What I’ve Learned from Working with Businesses That Have Six to 12-Month+ Sales Cycles

What I’ve Learned from Working with Businesses That Have Six to 12-Month+ Sales Cycles

If your business has a six, 12, or even 18-month sales cycle, you already know the drill: buyers are cautious, stakeholders are many, and nothing – absolutely nothing – moves fast.

And yet, so many B2B marketing strategies are still built for short-term sprints: lead gen campaigns that fizzle after four weeks, brand messages that change every quarter, and sales and marketing teams working in silos to chase numbers instead of nurturing demand.

For almost two decades, Reech has worked with ambitious B2B businesses day-in, day-out, across sectors such as manufacturing, tech, professional services, and property. The ones with big-ticket products, long buying journeys, multiple decision makers, and pressure from all sides to deliver quick results.

Here’s what I’ve learned about making marketing work when the sales cycle is measured in months and years:

Patience Isn’t Passive

The biggest misconception is that long sales cycles mean you just ‘wait and see’.

In fact, long sales cycles demand more activity. But the activity has to be consistent, connected, and commercially smart.

So, you need a strategy that stretches across 12+ months that maps out brand awareness, nurtures leads, engages stakeholders, and – ultimately – enables sales. It’s all about staying visible, valuable, and relevant every step of the way, long before the contract is ever even drawn up.

Trust Takes Time (And That’s the Point)

If your product or service has a high cost, high commitment, or high risk attached, then trust is everything. Because no one is buying a six-figure system or switching suppliers on a whim. They’re buying confidence: that you’ll deliver, that your people are experts, and that your brand is the safe bet.

And this trust, naturally, can’t be built overnight. But it can be built systematically, through thought leadership, case studies and testimonials, social proof, credibility boosters, educational content, and brand presence.

It’s a Journey

The traditional marketing funnel assumes a straightforward, linear path from awareness to conversion. But spoiler: long sales cycles don’t work like that.

Your buyers zigzag. They go dark for months. They reappear when you least expect it. They ask their network. They forget your name. They check your LinkedIn. Then they check your competitor’s.

It’s therefore imperative that you’re memorable, consistent, and regularly show up in their world, showcasing the solutions you offer so they’re well informed and equipped to act as soon as they’re ready to buy.

Align Sales & Marketing

In long-cycle businesses, misalignment between sales and marketing causes tension, stalls progress, and drains potential.

Marketing points to sales for ignoring leads. Sales push back, claiming the leads weren’t good enough. So, strategies shift, budgets shrink, and momentum disappears.

Sound familiar?

Having witnessed this many times over, I’ve learned that the businesses that break through the cycle treat sales and marketing as one team with shared ownership. They plan together, challenge each other, and give honest feedback. Because when alignment becomes a habit, growth becomes sustainable and unstoppable.

Brand is Your Insurance Policy

Long sales cycles mean more chances for your buyer to doubt, delay, or disappear altogether. But your brand is the thing that keeps you in the game when everything else wavers.

Strong brand presence, tone of voice, visuals, and values make you unforgettable, showcase your personality, and – ultimately – will help you win the deal. Eventually.

If your brand isn’t working that hard for you right now, then it might be time for a refresh, because in today’s market, average brands get forgotten.

At Reech, we don’t just work with long-cycle businesses, we get them. Together, we can build a strategy that goes the distance.