What Senior Leaders Want in B2B Messaging
- Henry McIntosh
- 4 days ago
- 11 min read
Senior leaders dedicate less than an hour a week to considering new suppliers. That means your B2B messaging must be clear, relevant, and concise to stand out. Most content misses the mark by focusing on product features instead of addressing strategic priorities like revenue growth, cost reduction, or digital transformation. Here's what matters most to them:
Clarity: Use simple, jargon-free language to save time and avoid confusion. Over 65% of B2B buyers feel overwhelmed by complex content.
Relevance: Align messaging with their business goals. Executives seek content that provides practical solutions to their challenges.
Impact: Show measurable results with credible data. 87% of leaders have made purchase decisions influenced by thought leadership content.
Consistency: Ensure your messaging is aligned across all platforms and stakeholders to build trust and avoid confusion.
To connect with senior leaders, focus on delivering concise, data-driven messages tailored to their needs while maintaining consistency across channels.
What Senior Leaders Prioritise in B2B Messaging
Clear and Simple Language
Senior executives are bombarded with information daily, and the numbers back it up: 65% of B2B buyers feel overwhelmed, and 59% find most of the material they receive unhelpful [7]. Overcomplicated language and excessive jargon only add to the frustration, slowing down decision-making. As Al Ries puts it, "The mind, as a defence against the volume of today's communications, screens and rejects much of the information offered to it. In general, the mind accepts only that which matches prior knowledge or experience" [5].
Using straightforward language cuts through the noise and prevents confusion. It allows decision-makers and their teams to engage quickly with the information rather than waste time deciphering it. Interestingly, 64% of decision-makers prefer a more conversational and less formal tone in business communications [3]. By dropping the jargon and adopting a clear, human approach, messages become instantly understandable and actionable. This simplicity ensures that the message not only informs but also aligns with the decision-makers' goals.
Alignment with Business Goals
Clarity is just the starting point. Senior leaders want messaging that directly addresses their strategic priorities. Whether it’s tackling digital transformation, cutting costs, or driving revenue, content must demonstrate a deep understanding of their industry challenges and link solutions to these pressing issues.
This explains why 69% of senior executives turn to corporate content for practical insights rather than traditional media [1]. Effective messaging answers the critical question: Why should this matter to me? It connects directly to strategic problems rather than drowning in generic thought leadership or endless product features. Credible data is key here. As Tusar Barik, SVP of Marketing at The New York Times Advertising, puts it:
"The point of thought leadership content is not to sell to people - it's to inform and inspire them. By positioning your organisation and its people as thought leaders over an extended time, you develop trust in an audience that naturally leads to more sales" [3].
In short, content that aligns with business goals and speaks to real challenges earns the attention and trust of senior leaders.
ROI and Business Impact
Once clarity and alignment are established, the next priority is measurable results. Senior leaders want to see evidence of impact. It’s no wonder that 61% of CMOs report increasing pressure to prove ROI, yet fewer than half feel confident in their ability to do so [8].
The payoff from well-executed thought leadership is hard to ignore. For instance, 87% of senior executives say they’ve made a purchase decision within the last 90 days because of thought leadership content [9]. Even more striking, such content can deliver returns 16 times higher than traditional marketing campaigns, with global purchases tied to thought leadership valued at an estimated £265 billion annually [9].
This focus on measurable outcomes explains why leaders have little patience for vague promises or product-heavy pitches. They want hard proof that a solution will deliver results - whether it’s reducing acquisition costs, speeding up sales cycles, or improving operational efficiency. Cindy Anderson, CMO and Global Lead for Engagement and Eminence at the IBM Institute for Business Value, sums it up well:
"Thought leadership requires data. It requires research. It requires perspective. And it must be independent from the commercial aspect of the enterprise" [9].
In a world where every investment must be justified, demonstrating tangible business impact is non-negotiable. Messaging that delivers on this front transforms a company from just another vendor into a trusted strategic partner.
Creating Messaging That Respects Time Constraints
Making Communication Concise
Senior executives often decide in a matter of seconds whether content deserves their attention, so every word needs to count [4].
Rob Harlow, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Sopro, puts it plainly:
"The more senior someone is, typically the shorter the emails they like to receive" [10].
For cold outreach, this means sticking to two or three short, impactful paragraphs. Start with a "first touch" approach - use an executive summary or highlight key insights upfront. If the recipient shows interest, you can then dive into more detailed content [4].
While keeping it brief grabs their attention, the real challenge is maintaining it. That’s where strong data and clear insights come in.
Using Data and Insights
Messaging backed by solid data grabs attention and builds credibility with senior leaders [1] [3]. In fact, 42% of executives say they value insights based on credible research the most when it comes to thought leadership [1]. Even more telling, 80% prefer content that includes data from trusted third-party organisations over vendor-driven claims [3]. It’s clear: decision-makers trust independent, verified sources more than self-promotion.
Visuals can make a huge difference here. Presenting data in a clear, visually engaging way helps reduce the mental effort required to understand it [4]. When executives can grasp the key takeaways in seconds rather than minutes, they’re more likely to engage and act on the information. A well-designed visual can be the bridge between complex data and decisive action.
How to Create a B2B Message That Can’t be Ignored
Personalising Messages for Senior Audiences
When engaging senior audiences, crafting concise, data-driven messages is just the beginning. Taking it a step further by tailoring content to specific roles can significantly enhance engagement.
Adapting Messages by Role
Different roles come with distinct priorities, and your messaging should reflect that. For instance:
CFOs look for clear insights into profit margins and ROI.
CIOs are more concerned with how solutions integrate technically.
CHROs focus on the human element, like training and workforce challenges [4].
Understanding these role-specific challenges is the key to meaningful personalisation. A great example of this is NetSuite's initiative, "The Ortus Club." This forum brought together CEOs, CFOs, and COOs to address their unique concerns, ultimately generating nearly seven figures in sales opportunities [2].
Since 80% of B2B purchases involve multiple stakeholders - and 60% of those include four or more people [11] - messaging needs to strike a balance. It has to be consistent across the board while still addressing the unique concerns of each stakeholder. As Isabella Hargreaves from Adobe explains:
"We need to have consistent messaging across the different personas we're talking to inside a company, but customised to the needs of each persona" [6].
Personalisation at Scale
One challenge is that fully individualised messaging isn’t practical for large-scale campaigns. On the other hand, generic content often misses the mark, with 47% of buyers feeling that most thought leadership doesn’t address their specific needs [3].
A more effective strategy is the 80:20 approach: 80% of your messaging should focus on universal themes, while 20% is customised to specific audience segments.
AI tools now make it easier to personalise at scale [6], but the quality of your data is crucial. Poor data undermines even the most advanced personalisation efforts [6].
Ultimately, real personalisation means addressing challenges that matter to your audience. By combining universal messaging with targeted adjustments, you can deliver consistent, impactful communication across all channels [12].
Maintaining Consistency Across Channels
Senior executives encounter your brand through a variety of touchpoints. When these interactions don’t align, trust begins to waver. This makes consistency the cornerstone of any successful communication strategy, no matter the platform.
Aligning Messages Across Platforms
88% of executives rely on online channels - like blogs, social media, and webinars - to explore solutions [4]. They’re constantly moving between platforms, and every interaction either strengthens or weakens your brand’s credibility. When your messaging doesn’t align, it creates a disconnect. As Al Ries explains, inconsistent communication clashes with prior experiences, leading to mental rejection [5].
But consistency doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel for every platform. Instead, focus on maintaining a unified core message. In fact, consistent brand messaging can increase revenue by up to 23% [15]. The trick is to adapt your content’s format to fit each platform while keeping your core value proposition - the unique “why” behind your company - front and centre.
Building Trust Through Consistency
Consistency isn’t just about channels; it’s also about aligning impressions across decision-makers. In enterprise B2B, buying decisions are rarely made by one individual. Boards of directors often need to reach a consensus. Imagine this scenario: the CFO reads one thing on your website, the CIO sees something entirely different on LinkedIn, and the CEO gets a conflicting email from your sales team. That kind of mixed messaging makes agreement nearly impossible [4].
Lori Wizdo, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester, offers a sharp insight:
"Communication can become muddled if different stakeholders engage with customers without the connective tissue of a strong messaging architecture" [13].
This confusion doesn’t just delay decisions - it actively erodes trust, which can directly impact whether or not they choose to move forward [16].
The solution? Develop a messaging framework. This is a single, comprehensive document that outlines your unique differentiators, value propositions, and tone of voice. It ensures that every team - whether digital, PR, or sales - delivers a consistent message [5]. Without this framework, your brand’s value becomes diluted, leaving a weaker impression [14] [15].
How Twenty One Twelve Marketing Supports B2B Success
Proven Methods for Hard-to-Reach Audiences
When it comes to reaching senior leaders in specialised and heavily regulated industries, Twenty One Twelve Marketing has a clear edge. Since 2016, Twenty One Twelve Marketing has honed its expertise in connecting with decision-makers in sectors like financial services, pharmaceuticals, SaaS, and technology - industries where gaining access to top executives can be a significant challenge.
Their strategy begins with crafting messaging frameworks that pinpoint the who, what, and how of each communication effort [17]. Instead of relying on generic pitches, they focus on creating thought leadership content that speaks directly to board-level concerns. Topics such as digital transformation, cost reduction, revenue growth, and productivity are prioritised to ensure relevance and impact [4].
The agency also employs peer-to-peer engagement strategies to position its clients' executives as influential voices within their industries. By connecting these leaders with key influencers and leveraging platforms like blog posts and webinars, they tap into the fact that 88% of executives turn to online resources when researching solutions [4]. This approach ensures their messaging not only reaches the right people but also resonates deeply with them.
Every strategy is built on a foundation of proven techniques, but the agency goes further by customising its methods to address the specific challenges of each client.
Tailored Approaches for Each Client
Recognising that no two clients are the same, Twenty One Twelve Marketing takes a personalised approach. They start by developing two to five highly detailed buyer personas, capturing the unique goals, motivations, and challenges of their target decision-makers [5]. These personas serve as the blueprint for crafting strategies that hit the mark.
Next, they build a unified messaging framework that highlights each client’s unique strengths, value propositions, and tone [5]. This ensures consistency across all touchpoints - whether through digital campaigns, PR efforts, or sales interactions. Consistent messaging is vital, with studies showing it can boost revenue by up to 23% [15].
Conclusion
Engaging senior leaders effectively requires a shift in how messaging is crafted. Recent research shows that most thought leadership content fails to meet the needs of executives, with many finding it unhelpful [3][7]. This gap between what is offered and what decision-makers truly need presents a major challenge for B2B organisations.
The key lies in delivering messaging that is clear, relevant, personalised, and consistent. Clarity respects the limited time executives have, cutting through the noise of information overload. Relevance ensures the content addresses pressing boardroom concerns, such as digital transformation and revenue growth. Personalisation is crucial - 80% of business leaders are more inclined to engage with content tailored to their specific role [1]. Meanwhile, consistency fosters trust, elevating thought leadership above standard marketing materials [3].
To achieve these goals, organisations must adopt strategic frameworks, develop precise buyer personas, and execute with expertise - areas where technology, including AI, can play a pivotal role [6].
For industries that are specialised or heavily regulated, senior executives expect messaging that combines in-depth industry knowledge with a personable approach [3]. Collaborating with subject matter experts is vital to strike this balance effectively.
FAQs
How can I make my B2B messaging align with the priorities of senior leaders?
To connect effectively with senior leaders in B2B contexts, focus on the outcomes that matter most to them: revenue growth, cost efficiency, risk reduction, or regulatory compliance. Start by digging into their specific priorities. For instance, a CFO might zero in on reducing cost-to-serve, while a CTO could prioritise solutions that scale seamlessly. Your messaging should highlight how your offering directly helps achieve these goals.
Keep your language straightforward and free of jargon, focusing on clear, measurable business results. Use data, case studies, or ROI metrics to back up your claims and establish credibility. Senior executives appreciate insights they can act on, so include benchmarking data or industry trends to position yourself as a knowledgeable and reliable partner.
Consistency is key. Make sure your message is aligned across all channels - whether it’s in emails, webinars, or whitepapers. By showing a strong understanding of their challenges and presenting practical solutions, you’ll not only grab their attention but also open the door to meaningful conversations with decision-makers.
How does data shape effective B2B messaging for senior executives?
Data plays a crucial role in shaping B2B messaging that truly connects with senior executives. By diving into behavioural patterns and purchase cycles, marketers can uncover the strategic priorities, risks, and value metrics that matter most to these decision-makers. This insight helps craft messaging that zeroes in on their specific goals, steering clear of generic features and making the communication far more relevant.
It also bolsters credibility. Backing up claims with data turns them into evidence-based statements, making it easier for executives to assess solutions with confidence. Beyond that, data enables ongoing refinement by allowing teams to measure engagement, experiment with variations, and tweak messaging based on real-time feedback.
The most effective executive-level messaging blends a deep understanding of the business landscape, clear, measurable proof of impact, and real-time performance insights. This ensures communication is not only engaging but also actionable and aligned with the priorities of decision-makers.
How can I tailor B2B messaging for senior leaders in different roles without losing consistency?
To tailor B2B messaging for senior leaders, it’s essential to first understand the unique priorities of each role. For instance, CFOs are typically focused on managing costs and mitigating risks, while CEOs are driven by strategic growth opportunities. CHROs, on the other hand, are more concerned with talent management and organisational culture. By grounding your messaging in key brand themes like value, innovation, or compliance, and layering in insights specific to each role, you can create communications that feel unified yet relevant to individual needs.
A useful strategy is to develop a modular content framework. Begin with a core message that highlights your overall value proposition. Then, incorporate role-specific details such as tailored data points, case studies, or information on regulatory requirements. Maintain a consistent tone, style, and branding throughout, but start with a personalised opening (e.g., "As a finance leader, you’ll appreciate…") and conclude with a call-to-action that aligns with their specific decision-making focus.
To streamline this process, you might use technology to automate personalisation while keeping human oversight to ensure the messaging remains genuine. At Twenty One Twelve Marketing, we excel in crafting data-driven frameworks that help businesses convey complex ideas in a clear and consistent way - even to hard-to-reach audiences. By combining a solid foundation with precise personalisation, you can effectively engage senior leaders without diluting your brand’s core message.
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