I heard this framework years ago from Google’s marketing team, and it stuck with me ever since.
It’s called the 7–11–4 rule and it quietly explains why most B2B marketing fails.
Here’s the breakdown:
> A prospect needs 7 hours of interaction with your brand
> Across 11 touchpoints
> In 4 different locations or channels
Before they even think of doing business with you.
That’s not 7 hours on a demo call. It’s the podcasts they hear you on, the whitepapers they half read, the webinar they joined for 10 minutes, the social post they bookmarked, the analyst report you were cited in, and the email they didn’t open but remembered the subject line from.
Add all that up, and suddenly the 7 hours don’t seem that crazy.
The hard truth?
Most cybersecurity companies think a single LinkedIn ad or one whitepaper download will create a lead.
It won’t.
You’re trying to build trust in a high anxiety category.
CISOs don’t “buy”, they confirm.
So what does this mean for you?
1. Stop rushing to the demo.
You don’t propose on the first date. The best demand gen strategies let people linger. Create layers of content. Awareness, authority, and proof. The demo should feel like a conclusion, not a surprise.
2. Reuse assets like a pro.
You don’t need 50 new ideas. You need 5 stories told in 11 formats. A talk becomes a post. A post becomes a thread. A thread becomes a slide deck. A slide deck becomes a short video. Every medium feeds another touchpoint.
3. Measure time, not just clicks.
If someone spent 6 minutes on your report, that’s gold. If they came back three times in a week, you’re halfway there. Tools like HubSpot, Clearbit, or even your own CRM can help you measure depth, not just reach.
4. Spread your footprint.
Those 4 locations might be: LinkedIn, your blog, an event, and your partner’s marketplace. Don’t rely on one channel to carry your whole journey. Your brand should feel familiar everywhere your buyer turns.
5. And finally, play the long game.
Trust builds in fragments. You can’t automate 7 hours of belief. But you can design for it.
The 7–11–4 rule isn’t a formula. It’s a mirror.
If you look at your current marketing and see 1–3–1 instead, that’s why the funnel’s leaking.
You’re not forgotten. You’re just underexposed.
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