“Yes, I want to invest in long-term marketing infrastructure… but I also need pipeline NOW”
Every startup CEO, every day.
At Blue Seedling, we hear this all the time. So here’s our “Get Pipeline Fast” cocktail recipe for enterprise B2B startups:
1) The Roadshow
Get on the road for small-group dinners (or power breakfasts / lunch & learns) with hand-picked prospects and customers. They’re quick to produce and inexpensive. And they work because nothing sells better than your happy customers, and people love intimate, community-driven events.
2) Partner marketing
No, we’re not talking channel partners or product integrations. We’re talking about teaming up with companies which target the same ICP but aren’t competitive, and running joint marketing campaigns with them, like a webinar, or a side event at a conference. It’s a cost-effective way to tap into each other’s audience, backed by the credibility of a trusted partner.
3) The “Lead-a-thon”
As a CEO, your first 10 customers came from you hustling and reaching out to your network of investors, friends, past colleagues, kids’ kindergarten teachers, whatever it took. Go back to that. Host an “outreach party” where each of your execs and GTM team members combs through LinkedIn and reaches out to 20 prospects. Throw in a prize for whoever sets the most meetings.
Want more? Check out the links below for more marketing tips for B2B startups, and a guide for analytically choosing the right marketing channel according to your budget, timeline, and headcount.
Further Reading:
- How to build co-marketing partnerships that aren’t a total waste of time
- On the road again: Our guide to planning a successful trade show appearance
- How to quickly ramp up demand generation: an analytical framework for selecting the most effective channels
- How to be boring: Our guide to high-performance, low-creativity B2B marketing campaigns
