“People buy from people they trust.”
We hear it so often in marketing that it risks becoming background noise.
But in B2B, trust isn’t just a feel-good word—it’s the currency that drives decisions.
And here’s the thing:
You don’t build trust with just a polished website, a few testimonials, or the occasional thought leadership post.
Trust is cumulative. It’s earned in layers.
Here’s what I’ve seen actually work beyond the basics:
1. Be consistently useful, even when you’re not selling
Most B2B content is transactional—“Download this,” “Book a demo,” “Read our case study.”
But real trust comes from showing up without an agenda.
Take HubSpot.
They didn’t become a household name in marketing tech just because of great software.
They built trust by creating an ecosystem of free, genuinely helpful content—blogs, templates, tools like their Website Grader—without constantly asking for something in return.
The takeaway:
- Share insights with no CTA attached.
- Help solve problems even if it doesn’t lead to an immediate sale.
- Be the resource people turn to before they even realize they need you.
When you’re consistently useful, trust becomes the byproduct.
2. Own your flaws before the market points it out
B2B marketing often feels like a game of “polish and perfect.”
But nothing erodes trust faster than overpromising and underdelivering.
Look at Buffer.
They’ve been radically transparent—even sharing their revenue numbers, salary structures, and mistakes like missteps during layoffs.
Did it scare people off? No. It made them more credible because they owned their narrative, flaws and all.
Counterintuitive? Maybe.
But being upfront about what you can’t do builds more credibility than pretending you’re the perfect solution.
When I’ve seen brands admit, “We’re not the best fit if X is your priority,” it didn’t drive prospects away—it pulled them closer. Because honesty is rare, and that’s what makes it powerful.
3. Make proof relatable, not perfect
Case studies are supposed to build trust, but most of them read like sanitized success stories:
- “Client had a problem. We showed up. Everything was perfect. The end.”
The problem?
Perfect stories feel fake.
Take Gong as an example.
Their case studies and LinkedIn posts don’t hide the messiness. They share the real struggles of sales teams, the lessons learned from failed experiments, and how adjustments led to results.
It feels authentic because it is.
When we’ve worked on client stories, the most impactful ones weren’t polished fairy tales. They were the ones where we said:
- “Here’s what didn’t work.”
- “Here’s where we stumbled.”
- “Here’s how we course-corrected.”
That’s where trust lives—in the honesty of the process, not just the highlight reel.
4. Let your people be the brand
In B2B, people don’t connect with logos—they connect with other people.
Yet, many companies hide behind corporate messaging, afraid of giving individuals a platform.
Back when Drift was making its mark, they took a different approach.
Instead of just running brand campaigns, they let their leaders—like Dave Gerhardt—become the face of their marketing.
Dave’s personal content, opinions, and even his mistakes made Drift feel human, approachable, and trustworthy.
Here’s the shift:
- Empower your team to share their expertise publicly.
- Let leaders have opinions, even if they’re bold.
- Make your brand’s voice feel human, not sanitized to perfection.
When people see the faces behind the brand, it personalizes the relationship—and that’s where trust starts to deepen.
5. Show, don’t just tell (especially when it comes to expertize)
Saying “we’re thought leaders” doesn’t make it true.
Neither does churning out generic content.
Look at Stripe.
They don’t just claim to be experts in fintech.
They show it—through in-depth technical documentation, transparent guides, and open-sourced projects.
They don’t rely on catchy marketing. They rely on substance.
The key?
- Share how you approach problems, not just the solutions.
- Give away ideas others would gate behind lead forms.
- Let your thinking process be the proof of your expertise.
Trust grows when people don’t just hear what you say—but see how you think.
The bottom line:
Trust isn’t a line in your marketing plan.
It’s not a campaign.
It’s the byproduct of consistency, honesty, and real value—earned long before a contract is signed.
