ROI with Purpose: Driving Results with Value-Driven Marketing

As the tech industry continues to evolve, scaling a startup requires more than just innovative products—it demands a deep understanding of strategic marketing that aligns with growth objectives. 

For startups in Eastern Europe looking to break into global markets, having the right marketing partner can make all the difference. STOICA, one of the supporting partners of How to Web Conference 2024, has been empowering tech companies with data-driven, agile marketing strategies designed to fuel sustainable growth. 

As How to Web Conference 2024 is just around the corner, we spoke with Andrei Stoica, Founder of STOICA, to explore how their tailored approach is helping startups turn vision into reality, and why Eastern European founders should rethink their marketing game to succeed globally. According to Andrei, value-driven marketing is part of their mindset and values, and it makes a difference. Find out more:

1. What is your definition of value-driven marketing, and how does it differ from more traditional marketing approaches in the B2B tech sector?

Value-driven marketing integrates data, insights, and personalisation to focus on the value customers get from using your solution at every touchpoint. Instead of pushing products or services, it emphasises understanding what customers genuinely care about and how your solution addresses their specific needs and delivers on the jobs to be done.

What I appreciate most about this approach is its focus on creating mutual benefits – customers get solutions that enhance their businesses while the company builds loyalty and long-term growth. 

Value-driven marketing aligns with strategic goals and fosters authentic customer relationships by considering objectives, initiatives, tactics, and feedback at each customer lifecycle stage.

2. How does STOICA ensure that marketing efforts, from website development to content strategy, consistently align with business goals and long-term value creation?

We start by conducting strategy workshops to address business objectives, ideal customers, stakeholders, and gaps in marketing, sales, or customer service systems.

We involve all departments—like sales, HR, or customer support—early in the process. Often, these teams feel like something’s missing from the marketing efforts or doesn’t represent them, so we ensure everyone’s voice is heard. This way, we create a strategy that aligns with real business needs, not just marketing goals.

Then, we prioritise actions, work on the strategy, and constantly stop to look back at the results and determine what we can do better.

Most of the Stoica team have worked either as entrepreneurs themselves or as part of small teams, so we understand business goals pretty well and that marketing isn’t just “nice to have”—it’s about driving results that matter to the whole business.

3. How important are experimentation and agility in your marketing strategies, especially when working with fast-growing B2B tech startups? Can you share an example of how this approach proved successful?

They are essential in dynamic environments where market demands and customer needs can shift rapidly. Agility enables us to adapt quickly, while experimentation helps us identify what resonates with target audiences and refine strategies based on real-time data.

For instance, with one client, we A/B tested channels and content formats, discovering that LinkedIn generated more valuable engagement and business growth than platform X (former Twitter), which they initially believed was their audience’s primary channel. Upon analysing the impact, we found that metrics from platform X didn’t align with their strategic goals. By scaling LinkedIn campaigns and targeting healthcare leaders, we influenced €116,000 in revenue within three weeks.

4. How do you see emerging technologies, like AI, reshaping the landscape of B2B marketing, especially for health and tech companies? Are there tools that STOICA has adopted to stay ahead of the curve?

AI and emerging technologies are transforming B2B marketing by streamlining tasks and freeing time to focus on what truly matters—driving results and aligning marketing with business goals. 

At STOICA, we’ve prioritised understanding how these tools can support our work rather than relying on them mindlessly.

We integrate several tools to create a sustainable infrastructure that gives our team more time to be creative. For example, we use ChatGPT for ideation and repurposing the content we produce, ClickUp to manage workflows and prevent team overload, and Grammarly to ensure our messaging is clear. HubSpot is our go-to CRM for automation—its workflow capabilities are a game-changer. For data insights, Databox helps us make informed decisions, and SEMrush and Hotjar offer SEO and website performance insights to improve rankings and customer experience.

By syncing these tools together, we ensure efficiency without sacrificing creativity, allowing us to focus on long-term business outcomes.

5. What advice would you give to early-stage tech startups on how to build a marketing strategy that’s both scalable and value-driven?

My advice for early-stage tech startups is to understand your customers deeply. Build with the customer, for the customer, from the very beginning. Ensure that your marketing is aligned with their needs and provides genuine value.

Test different strategies early on, track your experiments, isolate your tests, and focus on scaling what works. Prioritise adaptability and always keep your customers at the core of your marketing efforts. By doing this, you create a foundation for a strategy that’s both scalable and value-driven.

6. In your experience working with health and tech companies, what are some common marketing mistakes that businesses make, and how can they avoid them?

A common mistake is not clearly understanding their ideal client, their specific needs, or the jobs to do. This lack of clarity often leads to misaligned messaging and wasted efforts.

Another issue is the lack of isolated experimentation and tracking of performance indicators, which makes it harder to identify what truly works. Many companies also communicate on the wrong channels or in a tone of voice that doesn’t resonate with their audience. 

Lastly, many fail to align their marketing strategies with the business’s constraints, such as budget or resources. Or, they run experiments for a limited time only – we’ve posted on social media 3 times and got no leads, so it doesn’t work. Things take time and alignment to the strategy; it doesn’t work overnight, and many start-ups fall into that trap.

Businesses should start with a solid understanding of their customers, prioritise testing and performance monitoring, and ensure their efforts are targeted and realistic given their limitations.

7. What are the most significant trends in B2B marketing over the last few years, and how has STOICA adapted to stay ahead of these changes?

Over the past few years, B2B marketing has shifted toward deeper personalisation, the rise of Business-to-Human thinking, and the ongoing digital transformation. Gartner says that 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur in digital channels by 2025.

We like to learn and share ideas with other experts – this is how we quickly adapt to what is coming. For example, early this year, we conducted a study among marketing leaders from European companies and developed a trend book based on their insights. 

Several key trends emerged:

1. Content marketing continues to dominate, with blog posts, articles, videos, infographics, and thought leadership social posts, positioning brands as authorities in their fields.

2. Customer segmentation has become more data-driven, allowing companies to personalise marketing efforts through tailored emails, product recommendations, Account-Based Marketing, and targeted advertising campaigns.

3. Influencer marketing is also gaining traction in the B2B space, with content creators promoting products through reviews, newsletters, podcasts, tutorials, and endorsements to reach highly engaged, niche audiences.

8. How do you balance short-term tactics that drive immediate results with long-term strategies focusing on building value and relationships for B2B clients?

Defining a long-term strategy and approaching it based on iterations and isolated experiments. This allows us to test, monitor, and adjust as we go, ensuring that we drive immediate results while focusing on building long-term value and relationships. By learning from what works and avoiding repeated mistakes, we stay aligned with the client’s broader goals while delivering quick wins.

9. Can you share an example of how focusing on providing value (instead of just selling) helped one of your clients achieve their marketing or business goals?

One of our recent clients approached us looking for new ways to attract and convert leads, specifically through a webinar. Instead of jumping straight into execution, we realised we needed a deeper understanding of their ideal clients.

We took a step back and defined their customer segments, analysed competitors, refined their unique value proposition, built tailored audiences, and developed a demand generation plan. Through a mix of research and workshops, we gained a clear understanding of their unique approach to cybersecurity services. We proposed a new customer segment that would ensure quicker results than the one in the brief.

As a result, the webinar attracted 106 new leads and saw strong engagement throughout the event. By focusing on providing value instead of just selling, we helped the client build meaningful connections with their audience, ultimately supporting their long-term goals.

10. What are the most common misconceptions businesses have about B2B marketing today, and how does STOICA help clients overcome these challenges?

One common misconception in B2B marketing is the transactional mindset—where every marketing action is expected to generate immediate leads. This approach overlooks the importance of nurturing relationships and long-term value creation. At STOICA, we help clients focus on intent-based nurturing, guiding prospects through the funnel based on their needs rather than expecting immediate results.

Another misconception is focusing on vanity metrics like clicks or impressions, which don’t always reflect business impact. We work with clients to prioritise metrics that align with their strategic goals and drive accurate results.

Lastly, many businesses believe they must be on every channel and try every tactic. We emphasise that a strong strategy is as much about deciding what not to do as it is about choosing the right actions. Helping clients focus on what truly matters ensures their efforts are targeted and effective.

Andrei Stoica’s insights underline the critical role of strategic marketing in scaling tech startups from local champions to global players. As Eastern Europe’s tech ecosystem continues to flourish, having a partner like STOICA—one that understands both the regional challenges and international opportunities—is invaluable. Their expertise in combining value-based, agile marketing with startup culture has positioned them as a key player in driving meaningful growth for the tech sector. 

Don’t miss the chance to connect with STOICA at How to Web Conference 2024!