Using internal data, external interviews, and focus this one-size-fits-all approach and taking a page groups, they systematically defined customer out of the B2C playbook. Only 8 percent of B2B segments, journeys, and buying preferences. They organizations are currently set up to deliver highly hosted design-thinking workshops where they personalized marketing—but of that 8 percent, translated these insights into a comprehensive list three-quarters report growing market share of sales initiatives and campaigns meant to drive (Exhibit 3). And fewer than half of companies specific business outcomes and articulate their surveyed grew their market share with little to no unique value proposition. Among these were a personalization.3 new e-commerce sales channel and a customer- experience hub that accounted for over 60 percent With a more personalized approach, companies of revenues within six months of launching. Field can reach out to the right executive with the right sellers, in turn, had greater focus and success message at the right time. In one case, a fast- driving strategic growth opportunities, enabled by growth software company built a business around new data and analytics flows. a new enterprise platform but recognized it had to up its game when pitching to the C-suite. It tested The company fed the results back into their analytics a content-personalization strategy that departed engine to measure the impact of these initiatives; from its standardized pitches. After aligning on a The result was $1 billion of revenue flowing through target list of industries, sub-industries, and specific new digital channels, with churn three times lower accounts, it developed highly personalized value than the traditional sales model. propositions based on a customer’s regulatory environment, technological sophistication, recent acquisitions, and publicly announced strategic Capture customers’ attention with initiatives. personalized content Of the companies that invest in analytics, many Developing these tailored pitches took the sales still bring their customers a “boring” laundry list of team weeks of training to understand their target products. Leading B2B companies are abandoning accounts’ personas and market dynamics. Some Exhibit 3 The more personalized the marketing, the better. Increased market share, by degree to which marketing is personalized % of respondents by market-share move 66 75 47 52 Somewhat Personalized Very Direct one-on-one McKinsey & Company 3 Auron Arora, Liz Harrison, Candace Lun Plotkin, Max Magni, and Jennifer Stanley, “The new B2B growth equation,” McKinsey, February 23, 2022. 10 Future of B2B sales: The big reframe