What if everything you ever learned about how to succeed in Business was back to front? Over 70% of new businesses fail because they don't make enough sales, which can only mean their market does not want to buy the product.

1. 30
Less than 30%
of new
businesses
generate
enough
revenues to
survive
beyond 3
years.
0
7
ll the
y do a o make
Wh
fail t venue to
rest gh re
enou
vive?
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
sur

2. The Harsh Truth
70
52.5
35
17.5
0
Achieve their
Become
Can’t sell enough
business goals self sustaining
to survive
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

3. What if it
was
because
the way
most
people
approach
business
is back to
front?
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

4. Entrepreneurial
way
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

5. Inwards
90% of companies start with an entirely
inward perspective:
• Its all about what we want
• Customers? Oh there will be plenty of them
• We know what the market needs
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

6. Kid
king
vs shareholder
Customer
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

7. 89% had no real understanding of market mechanics
Everything else
They gave detailed,
including their market,
rich descriptions of
funding needs and so
themselves, their
on, were a bit one
products and their
dimensional
objectives
Paddington bear is the property of
Paddington and Co Ltd. All rights
reserved
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

8. Finance
66% were having to re-finance they were so far
behind their own targets:
• Its taken a bit longer to get market traction
• We’d be fine if we could just get a few deals
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

9. Entrepreneur myth
Well over half believed in the power of their
entrepreneurial vision as all they needed
• My passion is all I need
• My belief will carry me through
• The product is so good it will sell itself
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

10. THE ENTREPRENEURIAL WAY
THIS IS WHERE IT ALL
GOES WRONG!
ASSUMPTIONS ARE MADE
AND ACCEPTED AS THE
TRUTH WITHOUT
TESTING. THE PRODUCT
IS DEVELOPED TO FIT
THE ASSUMPTIONS BUT
NO ONE SPOKE TO THE
MARKET.
ANALYSIS! WITH LITTLE OR
NO SALES REVENUE, THE
ENTREPRENEUR ASKS WHY
AND GETS FEEDBACK
USUALLY FROM SALES OR THE
FEW CUSTOMERS TO HAVE
BOUGHT. FEEDBACK IS
USUALLY SKEWED AS IT
COMES FROM A SMALL
UNREPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE
IDEA! DEVELOP LAUNCH
EUREKA MOMENT! A
BUSINESS IDEA IS
FORMED AND THE
ENTREPRENEUR
STARTS TO PLAN HOW
TO GET IT TO
MARKET AS FAST AS
POSSIBLE BEFORE
SOMEONE ELSE HAS
THE SAME IDEA
PROUD MOMENT! TO A
GREAT FANFARE THE
PRODUCT IS LAUNCHED
TO AN UNSUSPECTING
AND USUALLY UNAWARE
MARKET. THERE IS A
FLURRY OF ACTIVITY
AND NOISE THEN NOT
MUCH HAPPENS.
LEARN
TENSE MOMENT! A
NEW LAUNCH AND
ANOTHER FANFARE,
BUT THIS TIME THE
MARKET IS MORE
AWARE. USUALLY A
FEW MORE SALES, BUT
NEVER ENOUGH TO BE
A SUCCESS.
DEVELOP LAUNCH
FURTHER
DEVELOPMENTS ARE
MADE, BUT RARELY A
FRESH START. THE
CHANGES MADE ARE
OFTEN CONSTRAINED
BY BUDGET AND THE
ENTREPRENEUR’S BIAS
AND ‘EXPERT’ VIEW.
THE LAUNCH-LEARN-DEVELOP CYCLE IS EXPENSIVE
AND PUTS SEVERE PRESSURE ON YOUR FINANCES
WHEN YOU COULD AVOID IT IF YOU KNOW THE MARKET
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
????
REPEAT LAUNCH,
LEARN AND DEVELOP
CYCLE UNTIL THE
COMPANY EITHER
STARTS TO ENJOY
SUCCESS OR GOES TO
THE WALL - LESS
THAN ONE THIRD
SURVIVE AND THRIVE

11. IN THE CURRENT
CLIMATE HOW MANY
LAUNCH-LEARNDEVELOP CYCLES
CAN A BUSINESS
REALLY AFFORD?
Remember the 66% that were having to re-finance
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

12. 10
Top
1 unique attribute - their understanding of market
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

13. business growth Programme
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

14. The Core Principle
The value a business generates is
directly proportional to the value it
delivers its markets and customers.
!
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

15. The Backwards Approach
This is about as logical as
it gets - pretty much all
markets will tell you
what they PERCEIVE
they want if you ask
nicely
!
The trick is know who
and what to ask and
then listen very carefully.
The days of hiring a gang
of cut throat sales guys
to generate sales is long
gone. Modern customers
are savvy and expect
more from vendors no
matter what they sell. It
called the Connected
Market.
Unsurprisingly the more
you invest in listening to
the market at the
beginning, the greater
the chance that you will
be able to make
products that your
markets understands,
values, buys and is
delighted with.
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

16. Backwards Programme
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

17. Process and Timescales
Understand
This an audit type of
process to find out
where the company is
currently and covers:
• Market
• Products
• Messaging
• Marketing
• Sales
• Costs for the above
!
The output is a detailed
report and
recommendations if any
are needed
!
Note: the tools and
processes are designed
to be tailorable to suit
individual companies.
Plan
Inform
Mentor
Measure
Work with the
management team to
design
• A Relevant project
plan
• A target set of
outcomes/results
• A knowledge transfer
plan
• Identify owners for
each element of the
plan
Carry out structured
knowledge transfer
programme with the
nominated people in the
company.
The nominated team
are mentored and
supported through the
project to ensure they
understand what they
are doing and:
• Focused on the
market’s need
• Implementing and
using the processes
• Getting value from
them
• Delivering on the
project plan
• Increasing the
company’s
performance
We measure
throughout, but our last
stage is to review the
overall programme with
the company in order
to ensure that it has got
the full benefit from
Backwards Business.
!
This is designed to be
carried out in a
workshop setting and
focuses solely on the
company’s market and
enabling it to deliver
!
products the market
The purpose is to
• UNDERSTANDS
define which member of • VALUES
the company’s team will • BUYS
be responsible for
• IS DELIGHTED WITH
learning, implementing
and delivering each
element.
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

18. Outcomes
1. Market focused company
Embraces the core principle and uses it to manage revenue generation
2. Sustainable processes
The Backwards Business tools and processes are embedded in the company
3. Improved revenue performance
Better and more predictable sales and marketing results
4. Increased customer satisfaction
Better relationships with the market and existing customers
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

19. Investment Framework
• A project being run with investment
specialists in venture investment.
• Development of a model for enabling
companies to prepare for and gain
investment.
• 1 investment group already recruited with
several more in early discussion

20. Backwards Objective
• Companies that are closer to their markets
and delivering real value.
• As a result they are growing and benefiting
both their stakeholders and their local
economies
• Companies that are investment ready and
attract investment if this is part of their
plan

21. Get in touch to find out more
backwardsbusiness@themarketingengine.co.uk
©THE MARKETING ENGINE LTD ON BEHALF OF BACKWARDS BUSINESS - 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED