Founder at Kennedy Creative | Creating content and driving revenue for LinkedIn's top B2B founders and CEOs | Helping clients unlock 5+ figures in revenue in less than 6 months
Many CEOs think of their investment in LinkedIn in terms of lead gen vs. brand. They think they’re only running a lead generation play: - posting - engaging - building visibility to drive inbound leads That’s certainly part of it. But what they’re also doing is shaping how the market perceives them. Lead gen is transactional. Brand is exponential. When you invest in content, you’re not just filling the pipeline, but you’re positioning yourself as the trusted authority in your space. The best B2B companies understand this shift: ? They don’t just create content to sell. They create content to educate, challenge, and lead conversations. ? They know that trust accelerates sales cycles. When prospects already believe in your expertise, closing the deal is easier. ? They see content as an investment, not an expense—because strong brands attract leads without constantly chasing them. A well-known brand makes every touchpoint more effective: - Cold outreach warms up. - Inbound leads convert faster. - Customer retention improves. So yes, content generates leads. But more importantly, it builds reputation, authority, and demand. And in B2B, brand is the real competitive advantage. Are you seeing this shift in your industry?
Great players do not ignore any thing, they consider all of them.
Everything needs to be aligned
It's a good distinction. I get lead-gen and the desire for ROI. That's what marketing is, after all. But a lot of the biggest benefits you experience from social will be things you never expected.
This is spot on! ?? Too many CEOs focus only on short-term lead gen without realizing that a strong brand does the heavy lifting over time. Brand builds trust, credibility, and authority—making every sales conversation easier. The best companies play the long game, and it pays off!?
The exponential thing makes sense. It’s like planting a tiny seed, takes time, but suddenly you’ve got a whole forest of trust out there."
Branding always come with compounding effects. We just need to know the best way to utilize it.
The shift is already happening. The new way is close.
CEOs say ‘brand takes time’ … but you see industry shift? Doug Kennedy, in my niche, trust beat price wars. What your experience?
Doug Kennedy, interesting point about brand value outlasting lead generation. content that educates and builds trust naturally attracts better prospects and speeds up sales cycles. 2bmarketing
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1 周While lead gen's direct ROI is tempting, remember that a strong brand not only attracts leads, but also significantly enhances employee recruitment and retention, a vital, often overlooked, aspect of long-term business success.