Forget Persuasion. B2B Messaging Has a New Metric.

Vivien
Oct 29
3 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

For years, we’ve been told B2B messaging is all about persuasion:

Make them choose us.

Convince them we’re better.

Here’s what makes us unique.

Get them to agree.

Show them why they should switch.

But what if that approach does more harm than good?

Persuasion often backfires because it assumes people are ready to decide when most of them aren’t even sure what they’re deciding on.

Especially in B2B, where decisions move through 7 people, 5 meetings, and 3 rounds of budget reviews.

Because when your message tries too hard to persuade, to convince, it adds to their cognitive load.

It feels like pressure.

And pressure creates resistance.

You’ve felt it.

That moment when someone pitches an idea and your first instinct isn’t curiosity, it’s defense.“Why are they pushing this so hard?”

That’s not bad messaging.

It’s just the wrong approach for B2B.

So here’s something that's building traction.

The B2B Brain at Work

Most B2B decisions don’t happen in one sitting or with one person.

They happen in fragments — shared links, short summaries, forwarded slides, whispered “what do you think?” moments.

That’s why persuasion falls flat.

You can’t persuade someone who’s only seeing 10% of your message.

You can, however, progress them.

Progression: The Real Job of B2B Messaging

Progression is different from persuasion.

Persuasion wants a yes.

Progression wants movement.

Instead of asking, “How can I convince them?”

Ask,“How can I move them one step closer to curiosity, clarity, or consensus?”

What that looks like:

Turning a cold reader into a curious one.
Helping a manager see themselves in the problem.
Giving a decision maker language to explain your idea internally.

Small progressions compound movement

That’s how change happens in complex organisations. Not through a single powerful argument, but through a steady chain of small, believable steps that get each member of the Buying Committee agreeing.

There's a better way:

That’s what the old IBM ads understood.

They didn’t push for a “yes.”

IBM didn’t shout, “Buy our computers."

They built the next step.

They showed what was changing in the world of business, invited leaders in and made them want to keep up.

Example: Persuasion vs. Progressing

Persuasive (Convincing):

What happens: Maria skims it, feels a little pushed, and flags it for “later” (aka, never). It’s too much, too soon.

Progressive:

What happens: Maria feels understood, not sold to. You’ve lowered the mental barrier. You’re not asking for a “yes” — you’re inviting a small next step: curiosity.