How to Deal With A Boss Who Expects Immediate Results
How to Deal With A Boss Who Expects Immediate Results
You can’t stand your boss always asking for quick results from your marketing campaigns?
As a marketer in SaaS, you know how hard it is to deal with such managers who want to see large wins right away.
The reality is that no success happens overnight.
Here are simple ways to handle your boss's high hopes and deal with long sales cycles.
You'll learn how to:
Teach your boss about realistic timelines
Set clear goals
Show progress—even when the final sale is months away.
Ready? Let’s go!
Understanding the Reality of Marketing Timelines
Marketing campaigns, particularly in the B2B SaaS space, rarely yield immediate results.
Research on B2B SaaS companies reveals some harsh statistics:
It takes approximately 500+ LinkedIn views before someone clicks on your website
Around 50+ interactions are needed to generate a quality lead
The larger the deal size, the more touchpoints are required:
Under $20K: about 30 touchpoints
$20K-$60K: around 50 touchpoints
Over $60K: 75-80 touchpoints
Even after initial interest, the journey is far from over.
To convert a lead into a solid prospect, you're looking at another 1000 LinkedIn views and 90 more interactions.
Closing the deal requires an extra 80 touchpoints and 800+ LinkedIn views.
As Neil Patel, the renowned digital marketing expert, puts it:
"Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to build brand awareness, establish trust, and nurture leads through the sales funnel."
Strategies for Managing Expectations
1. Educate Your Boss on Marketing Realities
Schedule a meeting with your boss to discuss realistic timelines and metrics for marketing campaigns.
Use industry data and past campaign performance to illustrate typical results at different stages.
💡According to a study by Forrester Research, it takes an average of 8 touches to get an initial meeting with a new prospect.
This shows the importance of patience and persistence in marketing efforts.
2. Set Clear KPIs and Milestones
Set measurable key performance indicators and milestones for each stage of your campaign.
This allows you to demonstrate progress even before final conversion metrics are available.
Marketing expert Jay Baer advises:
"Don't just measure the end result. Track and report on leading indicators that show you're making progress towards your ultimate goal."
For more on setting effective marketing goals, see my guide on B2B Marketing Strategies That Work.
3. Implement Regular Check-ins
Set up weekly meetings to keep your boss informed about campaign progress.
This proactive approach helps manage expectations and allows you to address concerns in real time.
4. Focus on Early-Stage Metrics
In the initial weeks, focus on metrics that show campaign health rather than end goals.
For example:
Week 1: Report on campaign launch and initial targeting adjustments
Week 2: Share data on website visits and audience engagement
Week 3: Discuss early conversion rates and plans for optimization
5. Provide Context with Benchmarks
Use industry benchmarks or past campaign data to provide context for current performance.
This helps your boss understand how the campaign is progressing relative to expectations.
💡A study by HubSpot found that the average conversion rate for B2B websites is 2.23%.
Sharing such benchmarks can help set realistic expectations for your campaigns.
6. Reorient Towards Revenue Metrics
Interim metrics like clicks and engagement are important.
But try to shift focus towards revenue-related KPIs.
Track leads entering the sales funnel and their progress through it.
This approach aligns marketing efforts with broader business goals.
As Peter Drucker, management consultant and author, famously said:
"What gets measured, gets managed."
For more on essential marketing metrics, check out my article on Essential Marketing Tools & Trends.
7. Focus On Long-Term Brand Building
Educate your boss on the long-term benefits of brand building.
Explain that some tactics (like paid ads) can yield quick results.
Yet many digital marketing efforts need time for algorithms to learn and optimize.
A study by Binet and Field found that brand-building activities deliver 60% of marketing-generated profits in the long term, compared to 40% from short-term sales activation.
Communicating Better
When discussing campaign performance with your boss:
Be transparent about current results and planned optimizations
Use data to support your explanations and decisions
Highlight early indicators of success, even if they're small
Show your proactive approach to campaign management
Adjust strategies based on initial performance
It's key to set expectations before launching campaigns.
So, educate your boss on typical marketing timelines.
And communicate on progress to create a more understanding and supportive work environment.
Marketing expert Seth Godin highlights the importance of patience in marketing:
"The best marketing doesn't feel like marketing. It's patient, consistent, and focused on long-term relationships, not quick wins."
For more insights on effective marketing communication, see my article on Marketing Beyond Advertising.
Marketing is not an exact science.
And results often take time to materialize.
These strategies will help you manage expectations and prove the value of your marketing efforts.
Even in the face of pressure for immediate results.
Want to learn more?
This was a quick preview of the actions you can take.
Check out 'The Marketing Executive's Guide to Managing Expectations and Driving Results' for in-depth expert strategies, real-world case studies, and actionable tools to level up your marketing game!
-Hakan
For more expert insights and strategies, explore my B2B Marketing Challenges guide and stay updated with the latest marketing trends and tools.