Every time we host the Social Business Exchange, I’m reminded why I love these events so much. What started as a half-day experiment has become a key moment in our calendar, the one time we bring our customers, our community and our extended network of employee advocacy, social selling and employer branding professionals into the same room.
No vendors. No pitching. Just real stories from people doing the work.
This year’s theme? Trust. Not as a buzzword, but as a serious business growth strategy. Here’s why it became the golden thread running through every session and why we need to start thinking differently about how trust is built, shared and scaled across our organisations.
I’ve recorded my presentation about this topic for you to watch on YouTube below. Alternatively, read on to learn about the business impact of trust.
What makes the Social Business Exchange different?
We designed this event as a safe space for global B2B brands to speak openly about the challenges they face. These organisations are navigating complex matrix structures, siloed teams and scattered social efforts. That’s why we’re particular about who’s in the room. We want people to share experiences that resonate, without fear of judgement or competition.
And because we don’t livestream or allow vendor sponsorships, there’s a level of honesty you just don’t get elsewhere. That openness is built on trust, and it’s the reason we’ll continue to run this as an invite-only, closed-room event.
It’s also hugely valuable for us at Tribal. These conversations help us spot trends, gather insights and keep our thinking sharp.
The Social Business Exchange event is a community event to share challenges.
Why trust should be your growth strategy
I kicked things off with a message I’ve come to believe more and more over the last few years: trust isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a growth strategy.
According to PwC, 93% of business executives agree that their ability to build and maintain trust improves the bottom line. Great Place To Work®, who were one of our guest speakers, found that high-trust workplaces generate revenue per employee that's 8.5 times higher than low-trust organisations.
And it shows up in buyer behaviour too. According to 6Sense, 84% of B2B buyers return to vendors they have worked with before, and six in ten consumers spend more on brands they’re loyal to (Forrester).
Great Place to Work® reveal how high trust workplaces generate more revenue than low-trust organisations.
Sales is feeling the trust gap the most
No one feels the pressure of trust more than sales teams. Buyers today are harder to reach and influence. Gartner says six to ten people are now involved in a B2B buying decision, while Salesforce found that buyers typically consume between 10 and 15 pieces of content before engaging with a vendor.
It’s no surprise, then, that the average sales cycle is now 11.5 months, according to 6sense. On top of that, 73% of B2B buying decisions involve millennials (Forrester), and 85% of them consult reviews, testimonials and other trust-based content before making a decision. (Source: Digital Commerce 360).
They also prefer a self-service experience with 68% of millennial buyers not wanting to speak to a salesperson (Digital Commerce 360). They are also trusting more in AI, with 34% of them trusting AI to shortlist vendors (TrustRadius).
Sales, trust, and the rising role of AI.
Marketing can’t keep paying to be seen
With more buying decisions happening behind the scenes, marketing’s job is harder too. Organic brand reach is falling thanks to platform algorithm changes, and engagement is dropping too.
Meanwhile, the cost of paid ads is rising. Financial Times reported that LinkedIn cost-per-clicks have increased by 30% over the last three years. This has largely been driven by brands shifting spend from X to LinkedIn.
Even then, GWI says 32% of internet users now use ad blockers, meaning many ads don’t even get seen.
So marketers are turning to earned media. They’re leaning on employees and influencers, but real employee advocacy isn’t just about resharing company posts. It’s about giving employees the confidence and freedom to share their own expertise in their own voice.
Talent doesn’t care what you say – they care what they see
Talent teams are feeling the pressure too. HRreview found that 74% of employers aren’t getting the quality candidates they need, and a recruitment platform, Ashby concluded that companies are conducting 40% more interviews per hire compared to 2021.
Meanwhile, candidates are holding companies to account, with 69% of job seekers saying they would reject an offer from a company with a poor employer brand, even if they were unemployed. (Source: ITA Group).
So finely crafted videos are not enough. People want to hear from real employees and get a true sense of what it’s like to work at your company.
This isn’t just another campaign, it’s who you are
Trust isn’t something you build in a quarter. It doesn’t show up neatly in your pipeline or your click-through rates. It lives in your culture, and culture is much harder to measure.
That was my message to the CMOs in the room. If you’re treating trust like a bolt-on campaign, you’re missing the point. This isn’t just employer brand, executive brand or social selling. It’s your brand. And it has to be lived from the inside out.
The good news? Hinge research shows that 76% of employees feel social sharing helps them keep up with industry trends, and 87% say it helps grow their professional network. They’re not just willing to get involved – they want to.
But right now, many are unsure where to start. With different teams running different programs, employees can feel confused by multiple tools and trainers advising different things. They don’t want to get it wrong, and without clear guidance or training, they stay quiet.
That’s why we made trust the foundation for the day. It didn’t matter what role someone was in or what industry they came from. Trust was the common thread.
