In B2B sales—especially in industries like web hosting, cloud services, and enterprise software—there’s a persistent myth that buyers make decisions based purely on logic, features, pricing, and ROI.
But thanks to Rand Fishkin, I recently came across a fascinating study by Bain & Company and Google that completely flipped that idea on its head. It turns out that brand plays a much bigger role in B2B buying decisions than most of us realise—and if your brand isn’t visible, familiar, and trusted, you might not even make it to the starting line.
Where Most Buying Decisions Are Already Made
Here’s what really stood out: Bain and Google surveyed over 1,200 U.S. B2B buyers and found that 80–90% of buyers already have a shortlist of three vendors before they even begin their formal research.
80–90% of buyers already have a shortlist of three vendors before they even begin their formal research.
Even more telling—90% of purchases are ultimately made from that original list.
That stat comes straight from the Harvard Business Review article, and it’s a real eye-opener.
It means you can be disqualified before a sales conversation even starts. Before your product demo. Before your pricing. Before anyone fills in a contact form.
So the obvious question is: how do you make it onto that all-important shortlist?
Brand = Trust, Familiarity, and Perceived Value
The study uncovered three key reasons why buyers choose certain vendors from day one:
1. Previous Positive Experience
Buyers stick with what (and who) they know. If they’ve had a good experience with your brand in the past—even at a different company—you’re far more likely to make their list again.
2. Colleague Recommendations
Word-of-mouth isn’t just for B2C. In B2B, internal recommendations carry massive weight. If your brand is known and respected across the industry, people will talk—and your name will come up.
3. Strong Digital Presence
Buyers are quietly researching long before you know they’re interested. Your website, your case studies, your reviews—all of it contributes to whether you make the cut. A clunky, outdated site or unclear messaging can knock you out instantly.
In other words, your brand is the shortcut buyers use to make early decisions—especially when they’re under pressure and trying to reduce risk.
Brand Isn’t Just a Logo or Colour Scheme
When I say “brand,” I’m not talking about your fonts or your tagline. I’m talking about your reputation at scale—how you’re perceived, how easy you are to trust, and whether buyers believe you’re a safe, smart, and valuable choice.
Your brand influences everything:
- How your product is perceived
- Whether your pricing seems fair
- How seriously your demo is taken
- How quickly internal advocates rally around your solution
And the stronger your brand, the less friction there is at every stage of the buying journey.
Miss the List, Miss the Sale
Here’s the harsh reality: if you’re not on the list from day one, you’re probably not closing the deal.
You might have the better product. A better roadmap. Even better support. But if buyers don’t know you, trust you, or see you as a credible player, they’re unlikely to bring you in late. And that means a huge chunk of your sales and marketing spend could be going toward opportunities you were never truly in the running for.
So What Can You Actually Do About It?
If you want to be in the room when decisions are made, here’s where to focus:
1. Prioritise Brand Building Alongside Lead Gen
Lead gen brings in today’s pipeline. Brand building fills the pipeline for tomorrow—and helps ensure you’re top of mind when someone is finally ready to buy.
2. Treat Existing Customers Like Gold
Every happy customer is a future referral or internal advocate. Great support and solid delivery today turn into shortlist placements down the line.
3. Make Your Website Work Harder
Your website is often your first impression. Make sure it’s helpful, modern, easy to navigate, and communicates why you’re worth considering—without making people dig for it.
4. Show Up Where Buyers Go to Learn
This might be YouTube, X, LinkedIn, Industry publications, Review sites, or Events. You don’t need to be everywhere, but you do need to be visible in the right places.
Final Thought
This study didn’t come as a surprise to me—it actually reinforces why I believe so strongly in consistently creating content that provides real value to the people watching it.
When your brand shows up with helpful, educational content—whether it’s a blog post, a video, a demo, or a guide—you’re not just building awareness. You’re building trust. You’re helping buyers make better decisions. And you’re giving them a reason to keep you in mind when they eventually create that all-important shortlist.
Because in a world where 90% of buyers already know who they’ll choose before the sales process even starts, showing up early—and generously—is everything.
Addendum: About the Study
The Bain & Google study surveyed 1,208 professionals at U.S. companies involved in purchasing software, cloud hosting, hardware, telecoms, logistics, marketing services, and industrial equipment. It revealed several common missteps B2B sellers make:
- 90% of buyers pick a vendor from their initial shortlist
- Sellers tend to focus too much on senior decision-makers and neglect the wider network of internal influencers
- Many rely heavily on digital-only channels, underestimating the power of face-to-face engagement
- Winning vendors usually outperform others in demos, trials, and clarity of product vision
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