In Kurogo’s latest research, we surveyed decision-makers, buyers, and founders across industries to understand one thing: How much does personal branding and thought leadership actually impact B2B success?
What we found was clear: those who lead with ideas and visibility don’t just get more attention, they get more trust, more pricing power, and more deals.
Let’s dig into the numbers.
Thought Leadership = Trust
88.5% of B2B buyers are more likely to choose a company where the CEO demonstrates clear thought leadership — assuming quality and price are equal.
This is huge. It means even if your product is a match and your pricing is right, you might still lose the deal if you don’t look like an expert. This stat tells us something even deeper: buyers aren’t just evaluating services. They’re evaluating certainty. And people trust people who lead.
A strong leadership presence gives your company credibility before the pitch even starts.
Trust Unlocks Pricing Power
In commoditised markets, pricing pressure is brutal. Everyone’s trying to undercut. But here’s what the data shows:
86% of buyers are willing to pay at least 2x more for a service provider if they see consistent, credible thought leadership from the CEO and leadership team.
Why? Because credibility de-risks the decision. Buyers feel safer. More confident. More aligned. Thought leadership helps you shift from “supplier” to “trusted partner” — and that shift lets you hold your price (or even raise it).
In other words, strong personal branding doesn’t just get you in the room. It lets you charge what you’re worth.
Influence Starts Before You Know They’re Looking
Another key finding: most buyers start forming impressions about a company long before the first call.
67% of buyers researched the leadership team’s online presence before reaching out.
That means your LinkedIn activity, your articles, your podcast appearances, all of it is shaping your pipeline before you even realise someone’s interest. If you’re not visible? You're invisible.
And if your competitor’s CEO shows up consistently with sharp insights and strong positioning, they’re going to be perceived as the safer, stronger bet. Even if your offering is better.
Silence is a Strategic Risk
This one’s worth sitting with:
0% of decision-makers said that no personal brand presence had a positive influence on their decision to buy.
Zero. Not one buyer said, “I liked that the founder was invisible.” So if your leadership team isn’t showing up, it’s not a neutral position, it’s actively hurting you. Every day you’re quiet, someone else is shaping the conversation.
Reputation Spreads Through Networks
Thought leadership doesn’t just build trust with direct buyers. It also drives referrals and indirect influence.
78% of leaders said they’d recommended a service based on the public content or online presence of a company’s founder.
That means a strong presence creates “passive deal flow.” Your name gets mentioned in rooms you’re not in. Opportunities come your way because someone respects your thinking, even if they’ve never spoken to you.
This is the long game. It’s how reputations are built. And it’s happening every day on platforms like LinkedIn.
It’s Not Just About the CEO
Yes, the CEO play a key role. But leadership visibility is a team advantage.
61% of buyers said the senior leadership team’s reputation significantly influenced their decision.
This includes your CMO, COO, CTO — any public-facing leader. When everyone’s aligned, consistent, and visible, the brand is stronger. The trust is deeper. The differentiation is sharper.
If you're building a B2B business and you're not actively investing in personal branding or thought leadership, you're leaving opportunity on the table — every single day.
What You Can Do Now
The good news? You don’t need to go viral. You just need to show up consistently with clarity and relevance.
That could mean:
- Posting weekly insights on LinkedIn
- Sharing behind-the-scenes decisions and lessons
- Writing opinion pieces or analysis
- Appearing on niche podcasts your buyers listen to
- Building a clear, differentiated point of view
Start small. Stay consistent. Get visible. Because in B2B, the most trusted voice wins.
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