RH Blake Releases New Research on B2B Thought Leadership

RH Blake, a leading manufacturing-specialized marketing agency, released Thought Leadership Marketing Trends in Manufacturing 2025. This is the first study to exclusively analyze the role of thought leadership in shaping buyer behavior of long-sales-cycle offerings in the B2B manufacturing sector, delivering insights that have never been systematically studied or documented before.

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The report is based on a broad survey of decision-makers across the B2B manufacturing sector, making it the most comprehensive dataset on this topic to date. Key findings reveal:

“This report highlights the untapped potential of thought leadership in transforming how manufacturers connect with their audiences, establish authority, and accelerate business growth.”

• 90% indicate they are more likely to consider buying from an organization that produces thought leadership content
• 88% said they would be more receptive to sales outreach from an organization that produces thought leadership content
• 39% spend more than 6 hours a week reviewing thought leadership content
• 87% said that thought leadership content led them to research a product
• 83% said that thought leadership content helped them realize that there are other suppliers who are smarter, more informed, and more visionary than their current supplier
• 93% said that the best thought leadership is based on real-world experiences, case studies and examples
• 88% of C-Suites indicate they often or always share thought leadership content with their colleagues or network

“There are many marketing activities that companies in the B2B manufacturing ecosystem traditionally rely on, such as advertising, trade shows, and sales enablement, but our report reveals that high-quality thought leadership is an extremely effective approach in demonstrating value to customers,” says Daniel Konstantinovsky, Strategic Director, at RH Blake. “This report highlights the untapped potential of thought leadership in transforming how manufacturers connect with their audiences, establish authority, and accelerate business growth.”

While thought leadership has been studied in other sectors, this report is the first to explore its role with a dedicated focus on B2B manufacturing—a sector with unique buying behaviors and decision-making processes. The report delivers novel insights for an evolving industry, essentially providing a roadmap for organizations in the manufacturing ecosystem. “This report is the result of decades of industry expertise combined with original research,” adds Konstantinovsky. “Among its findings, it reveals that nearly 40% of respondents dedicate over 6 hours per week to engaging with thought leadership content. Among C-level executives, this commitment is even greater, with more than 66% spending over 6 hours weekly consuming such material—an empirical fact that signals a shift in how trust and authority are built in the sector.”

The report also identifies eight key pillars for effective thought leadership content:

• References strong research data: Buyers prefer data-driven insights and are skeptical towards unsubstantiated claims
• Based on real-world experience: Theoretical concepts alone are not sufficient. They must be connected to real-world applications
• Communicated by recognized industry experts: Insights from recognized experts in the field carry more weight and are more likely to be influential
• Addresses industry challenges: Buyers desire solutions-oriented thinking that addresses real-world problems and drives positive change
• Communicated in an unbiased fashion: Buyers in the B2b manufacturing ecosystem prefer insights that are not influenced by personal agendas or biases, and that present information in a balanced and fair manner
• Communicated with a decisive viewpoint: Buyers look for thought leadership that is presented with clarity, confidence, and conviction.
• Offers original perspectives or insights: Customers look for vendors to deliver innovative thinking that challenges conventional wisdom and sparks new ideas
• Incites thinking that transcends conventional wisdom: Buyers want insights that provoke critical thinking and encourage a re-evaluation of existing beliefs and practices

Methodology:

The study surveyed 300 manufacturing decision-makers from Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. Conducted in English, the study focused on manufacturers with offerings that involve sales cycles of three months or longer.

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Source – Prweb