Why Ignoring Brand Marketing Limits Your Firm’s Lead Generation Success (and How to Fix It)

When agencies and consultancies think about growth, they often jump straight to lead generation. Research says that’s wrong!

According to a study by marketing effectiveness experts Les Binet and Peter Field with LinkedIn’s B2B Institute, neglecting brand marketing is a big mistake—especially in highly competitive fields like agencies and consulting, where many firms offer similar services.

The authors explain that successful marketing requires balancing two approaches: long-term brand building and short-term lead generation activities. While lead generation efforts can deliver quick wins, these effects fade fast without brand support.

In contrast, brand marketing helps build trust and awareness, creating lasting impacts that increase your chances of landing bigger deals over time. Binet and Field’s research found that B2B marketing works best when companies allocate approximately 46% of their budget to brand-building and 54% to direct activation or lead-generation activities.

The report also emphasizes the importance of “mental availability,”—meaning how easily your brand comes to mind when clients are ready to buy. Campaigns focused on becoming well-known and memorable performed nearly 3x better than rational campaigns focused purely on product details or direct selling.

Ultimately, agencies and consulting firms aiming for 6 and 7-figure opportunities must think bigger than immediate lead generation alone.

A holistic, account-based marketing (ABM) approach that leverages thought leadership content, builds brand awareness, and pairs this with targeted outreach is key. According to researchers Binet and Field, blending these two strategies drives more effective, profitable, and sustainable growth in B2B.

The message is clear for agencies and consultancies wanting stronger new business results: combine brand-building thought leadership and awareness with precise lead-generation outreach. That’s how you win bigger, better opportunities.

Question: How much of your sales and marketing budget is allocated to long-term brand building versus short-term lead generation activities? Do you even know?