Why Most B2B Marketing Is Boring—and How to Fix It: Lessons From Scott Leonard Pt: 1
Why Most B2B Marketing Is Boring—and How to Fix It
In Episode 10 of the #IHateSocialMedia podcast, I sat down with Scot Leonard, a guy who lives at the crossroads of creative freedom and corporate constraints. From his meme page “Rogue Worship Leader” to his role at a B2B media agency, Scot's got a foot in both worlds—and a ton to say about why B2B content so often flops.
Here’s what you really need to know if you're trying to market your business without sounding like everyone else.
1. B2B Content Is Often Boring by Design
Scot nailed this early: B2B often stands for "boring to boring."
Why? Because content decisions get filtered through legal, the CMO, and a dozen other gatekeepers. The end result is “safe” content that’s completely forgettable. And forgettable is the enemy of growth.
If you want to actually stand out, you need to give your creatives the leash to be creative. Take some risks. Be okay with not pleasing everyone.
2. Authenticity Wins—Because Mimicry is Everywhere
Most companies aren’t making authentic content—they’re just copying whatever style is trending.
Scot called out the “Hero-style” editing (quick cuts, fancy captions, sound effects) that everyone’s still using even though it’s already dated. Gen Z, especially, sees right through it. They crave content that feels real—not overly produced.
Bottom line: authentic beats aesthetic every time. Don’t just try to look cool. Actually be someone worth listening to.
3. Want Better Marketing? Start Taking Stances
This one hit hard: Sterile content is the result of trying to please everyone.
One of Scot’s best strategies is asking his clients, “What’s something your entire industry agrees on—but you passionately disagree with?”
That question reveals what makes you different—and that’s exactly what your audience wants to hear. People are scrolling through a sea of sameness. If you’re going to interrupt the scroll, say something that actually matters.
4. Podcasting? Stop Being Just a Host. Be a Voice.
Most business podcasts go like this: ask a guest a question, let them ramble, repeat.
That’s fine if you're trying to give someone else the spotlight—but it’s terrible if you're trying to build your brand. Scot recommends:
Co-hosted commentary: banter, dialogue, opinions.
Guest co-hosts: record multiple episodes and treat them as recurring voices, not one-off interviews.
Inject your own thoughts: Let the audience hear you think, not just your guest.
Don’t surrender your thought leadership to your guest. Own the mic.
5. Build a Tribe, Not Just a Following
This was gold: Scot didn’t set out to grow a huge audience. He set out to find his people.
He knew that if he was a worship leader and a Star Wars nerd, there were probably others out there too. And he was right.
When you're creating content, stop chasing “followers.” Instead, think: who else is like me? What do we care about? Speak to them like a human, not a brand.
6. The Three E’s of Content That Connects
When Scot builds content—whether it’s for memes or SaaS companies—it usually falls into one (or more) of three buckets:
Entertain
Educate
Elaborate (aka storytelling)
One is good. Two is great. All three? That’s viral territory without trying to go viral.
If you can make someone laugh, teach them something, and take them on a journey—you win.
7. The Only Content Strategy That Really Matters
Here’s the mic-drop: “You have to look at the ocean of content and ask—what is the noise, and how am I going to swim against it?”
You don’t need a perfect strategy. You need awareness. You need the guts to zig when everyone else zags. You need to be rogue.
Want the full convo?
🎧 Watch Episode 10: Scot Leonard | Nuts and Bolts of B2B Marketing Part 1 on YouTube.
