Earlier this year, Bill Gross, founder of Idealab, spoke at TED on the topic of top factors in startup success. Since Mr. Gross has founded and funded many successful ventures, his advice is worth listening to. After studying 200 startup companies (both successful and not) it was determined that, of the five most important factors, timing was the most critical to the eventual success of the venture. You can watch the TED video for more details, but a summary of the data is shown in the chart below. By the way, I find it interesting that so many entrepreneurs are obsessed by the funding issue, or with starting with right team or business model, while in fact; it turns out to be the least important of the five factors. Just as with startup success, timing is a critical factor in marketing, and sometimes the overarching issue. As an example, we occasionally get asked to rescue a company whose market share and revenues are dropping. While we are happy to work in this scenario, unless the product is sold online and the sales cycle is short, marketing alone is not an effective short-term fix. The situation may need to be stabilized through aggressive sales techniques or cost-cutting measures starting now – with marketing used as the key factor in ensuring medium and long-term success. In such a case, the timing can work against you on the marketing side.

1. 1
B2B Marketing
Christopher Ryan
info@fusionmarketingpartners.com
Why Timing is a
Critical Factor in
B2B Marketing
Success

2. Top Factors in Startup Success
Earlier this year, Bill Gross, founder of Idealab,
spoke at TED on the topic of top factors in startup
success.

3. Timing is Everything
After studying 200 startup companies (both
successful and not) it was determined that, of the
five most important factors, timing was the most
critical to the eventual success of the venture
42%

4. Funding Follows
Interestingly, with so many entrepreneurs
obsessed with funding issues, or with starting with
right team or business model, it turns out to be the
least important of the five factors.
14%

5. The Overarching Issue
Just as with startup success, timing is a critical
factor in marketing, and sometimes the
overarching issue.

6. Marketing Rescue
As an example, we occasionally get asked to
rescue a company whose market share and
revenues are dropping.
While we are happy to
work in this scenario,
unless the product is
sold online and the sales
cycle is short, marketing
alone is
not an effective
short-term fix.

7. Stabilization First
The situation may need to be stabilized through
aggressive sales techniques or cost-cutting
measures starting now – with marketing used as
the key factor in ensuring medium and long-term
success.

8. Marketplace Receptivity
Timing is also a factor when it comes to
marketplace receptivity.
During my earlier career in the enterprise software
industry, I was in situations where marketing and
selling were relatively easy because we had
technology that filled a current hot need among our
target audience.

9. Marketplace Receptivity
At one company, a senior rep exclaimed,
“Selling our software in this market is as easy as
shooting fish in a barrel”
In this case, market timing made our marketing
department look like superstars. We were good,
but not that good!

10. Marketplace Receptivity
Conversely, I was in a couple of situations where
the timing was not good, either because the
marketplace had passed us by or because a
competitor had achieved a significant price or
technology advantage.

11. Marketplace Receptivity
In those circumstances, good B2B marketing can
help – but just as a great quarterback can’t help a
mediocre team win the Super Bowl – great
marketing alone will not overcome lousy market
timing.
Despite our best efforts, we
were fighting an uphill battle
and struggling for revenue
and relevance.

12. Impact Market Timing
Fortunately, timing is not set in stone and can often
change to your benefit. And you can certainly
impact market timing by…
 Adjusting your positioning
 Changing your business model
 Creating a new offer
 Fixing whatever it is that is not working for you

13. Preparation
Sometimes, it is simply a matter of keeping up with
your target audience, optimizing your business for
greater efficiency, and preparing to catch the next
big wave in your industry.

14. I’ll Leave You With Some Quotes
“The essential ingredient of politics is timing”
perhaps this is equally true if you substitute the
word “marketing” in place of politics.
- Pierre Trudeau

15. I’ll Leave You With Some Quotes
“If the timing’s right and the gods are with you,
something special happens.”
I hope something special happens for you!
- Rick Springfield

16. Learn More
Visit our website for more
insight about B2B
marketing and sales and a
look at my new eBook
The Essential Guide to
Building Your Lead-to-
Revenue (L2R) Machine

17. About Fusion Marketing Partners
Christopher Ryan, CEO
We Do This:
Brand building/messaging
Website optimization
Content creation
Lead generation
You Get This:
Much greater levels of awareness
Higher quantities of qualified leads
Ability to generate faster revenue
Lots more information at:
http://FusionMarketingPartners.com/
http://Greatb2BMarketing.com (blog)
info@fusionmarketingpartners.com
719-357-6280