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The Pinball Theory of B2B Marketing

  • Writer: Patrick Law
    Patrick Law
  • 6 days ago
  • 2 min read

Image Source: Linkedin
Image Source: Linkedin

Marketers have long relied on funnels—but what if these models are no longer relevant? In a digital world where buyers bounce unpredictably across platforms, it's time for a new mental model: the Pinball Machine. Pinball, Not Funnel

Chris Walker, founder of Refine Labs, argues that traditional marketing models no longer reflect how B2B buyers behave today. Instead of moving linearly through a funnel, modern buyers interact like pinballs—bouncing unpredictably between content, platforms, peers, and conversations. Here’s why this shift matters:


Key Strengths of the Pinball Model:

  • Realistic Buyer Behavior Mapping: Reflects how decision-makers gather information across LinkedIn, Reddit, YouTube, and podcasts before engaging sales.

  • Better Content Targeting: Encourages brands to focus on where their audience already is—leading to smarter, not broader, strategies.

  • Efficient Resource Allocation: Helps avoid the “be everywhere” trap by aligning distribution with content strengths (Walker uses SparkToro to guide this).

  • Relationship-Centric Marketing: Emphasizes trust-building through repeated, varied exposure rather than gated lead forms or rigid nurture flows.


Despite its clarity, the Pinball Model introduces its own challenges:

  • No Centralized Attribution: It’s difficult to measure ROI when buyers bounce across 10+ touchpoints before conversion.

  • Demands Creative Consistency: You must consistently deliver valuable, platform-native content—without direct response pressure.

  • Limited Guidance for Junior Teams: The model lacks built-in structure, which can be hard for newer marketers to execute without a clear system.


➡ For comparison, read HubSpot's take on the Flywheel.

➡ Explore SparkToro to understand how Chris Walker gathers audience insights.


Conclusion

The funnel isn’t broken—it’s just outdated. For modern B2B marketers and engineers entering the marketing space, it’s time to embrace the chaos and play smarter within it.


Want to learn how AI and marketing automation are reshaping workflows like this?


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