How Successful B2B Startups Build Market Gravity in 2025

In this edition of the evolveIQ newsletter, we’re zooming out to talk marketing strategy. As much as we love rolling up our sleeves with tactical B2B playbooks, we also believe in the power of high-level frameworks to help startups position themselves for long-term growth.

This week’s topic comes from a conversation I’ve been having more and more with founders: the mindset shift from hard selling to adding value and how that shift drives not just conversions, but sustainable growth. Let’s dig in.

The Value of Adding Value

As a SaaS startup founder, it’s easy to get laser-focused on short-term results. The pressure to hit revenue goals is real: timelines are tight, and every customer interaction feels like it needs to move the needle.

So you optimize for what seems most urgent: closing the deal, hitting the number, proving traction. In that mode, “adding value” starts to sound like a luxury, something you do after the sale, or when you have more time.

But here’s the irony: the startups that win long-term usually lead with value.

They operate from a different mindset. Instead of treating every touchpoint as a pitch, they treat it as an opportunity to educate, inform, or help. They know that true traction doesn’t just come from revenue targets. It comes from trust.

Value-first businesses win trust and trust wins markets

Trust is a currency. And in B2B, it compounds.

When you share your thesis — the “why” behind your company — and articulate how your approach helps others succeed, people listen. Especially if your insights are grounded in deep expertise.

It doesn’t mean giving away your secret sauce. It means showing your work. It means being generous with your thinking, your frameworks, your predictions about the future of the industry. That’s how you become a magnet for the right customers.

This isn’t just theory. I’ve seen this play out over and over again.

The founders who grow fastest? They aren’t the ones constantly selling. They’re the ones constantly teaching.

They explain why their approach works. They help prospects see the tradeoffs. They position their product as the logical next step, not the hard sell.

So how do you “add value” in B2B marketing?

Here’s what it looks like in practice:

• Don’t just run product webinars. Run sessions that teach your approach to solving the problem, with real examples and use cases.
  
  

• Don’t just announce new features. Publish content that explores the broader challenge, shows multiple ways to solve it, and clarifies why your way works best.
  
  

• Don’t just join panels to promote. Use the stage to spark a thoughtful discussion on where the industry is headed and how you’re helping lead the way.
  
  

When you lead with insight instead of a sales pitch, you’re building a movement.

And movements scale better than sales teams.

Case Studies: Building Momentum Through Original Frameworks

Leading with value is a proven strategy that has propelled B2C and B2B startups into market leadership. Let’s explore how three companies achieved this by developing and sharing unique frameworks:

Gong: Establishing the Revenue Intelligence Category

Gong, an AI-powered platform for sales teams, didn’t just offer a product, they introduced a new category: Revenue Intelligence. By analyzing vast amounts of sales data, Gong provided insights that traditional CRMs couldn’t. They shared benchmarks and best practices derived from 2024 data, helping sales teams evaluate performance and optimize strategies. This approach positioned Gong as a thought leader, building trust and attracting a loyal customer base.

Lattice: Guiding Organizational Design

Lattice, a people management platform, recognized that tools alone don’t drive performance, effective management does. They developed the “People Strategy Playbook,” offering detailed guidance on HR best practices like regular one-on-ones, goal setting, and performance management . By providing this resource, Lattice empowered HR leaders and managers, establishing themselves as experts in organizational design.

HubSpot: Pioneering Inbound Marketing

HubSpot didn’t just market software; they revolutionized marketing itself. Co-founder Brian Halligan coined the term “inbound marketing,” emphasizing the importance of attracting customers through valuable content rather than traditional advertising. They introduced the “flywheel” model, focusing on attracting, engaging, and delighting customers to create a self-sustaining growth loop . By educating businesses on this methodology, HubSpot built a movement that fueled their rapid growth. 

Ready to Play the Long Game?

And in B2B, trust is earned by showing up consistently with real insight, generosity, and clarity of thought. So before you hit “publish” on another product update or launch announcement, pause and ask: Am I adding value or noise?

Because the companies that lead with value build gravity but also close more deals. They attract the right customers. They become the brand people reference in meetings, forward to their teams, and come back to when it’s time to buy.

That’s the power of sharing your thinking early, often, and well. It’s how you make every blog post, event panel, or conversation feel like a free sample of what it’s like to work with you.

Start there and you won’t just be generating leads. You’ll be pulling your market toward you.

At evolveIQ we firmly believe in this philosophy for our own approach to the market and how we approach our clients' challenges. Agentic GTM is a new approach that blends strategic clarity with the power of AI-driven execution. If you’re curious about how it could work for your startup or want a free consultation to explore it together, let’s talk.