The B2B Playbook

Kevin Chen & George Coudounaris
  • 5.0 (3)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Selling Business to Business? Trying to do everything, but not sure if any of it works? We’re here to help! We're Kevin and George - digital marketing professionals who are here to share with you the RIGHT plan so you can get your amazing business growing online. We’ve waded through the noise, made the mistakes, and found what works so you don't have to. We also share tips, tricks and templates from our upcoming playbook and insights from successful people in the industry. If you’re in a B2B business and like to see your marketing work for you, then this is the podcast for you! Subscribe to get the latest from the B2B Playbook first. Join our CLUB of B2B owners and marketers on LinkedIn sharing their experiences https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13980317/ Want more? Check out our weekly articles on https://theb2bplaybook.com/ Remember, with the right plan, anyone can grow their business online!

  1. 6D AGO

    #228: Demand Generation vs Lead Generation (Why Most Teams Get It Wrong) Plus 2026 demand gen strategy

    Most B2B marketers think demand generation and lead generation are the same thing. They’re not. And confusing the two is exactly why your pipeline isn’t growing. In this episode, we break down the real difference between demand generation vs lead generation — and why most teams are stuck running a system that creates activity, not revenue. We walk through the 5 BE’s Framework and show how to shift from chasing leads to building real demand in your market. Tune in and learn: → Why lead generation breaks at scale → How demand generation actually builds pipeline → What most teams get wrong about the 95/5 rule If you’re under pressure to generate more leads but know something isn’t working, this will change how you approach marketing. ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help generating demand for your B2B business? https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Demand Generation vs Lead Generation: Why This Debate Matters 00:03 The Real Problem: It’s Not Tactics, It’s Sequencing 00:05 Lead Generation Explained (And Why It Breaks) 00:07 Why Sales Hates Lead Gen (And They’re Right) 00:09 The “Leaky Bucket” Problem in B2B Marketing 00:11 Why Lead Gen Becomes Financially Unsustainable 00:12 Why Demand Capture Alone Doesn’t Scale 00:14 The 95/5 Rule That Changes Everything 00:16 Why Buyers Ignore You (Even If You’re Better) 00:18 Demand Generation Explained (What It Actually Means) 00:20 The 5 B’s Framework: A Better System 00:23 Category Entry Points: The Missing Link 00:25 Why “Cataloguing” Beats Intent Data 00:29 How Sales & Marketing Became Misaligned 00:30 Building Trust Before Buyers Are Ready 00:33 Why Most Content Doesn’t Work 00:34 Distribution: The Difference Between Seen vs Ignored 00:36 LinkedIn Strategy That Drives Real Demand 00:40 Case Study: From $50K to $200K/Month 00:43 Measuring Demand Gen (Without Last Click Bias) 00:44 Revenue Alignment: The Missing System 00:46 How to Build a Competitive Advantage 00:48 Where to Start (Without Breaking Everything) 00:50 Balancing Demand Gen vs Lead Gen in Reality 00:53 AI Won’t Replace This Skill 00:57 How Long Demand Gen Actually Takes S08 E228 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #leadgeneration #digitalmarketing

    1h 5m

  2. APR 23

    #227: AEO vs SEO: How AI Search is Changing B2B Marketing

    In this video, I break down AI visibility and GEO vs traditional SEO, and whether any of it actually changes how B2B teams should go to market. We cover: → What AEO and GEO actually mean and how they differ from traditional SEO → Why the Five B's framework still holds up in the age of AI → Why "be helpful" content is now more important than ever → 3 practical things to do instead of chasing AI visibility hacks If you are a B2B founder, marketer, or sales leader trying to figure out if AI search changes your content strategy or if the fundamentals still apply, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn: ✅ Why AI doesn't replace your go-to-market playbook, it just raises the bar on being helpful ✅ How to tighten your positioning so AI chatbots actually cite your brand ✅ Why niche, question-led content wins in AI interfaces ✅ How partnerships and trust signals drive distribution in the AI era ✅ A bonus tip on using Bing's AI performance reporting for Copilot visibility ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 - Does AI change the B2B playbook? 01:11 - Intro and what we're covering today 01:56 - Quick recap of the Five B's framework 03:04 - Does AI visibility change anything? 07:37 - Why being helpful matters more than ever 08:40 - The context shift in buyer discovery 12:35 - Why helpful content gets picked up by AI 13:42 - Be helpful is the main event 15:27 - The bar for content is getting lower 18:18 - Three things to do instead of chasing AI hacks 21:52 - Practical examples using the five stages of awareness 24:35 - Distribution and earning trust signals 27:25 - Low hanging fruit: partnerships 28:08 - Bonus: Bing's AI performance reporting 29:00 - Key takeaways 30:33 - Outro S08 E227 - The B2B Playbook #aivisibility #seo #b2bmarketing

    33 min

  3. APR 16

    #226: Why Most B2B Sales & Marketing Methodologies Fail (And What Architecture-First Selling Looks Like Instead)

    Closed Loop Sales Strategy: Why Most B2B Teams Are Getting It Wrong Most B2B teams are still chasing meetings, pipeline, and MQLs—without ever understanding if a buyer is actually ready to buy. In this episode, we join Kieran Longhurst to break down the Closed Circuit Selling Strategy —why traditional sales models are failing, and how to fix them. We unpack how sales should really work, why booking meetings is the wrong goal, and how cataloguing your market creates a feedback loop across marketing, sales, product, and leadership. This isn’t about selling harder. It’s about building a system that aligns with how buyers actually make decisions. Tune in and learn: Why focusing on “meetings booked” is killing your pipelineHow to use sales conversations as real market intelligenceThe exact method to sell on your buyer’s timeline If you’re a B2B marketer or revenue leader trying to drive real pipeline—not just activity—this episode will completely change how you think about sales. SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter/ GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/00:00 Why Most B2B Sales Strategies Are Broken 01:00 The 95% Problem: Why You’re Only Talking to Buyers 02:00 The Real Sales Mindset (That No One Teaches) 03:00 Why “Sell Me This Pen” Is the Wrong Model 05:00 Architecture vs Tactics: The Core Shift 07:00 Why Relationship Building Is Misunderstood 09:00 What Sales Actually Is (And Why Most Get It Wrong) 11:00 The Hidden Cost of Booking Bad Meetings 13:00 The Cataloguing Method Explained 15:00 Why Most Sales Teams Waste 90% of Their Effort 18:00 How to Use Sales as Real Market Research 20:00 The Feedback Loop That Fixes Marketing 23:00 Why Founders Forget How They Originally Sold 27:00 The Death of the “Scale Fast” Sales Model 30:00 Human Selling vs Automated Outreach 33:00 How to Actually Get Buyers to Share Information 38:00 Real Examples: Closing Enterprise Deals with LinkedIn 45:00 Why MQLs Destroy Marketing Teams 50:00 The Smartest Prospecting Tactic We’ve Seen 55:00 AI, Search, and the Future of Sales 59:00 Final Takeaways: Rapport Over Relationships 👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team? 💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you)? Get the: 🔹 strategy 🔹 templates 🔹 tools So you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand. See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B Incubator Check out: theb2bplaybook.com S8 E226 - The B2B Playbook#b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing #demandgeneration #outboundsales

    1h 21m

  4. APR 8

    #225: Account Based Marketing (ABM) - When Is It The Right Option in B2B, And How To Do It?

    Is Account-Based Marketing Worth It? (Most Teams Get This Wrong) Most B2B teams jump into ABM without asking the one question that actually matters: should you even be doing it? In this episode, we break down what account-based marketing really is, where it fits in your go-to-market strategy, and why most ABM efforts fail before they even start. We go beyond theory and show you the practical decisions you need to make, including how to define your target list, why deal size changes everything, and why “cataloguing the market” is the missing piece most teams ignore. Tune in and learn: When ABM actually works (and when it doesn’t) Why most teams waste money targeting the wrong accounts How to use cataloguing to stop guessing and start closing If you’re a B2B marketer trying to drive real pipeline, not just activity, this is a must-watch. SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter/ GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ 00:00 Why Everyone Is Talking About ABM (But Few Get It Right) 00:35 The Big Question: Should You Even Do ABM? 01:10 Why Most B2B Marketing Still Feels Like “Spray and Pray” 01:30 The Hidden Truth: ABM = Disciplined Go-To-Market 02:00 Why Weak Targeting Kills Your Positioning 02:30 When ABM Actually Makes Sense (And When It Doesn’t) 03:00 What ABM Really Is (And What It Isn’t) 04:00 The 3 Decisions You Must Make Before Doing ABM 05:00 Step 1: Define Your Objective 06:00 Why Most Teams Skip Proper Target Lists 07:00 The ICP Trap 08:00 When Your TAM Is Too Small for Paid Ads 09:00 The Real ABM Filter: Deal Size 10:00 Why ABM Fails for Low-Value Products 11:00 Step 2: The Missing Piece – Cataloguing 12:00 Why Marketing Can’t Guess Who’s In-Market 13:00 The 95/5 Reality 14:00 The Contract Problem That Kills Deals 15:00 Real Example: Why Campaigns Fail 16:00 How Cataloguing Changes Everything 17:00 Why Your TAM Might Be Wrong 18:00 Step 3: Not Everything Should Be ABM 19:00 Running ABM + Broad Marketing Together 20:00 Enterprise vs SME 21:00 Why Over-Personalised Ads Don’t Work 22:00 What Actually Works: Real Conversations 23:00 The Problem With AI Personalisation 24:00 Why Buyers Don’t Share Pain Publicly 25:00 The Final Answer: Is ABM Worth It? 26:00 The 3 Rules for Deciding 27:00 Final Takeaways 👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team? 💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you)? Get the: 🔹 strategy 🔹 templates 🔹 tools So you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand. See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B Incubator Check out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course S08 E2255 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing #demandgeneration #accountbasedmarketing

    31 min

  5. APR 1

    #224: Adding $2mill revenue with LinkedIn Ads (step-by-step how-to)

    Most B2B marketers run LinkedIn ads… but never turn them into real pipeline. In this video, I break down the exact LinkedIn Ads strategy we used to help a B2B agency client go from zero to $185k a month in just 22 months. 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency I cover ICP targeting, Thought Leadership Ads, scaling beyond the founder's personal brand, and the feedback loops that keep the whole thing growing. If you are a B2B founder or marketer trying to figure out how to use LinkedIn Ads to stay top of mind with the right buyers and actually turn that into booked calls and revenue, this video is for you. ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 How LinkedIn Ads Helped Scale to $185K/Month 01:30 Step 1: Get Brutally Clear on Your ICP 04:00 Step 2: Using Thought Leadership Ads to Grow 09:30 Step 3: Scaling Beyond the Founder Brand 12:00 Step 4: Optimisation & Feedback Loops 14:10 Step 5: Most Buyers Aren’t Ready Yet ----------------------------------------------------- S08 E224 - The B2B Playbook #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #linkedinads #linkedinthoughtleadership #linkedinadsagency

    19 min

  6. MAR 22

    #223: ChatGPT Ads for B2B Marketing - Will They Work For Your Business?

    In this video, we break down what OpenAI's new ChatGPT ads mean for B2B marketers, and why it's probably not the performance channel you should be betting on in 2026. We cover: → The background behind OpenAI's push into advertising and why they're starting with B2C → Why ChatGPT ads are unlikely to impact B2B marketing anytime soon (ad-free business/enterprise tiers, limited tracking, shopping-focused formats) → How buyer discovery is shifting from search + social toward AI assistants → Our 3-point framework (based on the Five B's) to prepare your B2B marketing for the age of LLMs If you are a B2B founder or marketer wondering whether you should be spending on ChatGPT ads, or trying to figure out how to get your brand surfaced in AI-driven search results, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn: ✅ Why the fundamentals of trust-building and demand gen matter more than ever ✅ How to tighten your ICP messaging so LLMs actually surface your brand ✅ The content and distribution strategies that build organic visibility in ChatGPT ✅ How to set up measurement and UTM practices now so you're ready when B2B ads do arrive ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:40 - What's happening with ChatGPT ads 03:54 - Does AI make the Five B's Framework obsolete? 07:06 - Why ChatGPT ads won't help B2B marketers yet 13:49 - B2C vs B2B: Why OpenAI is targeting consumers first 15:49 - The Five B's still stand the test of time 16:00 - 3-point framework to prepare for ChatGPT ads 16:08 - Step 1: Be Ready - tighten your ICP and messaging 19:27 - Why LLM context makes ICP clarity even more critical 20:42 - Step 2: Be Helpful - build trust with content at scale 23:46 - Growth is about people, not platforms 24:31 - Step 3: Be Seen - measurement, distribution, and experimentation 27:41 - Practical action points and repurposing strategy 30:00 - Key takeaways and recap 31:17 - Outro S08 E222 - The B2B Playbook #chatgpt #b2bmarketing #chatgptads

    32 min

  7. MAR 8

    #222: How This Startup Beat Big Brands - B2B2C Marketing Strategy - Alex Bedwani from PetsOnMe

    If you're competing against companies with massive marketing budgets, paid ads alone won’t win. In this episode of The B2B Playbook, we sit down with Alex Bedwani, founder of PetsOnMe, to unpack how he built growth using a B2B2C marketing strategy instead of competing head-to-head in B2C channels. In industries like insurance, the biggest brands dominate paid channels. They can outspend you on ads, outbid you on keywords, and convert better because people already trust them. So Alex took a different path. Instead of competing directly, he built partnerships with associations and corporations to distribute pet insurance to their employees and members. We break down exactly how the B2B2C strategy works, how to land partnerships, and how to activate them so they actually generate revenue. Tune in and learn: + Why competing head-on in B2C markets is often a losing game + How to use partnerships as a distribution channel + The activation tactics that turn partnerships into real revenue If you're a founder or marketer trying to grow in a competitive category, this episode will change how you think about distribution. ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: / @theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Why Small Brands Lose in Paid Acquisition 00:35 Competing Against Big Insurance Brands 02:00 Why Alex Started PetsOnMe 03:30 The Hidden Monopoly in Pet Insurance 05:30 Why B2C Marketing Was Impossible to Win 07:00 The Real Cost Advantage Big Brands Have 09:00 The Pivot: Discovering the B2B2C Marketing Strategy 10:00 What B2B2C Looks Like in Practice 12:50 Turning Pet Insurance Into an Employee Benefit 15:00 Finding the Right Corporate Partners 17:00 Why Signing the Partnership Is Only 10% of the Work 19:00 The Key to Getting HR Managers Interested 20:50 The Fitness First Example of B2B2C Growth 22:00 How to Stay Top of Mind With Corporate Partners 24:00 The 3-Way Win That Makes B2B2C Work 26:00 The Due Diligence Corporates Will Do On You 28:00 Activating Members After the Partnership Is Signed 29:00 Creative Activation: The Cutest Dog Competition 31:00 Why Data Is Harder in B2B2C Partnerships 33:00 Using Events and Talks to Drive Signups 35:00 Why Face-to-Face Still Converts Best 36:30 Personalised Marketing That Converts 39:00 Managing 70+ Partnerships Without Chaos 40:00 When to Kill a Partnership Quickly 42:00 The Most Important Rule in B2B2C Partnerships ----------------------------------------------------- 👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team?? 💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you??) Get the: 🔹 strategy 🔹 templates 🔹 tools So you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand. See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B Incubator Check out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course S08 E222 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing #demandgeneration #b2b2c #partnerships

    48 min

  8. MAR 2

    #221: How to Measure Brand Marketing in B2B (Without Guessing) - Matt Maynard from Asana

    If you’ve ever struggled to defend brand budget in a performance-obsessed company — this episode is for you. We sat down with Matt Maynard, VP of Brand Advertising & Comms at Asana, to break down how brand actually drives growth — and how to measure it properly inside a B2B business. This isn’t theory. It’s a practical framework for small teams trying to prove brand works. We unpack: - Why brand keeps losing to performance - Why “consideration” is usually measured wrong - How to use Category Entry Points (CEPs) - The 95:5 rule explained simply - And how to measure mental availability without a massive budget Tune in and learn: - Why growth is driven by memory, not persuasion - The 3 brand metrics every B2B team should track - How to turn brand into a performance engine If you’re in a B2B team trying to punch above your weight, this is mandatory viewing. ----------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Links + CTAs ----------------------------------------------------- 🎓 Join our Demand Generation Program: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course 🧠 Learn how to drive revenue across your organisation with CRO School: https://theb2bplaybook.com/cro-school 💼 Need help running your own LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads? https://theb2bplaybook.com/linkedin-ads-agency ----------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to our channel: / @theb2bplaybook SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter: https://theb2bplaybook.com/newsletter GET the latest CONTENT: https://theb2bplaybook.com/ ----------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Why Brand Keeps Losing Budget in B2B 02:10 Brand vs Performance: Vibes vs System 04:00 Why Finance Doesn’t Fund “Brand” 07:10 The Science Behind How Brands Actually Grow 10:00 Brand = Memory (Not Campaigns) 12:30 Why Loyalty & Word of Mouth Don’t Drive Growth 14:00 What Are Category Entry Points (CEPs)? 17:00 Why Small Brands Grow Slower 20:30 How to Measure Brand Properly in B2B 25:00 Breaking Consideration Into 3 Metrics 30:00 Measuring Brand Without a Big Budget 31:40 The 95:5 Rule Explained 34:00 Brand Lift vs Vanity Metrics 36:00 Brand & Performance Aren’t Enemies 37:40 What Brand Teams Should Report 41:10 Protecting Consistency 43:00 The 3 Jobs of Brand Marketing 44:50 How Small Teams Can Start Today ----------------------------------------------------- 👥 Are you a B2B marketer in a small team?? 💰 Need to bring in more revenue for your company (so sales and your boss love you??) Get the: 🔹 strategy 🔹 templates 🔹 tools So you have everything you need to drive more revenue for your brand. See why other B2B marketers like you love The B2B Incubator Check out: https://theb2bplaybook.com/demand-generation-course S08 E221 - The B2B Playbook #b2b #b2bmarketing #digitalmarketing #brandmarketing #demandgeneration

    53 min
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About

Selling Business to Business? Trying to do everything, but not sure if any of it works? We’re here to help! We're Kevin and George - digital marketing professionals who are here to share with you the RIGHT plan so you can get your amazing business growing online. We’ve waded through the noise, made the mistakes, and found what works so you don't have to. We also share tips, tricks and templates from our upcoming playbook and insights from successful people in the industry. If you’re in a B2B business and like to see your marketing work for you, then this is the podcast for you! Subscribe to get the latest from the B2B Playbook first. Join our CLUB of B2B owners and marketers on LinkedIn sharing their experiences https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13980317/ Want more? Check out our weekly articles on https://theb2bplaybook.com/ Remember, with the right plan, anyone can grow their business online!

Information

  • Creator
    Kevin Chen & George Coudounaris
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    243
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Kevin Chen & George Coudounaris
  • Show Website
    The B2B Playbook

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