This year’s Fintech B2B Marketing North American Conference included a standout panel focused on a deceptively simple question: What actually works when going to market in fintech? Below, we’ve distilled 10 practical, hard-earned lessons shared during the discussion – on branding, messaging, hiring, content and more.
The panel brought together voices from every stage of the fintech growth journey – and also included one of Forefront’s very own:
- Jonathan Birnbaum, Founder & CEO at OpenYield, a modern bond marketplace that has completed its seed funding round
- Jasper Martens, Group CMO at PensionBee, an online pension provider that went public in 2021
- Brandon Mulvihill, Co-Founder & CEO at Crossover Markets, an institution-only crypto trading venue that has completed its Series A
- Eric Soderberg, Co-Managing Partner at Forefront Communications, who has led strategy and creative direction for over 50 fintech launches
The insights they shared could fill an eBook – but let’s start with a few high-level takeaways below:
1. Start with the Problem – Not the Product
Jasper credited his company’s growth to an unwavering focus on the user problem: how difficult it is to roll over old retirement accounts. That insight, not the product idea, was the foundation. The solution changed over time as the team iterated, but the core problem stayed the same – and served as the anchor for everything from marketing messaging to product development. Founders often chase shiny new ideas; the winners engage deeply with their target market and orient their message around its pain points.
2. Your Language Needs to Translate
Brandon shared a memorable story: coming from a TradFi background, his team wanted to describe Crossover Markets as an electronic communication network (ECN). This term is widely understood among traditional market participants and differentiates Crossover from other venues – but nobody in the crypto space knew what that meant. The team had to quickly learn to speak the language of its target customers without diluting Crossover’s unique value proposition. Ultimately, while precision is crucial, positioning is also about clarity. If your audience doesn’t understand your pitch, it doesn’t matter how smart it is.
3. Consistency Builds (or Breaks) Trust
One idea that came up repeatedly was the importance of creating a consistent, repeatable company narrative. Eric stressed that one of the quickest ways to erode trust with a prospect is to present them with different messages from different parts of the organization – for example, sales highlighting one set of pain points and marketing highlighting another. Especially after a pivot, it’s essential to update and standardize everything: sales decks, social bios, website copy, media outreach and internal enablement. A great message, repeated clearly and consistently, travels farther than a dozen half-baked ones.
4. Brand Is Paramount – Even at the Earliest Stages
Jon spoke about his firm’s early decision to invest in professional branding, design and website development. The key reason: because OpenYield was selling to large institutional players, and looking the part mattered. The team engaged Forefront to define and pressure-test their messaging, build a credible visual identity and develop assets that positioned the firm as a serious entrant. Even in markets like fixed income, which hasn’t had a high volume of modern, tech-forward players, first impressions count – and good branding creates trust before a single conversation happens.
5. Alignment Beats Aesthetic Flash
The goal of your brand isn’t to be the loudest or most eye-catching – it’s to be the clearest expression of who you are and what you offer. Brandon provided a good example – in a crypto landscape full of neon palettes and animated mascots, Crossover leaned into a clean, institutional look because they were serving serious, professional trading firms, not retail consumers. Their brand didn’t need to pop on a billboard, it needed to build trust. Flash fades, fit lasts
6. Emotion Can Drive Results
Jasper shared that PensionBee’s growth in the UK hit another level when the team began layering emotional messaging into its brand. They didn’t just solve a problem – they gave customers peace of mind, relief and confidence. That shift lowered acquisition costs and improved engagement. Even in B2B or financial services, emotional resonance matters. As Jasper put it, “People are human beings before they’re buyers.”
7. Content Is (Still) King
Multiple panelists emphasized that without high-quality content, no strategy or channel will be effective. Thought leadership, commentary on breaking news and educational explainers give audiences a reason to listen, give the media a reason to engage and give your channels something to distribute. For early-stage firms, content also establishes authority and lets you punch above your weight in conversations with bigger players. Eric stated that ultimately, there’s no silver bullet channel, so it’s worth trying just about everything – but if you are going to focus on just one or two channels, do it exceptionally well.
8. LinkedIn Still Delivers for B2B
B2B fintechs may not be chasing clicks on TikTok (yet), but they are finding traction on LinkedIn – especially when using it for more than just vanity posts. OpenYield, for example, uses LinkedIn to share quick takes on industry news, build founder visibility and interact directly with prospects. It’s also a great channel for organic lead nurturing when combined with direct outreach tools. It may not feel cutting-edge, but LinkedIn remains unmatched as a single destination for reaching your target audience. The key is to stand out from the crowd.
9. Client Advocates Fuel Credibility
Eric stressed the importance of early-stage firms building credibility by securing customer advocates – one or two early clients who believe in your vision and are willing to put themselves out there to support it. The key is to go beyond just landing the client. Ask for feedback, earn their trust and invite them to become part of your story – whether that’s through a joint press release, a case study or a webinar. In some cases, it could even be worth discounting your services or providing them for free in return for the support and promotion – that’s how important these third-party voices are.
10. Hire Slowly, Build for Longevity
GTM success isn’t just about tactics – it’s about people. Multiple panelists stressed the importance of hiring deliberately. It’s easy to rush into building a team, but the cost of turnover is massive – especially for a pre-launch or early-stage firm. Focus on finding people who not only bring talent but are excited to grow with the company. And make your first few marketing hires based on what the business actually needs, whether that’s content, brand, acquisition, partnerships or top-line program management.
Final Thought: GTM as an Ongoing Experiment
If there was one unifying message from the panel, it was this: there’s no “correct” way to go to market. There are only tactics that work for your audience, at your stage, with your product. Be flexible, test different approaches, make adjustments and reassess. And above all, stay grounded in the problem you set out to solve.
Thanks again to the panelists for sharing their insights – and to the organizers for facilitating a thoughtful, candid conversation.
