10 Strategies for Founder Brand Growth in B2B Marketing

Want to grow your B2B founder brand? Here’s the playbook:
Your personal brand as a founder can drive trust, authority, and business growth. This guide shares 10 practical strategies to help you stand out, from crafting your story to leveraging LinkedIn and speaking at events. Here’s a quick summary:

• Tell Your Founder Story: Share your journey, challenges, and successes to build trust.
• Create Problem-Solving Content: Publish blogs, guides, and videos that address key audience pain points.
• Expand Your LinkedIn Network: Optimize your profile, post valuable content weekly, and engage authentically.
• Speak at Industry Events: Present your expertise at relevant conferences to build authority.
• Partner with Experts: Collaborate with industry leaders to boost credibility and reach.
• Make Your Message Stand Out: Use a unique voice, visuals, and consistent storytelling.
• Share Client Success Stories: Highlight your impact with real-world results and testimonials.
• Build an Industry Community: Foster meaningful connections through groups, forums, and events.
• Work with Brand Experts: Seek professional help to refine your brand and messaging.
• Track Results: Measure metrics like engagement, leads, and ROI to optimize your strategy.

Key takeaway: People buy from people they trust. Build a strong personal brand to connect with your audience and grow your business.

Read on for detailed steps to implement each strategy.

The Power of Founder Brand: Why B2B Growth Starts With …

1. Tell Your Founder Story

Your founder story isn’t just a timeline of events – it’s the heart of your brand, helping B2B audiences connect with the person behind the business. A well-crafted founder story can reshape how potential clients view your company and foster trust. It serves as the backbone for strategies that create genuine connections.

Start by highlighting the market gap you noticed and the "aha moment" that inspired you. Take Sara Blakely, for example. Her frustration with traditional undergarments led her to create SPANX, turning a personal challenge into a booming business by addressing a specific need.

Key parts of your story should include:

• The market gap you recognized
• Your unique approach to solving industry problems
• How you developed your solution
• The impact your business has today

"Your origin story helps people decide whether or not to trust you".

Tailor your story for different platforms, making sure it grows alongside your business. Share both achievements and challenges to show potential clients you’re not just a vendor but a reliable partner.

Keep it concise. As Megan Groves points out:

"Your potential customers live in a noisy world, so your company needs to build a concise story that will penetrate all of the clamor and actually reach your consumer base".

2. Create Expert Content That Solves Problems

Creating expert content means tackling the real challenges your B2B audience faces while showcasing your industry expertise. This type of content not only addresses their pain points but also strengthens your reputation as a trusted authority. When you consistently offer solutions, you build credibility and foster trust with your audience.

Expert content should be detailed and well-researched. Katie Parrott, Content Strategist at Animalz, explains it best:

"In order for content to rise to the level of thought leadership, it has to be authentic. It has to be deeply rooted in your unique perspective or experience or expertise."

Take VERO, a real estate digital accelerator, as an example. They launched a blog focused on analyzing market trends and digital acceleration strategies. The result? A 127.27% boost in non-branded impressions and a 24.75% improvement in keyword rankings. Their content directly addressed the challenges businesses faced during the real estate industry’s digital transformation.

Key Types of Problem-Solving Content

Each type of content serves a specific purpose in addressing your audience’s needs:

Common Pain Points to Address:

• Daily productivity challenges
• Budget constraints and ROI concerns
• Process inefficiencies and bottlenecks
• Support and implementation issues

David Perell offers a helpful perspective on creating impactful content:

"Many of the most popular people on the internet simply remix information. When this happens, everybody wins: Readers get to learn, you get website traffic, and authors get more visibility. Take existing ideas and remix them in productive ways."

Collaborate for Quality

Work closely with subject matter experts to craft content that simplifies complex ideas. This ensures your audience can easily understand and apply the insights you provide.

Also, align your content with Google’s E-E-A-T principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). Doing so improves your content’s search visibility while solidifying your role as a reliable voice in the industry.

Lastly, stick to a consistent publishing schedule and focus on topics within your area of expertise. Prioritize quality over quantity – every piece should offer actionable insights your audience can use right away.

Up next, find out how expanding your LinkedIn network can amplify your influence.

3. Grow Your LinkedIn Network

LinkedIn plays a major role in B2B networking, with half of B2B buyers using the platform to inform their purchasing decisions. A well-crafted LinkedIn strategy can help you build connections that fuel business growth.

When building your personal brand as a founder, LinkedIn is an effective tool to expand your influence.

Optimize Your Profile for Maximum Impact

Make sure your profile stands out by including:

• A professional, high-quality headshot
• An engaging headline that highlights more than just your job title
• A summary that tells your professional story and showcases your expertise
• Specific, measurable achievements in your experience section
• A customized LinkedIn URL to improve visibility

Create Content That Delivers Value

A strong content strategy is key to growing your LinkedIn presence. Here’s a simple breakdown of content ideas and posting frequency:

"If decision-makers in your target market are active on LinkedIn, you need a LinkedIn strategy. Period."

Consistently sharing valuable content enhances your reach and strengthens your brand.

Engage for Better Results

JLL’s commercial real estate team proved the value of LinkedIn engagement by achieving 57% higher success in reaching decision-makers and outperforming competitors by 60%.

"Growing your LinkedIn presence isn’t about overnight success – it’s about consistent effort and authentic engagement. Focus on providing value to your network, sharing your expertise, and building genuine connections."

Build Your Network Strategically

LinkedIn Sales Navigator’s InMail messages boast response rates between 10% and 25%, which is about three times higher than traditional email. To make the most of your outreach:

• Personalize Your Connection Requests
  Keep them short, relevant, and focused on mutual interests.
• Engage in Industry Discussions
  Comment thoughtfully on posts and participate in conversations to attract meaningful connections.
• Join Relevant Groups
  Actively contribute to LinkedIn groups by sharing insights and answering questions, positioning yourself as a leader in your field.

These actions can help you grow a network that supports your goals.

Track Your Performance

Keep an eye on these key metrics to measure your LinkedIn success:

• Profile views
• Engagement on your posts
• Growth in your connections
• Reach and impressions of your content
• Engagement ratios

4. Present at Key Industry Events

Speaking at industry events helps position you as an expert in your field and creates opportunities to connect with potential clients.

Choose the Right Events

Focus on events that match your expertise and attract your target audience. Here are a few notable options:

After selecting the events that align with your goals, ensure you’re prepared to secure speaking opportunities.

Create a Professional Speaking Kit

A polished digital press kit is essential for landing speaking engagements. Include the following:

• A clear outline of your areas of expertise
• Your professional credentials
• Highlights from past speaking engagements (reel or clips)
• Video testimonials from previous events
• High-quality headshots
• Biographies of varying lengths
• Up-to-date contact details

Host this kit on your website to make it easily accessible for event organizers.

Craft Engaging Presentations

Your presentation should highlight your expertise while offering practical, actionable insights. Focus on:

• Addressing current industry challenges
• Providing clear solutions and real-world case studies
• Delivering takeaways that your audience can immediately apply

Connect with Your Audience

Once your presentation is ready, focus on delivering it in a way that keeps your audience engaged. Tips to achieve this include:

• Using a dynamic tone and strategic pauses
• Designing visually appealing slides
• Incorporating interactive elements like polls or Q&A sessions

Make the Most of Your Event

Turn your speaking engagements into business opportunities by promoting your involvement before, during, and after the event. Use social media to create buzz, interact with attendees on-site, follow up with connections afterward, and repurpose your presentation into other content formats.

Platforms like Eventible.com can help you discover events tailored to your expertise. With over 60,000 professionals using it monthly, it’s a valuable resource for finding opportunities that align with your goals.

5. Partner with Industry Experts

Teaming up with industry experts can boost your brand’s visibility and trust. With B2B influencer marketing valued at $21 billion in 2023 and expected to hit $52 billion by 2028, collaborating with experts is a smart move.

Look for professionals who align with your brand’s values and audience. The best partnerships happen when both parties share similar goals, audiences, and industry interests. A balanced collaboration ensures mutual growth and avoids one-sided efforts.

Lindsey Carnett from Marketing Maven points out:

"Strategic partnerships must be reciprocal. Like any relationship, if one party is putting in more effort than the other, the party that’s doing the heavy lifting can become resentful."

Launch Collaborative Projects

Some examples of successful collaborations include:

• Thought leadership content: Recurate and Monday Creative teamed up to create impactful industry content.
• Educational initiatives: Privy and Smartsites partnered for a masterclass on conversion rate optimization.
• Webinar series: DotDigital worked with Marketplacer and Web Force 5 to discuss marketplace development.

These types of projects not only establish credibility but also integrate smoothly into a broader multi-channel approach.

Measure Partnership Impact

On average, companies see a return of $5.20 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing. To evaluate the success of your partnerships, track metrics like engagement, lead generation, revenue attribution, brand awareness, and audience growth. These insights help you understand the immediate results and guide future collaborations.

Scott Scully from Abstrakt Marketing Group highlights:

"A partnership must be mutually beneficial for both parties if it’s going to thrive. Both sides need to have aligned objectives and a clear understanding of what they want to achieve."

With 75% of B2B companies using influencers and word-of-mouth influencing over half of B2B purchases, building authentic, long-term partnerships is key to expanding your reach and strengthening your brand.

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6. Make Your Message Stand Out

In B2B marketing, standing out is essential for growth. Research shows that 77% of consumers are more likely to purchase from founders with a strong social media presence. This means your message needs to leave a lasting impression.

Be Genuine and Take Creative Risks

Your perspective as a founder is one of your strongest tools. Finn McKenty, Head of Product at URM Academy, puts it this way:

"It’s the same as art: imperfection is more interesting than perfection… You want to be the human equivalent of a watercolor painting, not an AI image"

This kind of authenticity resonates deeply, especially on LinkedIn. Content shared by employees gets 8x more engagement than posts shared by brands. Video content performs even better – it’s 20x more likely to be reshared than other types of posts.

Create Distinct Brand Assets

Many B2B companies struggle to stand out – only 15% have truly recognizable brand assets. A great example of branding done right is SurveyMonkey’s 2023 decision to revert to its original name after rebranding as Momentive. CEO Eric Johnson explained:

"Returning to SurveyMonkey will unify our products under a single iconic name synonymous with helping customers gather insights for decades"

These elements form the backbone of a message that resonates across platforms.

Share Your Founder Story

David Baum, CEO & Co-founder at Relato, highlights the value of a founder’s journey:

"As a founder, a lot of your work revolves around understanding customer needs and building product. The insight from that process is pure gold in marketing, and so are the relationships"

Sharing your journey not only reinforces your message but also helps establish a consistent and relatable brand voice.

Keep Your Message Consistent

Blending creativity with consistency is key to building trust. Brandon Birkmeyer, a Personal Branding Coach, says:

"Your personal brand is your most valuable asset in today’s fast-paced digital world. It’s how you’re perceived, remembered, and trusted by your audience, clients, and peers"

7. Share Client Success Stories

Nearly half of B2B marketers (47%) consider case studies one of their most effective content types. Sharing relatable client success stories not only builds trust but also highlights the tangible impact of your work, enhancing your founder brand.

How to Structure a Success Story

Every great client story should include these key elements:

Highlight the Human Side

Ari Hoffman, VP of Customer Marketing and Advocacy at Influitive, puts it best:

"No one talks about Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber; they talk about Luke!"

The focus of any success story should be on the client. Share their journey, the obstacles they faced, and their personal insights. This approach makes your stories more relatable and leaves a lasting impression.

Show Specific Results

Concrete data builds trust. For instance, Zayo Group’s case study highlights a custom sales app that reduced quote generation time from days to just 20 seconds. Specific metrics like these make your impact undeniable.

Offer Stories in Various Formats

B2B audiences consume content in different ways. Research from top B2B tech companies reveals:

• 54.5% use PDF case studies
• 45% publish them as web pages
• 91% include supportive graphics
• 35% use video content

Using multiple formats allows you to reach a broader audience while reinforcing your brand.

Make Stories Easy to Share

Tailor each story to fit its platform:

• Full-length PDFs for in-depth reading
• One-page summaries for quick overviews
• Blog posts and social media versions for wider visibility
• Video testimonials for presentations

This approach ensures your stories are accessible and impactful across channels.

Secure Customer Approval

Always get written consent before publishing client stories. As Influitive advises:

"The highest-quality customer success stories are written from your customer’s experience and perspective because readers want to hear from your customer, not you."

This ensures your stories feel genuine and builds trust with your audience. Keep them updated with fresh results to maintain relevance in your industry.

8. Build Your Industry Community

Building a strong community within your industry can significantly boost your presence. In fact, 86% of social media marketers believe active communities are key to success.

Pick the Right Platform

The platform you choose shapes how your community interacts. Here are some options to consider:

• Slack Groups: Perfect for real-time conversations and quick file sharing.
• Custom Forums: Great for detailed discussions, with full control over branding and added SEO perks.
• LinkedIn Groups: Tailored for professional networking with a ready-made business audience.
• Branded Apps: Ideal for offering exclusive content and premium features.

Your platform sets the tone for how your community will grow and engage.

Establish Clear Guidelines

Setting clear rules ensures your community remains a trusted and welcoming space. Axel Sukianto grew his B2B marketing Slack group from just 5 members to over 800 by enforcing strict no-spam policies and clear posting rules:

"There’s nothing worse than joining a group where every post is just someone trying to sell you something. We don’t allow that."

Offer Meaningful Engagement

Give members a reason to stay involved. Here are some examples of how brands do this:

• Lululemon’s Sweat Collective: Offers fitness professionals perks like a 25% discount, exclusive event invites, and input on product development.
• Google’s Industry Labs: Gathers around 100 thought leaders to address major industry challenges.
• Twitch Local Groups: Supports over 40 groups hosting virtual and in-person events to create deeper connections.

By offering unique opportunities, you can encourage participation and keep your community active.

Prioritize Quality Over Quantity

"When building your online community, your goal is always to leave your followers thinking, ‘If this is what they offer for free, I wonder what their paid content is like?’"

Focus on delivering real value instead of just growing numbers.

Be an Active Leader

Take charge by welcoming new members, sharing insightful content, and fostering genuine conversations. A hands-on approach helps build trust and strengthens relationships.

Measure Community Health

Track these key metrics to ensure your community thrives:

• Engagement rates among members
• Quality and frequency of discussions
• Speed of responses to questions
• Volume of user-generated content
• Member retention over time

"Many teams hyper-fixate on growing their follower numbers, alienating their existing community."

Instead of chasing numbers, focus on nurturing meaningful connections that keep your community strong.

9. Work with Brand Development Experts

Boost your brand’s growth by teaming up with professionals in brand development. Research shows that organizations with inclusive cultures are six times more likely to innovate, eight times more likely to achieve better business results, and twice as likely to meet or exceed financial goals.

When to Seek Expert Help

Consider working with brand development professionals if you need to:

• Clearly stand out in your market
• Expand your personal brand’s reach
• Fix messaging that isn’t connecting with your audience
• Prepare for significant business changes or milestones

Selecting the Right Partner

Choose experts who understand personal branding and the nuances of B2B industries. A strong partnership will build on your existing story and enhance the trust you’ve already earned.

Building an Effective Partnership

Jeff Bezos once said, "Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room". To ensure your expert captures your true voice:

1. Define Your Purpose

Clearly outline your personal value proposition. Collaborate to identify the central theme of your professional journey.

2. Audit Your Current Position

Evaluate your credentials, network, and how your brand is currently perceived.

3. Create Your Brand Strategy

Work on a plan that includes your narrative, content approach, community engagement, and regular performance reviews.

Measuring Success

Keep track of key metrics to evaluate your progress:

• Brand visibility
• Audience engagement
• Invitations for speaking opportunities
• Recognition within your industry
• Leads generated through your brand

Having these benchmarks in place helps you adjust your strategy while staying true to your core identity.

Staying True to Your Brand

While experts can guide you, staying genuine is critical. Your brand development partner should refine your message, not change who you are. Regular reviews and feedback sessions will help ensure your brand remains authentic as it evolves.

10. Track and Improve Your Brand Results

Measuring how your brand performs is key to understanding what’s working and where you can make improvements. Below, we break down the key metrics and methods to help you optimize your founder brand strategy.

Key Brand Metrics to Monitor

Keep an eye on these metrics to evaluate your brand’s performance:

Using Data to Make Better Decisions

"We use Google Analytics to track branded keyword growth over time. It’s a reliable measure of your branding efforts." – Pablo Palatnik, ShadesDaddy.com

Gathering Direct Feedback

Combine hard data with direct input from your audience:

• Customer Conversations: Talk to your partners and clients to learn how they discovered your brand and assess its impact.
• Performance Analysis: Keep track of key indicators like:
  • Conversion rates (aim for 2–5% as a benchmark)
  • The effect of customer retention on your profits
  • Shifts in cost per acquisition
  • Net Promoter Score (NPS)

This mix of numbers and feedback will help you pinpoint areas that need attention.

Refining Your Strategy

Use insights from data and team feedback to fine-tune your campaigns. Focus on:

• Content Performance: Measure engagement and adjust topics based on audience interest.
• Channel Effectiveness: Identify which platforms bring in the best leads.
• Message Testing: Experiment with different messaging and track how people respond.
• Community Growth: Monitor your audience size and their activity levels.

Measuring ROI

Evaluate how your branding efforts impact your bottom line by tracking:

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
• Revenue generated from brand-driven leads
• Cost savings due to better brand recognition

Conclusion

The strategies outlined here help founders establish a credible and influential brand in B2B markets. Together, these approaches strengthen your story and create measurable impact in your industry.

The Role of Leadership

"Today, people want to buy from people. We want to work with people who we know, like, and trust. And this is why I believe that the clearest path to success in marketing (if your goal is to build awareness for your brand) is to start with the founder".

Steps to Get Started

If you’re ready to build your founder brand, focus on these key activities:

These steps provide a clear path for creating and growing your personal brand.

Looking Ahead

"In this crowded marketplace, what makes people choose you? Sure, your product or service is fantastic, but there’s a human connection at play too. People want to know who’s behind the magic, the person with the fire in their belly and the vision in their head".

Building a founder brand requires time and effort. Share meaningful content, engage with your audience, and measure your progress. With consistent effort and a clear strategy, your personal brand can become a powerful tool for driving growth in the B2B space. Start implementing these ideas today to create a brand that truly connects and delivers long-term results.

Related posts

• How to Leverage Personal Branding for Lead Generation
• Building a LinkedIn Audience: Tips for Founder-Led Growth