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Stop Selling Only to the C-Suite
How engaging users can turn your B2B strategy into a powerhouse for growth.
Hello and welcome to the 147th edition of Fresh Salmon, your go-to B2B marketing newsletter that lands in your inbox every week—for free.
To everyone who celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope it was filled with moments of joy, connection, and gratitude. While this holiday may have started as a tradition in one country, its message of giving thanks for the people and blessings in our lives is something we can all embrace, no matter where we are.
Personally, this season always makes me reflect on the incredible people I get to connect with including “You”. Whether you're a founder driving innovation, a marketer crafting strategies that move the needle, a sales professional breaking through barriers, or a product manager shaping the future, you're a part of something bigger than just your role.
I’m deeply thankful for all of you — spanning 50+ countries — who show up week after week to learn, share, and grow together. Thanksgiving is a reminder that none of us achieve success alone. It’s about the teams we work with, and the lessons we learn from challenges.
As we head into the final stretch of the year, let’s carry this sense of gratitude with us—not just for the wins, but for the journey itself. Thank you for being part of mine.
Here’s to a season of growth, opportunity, and abundance for us all. 🦃🍂✨
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The Missed Opportunity in B2B Marketing (and How to Fix It)
When was the last time your B2B strategy truly considered the users of your product or solution, not just the decision-makers? If you're like most businesses, the answer is probably “rarely.” Today, I want to share a common yet overlooked gap in the B2B world that’s leaving growth and revenue on the table. Let’s dive in.
The Decision-Maker Trap
In B2B, the buying process typically looks like this:
Decision-makers (C-suite or VP-level) hold the budget and authority.
Users (entry- to mid-level employees) actually interact with your product or solution daily.
Here’s the problem: most companies focus only on decision-makers. They pour their marketing dollars, sales efforts, and messaging into engaging the top-level executives while ignoring the users entirely. This focus creates two massive issues:
Missed demand generation opportunities.
Unforeseen roadblocks in the sales process.

Fresh Salmon - B2B Marketing Newsletter - By Vivek Nanda
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Why Users Matter More Than You Think
Here’s the truth: while decision-makers sign the contracts, users hold a silent but significant influence in the buying process. Think about it:
When the VP of Operations says, “Find the best tool for our team,” who’s doing the research? The users.
When a solution gets shortlisted, who’s testing the usability and practicality? The users.
Who’s flagging their boss when a solution doesn’t meet their needs? The users.
Ignoring them means you’re leaving champions untapped—the very people who can advocate for your product internally.
A Personal Story: Building Influence Beyond Decision-Makers
When I was VP of Marketing at Heretto, we sold software for Fortune 500 companies in the technical writing space. Like most B2B businesses, we focused heavily on decision-makers—directors, VPs, and C-level executives. The users of our product? Technical writers, often entry- to mid-level employees.
Initially, our strategy worked. We could get into sales cycles, but two problems persisted:
Demand generation plateaued.
Sales cycles were painfully long.

Fresh Salmon - B2B Marketing Newsletter - By Vivek Nanda
To solve this, I made a counterintuitive pivot: I decided to focus on the users—the technical writers. Here’s what we did:
Step 1: Build a Community, Not Just a Sales Funnel
We launched a podcast for technical writers. But it wasn’t about our product or tools. Instead, the podcast revolved around their lives and challenges:
Navigating change in Fortune 500 companies.
Justifying their roles and career growth.
Sharing stories about their work struggles and wins.
The result? Technical writers tuned in because the content was about them, not us.
To this day, I receive messages like these -

Step 2: Make It Inclusive
We shifted our mindset: community-building wasn’t just for decision-makers. It had to include users, even if they weren’t directly involved in purchasing. By empowering these users, we saw three powerful effects:
Top-of-the-funnel demand skyrocketed. Technical writers started recommending us internally.
Sales cycles shortened. Users championed our solution to decision-makers.
Lasting brand loyalty. Even years later, I still receive LinkedIn messages thanking me for the podcast and its impact on their careers.
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The Lessons for Every B2B Marketer
Here’s how you can avoid the same mistake and unlock growth:
1. Don’t Ignore Users—Empower Them.
Your product’s users are not just end-users; they are influencers in the buying process. Build trust with them, and they’ll champion your product internally.
2. Create Content for the Entire Buying Ecosystem.
Decision-makers care about ROI. Users care about getting their job done faster and better. Tailor your messaging to both groups.
3. Build a Community That Includes Everyone.
A successful B2B community doesn’t stop at the top. Include the users who will engage with your solution daily. They’re the ones who’ll ultimately vouch for it.
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What This Means for Your Strategy
By engaging users, you:
Expand your top-of-funnel demand.
Create internal champions who can advocate for you.
Accelerate sales cycles by reducing resistance.
In a world where sales cycles are long, and demand is hard to create, this is your secret weapon. So, the next time you think about your go-to-market strategy, ask yourself: Are we only talking to decision-makers, or are we empowering users too?

Fresh Salmon - B2B Marketing Newsletter - By Vivek Nanda
I hope this was useful. Let me know — what’s one way you’ve engaged users in your B2B strategy? If you haven’t yet, now’s the time to start.
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Interesting Thing That I Noticed This Week
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This concludes this edition of Fresh Salmon.
Do what is good for your soul ❤️
All the best,
Vivek
PS. Whenever you are ready, here are 3 ways in which I can help you and your business:
#1: B2B Marketing Consulting and Go-To-Market Advisory for your business.
#2: 1-on-1 Personal Coaching and Mentoring on anything related to Marketing and Go-To-Market Strategies for you.
#3: Promoting you or your brand via this newsletter.
For any of these things just shoot me a reply, and we will arrange a time to chat.