Why Fintech Brands Should Invest in 95% of Buyers Who Aren’t Ready Yet

In today’s fast-paced world motivated by instant gratification, long-term benefits are often overlooked in pursuit of short-term rewards. Marketing departments are under constant pressure to generate leads and immediately convert them into buyers, while PR teams are saddled with staying atop the latest market fads in hopes of creating the next trend to “go viral.”

But this expectation is not realistic. And more importantly, it’s not strategic.

Traditional B2B marketing often focuses on the right now. However, research from Professor John Dawes of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute challenges this way of thinking. He coined the idea of the 95:5 rule, which suggests that only about 5% of your target audience is actively looking to buy at any given time. The remaining 95% aren’t ready… at least not yet.

If this is the case, a strategy built solely around immediate demand ignores the larger and more influential portion of your market.

The same logic applies to public relations. Chasing short-lived virality or one-hit media moments rarely builds lasting credibility. A viral post may create a spike in traffic, but if those viewers aren’t the right decision makers, you have gained little more than a vanity metric.

Trust doesn’t form instantly, especially in B2B industries where decisions carry risk. A thoughtful public relations and marketing strategy should focus on nurturing the 95%, long before they enter the buying window. Instead of only capitalizing on demand, companies should build familiarity, credibility and top-of-mind awareness over time.

Easier said than done, right? Here are a few practical ways to market to the 95%.

Redefine ROI for long sales cycles

It can be tempting to tie every initiative directly to revenue. However, brand-building efforts don’t always show immediate return, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t working.

Metrics like unaided brand recall, category association and distinctive brand recognition are leading indicators of future growth. Tracking how much of your potential market you are reaching over time can provide meaningful insight into whether your strategy is positioning you for long-term success.

Optimize for audience expansion over message repetition

It may feel safer to repeatedly target the same audience, especially in niche B2B sectors, but expanding your reach often has a greater long-term impact.

For someone who has never heard of your brand, a single strategic exposure can meaningfully shape future recall. In contrast, repeating the same message to someone who already recognizes your brand can have diminishing returns.

Reaching more of the right people, even once, builds broader mental availability when purchase decisions eventually arise.

Strengthen the signals that make you memorable

In crowded categories like fintech, much of the messaging starts to sound the same. If every company claims to “drive growth” or “optimize revenue,” differentiation becomes difficult. Distinctive and creative brand assets help cut through that noise.

Logos, colors, taglines, tone of voice and consistent visual styles are the elements that help buyers quickly identify and remember your brand. If you’ve spent years teaching the market what your brand looks and sounds like, changing those signals forces you to start over. Consistency is what builds mental availability over time.

With the 95:5 mindset, the focus shifts from quick wins to long-term brand equity. Most of your future prospects are watching long before they’re purchasing, so building trust and name recognition ahead of need is essential to becoming top of mind once those buyers are eventually ready to close the deal.

Contact us to learn how we can help you develop a strategic PR or marketing program designed for long-term impact.