How the best brands turn digital marketing materials from afterthoughts to profit drivers
I once watched a B2B SaaS company spend 12 months perfecting their product demo videos, only to see their lead gen stagnate. The issue wasn’t the visuals-it was that they treated every digital asset like a standalone piece of content rather than a carefully orchestrated system. Their PDF case studies sat untouched on their site. Their email sequences followed a rigid sales pitch template. Their explainer videos had no clear purpose beyond “look at us.” Meanwhile, their competitor who treated their digital marketing materials like puzzle pieces-each designed to complement the others-was closing deals at three times the rate. The difference wasn’t talent or budget. It was intention.
In 2026, the brands that thrive aren’t just creating digital marketing materials. They’re mastering them-using each type as a strategic lever to move customers through the funnel. Here’s what truly separates the good from the great.
1. Email sequences that build relationships, not just lists
Most brands approach email marketing like a one-size-fits-all broadcast: send a blast, check opens, move on. But the highest-converting brands treat email sequences as ongoing conversations. Take a fitness app I work with-after their initial signup, they don’t send another pitch for 48 hours. Instead, they start with an email titled “Your first week, simplified.” It includes a short video where the founder walks through their app’s onboarding in under 2 minutes. The next email arrives 3 days later: “Here’s how [Name] overcame their biggest plateau last month-read their story.” Then comes a practical tip, followed by a “What’s your biggest struggle this week?” prompt that feels like a real check-in.
Researchers at Harvard found that email sequences with personalization rates improve response times by 29% on average-but this brand didn’t stop there. Their final sequence email includes a simple Google Form asking users to “Share one thing you’ve learned this week” (which gets forwarded to their community manager). The result? A 45% increase in active users who complete the onboarding process.
How to structure your email sequences
- First touchpoint: Educate or entertain (never pitch). Example: “Behind the scenes of our latest data breach fix.”
- Middle touchpoints: Solve one specific problem per email. Use “we” language to build community (“We know you’re overwhelmed by X”).
- Final touchpoint: Make it effortless to say yes. Options: “Book a demo in 2 clicks” or “Reply STOP if you’d rather we never email again.”
The key insight? Your email sequences shouldn’t just collect emails-they should collect trust. Every message should feel like it’s saying “I’ve got your back.”
2. Video content that feels like a conversation, not a sales pitch
Last year, a local HVAC company I advised replaced their static blog posts with “Ask Me Anything” videos shot on their phone. They simply filmed themselves answering real customer questions about energy savings-no script, no stock footage. The first month, they got 200 leads. The second month? 1,200. The difference wasn’t the production quality. It was the raw authenticity. Research from HubSpot shows that 72% of customers prefer brands that use video to explain products over static images.
Yet so many brands still fall into the trap of treating video as an expensive ad. Here’s how to fix that: Your video content should serve one of three purposes-
- Educate: “How to fix a clogged drain in 30 seconds” (no product mention).
- Entertain: “Our CEO gets a root canal at our office” (relatable humor).
- Inspire: “How this customer saved $12k/year using our system” (social proof).
Even with limited resources, you can start small: screen recordings of your screen showing the product in action, or voiceovers with PowerPoint slides. The goal isn’t to look polished-it’s to sound like a person, not a corporation.
In my experience, the brands that convert best don’t just have great video-they use it at every stage. Their homepage features a short explainer video, their emails include video testimonials, and their sales pages use video Q&As. Each piece of digital marketing material reinforces the others, creating a cohesive experience that feels personal.
The most successful brands treat their digital marketing materials like a conversation with their customers-not a monologue about themselves. It’s not about having the fanciest tools. It’s about asking: What does my audience actually need right now? Then giving it to them in a way that feels human.
