Culture Change Isn't a Campaign. It's a Conversation.

You've likely heard the saying, "Culture is what you allow." And while it would be very convenient to say that culture is an HR problem to solve, most B2B marketers know that a company's culture shapes its brand identity — internally and externally.

Take this example from the vehicle repair industry, in which tire dealer consultant Randy O'Connor says that, in a world that feels increasingly divided, businesses should operate not only with a culture of diligence, but also with everyday kindness. At first, this may seem like an obvious observation, but in high-volume, service-oriented businesses like tire dealerships, going the extra mile (no pun intended, really) makes a huge difference. Culture isn't the inspirational poster in the breakroom; it's how your people behave at 6:30 p.m. when they're tired, and a customer walks in anyway.

"Diligence" doesn't just mean doing the work carefully and consistently; it means double-checking your work, keeping the shop clean and inviting, and encouraging your team to make follow-up calls. "Everyday kindness" involves turning customer service up a notch — you're not just fulfilling the customer's request for a service, but you're truly listening to their concerns, explaining what their options are, answering their questions thoroughly and honestly, and thanking them for their business. Leaders must model these behaviors and invest in training to foster this company culture, which will help your company build a reputation for trust that no ad campaign can buy. 

You can swap out the tire shop example for any industry, and the playbook still holds — especially for B2B marketers. Your demand gen program is only as strong as the culture behind it: The AE who follows up thoughtfully instead of firing off a canned email, the content director who gives clear, respectful feedback instead of snark, the CMO who publicly celebrates someone exemplifying these values. O'Connor argues that it only takes two people to change the culture, which is a reminder of how brand is built into micro-interactions that have big consequences.

If you want your brand to stand out in a noisy, polarized market, start with a simple operating system: Work hard and be kind. Embed this into your hiring, onboarding, training, performance reviews, and recognition. Train kindness like you train product knowledge, and celebrate it when you see it. Alternatively, correct it when it's missing.

Over time, those tiny, "no big deal" choices stack up into the thing every marketer wants but can't manufacture with budget alone: a brand people trust instinctively.