LinkedIn’s 95-5 Rule and What It Means for B2B Marketing
LinkedIn’s 95-5 Rule
According to research by LinkedIn, only a small percentage of potential buyers in B2B markets are actively seeking solutions at any given time.
Specifically, LinkedIn's 95-5 rule states that 95% of potential buyers aren't ready to buy today, meaning that they are "out-market" now but will be "in-market" sometime in the future.
LinkedIn's research is based on analysis of its own data and surveys of B2B decision-makers.
The research found that most B2B buyers start their purchasing journey by searching for information online. Only a small percentage of those buyers are ready to engage with salespeople or purchase immediately.
Most potential buyers are in the early stages of their research and are not yet ready to engage with sales teams.
Source: https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/b2b-research/trends/95-5-rule
The 95-5 Rule suggests it’s more effective to focus your marketing efforts on potential buyers who are not yet ready to purchase since they present the largest revenue opportunity in the long term.
Rather than solely targeting those who are actively in the market for your product or service, it is important to consider the broader audience of potential buyers who may become "in-market" at some point in the future.
This approach involves flipping the traditional marketing funnel on its side and rethinking your strategy through the "in-market/out-market" paradigm.
Start Building Category Awareness With All Future Customers
Building awareness and trust with the 95% of buyers who are not currently in the market requires a long-term approach that focuses on building relationships and establishing your brand as a trusted authority in your industry.
Here are some (not so surprising) ways that B2B marketing teams can achieve this:
Create high-quality content: One of the most effective ways to build awareness and trust with potential buyers is to create high-quality content that provides value and demonstrates your expertise. This can include blog posts, e-books, webinars, and other types of content that address your target audience's challenges and pain points.
Engage with potential buyers on social media: Social media provides a powerful platform for engaging with potential buyers and building relationships over time. By regularly sharing valuable content and engaging with your audience on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Quora, you can establish yourself as a trusted authority in your industry and build a loyal following of potential buyers.
Develop targeted lead nurturing campaigns: Lead nurturing campaigns can help keep your brand top-of-mind with potential buyers who are not yet ready to make a purchase. By providing them with relevant content and high-value offers over time, you can build trust and establish yourself as a solution provider when they are ready to make a purchase.
Partner with industry leaders: By partnering with industry leaders and influencers, you can amplify the impact of your marketing efforts and reach a broader audience of potential buyers. This can include collaborating on content, co-hosting webinars or events, and engaging with their audiences on social media.
Attend industry events and conferences: Attending industry events and conferences provides an opportunity to network with potential buyers and establish relationships in person. You can demonstrate your expertise and build trust with attendees by participating in panels, hosting workshops, or exhibiting at events.
By leveraging these strategies, B2B marketing teams can build awareness and trust with the 95% of buyers who are not currently in the market, and position themselves as trusted advisors and solution providers when those buyers become "in-market" in the future.
