Why Insights Matter More Than Ever

In B2B marketing, knowing who your buyer no longer gives you a competitive edge. What truly sets successful marketing apart is understanding why they buy, when they buy and what problem they are trying to solve.

Surface-level data and generic targeting will not cut it in today’s complex, competitive environment. What is needed are strategic insights that go beyond data points or demographic checkboxes; deep, contextual understandings of the pressures decision-makers face, the goals they are chasing and the real-world challenges they are navigating. They help marketers move beyond guesswork and gut feelings to craft strategies grounded in evidence and empathy.

The Role of Insights in B2B Marketing

At a first glance, B2B marketing might appear to be about industries, job titles and company sizes. But real impact happens when marketers look past the labels and start uncovering the human and organizational truths behind every decision.

This is where insights come in, not as surface-level observations, but as a powerful tool to know about what drives a buyer forward or holds them back. Here is why insight-driven marketing is no longer optional:

• Insights reveal motivations and challenges. Demographics and firmographics tell you who the buyer is. Insights tell what they care about, what keeps them up at night and what outcomes they are striving for. This depth enables messaging that speaks to the buyer’s reality, not just their role.

• Insights sharpen targeting and reduce risk. Insight-led campaigns allow marketers to speak to the right people with the right message at the right time. This precision minimizes wasted effort, mitigates objections early and builds trust faster.

• Insights align marketing with real customer pain points. By understanding the specific challenges that buyers are facing, marketers can position solutions more effectively and demonstrate true value.

• Insights fuel long-term strategy and innovation. Insights do more than guide campaigns. They uncover emerging trends, shifting priorities and unmet needs, ultimately helping businesses stay ahead of the curve and innovate with purpose.

• In an environment where every conversation counts and every decision is layered, insights are no longer optional. They are essential.

From Insight to Action

The true value of insights becomes clear when they move from theory into execution. Many forward-thinking companies are already reaping the benefits of insight-led strategies, using them to reshape campaigns, reposition brands and, in some cases, reinvent their entire business models.

Take IBM for example. Its transformation from a legacy hardware provider to a leader in AI and cloud solutions is a testament to the power of strategic insights. Recognizing shifts in technology and evolving customer needs, IBM developed a content strategy that emphasized thought leadership, personalized experiences and storytelling. Initiatives like the ‘Think’ blog and the IBM Institute for Business Value provided in-depth research and expert interviews to the company, positioning it as a visionary authority. This approach not only enhanced brand awareness but also improved lead quality and engagement, demonstrating the effectiveness of insight-driven marketing strategies.

IBM’s journey illustrates the power of insights on a global scale. But this is not just a strategy for industry giants. Even here at Korifi, we have seen firsthand how meaningful insights can supercharge a discovery project. By uncovering the deeper motivations, operational challenges and strategic goals of target accounts, we have helped our clients move beyond surface-level assumptions. This has enabled them to craft better value propositions, prioritize the right accounts and engage stakeholders with messages that truly resonate.

The result? A more confident go-to-market approach that is not only informed but also impactful sets the stage for stronger relationships, faster conversions, and better business outcomes.

Insights as a Growth Catalyst for Nepali Companies

Until recently, many Nepali B2B companies operated with limited data, often relying on assumptions and traditional methods to guide their marketing and sales efforts. This lack of reliable insights makes it challenging to fully understand customer needs or anticipate market shifts.

However, with the growing digital presence of businesses in Nepal, companies now leave a richer digital footprint than ever before. This opens new avenues to gather meaningful data and read between the lines through proper analysis.

Nepali companies now have a crucial opportunity to:

• Embrace insight-driven strategies that go beyond surface-level information

• Improve targeting and messaging in a rapidly evolving domestic market

• Compete more confidently in regional and global arenas

• Differentiate themselves and unlock new growth opportunities in an increasingly interconnected world by leveraging insights

Strategic Approach to Gathering Useful Insights

Simply collecting data is not enough. A thoughtful, strategic approach is essential to uncover meaningful insights that truly drive business impact. This is how companies effectively gather the right information to create their strategies:

• Combine Qualitative and Quantitative Research: Interviews with key stakeholders, industry experts and customers offer deep insights into motivations, challenges and decision-making processes. Meanwhile, analytics and behavioral data from CRM systems, website interactions and social media platforms provide measurable patterns and trends that reveal how prospects engage over time.

• Develop an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): Start by collecting internal data such as sales reports, customer feedback and account histories to identify common characteristics of successful clients. Supplement this with external data from market research, industry reports and competitor analysis. By synthesizing these sources, you create a dynamic ICP that reflects not only firmographics but also behavioral and strategic indicators.

• Collaborate Across Teams: Sales and service teams are invaluable sources of real-time customer insights. Establish regular feedback loops to capture frontline experiences, objections and success stories. This collaboration helps refine messaging, spot friction points and tailor marketing efforts to actual customer journeys.

• Monitor Industry Trends and Apply Frameworks: Stay attuned to shifts in market dynamics and emerging technologies through ongoing research and industry engagement. Using frameworks like Jobs-To-Be-Done allows marketers to focus on the true reasons behind purchases, more on what customers are trying to achieve, rather than just demographic profiles. Perspectives like this one sharpen targeting and messaging to align with real buying intent.

Looking Ahead

In today’s complex B2B landscape, insights are the cornerstone of marketing success. They transform assumptions into informed decisions, sharpen targeting and build stronger customer connections. For businesses, especially those in developing markets like ours, investing in insight-gathering capabilities is no longer optional but essential. It empowers companies to anticipate needs, innovate effectively, and compete confidently both locally and globally. Businesses that embrace insight-driven marketing won’t just survive, they will set the pace for what is next.

(Ramesh Karki is a Co-Founder and Priyadarshini Tripathi is a Marketing Associate at Korifi B2B, a full-service B2B marketing Agency.)

(This opinion article was originally published in  June 2025 issue  of New Business Age Magazine.)