In the fast-paced world of business, the ability to adapt and evolve is essential for survival. CEOs and marketing leaders of middle-market B2B companies often find themselves at a crossroads where the need for change becomes evident. Sometimes, this change isn’t just about tweaking a few processes or making incremental adjustments; it’s about unapologetically torching your existing marketing strategy and starting anew.
If you’re familiar with the book Traction and the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) operating model developed by Gino Wickman and used by many middle-market companies across the country, then you probably know the principle of “hitting the ceiling.” This is where the strategies that served you well in the past no longer work for you—likely because you’ve grown to a point where strategic adjustments are necessary. For example, where centralized decision making once worked, you must now build and empower a professional leadership team because, thanks to growth, you are now the bottleneck. The same holds true in marketing. Perhaps you have tapped the extent of the PPC opportunity in your niche, or advancements in Google’s algorithm have caused your SEO strategy to tank, or maybe the consistent email campaigns that worked three years ago are now getting lost in all the digital noise. You must adapt or die.
When you are unable to put your finger on what is not working in your marketing strategy, often it makes sense to start fresh.
The Pros of Unapologetically Torching Your Existing Strategy
Before delving into the revolutionary process, let’s explore the advantages of unapologetically torching your existing marketing strategy.
Innovation through fresh perspective: When you decisively discard an outdated strategy, you embrace the potential for innovation. This radical approach compels you to re-evaluate your value proposition, explore new market segments, and consider technologies that could redefine your business operations. You completely reimagine your business model to tap into unexplored opportunities that drive growth.
Securing competitive advantage: A bold strategic shift positions your company as a market leader. By adopting emergent technologies or pioneering new business models, you set industry standards and shape customer expectations. This leap transforms your brand into a beacon for innovation, attracting not just customers but top-tier talent and investors who are drawn to trailblazing companies.
Proactive adaptation to market trends: Agile companies that pivot quickly in response to market trends can seize opportunities that others miss. By staying ahead of the curve, you can adapt your product offerings, go-to-market strategies, and customer experience to the evolving demands of the market, ensuring that your business remains relevant and competitive.
Enhancing employee engagement and talent attraction: A culture that encourages challenging the status quo can invigorate employees. It shows a commitment to growth and personal development, which attracts innovative thinkers and retains those who are eager to contribute to meaningful change. Engaged employees are more likely to be productive, committed, and passionate advocates for your company.
The Cons and Risks of Unapologetically Torching Your Existing Strategy
While the benefits are enticing, it’s essential to acknowledge the potential cons and risks associated with unapologetically torching your existing marketing strategy.
Navigating resistance to change and employee disruption: Organizational inertia is a formidable obstacle. Altering your company’s course can unsettle your team; employees and management alike may resist abandoning familiar sales and marketing processes for unknowns. This unease can manifest in various ways, from a dip in morale to a reluctance to fully engage with the new direction. In some cases, this may even lead to increased staff turnover as individuals seek environments with familiar routines.
Change management strategies must be employed to address fears, communicate the vision, and transition the team smoothly to new ways of working. It’s crucial to invest in comprehensive training and support to ensure that your team not only understands the new strategy but is also fully equipped to execute it.
First, be transparent. Use open, frequent communication to explain why changes are needed and what they will involve. Allow employees to voice concerns. By doing so, the transition becomes a shared journey rather than a mandate. Next, involve team members in the change process.
Gather their input and ideas, and let them be part of decision making. This inclusion not only makes the change more acceptable but also leverages their insights for better solutions. Then, provide hands-on training and support. Introduce new tools or methods in interactive sessions, and offer resources for team members to learn at their own pace. Align the new strategy with clear personal development paths to help employees see the change as an opportunity for growth rather than a disruption to be weathered. Finally, set up a feedback loop. Regularly check in with your team to see how they’re adapting, and be ready to adjust your approach based on their experiences and suggestions. It’s about transforming potential disruption into a positive evolution for both the team and the individual.
Preparing for strategic investments: Adopting a new marketing strategy often entails upfront investments in areas such as technology upgrades, internal skills development, and/or upgrading your marketing agency relationship. While there is an inherent financial outlay, a meticulously researched strategy allows you to anticipate these costs and understand their role in driving predictable returns. With a clear ROI timeline based on your market research, you can proceed with confidence, knowing that these calculated investments are steps toward future profitability.
Managing team expectations amidst well-informed changes: Embarking on a new strategy, even with extensive market research and a well-crafted plan, still carries elements of the unknown. While your research will provide a solid foundation, the market can be unpredictable and customer behavior can shift. It’s important to be prepared for adjustments even when your strategy is data- driven. This means setting realistic expectations, communicating to your team that pivots may be necessary, and monitoring outcomes closely to ensure your approach remains aligned with actual market responses. Stay ready to refine your tactics with precision based on the robust data you’ve gathered and the insights you continue to acquire.
By Lori Turner-Wilson, RedRover CEO/Founder, Internationally Best-Selling Author of The B2B Marketing RevolutionTM: A Battle Plan for Guaranteed Outcomes
Taking Action
Unapologetically torching your existing strategy is one of hundreds of best practices found in The B2B Marketing RevolutionTM: A Battle Plan for Guaranteed Outcomes — the playbook that middle-market B2B CEOs and marketing leaders lean on to scale. Backed by a groundbreaking research study, this book offers time-tested best practices, indispensable KPIs for benchmarking, insights on where your dollars are best spent, and, above all, the proven 12 BattlesTM Framework for generating guaranteed marketing outcomes. The B2B Marketing RevolutionTM is a battle-hardened approach to becoming an outcomes-first leader who’s ready to shake up the status quo, invest in high-payoff market research and optimization, and — yes — even torch what’s not serving your endgame.
If you’d like to talk about how to build a marketing engine that delivers predictable results — whether you want to build it yourself or tag in our team to lead the way — we’d be delighted to help you get started. Just book a call with Jee Vahn Knight, our VP of Strategy.
