B2B Startup Marketing: Drive Growth through Experimentation

When I joined a B2B hotel-tech startup in 2021, the marketing function was non-existent. The startup had big ambitions, but the marketing team was just a one-person operation — me. With limited resources, no existing campaigns, and a lot of experimentation ahead, I set out to create a marketing function that would fuel growth and establish the brand.

2021: Building the Marketing Foundation Through Experimentation

In the early days, my focus was on experimentation over optimization. I understood that without a large budget or established channels, we had to be agile and test everything. We had to find out what worked and what didn’t, fast.

I kicked things off with Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, cold email outreach, and SEO — all in an attempt to generate high-intent leads. Since it was an early-stage startup, optimization wasn’t the goal right away. I needed to experiment, gather data, and identify which channels would give us the best results with the resources we had.

2023: Shifting Toward Performance, But Still Testing

By 2023, after extensive testing, we had some solid results to work with. We could see which channels performed best, but even then, there was always room for testing and optimization.

• Google Ads: We achieved 4.08 million impressions, 191,330 clicks, and a CTR of 4.88%, all at a cost-effective rate of ₩6 (~$0.0045 per click). Even though our CTR was below industry average, the low CPC made it a solid channel for brand awareness and lead generation.

• LinkedIn Ads: A small budget ($2,648.43) generated 1,650 engagements and 5 high-quality leads. While results were solid, the ROI showed that LinkedIn Ads needed more fine-tuning to match the other channels.

• Email Outreach: I sent 46,600 emails with an impressive 76.5% open rate. These campaigns helped us fill the sales pipeline with 116 high-intent leads. Email was clearly a high-performing channel, so we continued testing different messaging and subject lines.

As we experimented, I introduced LinkedIn Drip Campaigns using Sales Navigator, but soon realized that manual outreach (with personalized connections and follow-ups) produced better engagement and higher-quality leads. Despite automating some outreach efforts, the human touch was a game-changer.

Webinars & PR: Building Trust and Credibility

While digital ads and email outreach were working, we knew we needed to build trust with our target audience. So, we launched webinars as part of our lead nurturing strategy.

• Webinars helped us connect with potential clients, establish credibility, and drive additional leads. Our first webinar had 28 attendees and our second one had 34. These events gave us more insights into what resonated with our audience and where we could improve.

• PR Releases also played a key role in establishing the brand. We launched four releases over the course of the year, with the last generating 6,125 views and 82 click-throughs. These efforts boosted brand visibility and helped to build trust.

2023-2024: Scaling Up With Data-Driven Insights

By 2023, we had built a robust multi-channel strategy. From SEO to paid ads and manual outreach, we were refining our efforts and pushing towards a performance marketing approach. The growth was evident:

• The website saw a 16,000% growth in sessions from 1,791 sessions in 2021 to 163,799 sessions in 2023.

• We also saw substantial improvements in engagement time, going from 3 seconds to 45 seconds per session. This confirmed that we were improving our content and user experience.

We kept testing new tactics, from LinkedIn drip campaigns to PR and webinars, using data to continuously optimize our strategies.

The Outcome: Solidifying the Marketing Engine

Looking back, it was the constant testing and experimentation that ultimately led to success. The data-driven approach helped us determine what worked, and we optimized from there. This iterative process resulted in the following:

• Increased SQLs

• Consistently booked 6-10 sales calls per month

• A 17% increase in new website visitors after each webinar

• High-quality leads that helped fuel growth without needing a massive marketing budget

In Summary:

Marketing at an early-stage startup is all about experimentation. While optimization is important, sometimes you need to test first to see what channels, messaging, and strategies truly resonate with your audience. By continuously experimenting, we were able to build a marketing engine from scratch that delivered growth and positioned the company for long-term success.