RTR EP13 - Buyers Trust People. Not Brands. Not Brochures. Not BS.

The Revenue Through Reputation Show

In this episode of Revenue Through Reputation, Brandon Lee dives deep into why traditional sales tactics and cold outreach are no longer effective in 2025’s digital-first world. The crux of the issue? Buyers trust people, not brands, brochures or cold calls. As leaders, it’s crucial to lead with authenticity and share your journey to build trust and capture attention.

Brandon explains why companies need to shift away from value propositions, features, and case studies, and instead focus on sharing human stories that resonate emotionally with their audience. This episode highlights the emotional resonance required to stand out and turn passive content into meaningful conversations that drive sales.

Brandon encourages leaders to share their experiences, their challenges, and what they’re learning in real-time. This human-centric approach to content will drive engagement, spark conversations, and ultimately fill your pipeline.

• The Need for Human Connection:
  In today’s world, buyers aren’t responding to the same old value propositions and cold outreach methods. Instead, they connect with human stories—the lived experiences, the challenges faced, and the lessons learned. When you put your humanity into your content, you break through the noise.
• Emotional Resonance Over Logic:
  Logic might make people think, but emotion makes people act. In the age of information overload, emotional content is what stands out. Sharing personal stories, like challenges you've overcome or insights you’ve gained, connects more deeply with your audience than any brochure could.
• Trust is Built Through Visibility:
  Brandon emphasizes the importance of executive visibility. When leaders share their authentic journey, they build trust—not by promoting a product but by showcasing their humanity and authority. This makes your audience feel they know you, and trust follows naturally.
• The Shift to Leader-Led Content:
  Content led by CEOs and other executives is far more impactful than generic brand messaging. Leaders must share their personal experiences and thoughts to drive conversations and engagement. Brands that focus on leader-led content create lasting relationships, not just transactions.
• Why Cold Outreach is Failing:
  Cold calling, emailing, and LinkedIn DMs are becoming increasingly ineffective. The traditional cold outreach model lacks personalization and fails to make a meaningful connection. Buyers simply aren’t responding to the same old tactics anymore.

In a world where buyers trust people, not brands, it's time to shift the focus of your sales efforts. Authenticity and emotional resonance are the true keys to breaking through the noise and creating genuine, lasting connections with your audience. Leaders must show up, share their personal journey, and build trust—one story at a time.

As Brandon said, “The more you share your humanity, the more you’ll build relationships that lead to opportunities.” It's time to start sharing your journey and let your authentic voice lead the way.

The Revenue Through Reputation Show
Hosted by Brandon Lee
New episodes every Tuesday at 11 AM ET | LinkedIn & YouTube
Empowering CEOs, founders, and sales leaders to build high-impact digital reputations that drive business growth.

Chapters

1. Introduction: The State of Cold Outreach in 2025 (00:00:00)

2. Why Trust is Everything: The Shift from Brand Messaging to Leader Visibility (00:02:58)

3. The Emotional Resonance Formula: Building Content that Gets Noticed (00:07:13)

4. The Failure of Traditional Sales Tactics (00:10:43)

5. Why Buyers Are Over Case Studies and Value Propositions (00:14:58)

6. The Power of Sharing Your Humanity in Content (00:17:43)

7. Why Your Brand’s Message Isn’t Enough (00:21:43)

8. How Leader-Led Content Creates Trust (00:25:13)

9. The Importance of Taking Risks and Sharing Your Journey (00:29:28)

10. How to Overcome the Fear of Showing Up Authentically (00:33:13)

11. Wrapping Up: Call to Action for Executives (00:36:43)

12. Q&A and Final Thoughts (00:40:43)