Is Your Campaign a Trick or Treat? Recognizing When It’s Time to Move On

Not every campaign or strategy unfolds as planned in the dynamic landscape of B2B marketing. Despite our best efforts, some initiatives may lose direction and purpose. Recognizing these “wandering campaigns” and understanding when to redirect course is crucial. This article delves into how to identify these dead-end efforts and make strategic decisions to keep your marketing vibrant and effective.

Tried-and-True Campaigns vs. Experiments

Campaigns usually fall into one of two categories: Tried-and-True or Experiments. How do we measure a tried-and-true campaign? These types of campaigns are typically measured using performance/vanity metrics – clicks, opens, impressions, etc. The secret to knowing when to move on from an underperforming, tried-and-true campaign is to not make excuses for it. The key is deciding on a performance/vanity metrics scale ahead of time. For example, “This campaign should result in a 10% engagement rate, but if it falls below 5%, we’re pulling it in favor of something else.” It might be a one-off. There may be extenuating market factors, but the cumulation of all of this means that, in the short term, your marketing dollars are better invested elsewhere until that particular circumstance corrects itself.

If it’s an experiment, setting deadlines ahead of time will serve you well. Before the campaign begins, decide how much time you are going to give it to produce and what range will be acceptable for results. Understand what defines success for your team. Success could be a rise in performance metrics or an increase in “hard metrics” such as sales and opportunities. Ensure you give the campaign long enough to yield results, especially if your campaign is an experiment. Many clients hope to see results within a week of a campaign running. Unfortunately, like all good things, campaigns take time, especially experiments. However, a bright marketer must know when “enough is enough”. For example, a client wanted to conduct a LinkedIn Outreach campaign using a 3^rd party service to send connection requests and messages. After three weeks, the client was concerned that the outreach campaign was not effective and pushed for the campaign to be pulled. With a nominal cost to continue the campaign once set up, Advertas encouraged this client to continue. After eight weeks of consistent outreach, the campaign started to produce a solid stream of leads, becoming the highest lead-generating source in the campaign portfolio.

“Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained”.

A large part of marketing is about taking educated risks. Educated risks include having a clear set of objectives, with associated timing, to avoid burning money and time. Playing it safe by utilizing the channels and outreach you are comfortable with is fine, but taking educated risks can truly separate you from the noise.

Evolution of Company Goals or Branding

Change is the only constant, especially in a business environment. Your company might undergo shifts in its objectives, market positioning, or even branding. Some ongoing campaigns might suddenly appear out of sync with the brand’s new direction when such transformations occur. If you’re in the middle of a campaign, slowly phasing out your content while phasing in your new content to match new objectives can help keep your audience engaged. If the company or organization is entering a rebranding phase, this would be an optimal time to stop current campaigns that are no longer relevant and conduct a structured launch of the new branding. Remember to regularly align your marketing strategies with your company’s current vision and goals, ensuring they remain relevant and effective.

Conclusion: Pivoting with Purpose

Re-evaluating a campaign doesn’t mean you’re conceding defeat. In the ever-changing world of B2B marketing, agility and adaptability are invaluable traits. Recognizing a wandering campaign provides an opportunity to learn, adapt, and grow. Use the insights gained from these experiences as fuel for your next venture, ensuring that your marketing efforts remain purposeful, potent, and aligned with your overarching objectives.