
What students will learn:
What the Dark Funnel is and how it differs from traditional lead-based marketing
Where B2B buying decisions really form before prospects speak to sales
Why many B2B marketing efforts fail to account for this hidden influence
In this module, students will learn:
Why podcasts are such a powerful trust-building channel in B2B
How podcast sponsorship and appearances influence buyer perception over time
When podcasts make sense for your business - and when they don’t
In this lecture, students will learn:
What “micro-influencers” actually mean in a B2B context
How credibility and relevance outperform reach in Dark Funnel influence
How to think about engaging trusted voices without turning it into paid promotion
In this lecture, students will learn:
Why communities play such a central role in modern B2B decision-making
How peer conversations shape trust, confidence, and buying intent
How brands can show up in communities without disrupting or selling
In this final lecture, students will learn:
How to decide which Dark Funnel channels matter most for your business
The importance of starting small and applying this thinking without overcomplicating it
How to set realistic internal expectations around influence and measurement
Most B2B buying decisions are made long before a prospect fills in a form or speaks to sales.
The Dark Funnel is where those decisions really happen — through podcasts, peer conversations, trusted voices, and role-based communities that influence how buyers think, not what they click. It’s the part of the buyer journey that happens quietly, informally, and largely outside of traditional marketing measurement.
This course explains the Dark Funnel in clear, practical terms and shows how B2B marketing teams can use it to support pipeline, improve sales conversations, and build trust earlier in the buying process — without relying on perfect attribution or dashboards that only tell part of the story.
Rather than focusing on theory, this course uses real, usable examples of Dark Funnel activity, including podcasts, micro-influencers, and professional communities. You’ll learn why these channels are so influential in B2B, how they shape buyer perception over time, and how to think about using them responsibly and realistically inside your own organisation.
The course also addresses one of the biggest challenges with Dark Funnel activity: expectation setting. You’ll learn how to think about influence versus attribution, how to avoid common mistakes, and how to apply this thinking in a way that supports pipeline without over-claiming credit or creating friction with sales and leadership teams.
This course is for B2B marketing specialists, managers, and directors who are responsible for building pipeline and supporting revenue growth. It’s also valuable for sales leaders and founders who want a clearer, more realistic understanding of how buyers make decisions before they ever speak to sales.