Recently, I hosted a webinar with Sheryl O’Connor, CEO of IncomeConductor, focused on the importance of building trust with prospective clients, and how to do so in a world where generic AI content is stripping firms of what makes them unique and relatable.
One idea kept resurfacing:
Are you earning the right to ask?
- For demos.
- For meetings or phone calls.
- For event attendance.
- For attention and engagement.
Too much marketing today skips straight to the ask, assuming prospects know who we are, understand what we do, and owe us their time simply because we showed up in their inbox or LinkedIn feed.
They don’t.
And I can say this with confidence because I see it every day.
What Firms Ask Us For
At Intention.ly, 99% of companies that come to us are chasing those accelerated wins.
They want:
- Leads now
- Quick wins
- Lower cost per meeting this quarter
- Campaigns that “start working immediately”
To be clear, we’re very good at delivering that. We can generate demand fast. We know how to activate channels, sharpen CTAs, and create near-term momentum.
But we’re also upfront about the fact that if that’s all your firm is doing, you’re not setting yourself up for long-term success.
I’ll show you why using stories from two firms I recently talked to.
Company A: Chasing the Quick, Cheap Lead
The mindset: “Get us leads now. We can worry about brand later.”
What their marketing looks like:
- Cold outbound emails pushing demos
- Paid campaigns optimized for clicks rather than audience fit or relevance
- Feature-heavy content
- Positioning that sounds like every competitor: “Streamline your workflow and save time”
The experience for prospects:
- They see the company’s name for the first time in a cold pitch
- They have no context for what makes this solution different from the five other tools they saw this month
- They’re being pushed to book a demo before understanding if this even solves their problem
Short-term reality:
- They generate 60 demo requests a month
- The marketing dashboard shows green arrows for short-term success metrics
- Leadership feels momentum
Long-term reality:
- Only a few of those demos are qualified prospects
- Cost per qualified lead continues to climb
- Sales cycles drag on for months because trust and education happen entirely in the sales process
- Brand awareness never improves
Because they continue to prioritize short-term attention over long-term success, they’re trapped in a cycle of paying more for the same attention, forever renting demand instead of owning it.
Company B: Laying the Foundation First
The mindset: “Let’s add value and earn attention before we ask for it.”
What their marketing looks like:
- Consistent thought leadership addressing real problems their audience faces
- Educational content that demonstrates deep understanding of the market
- Stories showing honest results, including challenges and timelines
- Positioning rooted in a clear point of view that differentiates them
The experience for prospects:
- They encounter the company’s content multiple times before any outreach
- When a sales email arrives, they already understand what the company believes
- They reach out to book a demo because they know how the company can solve their problems
Short-term reality:
- They book far fewer demos initially
- Leadership trusts their process rather than changing gears to drive short-term wins
Long-term reality:
- Within months, most demos come from inbound requests
- Sales cycles compress dramatically because prospects are bought in by the time they talk to sales
- Cost per qualified lead drops as brand awareness grows
They’re generating more pipeline while spending less on acquisition. Their content qualifies prospects before sales gets involved.
The Difference Compounds Long Term
Fast forward five or 10 years, and the difference becomes impossible to ignore.
Five or ten years out:
- Company A is paying more than ever for the same leads
- Their CAC keeps climbing
- Growth depends entirely on budget, not brand
Meanwhile:
- Company B is generating demand at a fraction of the cost
- Their content, credibility, and reputation do the heavy lifting
- Their marketing works even when spend slows
One company is still asking for attention. The other has earned it.
Are You Building for the Next Quarter or the Next Decade?
The firms winning long-term aren’t doing it with louder messaging or cheaper leads.
They’re doing it by earning attention before they ask for it. They publish ideas that challenge how their market thinks and take clear, unequivocal positions. They demonstrate credibility before demanding time so that when they finally make an ask, it doesn’t feel like an intrusion.
Ask yourself: Are you willing to invest in building trust, or do you want to keep buying short-term engagement?
The brands that will dominate 10 years from now are laying the foundation right now. If you want to be one of them, let’s talk.