The Marketing Flywheel: Why Marketing Momentum Requires Consistent Input

“Your marketing is like a flywheel. You need more momentum to make things happen faster!”  

We’ve used this comparison dozens of times with clients.

Flywheels store energy and that energy is often used to propel things—from your car to a toy car—forward. (For a quick mechanics refresher, watch this video.)

We love thinking of marketing as a flywheel capable of propelling your business forward. Here’s why.

Marketing with momentum generates results

Like a mechanical flywheel, when you apply energy to your marketing flywheel, it stores the energy you created and gains momentum. For example, the more blogs you post to your site (your “energy input”), the more “SEO Energy” you store.

This energy is then capable of being delivered at rates beyond the output of the energy source. For example, publishing 50+ blog posts can increase your organic site traffic by 3,000%.

When a marketing flywheel has momentum, it’s capable of still outputting results if you need to take your “foot of the gas”. However, whatever momentum you gained (and results you generated) will slow to a halt if you cease inputting energy over time. 

Don’t blame marketing, blame the momentum

Many companies invest in marketing hoping to strike gold by replicating the latest marketing trend they’ve read about. 

But here’s the thing: behind the results of any buzzworthy marketing trend is a lot of consistent hard work to achieve marketing momentum. 

Even experienced marketers will struggle to achieve results with the most proven marketing tactic if the momentum is not there. 

Stop looking for the silver bullet. Invest the time in marketing at a steady pace to gain the momentum that will create lasting results.

Factors that Impact Marketing Flywheel Success

Initial energy input

The hardest part about gaining marketing momentum is storing up lots of energy in the flywheel. 

Too often, companies start strong for a few months. Then, activity slows. Sometimes, companies slow efforts due to some internal friction. Other times, businesses prematurely stop inputting effort or change course when results don’t materialize within months. 

A few months of marketing can’t store up enough energy in the marketing flywheel to gain significant momentum. If you stop inputting effort too early, your flywheel slows quickly.  

A slow-moving flywheel doesn’t have enough energy to deflect wrenches thrown into the mix (see below). 

To help your flywheel spin up to full speed, you must commit to consistent marketing activity for 12-18 months—whether it is blogging, Google Ads, backlinking, or any other combination of tactics.

How much friction there is

Friction is an inevitable force we face in any business initiative. 

And friction will slow the marketing flywheel to a stop unless you have a plan to deal with the friction. 

New business deadlines that keep you busy, employee turnover, technical hiccups can all slow your marketing flywheel’s inertia.

Lack of motivation is a source of friction. Motivation often drops from expecting results too quickly. 

You need a plan to address internal friction. Partnering with a marketing agency that pushes initiatives forward will help you offset internal friction and maintain marketing momentum.

What a Spinning Marketing Flywheel Can Achieve

Add new initiatives with ease

Once the flywheel is spinning fast, it’s easier to duplicate and add a new initiative “on the fly” than it is to start from scratch. 

There are assets in place and a flow to accomplishing the work. There is data from past efforts to inform and improve upon your work. 

In short—a spinning flywheel helps you get more done!

Deflect “wrenches” thrown into the mix

Whether it’s a “small wrench” like a deadline that slows things down or a “huge wrench” like the COVID-19 pandemic—a spinning marketing flywheel can keep your business moving when an unexpected wrench is hurled your way.

Quick story: We’ve helped companies pivot quickly to offer new initiatives—even a new business line—in the midst of a crisis. And a fast-spinning flywheel was key. We knew the target audience, we had a website in place, we had the email list and the emails already designed. With a spinning marketing flywheel, your traffic and lead generation can continue to grow even when things seem upended. 

On the other hand, companies without marketing momentum were unable to keep moving on the marketing side. Results kept feeling out of reach, and business plateaued.

It Takes a Year to Get the Marketing Flywheel Going

Marketing results take time to materialize. Even if you invest at a high level, publishing 10 blogs per month, etc., seeing results can depend on factors outside of your control (like algorithm updates or business seasonality).

The important thing is to apply consistent energy to gain the momentum you need.

Our advice: Commit to 12-24 months of marketing

Also, different marketing tactics deliver returns at different rates. For example:

• Google Ads - Take 3-6 months to run, optimize, and return results
• Blogging - Expect to wait 9-18 months or until you publish 50 blog posts 
• Email marketing - Lead nurture campaigns take 3-6 months to solidify interest

Remember, these tactics don’t and can’t exist in a vacuum. They must work together to enhance their effectiveness and spin the flywheel faster.

The Second Best Time to Start the Marketing Flywheel is Now 

The first best time was 6 months ago. 

There’s no need to live in the past. 

You can take steps to spin your marketing flywheel today and look forward to generating results. Don’t wait until 6 months from now to say you wish you started sooner!