For years, communication and collaboration have been described as “soft skills.” Important, yes, but rarely seen as commercial drivers. That mindset no longer reflects reality. And at B2B Marketing, we have concluded that this exact skill is crucial to becoming the commercial marketer. In this blog, Hannah Stringer, Marketing Director, Moneypenny breaks down why this skill is essential, how to drive revenue, and how to think commercially.
In today’s B2B landscape, where buying journeys are longer, customer expectations are higher and teams are more distributed than ever, strategic communication has quietly become one of the most powerful levers for growth. Organizations that treat communication as a business function, rather than a personality trait are seeing measurable impact on revenue, retention and brand trust.
The shift is already underway. The question is whether marketing leaders are treating it with the strategic focus it now deserves.
The cost of poor communication is now visible
Most B2B organizations are complex ecosystems. Marketing, sales, customer success, operations and leadership all play a role in shaping the customer experience.
Yet, despite this shared responsibility, many teams still operate in silos.
We see the consequences everywhere:
- Leads handed to sales without full context
- Customer service teams unaware of campaigns or promotions
- Messaging that changes from first touchpoint to renewal
- Prospects forced to repeat information at every stage
For customers, these aren’t minor frustrations, they’re signals of disorganization and risk. In an environment where trust is critical, fragmented communication can quietly undermine even the strongest marketing strategy.
Research consistently shows that buyers now value experience as highly as product or price. That experience is shaped not only by what we say, but by how consistently we say it across every interaction.
Communication is now part of the customer journey
Traditionally, marketers focused heavily on messaging at the top of the funnel: brand positioning, campaigns, content and demand generation.
Today, the customer journey is continuous and communication must be too.
Every conversation matters:
- The first enquiry call
- A WhatsApp or live chat message
- A follow-up email
- A support request
- A renewal conversation
Each interaction either reinforces or erodes the brand promise marketing worked hard to build.
This is where strategic communication becomes a revenue driver. When every touchpoint reflects the same clarity, tone and understanding of customer needs, organizations create momentum. Buyers move forward faster because confidence builds at every stage.
At Moneypenny, we see this first-hand. The first conversation a customer has with a business often shapes their perception long before a sales conversation begins. When communication is aligned, that first impression becomes a competitive advantage.
Why collaboration is the missing link
Strong communication cannot exist without strong collaboration.
Marketing teams are increasingly responsible for brand, demand, and customer experience yet they don’t control every interaction. That makes cross-functional alignment essential.
When teams share context, communication becomes consistent. When communication is consistent, trust grows faster.
Turning communication into a strategic discipline
So how can marketing leaders treat communication as a measurable business capability?
Here are four practical starting points.
1. Map the real customer conversation journey
Most customer journey maps focus on channels and content. Fewer map the actual conversations customers have along the way.
Ask:
- Where do customers speak to a human?
- Where do expectations get set or reset?
- Where do misunderstandings commonly occur?
This exercise often reveals hidden friction points and opportunities for improvement.
2. Define your organization’s “communication principles”
Just as brands have visual guidelines, they should have communication guidelines that extend beyond marketing.
These might include:
- Tone of voice expectations
- Key value propositions
- How to handle common objections or queries
- What great customer conversations sound like
When everyone communicates from the same playbook, the brand becomes more recognisable and trustworthy.
3. Bring the voice of the customer into the business
Customer insights are one of marketing’s most valuable assets yet they often stay within the marketing team.
Regularly sharing feedback, call insights and common queries across departments helps the entire organization stay aligned with real customer needs.
It also ensures messaging evolves alongside customer expectations.
4. Measure what matters
Communication may feel intangible, but its impact is measurable.
Look at metrics such as:
- Conversion rates between stages
- Speed of sales cycles
- Customer retention and renewal rates
- Customer satisfaction and NPS
- Volume of repeat queries or misunderstandings
Improvements in these areas often trace back to clearer, more consistent communication.
From soft skill to strategic advantage
As B2B markets become more competitive and customer expectations continue to rise, the organizations that stand out will be those that communicate clearly, consistently and collaboratively.
Strategic communication is no longer a “nice to have.” It is a core capability that shapes how customers experience your brand, how quickly they move through the buying journey and how likely they are to stay.
For marketing leaders, the opportunity is clear: by championing communication across the entire organization, we can influence far more than campaigns.
We can influence growth.
If you resonated with becoming more commercially-minded, we highly recommend checking out our strategy pack here.
