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How NOT to be Agile for B2B Marketers

Agile marketing process

Because B2B marketers are so used to the long buying cycle, they think they have plenty of time to do marketing. As a result, they are usually good at putting things off.

However, if you need more tips on how to be sluggish, then you MUST follow these rules.

1. Slow Down Change

Fancy new strategies like content marketing, social media and blogging are uncharted territory. You don't want to change, but you know if you don't, you'll fall behind. While you could plan the bare minimum needed to give it a go, this new way of thinking is just way too uncomfortable!

So what can you do to settle your mind? Meticulously plan every element of every campaign, then pass it around to every single person you can think of for their thoughts. In fact, create procedures and spreadsheets that will slow you down even more. The more hesitation to just do it, the better.

2. Do Nothing

You don't want to look silly in front of the whole internet, do you? Exactly. So the best way to make sure you don't say the wrong thing is by not saying anything at all. Don't send lots of emails because you might annoy your leads. And don't talk about your buyer's problems either. This will make sure that your buyers think you are only interested in talking about what you sell, which is what you're used to. After all, there's not much room for error that way.

3. Be Easily Discouraged

Failure sucks. You get your hopes up only to see them tumble to the ground. That's why you should avoid this soul-crushing feeling by never attempting anything of the sort again. Forget looking at the data and thinking about what you can do differently - bin the idea altogether. It's not worth the potential disappointment you might feel.

For those who wish to succeed at agile marketing...

Do the opposite of everything we've just told you.

1. Get over cold feet

At which point does your marketing plan get stopped short? Where is the longest delay? Is it when you have to finalise something - like a payment, or a content piece? You can only examine something so many times.

Make your decisions quickly because too much planning and hesitation will slow down the process to the point that you fall behind. You need to be able to quickly adapt to change to be successful.

2. Accept failure

It's not a big deal, everyone stumbles from time to time. Do not be deterred by it. As the saying goes, 'wisdom comes from experience, and experience comes from making mistakes'. As long as you deal with it in an honest way, people will understand, and respect you for treating them like adults.

3. Bounce back

Learn from your mistakes. Do this by measuring the results, and adjusting according to what you could do differently. Don't stop completely, or keep doing what you've always been doing just because you're nervous about trying new things. Tweak until you achieve the results you want.

Also, have a look at AgileMarketing.Net, who sum up the principles of agile marketing extremely well:

  • Make your highest priority to satisfy your customer through early and continuous delivery of marketing that solves problems and creates value.
  • Welcome and plan for change. Your ability to quickly respond to change is a source of competitive advantage.
  • Deliver marketing programs often, from every couple of weeks to every two months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
  • Ensure close alignment with the business, sales and development.
  • Give motivated individuals the environment and support they need, and trust them to build great marketing programs.
  • Learn through the build-measure-learn feedback loop.
  • Keep a constant pace and pipeline to ensure sustainable marketing.
  • Don't be afraid to fail, just don't fail the same way twice.
  • Pay attention to marketing fundamentals and good design.
  • Aim for simplicity.

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Image source: AgileMarketing.Net

Topics: marketers b2b marketing strategy agile marketing