"Good marketing cannot rely on shortcuts." (Photo: ShutterStock)
In the worlds of marketing I can be called a 'dinosaur', or the so-called 'old school' - all those phrases that make me less interesting for young leaders in B2B startups.
In today's fast-paced, ever-changing world, it's easy for B2B startups to dismiss traditional marketing methods as outdated and ineffective.
But as someone who advocates traditional marketing methods, I firmly believe that building a solid marketing infrastructure is the only reliable way to establish expertise in the field and build a strong brand.
While looking for shortcuts is completely understandable, there are some critical steps in the process that you don't want to miss.
Targeted messages by audience
One of the most important steps in a marketing strategy is the accuracy of the company's messages.
This means investing in the right messages for every audience we encounter - from potential customers to investors and analysts - and ensuring that external communications are clearly communicated, with multiple points of potential conversion, resources of interesting content and a solid SEO plan.
Damage to the marketing budget is damage to your business
Susan Becker. (Photo: David Garb)
Marketing is an essential part of any business strategy and cutting marketing activities can have a direct impact on sales in the near and long term, so you should be careful and make sure that the marketing budget is not the first to be affected when budget cuts are required.
After all, most high-tech B2B niches these days are crowded with other vendors and the competition is fierce, and some of those competitors will keep their marketing going while you're out of the picture.
In addition, it is important to emphasize how you define who your competitors are - you may not see any similarities between certain companies and your company, but if your potential customers question the differences between your company and its "non-competitor", you should pay attention to it.
Market research and customer contact
In the "old school" approach, marketing is not just generating leads, but understanding customers and their needs.
'Homework' and market research are critical components of any successful marketing strategy, and companies should regularly speak to both potential and actual customers to gain insight into their perspectives on their products, even if the truth is not always ideal.
After all, understanding why customers chose your product over others is key to building a lasting brand reputation.
Avoiding shortcuts
I don't believe that there are useful 'loopholes' or shortcuts that will lead to real growth, unless the only goal is to increase the amount of leads to fulfill the company's KPI indicators.
If your managers are among those who think this tactic is valuable, I don't believe their company will last long.
Companies that understand marketing are companies that will survive and grow
Unfortunately, most of the young leaders in today's startup world do not understand enough about marketing.
Many of them make the mistake of thinking that marketing is a field where anyone can throw in some designs, hire a content writer and bring in qualified leads that lead to sales.
The reality is that without a solid marketing budget and a careful strategy, there is a danger that such a company will be lost, especially if it operates in a competitive and crowded market.
Fortunately, there are enough established companies in the Israeli economy that understand the value of marketing experience, the hard work behind marketing success, and the need to invest in a solid marketing budget.
Even in the current landscape of the Israeli start-up ecosystem, there are still companies that do not believe in shortcuts and are ready to take the long-but-rewarding path to achieve their goals.
Susan Becker is the VP of Marketing at Cervelo
Marketing and digital
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