marketing.

Case Study: Brand Recall in B2B (Australia)

Australian B2B companies like BlueScope Steel and CBRE demonstrate the power of CEPs. BlueScope Steel targeted sustainability and innovation in construction, ensuring its brand is recalled when buyers look for eco-friendly building materials. Similarly, CBRE leveraged expertise in property management, making them a go-to solution when businesses seek real estate expansions or optimizations.

Practical Steps to Build Mental Availability

Here are actionable steps to help your brand stand out in a crowded market:

1. Consistent Branding: Use distinctive brand assets (colors, logos) to create lasting impressions.

2. Repetitive Messaging: Keep your core message consistent across campaigns.

3. Widen Entry Points: Engage with buyers across different touchpoints and address diverse needs.

For more on creating memorable advertising, check out Byron Sharp’s principles in How Brands Grow.

The Role of Technology in Building Long-Term Awareness

Technology plays a vital role in building and maintaining mental availability. Tools like HubSpot or Marketo allow marketers to automate campaigns and engage buyers regularly, while CRM systems like Salesforce enable better management of customer data for long-term engagement. These tools help keep your brand relevant in the minds of non-market buyers.

Learn how MarTech tools can help execute these strategies in MarTech in 2024: Top Tools for Marketers.

Additional Case Studies: Australian B2B Companies with Results

1. Cochlear:

Cochlear, a leader in hearing implants, focused its advertising on healthcare professionals, building mental availability by emphasizing innovation and patient outcomes. The result was increased product adoption, even in markets with long sales cycles.

2. Linfox:

Linfox, a logistics company, promoted sustainability as a core value, making it the go-to for businesses needing eco-friendly supply chains. As a result, Linfox saw a 10% growth in new contracts focused on green logistics.

3. BlueScope Steel:

BlueScope Steel concentrated on sustainable construction materials, leading to strong recall when environmental concerns were top-of-mind for developers, driving significant business in eco-friendly projects.

4. CBRE:

CBRE became synonymous with real estate solutions, positioning itself as the top choice when businesses planned expansions. The company’s emphasis on expert property management helped it capture market share, even when many firms weren’t actively seeking services.

Conclusion: The Future of B2B Marketing

Applying the 95-5 rule requires patience and a long-term focus. By building mental availability through category entry points and consistent messaging, your brand can remain top-of-mind, even for buyers who aren’t currently in the market. The case studies above show that sustained brand-building efforts pay off when done right, with companies like Cochlear and Linfox reaping tangible rewards from their investment in mental availability.