From Startups to Giants: Growth Marketing for Large Corporations

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When discussing the applicability of growth marketing for large corporations, it is essential to agree on a coherent definition, as growth marketing transcends mere techniques to embody a mindset and a profound reorganization of teams. Growth marketing, a pillar of digital marketing, relies on data analysis (both first-party and third-party) and aims to acquire new customers while retaining the existing ones in a profitable manner. Large companies, well-versed in the basics of marketing and having transitioned to digital, often possess an in-depth knowledge of their customer base.

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However, what is sometimes overlooked are the testing and iteration practices inherent to development, the rapid cycles of campaign launches in 15-day sprints, the monitoring of shared KPIs between marketing and sales teams, and closer collaboration between these often siloed departments. The agile or even "pirate" image associated with growth marketing is often linked to startups willing to embrace unconventional methods to drive their growth.

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However, this approach is not limited to small structures; in reality, large corporations can also leverage growth marketing to revitalize their traditional strategies and foster more effective internal collaboration. With their rich reservoir of customer data, large companies can amplify the impact of their actions on a large scale and in a reduced time frame.

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At Spaag, we support small structures, SMEs, and large accounts worldwide. We find that our growth marketing and testing methods, recently awarded, are extremely effective among major players when teams are trained and engaged. After assisting over 150 clients in both B2C and B2B markets, in France and internationally, here are some significant observations on the use of growth marketing in large corporations:

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De-risking the Launch of Innovations: More Agile Product and Market Testing

The development of a product, which takes between 12 and 24 months depending on the industry and thus mobilizes significant pre-launch investment expenses, can benefit immensely from minimizing risks associated with innovations and new initiatives necessary for the company's development. This is possible thanks to digital marketing and the agile techniques of growth marketing.

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For example, a major French cosmetic group sought Spaag's external marketing team services to test a new segment (specifically the senior segment) before launching a new product. The group's innovation department presented numerous internal research findings (focus groups, consumer studies, market studies) and asked us to confirm or refute market hypotheses by testing the target audience online. We created a brand to gather these insights, designed landing pages with distinct designs, arguments, and benefits, created tailored creatives for all digital channels we wanted to test (Meta, Google), prepared a questionnaire to collect feedback from interested parties, and organized a multi-sprint test campaign over several weeks to expose the target audience to the brand's future products. Over 2000 respondents in a few weeks allowed the brand to choose between different types of products, messages, and packaging to stay as close as possible to consumer needs.

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This method was also applied to large B2B groups to help them test new digital pivots involving significant changes to their business models.

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Fostering Cross-Functional Collaboration in B2B for Higher Quality Lead Generation

When we speak with our B2B clients, we realize that marketing and sales teams do not always collaborate as closely as they do in startups. Why is this a problem? Because the former must generate leads for the latter, and to continuously improve lead quality, it is essential to know if these leads are qualified. This part occurs at the end of the conversion funnel, at the beginning of the sales cycle in the hands of the sales teams.

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Implementing shared KPIs and collaborative growth routines between these two functions significantly improves B2B lead acquisition strategies. Ultimately, better alignment of sales and marketing teams on KPIs leads to better marketing decisions throughout the funnel, ultimately improving overall marketing costs.

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Better Resource Allocation and Leveraging New Technologies for More Creativity and Efficiency

Large corporations often have more substantial financial and human resources than smaller structures. Growth hacking allows these resources to be used strategically to maximize their impact.

For example, large companies can invest in advanced technologies and analytical tools to better understand customer behavior and identify growth opportunities. Additionally, they can recruit growth hacking experts or use external agencies like Spaag to train their existing employees and develop a culture of innovation.

Large companies, with privileged access to considerable amounts of data on their customers, products, and markets, can exploit the potential of growth marketing by integrating big data and advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

For instance, the use of AI to create more content, better suited to their target audience and more efficiently, is a common use case we often see with our large B2B and B2C clients who ask us to assist them in creating their "Content Factory" (creatives, SEO, etc.).

Another example is for industrial SMEs that we assist in automating their processes through AI, No Code, or digitalizing their tools before even improving their lead generation techniques.

Finally, to revisit the three types of uses mentioned above, Netflix provides a compelling case study of a large corporation that successfully adopted growth marketing principles. Initially known for its DVD rental service, Netflix transitioned to a streaming model and used data-driven insights to drive its growth. The company continuously tests and refines its content recommendations, marketing messages, and user experience to improve customer engagement and retention.

Netflix's use of growth marketing has been instrumental in its global expansion. By understanding viewer preferences and leveraging data analytics, the company has been able to create a personalized experience that keeps subscribers engaged and loyal. This approach has helped Netflix become a dominant player in the entertainment industry.

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Conclusion

Growth marketing is not the exclusive domain of startups; the successes we see with our large corporate clients prove that this strategy can bring tangible benefits to large companies. By enhancing agility, driving customer-centric strategies, optimizing marketing spend, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and leveraging advanced technologies, large companies can achieve sustainable growth and maintain their competitive edge. As the business landscape continues to evolve, adopting growth marketing principles will be essential for large companies looking to stay at the forefront.

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