What are the most common delays in B2B marketing strategy?

Alignment needs to go through all relevant departments, if possible - and as a bare minimum with those who will be most important in realising your strategy (e.g. sales, marketing, management etc.). If you only align with one of multiple departments before going live, you risk either not getting what you need, other departments not agreeing on the goal or them potentially not understanding why you're doing what you're doing and consequently end up in unnecessary friction.

Alignment at the leadership level including a plan and recurring touch points for check-in. Often times objectives or focus areas of the company are communicated but there is no accountability to orchestrate the cross-functional efforts to ensure continued alignment from the bottom to the top. This leads to silo efforts and/or competing priorities. To avoid this, have an executive champion (depending on the scope of the project and impact to the business) and identify someone who is looking for leadership opportunities and/or leader to build a core team, have weekly/bi-weekly check-ins on the progress, challenges, updates, etc. and report back to the business.

There's almost never an alignment on strategy and tactics, because these can be very different between sales, marketing and other teams. The goal, however, will (should) be the same. So communicate your efforts often and always relate these back to the shared goal to increase stakeholder acceptance.

It starts at the top with the company vision, strategy, and priorities. Often times there can be a laundry list of priorities which make it difficult to align cross-functionally especially for marketing.

Overcoming Delays in B2B Marketing: The Alignment Challenge In B2B marketing, alignment is the linchpin to timely success. Delays often arise from a lack of synchronization between the marketing team and other stakeholders like sales, product, and management. The Vital Role of Shared Vision: Without a shared vision, goals, and expectations, marketing struggles to convey the right message to the target audience. The Power of Communication: Regular, effective communication with other departments and a common language and framework are essential for bridging the gap. Alignment with Business Goals: Aligning marketing activities with overall business objectives is the compass that keeps you on course.

Many stakeholders outside of marketing, and sometimes, within it, will underestimate the time it takes to get something done. I was once in a role where, when I mapped out the process we were asked to follow to create one piece of content, the whole approval and feedback workflow would take nearly 3 months. Be clear on all the stages of execution, from approvals, to customer interviews being setup (allow plenty of buffer for this), and plan early. Measuring results too early can also be an easy mistake. If, say, your customer's buying cycle is 4 months, don't run a campaign for 3 months. Be realistic about when results should be measured, and expectations of where things should be at at different times of the in-market cycle.

Everyone talks about SMART objectives but very few actually create them, or worse change them without notice or reconsider all aspects. A common issue is when the pressure begins to build, deadlines go out the window and expectations increase. At this point it's your remit to manage expectations, and push back either agreeing to the original objective or refine the original idea down to something that is now agreeable. taking anything above this is the fast-track route to additional stress, horrific work-life balance or that subconscious sense of resentment that ultimately grows into frustration and then negativity.

External market dynamics, such as shifts in customer behavior, competitive landscape changes, or economic fluctuations, can impact the effectiveness of a marketing strategy. Failing to accurately anticipate and adapt to these changes can lead to delays. Content creation is a crucial aspect of B2B marketing. Underestimating the time required for developing high-quality content, including research, writing, and design, can contribute to delays. B2B marketing strategies frequently involve the implementation of new technologies or systems. Underestimating the time required for integration, testing, and troubleshooting can result in delays.

Unrealistic deadlines kill any initiative and make everyone look back. It's our job as marketers to provide leadership and structure. Whatever your deadline is, give yourself 30% to 20% buffer for deadlines (maybe more if it's a big product release) and then follow-up consistently with all parties to get it done. You probably want three deadlines: the deadline you need approval (everyones), the deadline it should be ready, and then the deadline of it actually going live. P.s. this is a good hack for setting goals in general, always give yourself a buffer. So if your goal is $100K in new revenue, make it $120K to make it a stretch goal and also if you don't hit it you might hit your actual goal :)

Unrealistic deadlines can impede B2B marketing success, causing stress and compromising quality. When timelines lack clarity or feasibility, the marketing team may face resource challenges. To overcome this, prioritizing tasks based on impact and urgency is crucial. Breaking down projects into manageable milestones aids focus, while negotiating realistic deadlines with stakeholders ensures an achievable and successful B2B marketing strategy.

Taming Scope Creep in B2B Marketing Strategy In the realm of B2B marketing, "scope creep" is a stealthy saboteur. It sneaks in when new features or changes are added to an ongoing project, leading to delays, cost overruns, and loss of focus. The Power of Clarity: To combat scope creep, start by clearly defining the project's scope and objectives upfront. Document and Communicate: Any changes or requests should be documented and communicated effectively to all stakeholders. Push Back When Needed: Don't hesitate to push back or reject unnecessary or unreasonable additions. It's about staying true to your original plan.

No to your CEO. No to your Board. No to your peers. No to your team. Everyone wants to do everything all the time. The hardest part of being a marketer is saying NO. P.s. be strategic about when you say no. Provide logic, a story, and facts to present your case especially if it's a peer (i.e. Sales leader), your boss (CEO), or the Board. Also, provide the alternative of what you think you should invest in inside, provided with logic/a story/and fact.

In B2B marketing, scope creep is the silent strategy sinker. It starts small—a little tweak here, an extra feature there. Next thing you know, your project's bloated, behind, and biting into your ROI. Here's what to do instead: Crystal-Clear Boundaries: Set your scope in stone. If it wasn’t in the game plan, it’s out. Weekly Reality Checks: Regular team check-ins keep the project true to its course. Impact First: New request? Ask if it supercharges your outcome. No major boost, no go. Remember, scope creep isn't just about delays; it’s about diluting your impact. Do what matters, and do it well🔥🚀

Saying 'no' strategically is key to professional growth. Prioritize, assess impact, offer alternatives, and communicate. Uphold boundaries, negotiate timelines, and focus on long-term objectives. Document decisions for clarity.

B2B is a complex web where the users, buyers and decision makers are not just different but are also driven by different objectives. While the initial scope may be created by one set , for eg- economic buyers, the feedback and expectations of users could alter the scope greatly. Also once the project is understand, the ground reality could impact the scope and timelines. A few things to keep in mind when working on a b2b projects 1. Define out of scope 2. State limitations and dependencies 3. Articulate risks and impact 4. Include and communicate and scope change process, that defines your ability to absorb change.

Resource constraints in B2B marketing can be daunting. Whether it's budget limitations, staff shortages, skill gaps, or technical hiccups, these constraints can impede your strategy. Here's how to navigate them: Resource Optimization: Make every resource count. Streamline processes, and allocate resources where they can have the most impact. Leverage External Support: Consider collaborating with external partners or vendors to supplement your team's skills and resources. Invest in Growth: Bridge skill gaps by investing in training and development. A well-equipped team is your strongest asset. Tool Up: Leverage the best tools and platforms available to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.

In my experience when understaffed, one should focus on fully delivering a limited number of tactics. Marketers tend to be stretched thin, working on content strategy, paid acquisition, PLG funnels, and ABM... all at once. It's not realistic with a solo marketer on board. You'll end up with ill-executed tactics. Instead, use your expertise on a limited number of tactics and outplay your competition there.

Resource constraints, such as budget limitations and staff shortages, pose significant challenges to B2B marketing strategy, leading to potential delays. The marketing team can address this by optimizing resource allocation, leveraging external partners or vendors, investing in training, and adopting effective tools and platforms. Strategic management of resources ensures the marketing team can execute their plans efficiently despite limitations, contributing to the overall success of the B2B marketing strategy.

The strategies here may require time and effort to implement effectively. Start with small, manageable changes and gradually scale up as you see positive results. The key is to be agile, adapt to changing circumstances, and continuously optimize your approach based on your specific resource constraints and organizational goals.

Resource constraints, such as limited budgets, staff shortages, skill gaps, or technical issues, often lead to delays in B2B marketing strategies. These constraints hinder the marketing team's ability to execute strategies effectively and efficiently. To counter this, the team should optimize resource allocation and utilization, collaborate with external partners or vendors, invest in training and development, and employ the best tools and platforms available.

Feedback loops are the compass for improvement. However, if not managed properly, they can lead to delays. Here's how to navigate this double-edged sword: Timing Matters: Late or untimely feedback can disrupt your strategy. Ensure feedback arrives when it's most valuable. Clarity is Key: Vague feedback is counterproductive. It's essential to establish clear and specific criteria for evaluation. Balance is Essential: Too frequent or conflicting feedback can lead to confusion. Define the right frequency and ensure feedback is consistent. Process Precision: Establish a well-defined feedback process with clear roles and responsibilities for providers and receivers.

Feedback is important for keeping GTM teams aligned, especially when it comes to making sure sales and marketing are on the same page. However, too many opinions can make it feel like everyone's stepping on each other's toes. To simplify, establish clear roles and rules – it's akin to assigning tasks in a group project where everyone knows their part and deadline. Be direct. Pose specific questions to avoid going in circles. Keep it simple, like jotting down a to-do list for everyone to follow. However, not all feedback is valuable. It's like picking ingredients for a recipe – some enhance the flavor, others might spoil it. It's important to understand what feedback you should incorporate and when to use it.

Feedback loops are vital for enhancing a B2B marketing strategy, yet mismanagement can lead to delays. Untimely, ambiguous, frequent, or conflicting feedback may result in wasted efforts on unnecessary revisions. To mitigate this, the marketing team should institute a clear and consistent feedback process. Clearly defining roles and responsibilities for both feedback providers and receivers, along with setting specific and measurable evaluation criteria, ensures that feedback contributes positively to refining the strategy without causing unnecessary setbacks.

Although a Feedback loop is much required when running a campaign with multiple stakeholders, it has been a consistent bottleneck for the fast executioner. 1. The feedback loop should be broken into smaller timelines; if you are involved in one, you must be very clear about the campaign timeline. 2. The Feedback loop doesn't require everyone to get involved; be specific about the person and the dependency. 3. Feedback Communication: most of the time, I have seen the feedback provider rework the entire thing; it doesn't stay as feedback anymore.

Be transparent in your approach and goals and involve your peers in the complete process. By providing more visibility you create understanding which enriches the constructiveness of your feedback. Use a project management tool like Asana to have all your communication in one place.

Competing priorities and lack of prioritization often derail B2B marketing strategies. There will always be more ideas and more demands, mostly without more budget or more bandwidth. Focus, prioritization, and continuous assessment of what's working and what's not are critical. Make sure you're working on strategies that will have the most significant impact on the business and say no to or deprioritize the ones that won't. Your job is not to do all the things. Your job is to do the right things.

In years of my personal experience, one of the main drivers of B2B marketing strategy delay are silos. This includes: 1. Hierarchy silos 2. Data silos 3. Department silos Often times these silos are created due to perceived competition between the internal teams. It is imperative that top level stakeholders have full understanding of how each of the teams - such as sales, marketing, category, data, product - contribute to the company's long-term business maturity and profitability. In my current digital transformative role it is up to leaders of these teams to connect missions of their groups to a high-level company goal, communicate the value and purpose back to the teams, and usher departments towards one singular vision.

One thing I've found helpful to prevent delays is differentiating the "roadmap" and "experiments". The roadmap is your priority: it's what you have to deliver during a given quarter to reach your goals. Experiments are a way to frame ideas and fuel your future roadmap. For example, instead of getting side tracked by delivering something another department asked for, you turn it into an experiment with a limited time-frame, a clear KPI that has to move, and a prioritization matrix (I use RICE). Then, you only work on experiments during the quarter if the roadmap is on time. This is a very simple way of taking everyone's input your B2B marketing strategy into account while keeping your focus on your goals.

If you’re a global company, do not forget about the worldwide marketing teams (marketing managers, field marketing, etc). Not including the regional teams in your marketing planning process will cause huge delays and often times waste resources. Close the loop with the regional teams and build them into the scope from the beginning. Most B2B companies require global marketing strategies but often times regional teams are brought in at the 9th hour and that doesn’t help anyone. Plan accordingly and you’ll have a well rounded worldwide B2B marketing strategy!

Addressing these often-overlooked B2B marketing delays boosts efficiency: Data Cleanup: Poor data quality slows targeting. Maintain and update your database. Compliance: Navigating B2B rules takes time. Address it early to prevent legal issues. Content Bottlenecks: Streamline content creation and use a content calendar. Vendor Coordination: Poor integration of agencies and providers causes delays. Testing & Optimization: Don't miss opportunities; adapt your strategy. Employee Training: Invest in training for smoother execution. Flexibility: Be agile to handle market changes. Technology Integration: Integrate your tech stack with your strategy.