Synopsis
Most B2B marketers obsess over leads, conversions and ROI but tend to forget the stage that drives long-term growth – loyalty.
This blog looks at why retention should be a key part of your marketing strategy, how to support internal customer support (CX) and account management (AE) teams and how external support such as TrustRadius can add credibility where it matters most.
The Forgotten Stage of the Marketing Funnel
Most B2B funnels stop at conversion. Attract, engage, convert then done. But what happens after the deal is closed? For a lot of marketing teams, not a lot, and that is a huge opportunity just left on the table.
Why is loyalty important in B2B marketing?
Retention over gets overlooked in B2B, but it’s where a large portion of long-term value comes from. Acquiring new customers is expensive, whereas, keeping and growing existing customers is more efficient, predictable and often more profitable.
According to Bain & Company, improving retention by just 5% can increase profits by up to 25%, sometimes even more. Despite this, most marketing strategies remain focused on net-new acquisition, leaving post-sale engagement an afterthought.
In B2B, that is a problem. Buyers are investing in more than just a product or service, they are also investing in relationships, support and long-term, profitable partnerships. If loyalty isn’t part of the marketing strategy, there’s a gap, and it will show up in renewals, churn and missed expansion opportunities.
What role should marketing play after a closed sale?
This is often where things can fall apart. The sales team close the deal then CX takes over and marketing disappears.
However, marketing still has a job to do. In fact, it’s arguably one of the most overlooked stages where marketing can drive real impact.
Think:
- Onboarding content
- Campaigns that support renewal cycles
- Value reminders via email or other methods of communication
- Trust-building proof points for support, service and ease-of-use
If marketing can help sales close a deal, why shouldn’t they help customer support keep it?
How do Customer Support and Account Management teams contribute to loyalty?
Retention doesn’t belong with one team. It’s a shared objective. But this only works when account managers and customer support teams are aligned on what a good post-sale service looks like.
Sales and account management teams shouldn’t just sell then take off, customer support teams shouldn’t be left to react, and marketing shouldn’t be out of the loop.
The companies who get loyalty right have a tight loop between these three teams. They know which customers are happy, which ones may be at risk and where there are expansion opportunities. Then, they act on it, together.
How can marketers support customer retention?
Here is some practical advice:
- Build lifecycle journeys after the sale, not just before
- Map key retention touchpoints, e.g., onboarding and QBRs
- Feed CX teams with proof points – especially around support, outcomes and ROI
- Use platforms like TrustRadius to surface customer feedback
- Create content specifically for customers, e.g., product updates, thought leadership and how-to guides
- Don’t stop running display or retargeting ads, especially for desktop-first users where B2B buying still happens
So what have we learned?
If you care about growth, you can’t just focus on getting people in through the door. You need to focus on what happens once they’re inside.
Retention isn’t the end of the funnel, it’s a key part of it. Especially in B2B, where long-term relationships, renewals and expansion are just as valuable as new business.
Marketing’s job doesn’t stop at acquisition. It evolves and the teams that recognize that are the ones that grow sustainably over time.
