Why 95% of Your Customers Aren’t Buying Yet (And Why That’s Great News)

You’ve got high-converting sales content, a well-structured funnel, and precisely targeted campaigns—yet your sales are flat. The issue may not lie in your tools, but in your focus. Most companies concentrate solely on the customers who are ready to buy right now. But they make up just 5% of the market. The remaining 95%? Ignored. And that’s exactly where your biggest growth potential lives. So, how do you create a strategy that speaks not only to “hot leads,” but to your entire market?

A Perspective Shift That Can Transform Your B2B Marketing

If you’re in B2B marketing or sales, this will sound familiar:

• You post engaging content featuring your latest offer.
• You host sales-oriented webinars.
• You launch ad campaigns with carefully crafted CTAs.
• You regularly send promotional newsletters.

And yet... something’s off. Leads aren’t growing. Conversions are low. Sales are stagnating. The team starts pointing fingers: “Wrong audience?”, “Weak content?”, “Budget too small?”

But what if the real problem lies elsewhere?

What if your communication only reaches the 5% of the market that’s ready to buy—while the remaining 95% simply aren’t there yet?

The 95:5 Rule – What Is It All About?

At any given time, only about 5% of your potential buyers are actively in the market. The other 95% aren’t looking for your product or service right now—not because they aren’t interested, but because they don’t yet feel the need, don’t recognize it, or aren’t budget-ready.

Does that make them irrelevant? Quite the opposite.

It means they hold enormous potential—but they require a completely different approach. You can’t “close” them using traditional funnels. You first need to build awareness and associations, long before they’re ready to make a decision.

Why Funnels Are No Longer Enough

The traditional sales funnel has long been a staple in B2B strategy: awareness → consideration → decision → purchase. Predictable. Measurable. Structured.

But here's the reality: fewer and fewer buyers follow this journey.

Many B2B decisions happen fast—but they’re the result of months of passive exposure to your brand. The buyer isn't searching. The buyer is choosing. And they choose what they already know and trust.

If they’ve never heard of your company, your product, or your approach, you’re not even in the running. Your advantage needs to be built long before the first click.

What Is Mental Availability (and Why It Matters More Than Ever)?

Mental availability comes from behavioral marketing research, especially in relation to brands and how they exist in people’s minds. It refers to how easily your brand comes to a buyer’s mind at the moment of need. It’s not just about name recognition—it’s about whether:

• the buyer associates you with a specific problem or category,
• they remember your presence in the market (even subconsciously),
• they attribute certain values or expertise to your brand.

Brands that invest in building mental availability don’t need to fight for attention when the buyer is ready—because the buyer is already thinking about them.

How to Apply the 95:5 Rule in Your Marketing Strategy?

This isn’t about blowing everything up. It’s a shift in mindset and content mix. Instead of focusing solely on lead generation, it’s time to invest in brand presence within the minds of your audience.

Here are 5 practical steps to start today:

1. Rebalance Your Content Strategy

Make sure 80% of your content builds your brand: educate, inspire, tell stories.
Only 20% should directly sell: promotions, CTAs, concrete offers.

2. Think About “Future Buyers,” Not Just “Ready Buyers”

Someone not buying today may return in 3, 6, or 12 months. But only if you’ve been present in their awareness during that time.

3. Build Trust and Authority Before the Buying Moment

Show up consistently—not just during campaign peaks.
Share insights, real-life case studies, and answers to actual customer challenges.

4. Measure More Than Just Leads

Track qualitative indicators: brand searches, direct traffic growth, social mentions, quotes and citations.

5. Be Recognizable—Not Just Present

Invest in visual identity, consistent messaging, and repetitive formats. People remember what they see often.

Marketing to the 5% Is Not Enough

A strategy focused only on hot leads is short-sighted. In B2B—where sales cycles are long, purchases are rare, and competition is fierce—the winners are already in the buyer’s mind before the decision moment.

The 95:5 rule isn’t just a theory. It’s a strategic roadmap for growth-focused companies. It’s a reminder that marketing isn’t just about short-term actions—it’s also an investment in what’s to come.

Because if you ask yourself today: “How can I make sure the buyer thinks of me tomorrow?”
—tomorrow, you might be their first choice.

Need help turning this insight into action? Talk to the experts at Grow Poland—we’ll show you how to reach the other 95% of your audience that’s not buying... yet.