How B2B Companies Can Use Speed to Supercharge Demand Generation

Hello, beautiful people! ??

Welcome to another edition of the Marketing with a Bit of Funk newsletter! Today, we’re diving deep with all 4550 of you (number of subscribers, woohoo) into B2B demand generation, focusing on three key pillars: speed, alignment, and authenticity—essential ingredients for success in today’s competitive landscape. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sam Kuehnle , VP of Marketing at Loxo , in the latest episode of the Funky Marketing Podcast to uncover actionable insights on how B2B companies can build stronger, faster demand generation engines.

If you prefer to consume content on the go, check out the episode here:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-b2b-companies-can-use-speed-to-supercharge-demand/id1501543408?i=1000671760959?

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4uVjYxYROFawu60eyf2LqN?si=fIZuS9HVSK-fQVSpw2J2Zw

And if you prefer YouTube, watch the full episode below.

Now, let’s kick off this edition of the newsletter by exploring how you can use speed and alignment to supercharge your B2B demand generation strategy.

1. Why Sam and Loxo Stopped Paid Search Advertising

In our conversation, Sam shared how Loxo made a bold decision to cut their paid search budget. It wasn’t a move made in haste—it was data-driven. For Loxo, paid search became too expensive to justify. In their space, keywords were costing upwards of $80 to $100 per click, and with a 10% conversion rate, they were paying $800 per lead.

As Sam explained, “Given our price point, spending $800 to acquire a customer just didn’t make sense anymore.” Instead of continuing to sink money into an unsustainable channel, they made the strategic shift toward brand awareness efforts. By investing in areas that delivered a faster payback period, they positioned themselves for long-term success.

Here's the breakdown.

1. The numbers game:

Paid search works as a demand capture tool. People are actively searching for solutions to their problems, like "What's the best HR software?" This intent is valuable, but it comes at a high cost. For their competitive terms, they were paying $80 to $100 per click. With a strong 10% conversion rate, that meant $800 per lead. But here’s where things get tricky: When they tracked those leads through to opportunities and closed deals, the cost of acquiring a customer shot up to $8,000.

2. The mismatch with pricing:

Sam pointed out that their base package starts at $119 per month. If you do the math, with an $8,000 acquisition cost, it would take a very long time to recover the investment from a single customer. They quickly realized they were upside down.

3. Payback period matters:

It's critical to look at the payback period when making marketing decisions. For paid search, their payback period was 18 months. In contrast, other channels, like inbound marketing, had a payback period of just three months. The difference is staggering! So, instead of sticking with paid search, they reallocated their limited funds to these more efficient channels.

4. Analytical decision-making:

One of the biggest lessons Sam shared was the importance of analyzing your acquisition costs and the payback period from an analytical lens. It’s not just about “this channel works for others, so let’s use it.” It’s about diving into the data and understanding what’s really driving growth. If a channel is six times more inefficient than another, it’s better to focus on what’s working, even if that means stepping away from a popular channel like Google Search.

Sam summed it up perfectly:

"It’s not blanket advice to stop running Google Ads. It’s about doing your own due diligence, running the numbers, and understanding what’s best for your company’s unique situation. DISCLAIMER: THIS ADVICE IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. Do your own due diligence first.

• Run the numbers
• Understand your GTM strategy
• Understand your goals
• Recognize short from long-term goals
• Know where you're pacing towards those goals
• Talk to your leadership team about this
• Talk to your marketing team about this. Do not view this as a "forever" decision that can't be reverted

I could go on and on here, but just dropping these here as items that need to be thought about + considered before making this decision."

This led to their decision to create a CTV commercial, a more creative and memorable way to drive awareness. As Sam described it, they wanted the ad to be bold and fun, playing on the concept of headhunters trying to find hard-to-reach candidates like Bigfoot and aliens. The humor and relatability helped differentiate Loxo’s brand, driving awareness in a more effective and engaging way.

It helped Loxo stand out, using humorous characters and pop culture references to build brand familiarity. More in the video below.

2. The Dark Funnel and How it Really Works

The dark funnel is something that often gets overlooked in traditional marketing discussions. It’s the space where B2B buying decisions happen, but where the data doesn’t show up in your typical reports. You can’t track it—but that doesn’t mean it’s not working in your favor.

You need to find a way to tell your stories authentically. This is why I love simply explaining complex things so that everyone understands them.

I shared a personal story about a youth festival I organized. Initially, the local authorities rejected the event, but after I posted about it on Facebook, mentioning key decision-makers, something fascinating happened. Conversations I couldn’t see started taking place. Soon enough, phone calls were made between people who weren’t even on social media, and within minutes, the event was approved. The mayor himself got involved after hearing about it (and he didn't have a social media presence of his own).

This is the essence of the dark funnel. Decisions happen where you can’t see them. People talk offline, through word of mouth or private conversations, but your presence and consistency online fuel those discussions. As I said during the episode, “You’ve got to stay authentic and present. People may not be engaging publicly, but they’re watching, and they’re talking.”

You need to understand the importance of humanizing your brand even in an automated world. This means going beyond the data and focusing on authentic, empathetic outreach. Decision-makers may not always engage with your content online, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t paying attention. Staying authentic builds trust, which fuels those invisible conversations.

3. Demand Creation vs. Demand Capture

One of the key distinctions Sam and I discussed is the balance between demand creation and demand capture. Sam talked about how paid search often falls under demand capture—the moment when potential customers already know they have a problem and are actively searching for a solution.

Sam explained, “With paid search, people are finally going to Google and typing in things like, ‘What is the best HR software?’ or ‘How do I solve this recruitment problem?’ At that point, they are ready to enter the funnel.”

But Loxo realized their challenge wasn’t just capturing demand—it was creating demand in the first place. Demand creation is about raising awareness, positioning your brand as a trusted solution before someone even knows they need you. This is why they pivoted their marketing efforts toward brand awareness, using creative strategies like their CTV commercial.

Sam shared, “We realized that when people knew about us, they chose us at an incredibly high rate. Our challenge was to get more people aware of who we are.” So, while demand capture is valuable, demand creation is equally essential, particularly in a crowded market like B2B SaaS.

Here's what they did, and why.

4. Speed as a Marketing Superpower

Speed is a significant competitive advantage for companies like Loxo, which operate in the fast-paced tech industry. Sam talked about how moving fast is critical to staying ahead. Whether it's testing, iterating, or making decisions quickly, speed allows smaller companies to outpace their larger competitors who are often bogged down by bureaucracy.

Sam described speed as a "superpower," saying, “There’s so much red tape at big companies—they can’t move fast. If you can make quick decisions and stay on top of things, that’s your advantage.”

This approach has allowed Loxo to be agile and adapt quickly to changes in the market. It’s an essential part of their marketing strategy, enabling them to stay one step ahead of their competitors.

5. Sales and Marketing Alignment

Finally, we talked about sales and marketing alignment, which Sam emphasized as crucial for any B2B company’s success. At Loxo, sales and marketing work together seamlessly, with shared goals and metrics that are focused on driving pipeline and revenue.

Sam shared his experience from his time at Refine Labs, saying, “The difference between success and failure often comes down to philosophical alignment. If the CEO, CMO, and CRO aren’t on the same page, it creates doubt, and that doubt trickles down to the rest of the team.”

By aligning sales and marketing, both teams are working toward the same goals, which creates a stronger, more cohesive go-to-market strategy. This approach not only helps drive new customer acquisition but also improves the customer experience.

Jasna Klemenc Puntar - GTM Designer said in a LinkedIn comment that revenue should be the objective. However, there is a danger in sales-led companies that marketing is in a tactical role, getting the leads and not taking part in the strategy. That usually leads to poor results.

And I can't disagree. But one thing I learned, it's neither black nor white. Not always. If you have a new function or leader, aligning with sales goals is good. Marketing doesn't have its own goals, it's the business goals, so this is the way to align, connect, and create relationships with sales, and then marketing will shine when they have all the insights and can work from there to build the marketing function.

Sales should have a strategic role, but if you, as a marketer, support salesmen who should meet the quota, you do only what is urgent—not much that creates leverage. It is easier to hire an outside consultant to give you the proper perspective IMHO. ~ Jasna Klemenc Puntar

I can agree with this, too, wholeheartedly, but that's only something we used to see and say and do, after all, mainly because we don't sit down and talk, inside companies. Different industries, different niches, different companies.

Sometimes, you need to start with the short term and get quick wins - alignment (huge), more revenue (huge), marketing team that understands customers from a sales perspective (huge). Those are huge wins that give you the bandwidth to meet other departments in the company, talk to customers, understand the industry, and make a long-term strategy. It buys you time and helps you build trust.

Without the short-term wins and shipping things, you won't get a chance to get to the long-term ones.

6. Balancing Health and Work: Posting LinkedIn Health Thoughts on Fridays

Towards the end of our conversation, Sam shared an interesting approach he’s taken with his LinkedIn content—one that mixes professional insights with personal wellness. While most of his LinkedIn posts focus on B2B marketing and demand generation, Sam reserves Fridays for something different: health thoughts.

As he put it, “I realized that if I only talk about B2B marketing, I’ll go crazy. So I started sharing health insights on Fridays—things I’ve learned about nutrition, exercise, and overall wellness. And interestingly, those posts have sparked some of the deepest conversations I’ve had on LinkedIn. The people who engage with me on those posts often become long-term connections because we’re talking about something more personal and meaningful.”

This strategy has allowed Sam to connect with people on a more human level, moving beyond job titles and credentials to create relationships based on shared values. It’s a powerful reminder that authenticity and human connection are at the heart of effective B2B marketing.

And it is something I've been preaching a lot.

Outreach: Building Genuine Connections One Conversation at a Time

One of the standout topics from our conversation was how Loxo approaches outreach in a way that focuses on building genuine relationships rather than just sending automated messages en masse. Sam emphasized the importance of making outreach personal, meaningful, and timely, rather than simply relying on templates and sequences.

He explained, “A lot of companies automate everything—they send the same message to thousands of people hoping something sticks. But when you actually take the time to reach out to people individually, and with purpose, the results are so much better.”

At Loxo, the outreach process is rooted in understanding the customer’s specific challenges. Rather than sending a generic email, Sam’s team takes the time to learn about their prospects—what problems they’re trying to solve, their industry pain points, and what would truly add value for them.

This kind of empathy-driven outreach leads to more meaningful conversations and stronger relationships with potential clients.

Sam shared a great example of how this approach works:

During a challenging time, like a natural disaster or market uncertainty, we didn’t send mass emails about deals or discounts. Instead, our customer success team reached out one-to-one, asking how they could support them. That genuine connection made all the difference. People appreciated that we weren’t just trying to sell but were truly looking out for their well-being. ~ Sam Kuehnle

This empathetic approach to outreach not only helps foster trust but also builds long-term loyalty. Customers appreciate a company that goes beyond transactional interactions and focuses on understanding their real-world needs.

Sam concluded, “Outreach isn’t about spamming inboxes—it’s about showing people that you care about them as humans first. That’s where real business relationships are built.”

Final Thoughts

In this episode, we covered the importance of balancing speed, alignment, and authenticity in B2B demand generation. Whether it’s cutting paid search, leveraging the dark funnel, or launching a creative CTV campaign, success comes from understanding your audience, staying agile, and being genuine in your approach.

?? Key Actionable Steps:

• Stay authentic: Your audience may not engage publicly, but they’re watching and talking. Build trust over time.
• Diversify your budget: If one channel becomes too expensive, like paid search did for Loxo, be open to reallocating resources toward brand-building efforts.
• Emphasize empathy: Automated emails are efficient, but personal, one-to-one outreach is what really builds long-term relationships.
• Align sales and marketing: Get both teams on the same page by focusing on revenue-driven goals.

In case you liked what you saw, please share. Also, subscribe in case you haven't already, and make sure to follow the Funky Marketing podcast on your favorite podcast plaform. Great episodes incoming, next one with one and only Sam Dunning Sir!

Until next time—keep it funky! ??