Trust & Influence in B2B

Joel Harrison
  • 4.2 (5)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

I’m Joel Harrison, founder of B2B Marketing.net (formerly B2B Marketing magazine) Propolis and the B2B Marketing Awards. It’s been my mission for the past 21 years to recognise, celebrate and evangelise for the amazing profession that is B2B marketing, which has evolved beyond that recognition in that time. In this podcast, I’ll be exploring what I believe is the biggest challenge facing B2B marketers today: Trust. Buyers have always been cynical, hard to reach and even harder to convince, and increasingly expect to be self-directed in their research. In other words, they only want to engage with you on their terms. As if that wasn't bad enough, media and content channels are fragmented whilst AI is opening the floodgates to a tidalwave of content of questionable quality and veracity. It all adds up to a crisis of trust in B2B. In this podcast, I'll be interviewing innovative and inspirational marketers in the front line of addressing this challenge, providing deep insights into the context of this challenge, exploring new insights about its implications and looking at real world solutions and success stories. I’ll be exploring this topic from every relevant angle and perspective, but I’m going to focus particularly on thought leadership, influencer marketing and advocacy as they have particular relevance to this challenge.

  1. The Advocacy Gap: Why Integrated B2B Campaigns are Muffling Their most Powerful Voice Employees

    2D AGO

    The Advocacy Gap: Why Integrated B2B Campaigns are Muffling Their most Powerful Voice Employees

    In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Robyn Hartley, Managing Director at Paper Kite Media. Drawing on a rigorous analysis of B2B Marketing Awards entries, they expose the uncomfortable truth behind employee advocacy: most brands are deploying it as content distribution, not genuine advocacy. And the data suggests they're missing a significant commercial opportunity as a result. Is your advocacy program building real trust—or just adding noise? ➡️ Robyn and Joel explore why LinkedIn dominates employee advocacy (and why that concentration carries risk), why 70% of campaigns are triggered by brand moments rather than deployed always-on, and why measurement still stops at impressions even in commercially rigorous campaigns. They make the case for "inside-out" sequencing—activating employees internally before any external spend—and discuss how thought leader advocacy is increasingly powering ABM and demand gen strategies, not just brand activity. Robyn's perspective is clear: great advocacy isn't about scripted posts. It's about empowering your team's real experts to build genuine trust with buyers over time. This episode will challenge how you think about your people as a marketing channel. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction: The Promise and Reality of Employee Advocacy 01:30 - Meet Robyn Hartley, Managing Director at Paper Kite Media 04:30 - Defining Employee Thought Leaders vs. Employee Amplifiers 06:00 - The Data: Only 14% of Award Entries Use Employee Advocacy 10:00 - LinkedIn's Total Dominance: Strength or Structural Risk? 13:30 - Why LinkedIn Works for B2B (And Where the Risk Lies) 17:00 - Employee Advocacy Beyond Brand: ABM and Demand Gen 20:00 - The Brand Moment Trigger: Episodic vs. Always-On Advocacy 25:00 - Inside-Out Sequencing: Employees as the First Media Channel 29:00 - The Commercial Measurement Gap: Why Reach Isn't Enough 33:00 - CPM Equivalents: A Creative Workaround or a Misleading Metric? 37:00 - Sales and Marketing Convergence Through Employee Advocacy 41:00 - Where Employee Advocacy Is Headed and How to Stand Out Follow Robyn Hartley, https://linkedin.com/in/robynhartley/ https://paperkitemedia.co.uk If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership—whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. ➡️Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ ➡️What do you think: is "employee advocacy" really advocacy, or just content distribution? Let us know in the comments below. ➡️Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing. https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1 --------------- ➡️Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ --------------- #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #EmployeeAdvocacy, #LinkedInMarketing, #B2BGrowth, #SalesAndMarketing, #ABMMarketing, #B2BLeadership, #DemandGeneration, #InfluenceMarketing

    44 min
  2. Trust: the antidote to machine-gunned AI slop | Why AI's content explosion is putting humanity at the forefront, with Phil Treagus-Evans

    APR 1

    Trust: the antidote to machine-gunned AI slop | Why AI's content explosion is putting humanity at the forefront, with Phil Treagus-Evans

    In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Phil Treagus-Evans, Co-founder and CEO at Giraffe Social. Phil discusses his 2025 book, "Human First Marketing," which provides a framework for putting people back at the center of marketing strategy during a time of AI-generated content saturation. They explore why marketing has drifted away from human connection and how to rebuild trust in a cynical B2B landscape. 💬 Can your brand survive the "AI slop" era by being more human, or will you get lost in the machine-gunned noise? ➡️Phil argues that the trust deficit in marketing stems from an obsession with data-driven optimization that treats customers like spreadsheets rather than real people. He breaks down the three essential levers of human-first marketing—Audience, Team, and Personal Brand—showing how leveraging employee advocacy and authentic leadership can outperform any corporate facade. Phil also shares why the AI revolution actually makes humanity a "superpower" and a rare, valuable competitive edge for those willing to ditch the lazy templates for genuine community engagement. Listen to the full episode to learn the practical steps you can take this week to make your brand seen, trusted, and remembered in an increasingly automated world. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Trust in B2B Marketing 02:11 - Giraffe Social & Human-First Positioning 03:18 - Patterns of Successful Marketing: People at the Heart 05:47 - The Diagnosis: Why Marketing is Broken 07:57 - Symptoms of a Trust Deficit 09:40 - Squaring the Circle with AI: Anti-Lazy AI 12:55 - Defining Human-First Marketing 15:17 - The Three Levers: Audience, Team, and Personal Brand 20:40 - Authentic Marketing vs. Psychological Tricks 23:52 - Why Human-First is a B2B "Sweet Spot" 26:19 - Actionable Steps: Faces and Community Engagement 29:04 - The Future: Humanity as a Superpower 31:46 - Where to find "Human First Marketing" Follow Phil Treagus-Evans https://linkedin.com/in/philtreagusevans/ https://giraffesocial.co.uk/ If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It’s honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership—whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. 🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ 💬 What do you think comes first —insightful data or a compelling story? Let us know in the comments below. 🔔 Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing. https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1 📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #HumanFirstMarketing, #AISlop, #EmployeeAdvocacy, #MarketingTrust, #PersonalBranding, #B2BGrowth

    33 min
  3. Inside influencer marketing: the most powerful tool you're probably not using (yet) | Five trends driving success, based on B2B Marketing Awards case studies

    MAR 24

    Inside influencer marketing: the most powerful tool you're probably not using (yet) | Five trends driving success, based on B2B Marketing Awards case studies

    In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Kristen Esto, Founder of Customer Influence, a specialist influencer and creator marketing agency. They explore what the data actually tells us about how influencer marketing works in B2B—and what it reveals often runs completely counter to conventional wisdom. Could the most powerful tool in modern B2B marketing be the one you're not using yet? ➡️ Drawing on an AI-assisted analysis of over a thousand award entries from the B2B Marketing Awards and Elevation Awards (2024–2025), Joel and Kristen walk through five key trends shaping B2B influencer marketing today. Kristen—who brings more than a decade of paid media and data experience to her three years as a creator marketing specialist—shares why niche trade influencers consistently beat high-reach celebrities, why loosening brand control actually drives better performance, and how leading brands are connecting influencer activity directly to ABM platforms and pipeline. They also tackle the case for long-term influencer partnerships and why experiences like factory visits or live events produce content that brief-based campaigns simply can't replicate. Balanced, practical, and refreshingly free of hype, this is essential listening for any B2B marketer wondering whether influencer marketing belongs in their toolkit. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to B2B Influencer Marketing 02:14 - Kristen's Background in the Creator Economy 04:00 - How the Analysis Was Conducted Using AI 05:03 - Trend 1: The Credibility Discount – Why Niche Beats Celebrity 09:03 - Finding the Right Influencers for B2B 12:39 - Trend 2: The Control Paradox – Why Freedom Outperforms Scripts 17:00 - Building Brand Alignment Without Brand Control 20:33 - Trend 3: The Pipeline Connection – Linking Influencers to Revenue 25:24 - Making Influencer Measurement Work for Your Team 27:17 - Trend 4: The Relationship Compound – Long-Term vs. One-Off Partnerships 31:24 - The Case for Long-Term Influencer Partnerships 33:02 - Trend 5: The Experience Dividend – Real-World Content vs. Brief-Based Content 38:42 - Summary and Key Takeaways Follow Kristen Esto, https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-sesto/ https://customerinfluence.co.uk If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership—whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. 🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ 💬What do you think comes first—finding the right influencer or building the right brief? Let us know in the comments below. 🔔Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing. https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1 📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #InfluencerMarketing, #B2BInfluencer, #CreatorEconomy, #AccountBasedMarketing, #NicheMarketing, #CreatorMarketing, #InfluencerStrategy, #B2BPipeline

    42 min
  4. Breaking down marketing's closed door | Why widening access makes marketing better for everyone, with Martin Troughton of the Marketing Skills Trust

    MAR 18

    Breaking down marketing's closed door | Why widening access makes marketing better for everyone, with Martin Troughton of the Marketing Skills Trust

    Marketing is often described as a profession that welcomes everyone. The reality is rather different. Entry still depends too heavily on who you know, which school you attended, and whether marketing even appeared on your radar as a viable career path. For many people — particularly those from non-traditional or underrepresented backgrounds — the door into our profession remains firmly closed. In this episode, Joel is joined by Martin Troughton, chairman of the Marketing Skills Trust — a charity established in part through a legacy from Professor Derek Holder, founder of the IDM, specifically to help the next generation access marketing as a career. Martin brings a rare dual perspective: co-founder of Harrison Troughton Wunderman, one of the UK's most awarded direct marketing agencies, and a subsequent fifteen years on the client side. That breadth shapes a conversation that is frank, personal, and at times quietly powerful. They discuss: Why marketing remains a predominantly white, middle-class profession — and what that costs us creatively and commerciallyThe work the Marketing Skills Trust is doing to change who gets in, from funding the Brixton Finishing School's outreach programme to running the Dogs Legacy events for early-career startersHow AI makes the case for diversity stronger, not weaker — and why curiosity, storytelling and human insight are the skills that endureWhat agency and client-side careers demand from talent — and why the industry is too quick to put people in boxesThe story of Guy Lambert: told by Ogilvy he wasn't smart enough for their graduate scheme, he went on to become their MD If you lead a marketing team or agency, there's also a practical ask: the Trust's Hour of Power programme lets senior practitioners donate an hour of their time to raise money for the next generation. It's a small commitment with a meaningful impact. Find out more and support the Marketing Skills Trust at marketingskillstrust.org.uk

    36 min
  5. From openness to insularity | Insights from Edelman's Trust Barometer on why trust is retreating and what B2B marketers must do about it

    MAR 10

    From openness to insularity | Insights from Edelman's Trust Barometer on why trust is retreating and what B2B marketers must do about it

    In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Andrew Mildren, MD of Edelman Business Marketing for EMEA, to dig into the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer — based on nearly 34,000 responses across 28 countries. The headline finding is sobering: 70% of people globally now hold what Edelman calls an insular trust mindset, retreating into familiar circles and becoming reluctant to trust those who hold different views or values. And yet, businesses have held the title of most trusted institution since 2021. So what's driving this contradiction — and what must B2B marketers do about it? ➡️ Andrew brings Edelman's 26 years of trust expertise to the table and offers both clear diagnosis and practical direction. He explains the concept of "trust brokering" — where businesses act not as side-takers, but as facilitators bridging divided groups — and highlights examples from Microsoft and IKEA doing this credibly. He breaks down why insularity is no longer just a societal issue but a bottom-line business problem, affecting productivity, retention, and leadership. The conversation also explores local versus global trust dynamics, AI's growing impact on how content and companies are discovered, and closes with five concrete actions B2B marketers should be taking now — including treating trust as a commercial metric and building a GEO (generative engine optimization) strategy. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to the Edelman Trust Barometer 01:16 - What You'll Learn in This Episode 02:14 - The Secret Behind 26 Years of Trust Research 04:36 - Evolving Themes: From Polarization to Insularity 07:59 - The Insular Trust Mindset: What's Driving It 10:51 - Why Business Is the Most Trusted Institution 14:56 - Trust Brokering: What It Means in Practice 17:21 - Navigating Divisive Issues in B2B 21:00 - Local vs. Global Trust: Going Poly-National 24:47 - Insularity as a Bottom-Line Business Issue 27:06 - AI's Role in Shaping Trust 32:19 - Five Things B2B Marketers Should Do Now 35:32 - Closing Thoughts & Where to Find the Report Follow Andrew Mildren, https://linkedin.com/in/andrewmildren/ https://edelman.com If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership — whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. 🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ 💬What do you think comes first — rebuilding trust from the inside out, or leading with bold external communications? Let us know in the comments below. --------------- 📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ --------------- #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #TrustBarometer, #EdelmanTrust, #InsularTrust, #TrustBrokering, #B2BTrust, #GeopoliticsAndBusiness, #AIandMarketing, #EmployeeAdvocacy

    37 min

  6. MAR 3

    Resourcing, recruitment and responsibilities | How trust is defining new models for teams and roles for individuals - with Jon Watton and Tom Howe

    In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Jon Watton, Fractional CMO and experienced B2B tech marketing leader, and Tom Howe from Jefferson Group, to explore one of the most pressing issues facing the industry: the future of B2B marketing roles, team structures, and organizational trust. Marketing headcounts are shrinking, recruitment has stalled, and the rules of the job market have fundamentally shifted. So is this a crisis — or simply a long overdue correction? ➡️ Jon and Tom bring two sharply different perspectives — one from inside the market navigating it as a senior marketer, the other from a front-row seat in hiring across B2B. Together, they dig into the post-COVID hiring hangover, the intense pressure to deliver short-term results at the expense of long-term strategy, and how AI is reshaping both what marketing teams look like and what's expected of them. They also explore why fractional leadership is emerging as a new model of trust, the growing danger of a "squashed middle" in marketing management, and what the B2B marketing team of the future will actually look like. Both guests close with direct, actionable advice on what marketers should be doing right now to future-proof their careers. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction: Trust and the Future of B2B Marketing Roles 01:03 - How Recruitment Signals Trust in Marketing 01:42 - Introducing Jon Watton and Tom Howe 02:24 - The Reality of the Senior B2B Marketing Job Market 05:26 - A Generational Shift or a Post-COVID Hangover? 08:07 - Identity Crisis: What Do Companies Actually Want from Marketing? 11:37 - Short-Term Pressure vs. Long-Term Strategy 16:31 - How Marketing Team Structures Are Changing 19:41 - The Rise of Specialists and the Diamond-Shaped Team 24:05 - The Squashed Middle: Pressure on Marketing Managers 26:17 - AI, Human Judgment, and the Trust Equation 29:15 - Trust Declining in Human Marketers — or Just Cost Pressure? 31:40 - The Future Marketing Leader and AI Fluency 34:18 - Fractional, Freelance, and Flexible: New Models for Teams 38:41 - The Rise of B2B Marketing Agencies Again 40:59 - Career Advice: What Marketers Should Do Now 43:17 - Closing Thoughts and What's Coming Next Follow Jon Watton, https://linkedin.com/in/jonwatton Follow Tom Howe, https://linkedin.com/in/tomhowe https://jeffersongroup.co.uk If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership---whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. 🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ 💬What do you think comes first---rebuilding trust in marketing or proving ROI? Let us know in the comments below. 🔔Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing. https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1 --------------- 📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ --------------- #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #MarketingRecruitment, #FractionalCMO, #MarketingLeadership, #AIinMarketing, #B2BTeams, #MarketingCareers, #FutureOfMarketing

    44 min
  7. Thought Leaders, Influencers and Advocates | Introducing the B2B Matrix of Influence

    FEB 25

    Thought Leaders, Influencers and Advocates | Introducing the B2B Matrix of Influence

    In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Katy Howell, Founder and CEO of Immediate Future, a social media agency she has led since 2004. Together, they tackle one of B2B marketing's most persistent blind spots: the difference between thought leaders, influencers, and advocates — and what happens when brands get it wrong. Are you unknowingly leaving your most powerful trust-building channels completely unused? ➡️ Katy brings deep, practical experience in influencer strategy and pulls no punches. She and Joel explore why B2B marketers default to treating influence like a media buy — focused on reach and clicks — rather than asking how each persona actually shapes buyer decisions and builds lasting credibility. Joel also introduces his new B2B Matrix of Influence, built from analysis of over a thousand B2B marketing awards entries, mapping five distinct trust personas and how they should be deployed. They dig into why customer advocates are used in just 11% of campaigns, why employee advocates are chronically undervalued, and how brands can stop over-controlling the very people they need to trust them. Katy's closing soundbite says it all: influence is not a content tactic — it's a trust system. If you want to rethink how your brand earns credibility in a world drowning in AI-generated content, this episode is essential listening. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to the B2B Matrix of Influence 01:02 - Why Marketers Confuse Thought Leaders, Influencers & Advocates 02:09 - Treating Influence Like a Media Plan: The Problem 04:21 - Why the Trust Problem Has Gotten Worse 06:47 - Internal vs. External Voices: Understanding the Difference 09:04 - The Jazz Metaphor: Giving People Freedom Within a Framework 12:37 - Research Findings: How B2B Campaigns Use Trust Personas 15:15 - Introducing the B2B Matrix of Influence Framework 20:37 - How to Work With Unpaid External Influencers 23:01 - Paid Influencers: Autonomy Over Direction 25:11 - Customer Advocates: The Most Underused Trust Asset 27:37 - How to Use the Matrix to Build a Trust Plan 31:24 - Final Thoughts: Influence Is a Trust System, Not a Content Tactic Follow Katy Howell, https://www.linkedin.com/in/katyhowell/ https://immediatefuture.co.uk If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership---whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. 🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ 💬What do you think comes first---building a strategy around the personas you have, or the trust gaps you need to fix? Let us know in the comments below. 🔔Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing. https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1 --------------- 📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ --------------- #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #InfluencerMarketing, #B2BTrust, #CustomerAdvocacy, #EmployeeAdvocacy, #B2BInfluence, #MatrixOfInfluence, #TrustInMarketing, #B2BLeadership

    34 min
  8. Thought leadership's great leap forward | Five trends illustrating TL's emergence as a dynamic, full-funnel marketing discipline - with Rob Mitchell of Exhibit-B

    FEB 17

    Thought leadership's great leap forward | Five trends illustrating TL's emergence as a dynamic, full-funnel marketing discipline - with Rob Mitchell of Exhibit-B

    In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Rob Mitchell, Co-Founder of Exhibit-B and former CEO of FT Longitude. Together, they explore how thought leadership is undergoing a dramatic transformation, evolving from a traditional top-of-funnel brand-building tool into a dynamic, full-funnel marketing discipline. Is thought leadership finally delivering the commercial value B2B marketers have been waiting for? ➡️ Rob brings over 20 years of expertise in thought leadership. Based on Joel's analysis of hundreds of B2B Marketing Awards entries, they unpack five critical trends: the data foundation gap revealing most campaigns lack robust research, the surge in sales integration with over 53% now including sales enablement, the format revolution with documentary content doubling while audio declines, the untapped potential of interactive content, and the distribution shift from broadcast to direct channels. They discuss why synthetic data isn't ready, how to commercialize without killing trust, and why formats matter less than substance. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Thought Leadership's Evolution 02:34 - Rob Mitchell's Journey into Thought Leadership 03:47 - The Data Foundation Gap 15:23 - The Sales Integration Surge 24:19 - The Format Revolution 32:09 - The Dynamic Content Gap 37:15 - Distribution Shift: Broadcast to Direct 43:13 - Where Thought Leadership is Heading Follow Rob Mitchel https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-mitchell-ned/?originalSubdomain=uk https://exhibit-b.com If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership—whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. 🌐 Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ 💬 What do you think matters more—data-driven research or compelling storytelling? Let us know in the comments below. 🔔 Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing. https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1 📲 Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #SalesEnablement, #ContentMarketing, #MarketingResearch, #FullFunnelMarketing, #B2BLeadership

    47 min
See All (54)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.2
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

I’m Joel Harrison, founder of B2B Marketing.net (formerly B2B Marketing magazine) Propolis and the B2B Marketing Awards. It’s been my mission for the past 21 years to recognise, celebrate and evangelise for the amazing profession that is B2B marketing, which has evolved beyond that recognition in that time. In this podcast, I’ll be exploring what I believe is the biggest challenge facing B2B marketers today: Trust. Buyers have always been cynical, hard to reach and even harder to convince, and increasingly expect to be self-directed in their research. In other words, they only want to engage with you on their terms. As if that wasn't bad enough, media and content channels are fragmented whilst AI is opening the floodgates to a tidalwave of content of questionable quality and veracity. It all adds up to a crisis of trust in B2B. In this podcast, I'll be interviewing innovative and inspirational marketers in the front line of addressing this challenge, providing deep insights into the context of this challenge, exploring new insights about its implications and looking at real world solutions and success stories. I’ll be exploring this topic from every relevant angle and perspective, but I’m going to focus particularly on thought leadership, influencer marketing and advocacy as they have particular relevance to this challenge.

Information

  • Creator
    Joel Harrison
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    54
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Joel Harrison
  • Show Website
    Trust & Influence in B2B

You Might Also Like