Think Big, Work Small: A Smarter Way to Market

What Does 'Think Big, Work Small' Mean?

'Think big, work small' is a strategic approach that helps growth marketing teams achieve ambitious goals by breaking them down into smaller, manageable tasks. Instead of tackling large projects all at once, marketers focus on incremental progress, rapid experimentation, and continuous learning.

John Cutler, a respected product and growth expert, explains this concept clearly in his articles Thinking Big, Working Small and Think Big, Work Small (Part 2). Cutler highlights the importance of maintaining a clear vision while executing through small, iterative steps. This approach keeps teams agile, responsive, and focused on measurable results.

Why 'Think Big, Work Small' Matters for Growth Marketing

Growth marketing teams often have ambitious targets, such as increasing inbound leads, improving conversion rates, or scaling customer acquisition. However, large-scale initiatives can quickly become overwhelming, leading to stalled projects, unclear priorities, and reduced experiment velocity.

Adopting a 'think big, work small' mindset helps growth marketers:

• Maintain clarity on long-term objectives while executing manageable tasks

• Increase experiment velocity by rapidly testing and iterating ideas

• Prioritise effectively, ensuring resources are allocated to high-impact activities

• Build compound learnings through continuous experimentation and feedback loops

• Demonstrate clear ROI to stakeholders through incremental progress and measurable outcomes

How to Implement 'Think Big, Work Small' in Your Marketing Team

To successfully adopt this approach, follow these best practices:

Set Clear, Ambitious Goals

Define clear, ambitious objectives aligned with your overall business strategy. Goals should be specific, measurable, and achievable within a defined timeframe.

Break Goals into Smaller Tasks

Once your goals are set, break them down into smaller, actionable tasks. Each task should be manageable, clearly defined, and directly linked to your larger objectives.

Prioritise and Experiment Rapidly

Prioritise tasks based on potential impact and ease of execution. Rapid experimentation is key—test ideas quickly, measure results, and iterate based on learnings. This agile approach ensures continuous improvement and faster progress towards your goals.

Leverage Analytics and Reporting

Use analytics tools to track performance, measure outcomes, and identify areas for improvement. Regular reporting helps your team stay aligned, informed, and accountable, while clearly demonstrating value to stakeholders.

How Growth Method Supports the 'Think Big, Work Small' Approach

Traditional task management tools like Asana, ClickUp, or Monday.com can help organise tasks, but they often fall short when it comes to supporting the unique needs of growth marketing teams. Growth Method is specifically designed to help marketers implement the 'think big, work small' approach effectively.

Here's how Growth Method supports your team:

• Ideation: Our intuitive ideation system ensures growth ideas align with team goals, follow hypothesis best practices, and are automatically categorised using AI-powered technology.

• Experimentation: Growth Method enforces a structured experimentation process, guiding experiments through clear stages—building, live, analysing, and complete—to increase velocity and maximise learnings.

• Reporting: Generate professional, detailed reports effortlessly, showcasing your team's strategic direction, tactical execution, and measurable results to stakeholders.

By combining ideation, experimentation, and analytics in one platform, Growth Method simplifies your workflow, enabling your team to focus on execution and results.

"We are on-track to deliver a 43% increase in inbound leads this year. There is no doubt the adoption of Growth Method is the primary driver behind these results." Laura Perrott, Colt Technology Services

Final Thoughts

The 'think big, work small' approach empowers growth marketing teams to achieve ambitious goals through incremental, manageable steps. By setting clear objectives, prioritising effectively, experimenting rapidly, and leveraging analytics, marketers can drive consistent, measurable growth.

Growth Method is the only work management platform built specifically for growth marketers, helping teams implement a systematic approach to grow leads and revenue. Ready to see how Growth Method can help your team? Book a call today.