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Trust & Influence in B2B

Trust & Influence in B2B

By: Joel Harrison
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About this listen

 I’m Joel Harrison, founder of B2B Marketing.net (formerly B2B Marketing magazine) Propolis and the B2B Marketing Awards. It’s been my mission for the past 21 years to recognise, celebrate and evangelise for the amazing profession that is B2B marketing, which has evolved beyond that recognition in that time. In this podcast, I’ll be exploring what I believe is the biggest challenge facing B2B marketers today: Trust. Buyers have always been cynical, hard to reach and even harder to convince, and increasingly expect to be self-directed in their research. In other words, they only want to engage with you on their terms. As if that wasn't bad enough, media and content channels are fragmented whilst AI is opening the floodgates to a tidalwave of content of questionable quality and veracity. It all adds up to a crisis of trust in B2B. In this podcast, I'll be interviewing innovative and inspirational marketers in the front line of addressing this challenge, providing deep insights into the context of this challenge, exploring new insights about its implications and looking at real world solutions and success stories. I’ll be exploring this topic from every relevant angle and perspective, but I’m going to focus particularly on thought leadership, influencer marketing and advocacy as they have particular relevance to this challenge.Copyright 2026 Joel Harrison Art Economics Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • From openness to insularity | Insights from Edelman's Trust Barometer on why trust is retreating and what B2B marketers must do about it

    From openness to insularity | Insights from Edelman's Trust Barometer on why trust is retreating and what B2B marketers must do about it
    Mar 10 2026

    In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Andrew Mildren, MD of Edelman Business Marketing for EMEA, to dig into the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer — based on nearly 34,000 responses across 28 countries. The headline finding is sobering: 70% of people globally now hold what Edelman calls an insular trust mindset, retreating into familiar circles and becoming reluctant to trust those who hold different views or values. And yet, businesses have held the title of most trusted institution since 2021. So what's driving this contradiction — and what must B2B marketers do about it?

    ➡️ Andrew brings Edelman's 26 years of trust expertise to the table and offers both clear diagnosis and practical direction. He explains the concept of "trust brokering" — where businesses act not as side-takers, but as facilitators bridging divided groups — and highlights examples from Microsoft and IKEA doing this credibly. He breaks down why insularity is no longer just a societal issue but a bottom-line business problem, affecting productivity, retention, and leadership. The conversation also explores local versus global trust dynamics, AI's growing impact on how content and companies are discovered, and closes with five concrete actions B2B marketers should be taking now — including treating trust as a commercial metric and building a GEO (generative engine optimization) strategy.

    Chapters:

    00:00 - Introduction to the Edelman Trust Barometer

    01:16 - What You'll Learn in This Episode

    02:14 - The Secret Behind 26 Years of Trust Research

    04:36 - Evolving Themes: From Polarization to Insularity

    07:59 - The Insular Trust Mindset: What's Driving It

    10:51 - Why Business Is the Most Trusted Institution

    14:56 - Trust Brokering: What It Means in Practice

    17:21 - Navigating Divisive Issues in B2B

    21:00 - Local vs. Global Trust: Going Poly-National

    24:47 - Insularity as a Bottom-Line Business Issue

    27:06 - AI's Role in Shaping Trust

    32:19 - Five Things B2B Marketers Should Do Now

    35:32 - Closing Thoughts & Where to Find the Report

    Follow Andrew Mildren,

    https://linkedin.com/in/andrewmildren/

    https://edelman.com

    If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership — whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader.

    🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/

    💬What do you think comes first — rebuilding trust from the inside out, or leading with bold external communications? Let us know in the comments below.

    ---------------

    📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web:

    LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/

    Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/

    Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/

    ---------------

    #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #TrustBarometer, #EdelmanTrust, #InsularTrust, #TrustBrokering, #B2BTrust, #GeopoliticsAndBusiness, #AIandMarketing, #EmployeeAdvocacy
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    37 mins
  • Resourcing, recruitment and responsibilities | How trust is defining new models for teams and roles for individuals - with Jon Watton and Tom Howe

    Resourcing, recruitment and responsibilities | How trust is defining new models for teams and roles for individuals - with Jon Watton and Tom Howe
    Mar 3 2026
    In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Jon Watton, Fractional CMO and experienced B2B tech marketing leader, and Tom Howe from Jefferson Group, to explore one of the most pressing issues facing the industry: the future of B2B marketing roles, team structures, and organizational trust. Marketing headcounts are shrinking, recruitment has stalled, and the rules of the job market have fundamentally shifted. So is this a crisis — or simply a long overdue correction?➡️ Jon and Tom bring two sharply different perspectives — one from inside the market navigating it as a senior marketer, the other from a front-row seat in hiring across B2B. Together, they dig into the post-COVID hiring hangover, the intense pressure to deliver short-term results at the expense of long-term strategy, and how AI is reshaping both what marketing teams look like and what's expected of them. They also explore why fractional leadership is emerging as a new model of trust, the growing danger of a "squashed middle" in marketing management, and what the B2B marketing team of the future will actually look like. Both guests close with direct, actionable advice on what marketers should be doing right now to future-proof their careers.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction: Trust and the Future of B2B Marketing Roles 01:03 - How Recruitment Signals Trust in Marketing 01:42 - Introducing Jon Watton and Tom Howe 02:24 - The Reality of the Senior B2B Marketing Job Market 05:26 - A Generational Shift or a Post-COVID Hangover? 08:07 - Identity Crisis: What Do Companies Actually Want from Marketing? 11:37 - Short-Term Pressure vs. Long-Term Strategy 16:31 - How Marketing Team Structures Are Changing 19:41 - The Rise of Specialists and the Diamond-Shaped Team 24:05 - The Squashed Middle: Pressure on Marketing Managers 26:17 - AI, Human Judgment, and the Trust Equation 29:15 - Trust Declining in Human Marketers — or Just Cost Pressure? 31:40 - The Future Marketing Leader and AI Fluency 34:18 - Fractional, Freelance, and Flexible: New Models for Teams 38:41 - The Rise of B2B Marketing Agencies Again 40:59 - Career Advice: What Marketers Should Do Now 43:17 - Closing Thoughts and What's Coming NextFollow Jon Watton, https://linkedin.com/in/jonwattonFollow Tom Howe, https://linkedin.com/in/tomhowe https://jeffersongroup.co.ukIf you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership---whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader.🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/💬What do you think comes first---rebuilding trust in marketing or proving ROI? Let us know in the comments below.🔔Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing. https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1---------------📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/---------------#JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #MarketingRecruitment, #FractionalCMO, #MarketingLeadership, #AIinMarketing, #B2BTeams, #MarketingCareers, #FutureOfMarketing
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    44 mins
  • Thought Leaders, Influencers and Advocates | Introducing the B2B Matrix of Influence

    Thought Leaders, Influencers and Advocates | Introducing the B2B Matrix of Influence
    Feb 25 2026

    AUDIO SHOW NOTES (4,000 characters)

    In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Katy Howell, Founder and CEO of Immediate Future, a social media agency she has led since 2004. Together, they tackle one of B2B marketing's most persistent blind spots: the difference between thought leaders, influencers, and advocates — and what happens when brands get it wrong. Are you unknowingly leaving your most powerful trust-building channels completely unused?

    ➡️ Katy brings deep, practical experience in influencer strategy and pulls no punches. She and Joel explore why B2B marketers default to treating influence like a media buy — focused on reach and clicks — rather than asking how each persona actually shapes buyer decisions and builds lasting credibility. Joel also introduces his new B2B Matrix of Influence, built from analysis of over a thousand B2B marketing awards entries, mapping five distinct trust personas and how they should be deployed. They dig into why customer advocates are used in just 11% of campaigns, why employee advocates are chronically undervalued, and how brands can stop over-controlling the very people they need to trust them. Katy's closing soundbite says it all: influence is not a content tactic — it's a trust system. If you want to rethink how your brand earns credibility in a world drowning in AI-generated content, this episode is essential listening.

    Chapters:

    00:00 - Introduction to the B2B Matrix of Influence

    01:02 - Why Marketers Confuse Thought Leaders, Influencers & Advocates

    02:09 - Treating Influence Like a Media Plan: The Problem

    04:21 - Why the Trust Problem Has Gotten Worse

    06:47 - Internal vs. External Voices: Understanding the Difference

    09:04 - The Jazz Metaphor: Giving People Freedom Within a Framework

    12:37 - Research Findings: How B2B Campaigns Use Trust Personas

    15:15 - Introducing the B2B Matrix of Influence Framework

    20:37 - How to Work With Unpaid External Influencers

    23:01 - Paid Influencers: Autonomy Over Direction

    25:11 - Customer Advocates: The Most Underused Trust Asset

    27:37 - How to Use the Matrix to Build a Trust Plan

    31:24 - Final Thoughts: Influence Is a Trust System, Not a Content Tactic

    Follow Katy Howell,

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/katyhowell/

    https://immediatefuture.co.uk

    If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership---whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader.

    🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/

    💬What do you think comes first---building a strategy around the personas you have, or the trust gaps you need to fix? Let us know in the comments below.

    🔔Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing.

    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
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