From Risky Claims to Trusted Proof: How to Avoid the Most Common Pitfalls
Part 3 of the B2B Marketer’s Guide to Crafting Powerful Claims
You’ve audited your existing claims, sourced strong new ones, and built a structured portfolio that aligns with buyer needs and your brand’s promise. But there’s still one area where even the most well-intentioned marketers can stumble: credibility.
In this final part of our claims series, we explore the pitfalls that can undermine even your strongest statements, and how to avoid them. From vague language and overpromising to regulatory missteps, this is your guide to de-risking your claims without dulling their impact.
Common Pitfalls—and How to Avoid Them
1. Making Claims Without Evidence
The pitfall: Statements like “fastest in the industry” or “trusted by experts” may sound impressive, but without verifiable proof, they erode credibility. In B2B markets—especially in regulated industries like healthcare, financial services, or enterprise tech—buyers are sophisticated and skeptical. Unsubstantiated claims can trigger legal review or cause long-term brand damage.
The fix: Every claim should be treated like a mini case study. Ask: What data supports this? Who verified it? How recent is it? Acceptable forms of substantiation can include:
Internal data with defined methodology (e.g., customer usage logs, analytics reports)
Peer-reviewed clinical studies or third-party research
Regulatory clearances or certifications
Practical Example: Instead of saying "trusted by healthcare leaders," back it up with a statement like: "9 of the top 10 academic medical centers use our platform"
2. Using Vague or Generic Language
The pitfall: Phrases like “cutting-edge,” “best-in-class,” or “innovative” are often used as placeholders when marketers don’t have (or don’t surface) real data. These terms may seem positive, but to a discerning B2B buyer, they signal a lack of specificity—and invite skepticism. Buyers want clarity on exactly what makes a solution unique or effective.
The fix: Replace vague adjectives with specifics that are measurable, contextual, and relevant to the decision-maker. Anchor your claim with a stat, timeframe, benchmark, or user scenario that paints a clear picture. Specificity reduces cognitive load. When buyers understand exactly what you mean—and can visualize or quantify the impact—your claim becomes easier to believe and harder to ignore.
Practical Examples:
Instead of saying “Faster implementation.”, use a statement that provides timeframe and context like: “Average deployment time of 18 days across 50 enterprise customers.”
3. Overstating or Overpromising
The pitfall: Claims that imply guaranteed outcomes like “eliminates downtime” or “100% accuracy” may sound bold, but they are dangerous territory in B2B. These types of claims can create unrealistic expectations, open your organization to legal exposure, and damage trust if results don’t align with the promise. This risk is heightened in sectors like financial services or enterprise IT, where high-stakes decisions depend on reliability and accountability.
The fix: Choose precise, realistic language that reflects both performance and variability. Use qualifiers like “on average,” “most users,” or “in typical conditions” to set accurate expectations. When using strong performance data, include the source, timeframe, and context to reinforce transparency. Overpromising erodes long-term trust and sets your brand up for backlash if expectations aren’t met. It also puts sales and customer success teams in the difficult position of needing to explain performance gaps post-purchase.
Practical Examples:
Instead of saying "Improves patient outcomes every time.", use findings from published studies like: "In a randomized clinical study of 120 patients, 87% experienced improved outcomes compared to the standard of care."
4. Failing to Keep Claims Updated
The pitfall: Using outdated stats or approvals that no longer reflect your current performance, product capabilities, or industry landscape can lead to misinformation, buyer confusion, or regulatory risk. In fast-evolving markets, what was once true or compelling can quickly become obsolete. This undermines credibility, especially with repeat buyers or informed decision-makers who spot inconsistencies.
The fix: Treat claims as living assets, not one-time deliverables. Develop a regular review process—ideally annually—to evaluate each claim’s relevance, accuracy, and support. As we recommended in our second article, assign a claims steward or cross-functional owner (typically in marketing or product) responsible for auditing and updating claims across content, sales materials, and campaigns.
Practical Tactics:
Set expiration dates tied to the data source (e.g., "valid through Q4 2025 based on 2024 data")
Integrate claims review into product update workflows and campaign planning
Flag at-risk claims during creative reviews, especially for regulated industries
5. Neglecting Audience Relevance
The pitfall: Claims that resonate with one audience—often marketing or executive stakeholders—don’t always land with technical, financial, or clinical decision-makers. In B2B, especially in industries that utilize diverse buying or value analysis committees, each role looks for different types of proof. A marketing-friendly claim might not satisfy a compliance officer, and a CFO might dismiss a bold ROI claim if there’s no financial model to support it.
The fix: Segment claims based on buyer persona, industry, and role. Consider the decision-making style, priorities, and common objections for each stakeholder. Then tailor claims to speak directly to their specific needs. For example:
For a CFO: Include total cost of ownership savings and risk reduction.
For a clinician: Highlight outcomes from peer-reviewed studies.
For an IT lead: Use operational metrics, uptime, and system compatibility claims.
Practical Examples:
A CMO might respond to detailed rates like: "Reduced customer acquisition cost by 28% year-over-year."
A compliance officer might need specific standards like: "Meets ISO 27001 and HIPAA data security standards."
A chief medical officer might value the research institution: "Increased early diagnosis rates by 17% in pilot study at Mayo Clinic."
A Final Checklist to Vet Every Claim
This checklist is designed to be a simple filter for evaluating whether a claim is ready to go to market. Use it during content reviews, product launches, campaign planning, or sales enablement development. It helps ensure that every claim reinforces your credibility and aligns with strategic goals.
| Question | Why It Matters | How To Apply It |
|---|---|---|
| Is it specific? | Vague claims reduce impact and credibility | Add measurable details (e.g., numbers, timeframes, results) that reduce ambiguity. |
| Is it substantiated? | You must have supporting evidence ready | Link to proof like customer case studies, internal analytics, or third-party validation. |
| Is it compliant? | Regulatory or legal oversight may apply) | Confirm alignment with internal and external legal or compliance requirements. |
| Is it buyer-relevant? | Tailored claims convert better than general ones | Match the claim to buyer personas, their pain points, and stage of the funnel. |
| Is it up to date? | Data ages—proof must reflect your current reality | Check when the data or validation was last reviewed, and update if older than 12 months. |
Bringing It All Together: The Power of a Strategic Claims System
This three-part series has explored how to transform isolated proof points into a high-impact, compliant, and buyer-aligned claims portfolio. Let’s recap the key takeaways:
Article 1: Understanding Claims and Their Strategic Role
Claims are not just legal statements—they are tools of trust.
Different types of claims (performance, clinical, compliance, comparison) support different parts of the buyer journey.
Great claims prove value clearly and credibly.
Article 2: Building and Activating Your Claims Portfolio
A structured claims portfolio aligns with your message framework, buyer personas, and GTM efforts.
Strong portfolios are diverse (types), evidence-backed (substantiated), and strategically deployed across content.
Cross-functional collaboration is key to surfacing high-impact proof.
Article 3: Avoiding the Pitfalls
Even strong claims can backfire if vague, unverified, outdated, or used out of context.
Smart governance ensures claims remain credible and usable over time.
A shared understanding of what “good” looks like helps teams move faster and safer.
Final Thought
A well-crafted claims portfolio is more than a compliance necessity—it’s a strategic advantage. It aligns your teams, strengthens your messaging, and delivers trust where it matters most: in the minds of your buyers.
Now that you’ve got the blueprint, the only question left is: What’s your strongest claim—and how fast can you prove it?
