How to capture the attention you don’t deserve: rethinking B2B marketing for complex industries

10.10.24

By Ellie Jackson, Chief Client Strategy Officer

This blog explores why some traditional B2B marketing tactics are overused in complex sectors and provides strategies for capturing attention during dormant phases. Learn how to build long-term brand affinity and become top-of-mind when your prospects are ready to buy.

It’s an uncomfortable truth: in the world of niche, high-value B2B industries, your prospects are probably not actively looking to buy from you right now. They’re probably not even close. If you’re selling complex software systems or solutions in sectors like capital markets, financial services or energy and industrials, your audience might only be in the market for your product once every five years, if that.

So, why on earth would they give you their attention the rest of the time?

The simple answer is they won’t – unless you earn it. This post will dig into why traditional B2B marketing tactics can fall flat outside of active buying cycles and explore what you can do to make sure your brand is front-of-mind when your prospects do switch from the c.95% “not interested” majority, to the c.5% who might actually be ready to do a deal.

Less sales funnel, more dormant volcano – understanding your audience’s buying cycles

The classic B2B marketing funnel is well-understood: awareness → consideration → preference. But for highly specialized B2B sectors, it’s more of a dormant volcano than a funnel. Your target audience is active, engaged, and potentially in-market for a tiny sliver of time, and dormant the rest. And during that dormant phase, no matter how persuasive your sales pitch or how detailed your product white paper, most of your efforts will bounce right off.

The temptation is to stick to the script and double down on rational, sales-focused content in the drive for leads: case studies, technical specifications, endless webinars. But ask yourself: when was the last time you watched a 45-minute webinar about a tool you weren’t planning to buy? Or read a case study about a solution you’re not actively considering?

Capturing attention in the dormant zone

The key is to rethink what capturing attention means. It’s not about trying to bounce someone down the funnel when they’re not ready. It’s about offering something valuable in a way that’s memorable, useful, and maybe even a little unexpected.

Since they don’t need your solution right now, you’ve got to create content that actually delivers intrinsic value. Something they’d engage with even if they have no intention of buying today. In other words, the type of content that doesn’t directly sell anything.

But how does that drive ROI? It doesn’t… well, not immediately (and not in the next quarter’s measurement of that marketing effort). But that’s okay, because they were never going to convert right now. You’re optimizing for memory. And in a world where somewhere around 95% of your audience is currently not in market, getting your brand to stick in their minds so it’s there when they do become active buyers is a massive win.

Four Strategies for Capturing Dormant B2B Attention

So how do you capture the attention you don’t deserve? By being genuinely interesting, relevant, and even entertaining.

1) Usefulness Over Salesmanship

Content that’s directly related to your product features or benefits has its place. But outside of buying cycles, it’s as compelling as a dry sales pitch during happy hour. Instead, create content that tackles the problems your target audience cares about, even if they’re tangentially related to your product.

Think interactive tools that help them benchmark industry metrics, or short, insight-packed research papers that shed light on an industry trend. Not only do these formats provide value, they also position your brand as an ally in solving their problems, not just another vendor pitching a tool.

2) Surprise Them (In a Good Way)

B2B marketing has a deserved reputation for being, well, boring. When everyone else is playing it safe, the occasional curveball can be enough to make your brand memorable. Of course it still has to feel true to your brand, but a touch of humor, a well-placed infographic, or even a creatively animated explainer video can stand out in a sea.

For instance, how about a brief, clever explainer video breaking down a complex regulatory change your audience might be grappling with? If it’s smart, relevant, and shareable, it might just get forwarded around their team. Even if they don’t need your product right now, they’ll remember who made it easy to understand.

3) The Trojan Horse: Thought Leadership

Thought leadership is an overused buzzword. But when it’s done well, it’s one of the few things that can draw in even the most disinterested audiences. Remember: the best thought leadership doesn’t have to sell anything at all – and indeed if it’s intended for media, it probably won’t get published if it does. What it should do is offer a unique perspective or insight that your audience can’t find elsewhere – ideally coupled with some sort of creative hook – or reference to popular culture – to catch the eye.

4) Take the contrarian view

Just like good music, good marketing is about tension and resolution. Is there a myth that needs busting, or a long-held belief that needs taking apart? Not only does this sort of content get people talking, and sharing, but also positions your brand as a thought leader willing to take a stand.

From Forgotten to Front of Mind

The goal is simple: when your dormant buyers enter the market, your brand should be the first one that springs to mind. That means building a connection now, long before they’re ready to sign a purchase order. It’s about playing the long game—creating moments of genuine engagement that build positive associations and, ultimately, brand affinity.

Because when your prospects finally are in market with intent to buy, that carefully constructed, rational white paper will be invaluable. But until then? Capturing the attention you don’t deserve means knowing when to turn down the hard sell and just offering up content that’s too good to ignore.

And if you’re still unsure how to do it, let’s chat. Our team specializes in turning passive attention into powerful brand recall—even when nobody’s buying.

Key Takeaways

Q1: Why do traditional B2B marketing strategies fail outside active buying cycles?
A: Traditional tactics focus on immediate conversion, but in niche sectors, most prospects are dormant. Engaging them requires content that offers value beyond a sales pitch.

Q2: How can you capture attention when prospects aren’t in-market?
A: Provide useful, unexpected content that aligns with their challenges, such as interactive tools, thought leadership, or creative formats like videos.

Q3: What’s the benefit of engaging dormant audiences?
A: Building memory and brand recall now ensures your brand is the first they remember when they are ready to buy, making you the preferred choice.