New formula for success: Deliver Today, Adapt tomorrow

I have been discussing Agile Marketing lately and recently came up on a blog post by Chris Brogan on “How We Make Businesses These Days” Chris stated in his post:

Think. Sketch. Execute. Revise

To me, the new formula of business is this: think. sketch. execute. revise. It’s important to consider contingencies. It’s important to be prepared for what can go wrong. But the best way to find out what’s going to go wrong is to launch and find the flaws.

This is top of mind to me right now, as I’m about to launch a business in a marketplace that I don’t fully understand, with a product that I’m still developing, to a bunch of people who I don’t necessarily have neatly corralled. Am I afraid? Not at all. I’ve got smart collaborators. We’ll figure it out. Will we upset someone along the way? No question. Tell me one business that hasn’t made a mistake. The goal, I imagine, is not to make any fatal mistakes.

Think. Sketch. Execute. Revise.

That looks very close to the iterative process of the five phases of Agile Project Management(book link below) and described by Jim Highsmith. I adapted the description to a marketing tone.

Envision. Speculate. Explore. Adapt. Close.

How closely it resembles it you need to have a definition of each term to see the similarities:

1. Envision: Determine your marketing vision and objectives and constraints, your community, and how your team will work together.
2. Speculate: develop the capability and/or feature based launch to deliver on the vision.
3. Explore: plan and deliver running tested stories in the short iteration, constantly seeking to reduce the risk and uncertainty of the launch.
4. Adapt: review the delivered results, the current situation, and the team's performance, and adapt as necessary.
5. Close: conclude the launch, pass along key learning, and celebrate.

But even more so the real key point is that we're not concentrating on the flow were concentrating on the cycle. Continuous short iterations are constantly happening to improve the value of the offering. No longer can we wait for the perfect scenario. We build the scenario as an ongoing process. Customer relationships need to be his collaborative as possible. Customers then can define the capabilities needed to provide value. When that scenario could no longer be adapted or improved upon the life of that marketing cycle is over or exhausted. This effort enables customers to define the value and judge your marketing cycle. Your marketing team must always be in contact with the customer and continuously asking: Is what we are doing providing value in your decision making process for our product or service?

Envision. Speculate. Explore. Adapt. Close.

Related Posts:

Improve your Marketing Cycle, Increase your Revenue

Can you have Agile Marketing?

Start thinking Cycles, not Funnels in your marketing! 

Inspiration provided by Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products (2nd Edition)

Technorati Tags: Agile Marketing,Agile Project Development,Lean,Marketing Cycle,Chris Brogan

Think Cycles, not Funnels in your marketing!

Marketing fails when it does not deliver the right message at the right time to the right person! Doing this prevents waste, minimizes cost and more importantly excites customers. Typical marketing practices are unable to do this when you think of marketing in a linear fashion. If you develop your marketing as a cycle in lieu of the typical Marketing funnel you will begin to understand how this can be accomplished.

Lean marketing systems are developed from the pull of the customer. If you review my blog post on Lean Marketing, The Toyota Way you will see how Toyota look at marketing as a cycle and as the “Radar” for Toyota. The radar meaning: Voice of the customer. This constant feedback shortens their marketing cycle by creating an intimate knowledge of the customer so that they can be at the right place at the right time and delivering that knowledge to the right person.

How does someone create and utilize a marketing cycle in the planning process. The typical Toyota solution is to gradually move on a solution as data becomes available. Very much like the iterative process in an Agile Project Management Project. In marketing, you must have a cadence much like the military established in your marketing practice. Think of the army, everything that can be is standardized: uniforms, weapons, training manuals, vehicles and so on. The reason why is so they can react to the huge variation presented itself in a combat mission.

You should note that we are not writing about a repeatable process. Repeatability means doing the same thing in the same way to produce the same results. Though repeatable will allow you to convert your inputs to outputs with little variation, it also implies that no new information can be generated and used. Repeatable processes are not effective because precise results are rarely predictable in the marketing process. Reliable processes focus on outputs, not inputs using a reliable process you can consistently achieve a given goal even though the inputs vary dramatically reliability is results driven.

Marketing cycles are not completely stable. They are subject to variation caused by new knowledge. They are constantly being improved, the emphasis of activities changes during projects from more emphasis on understanding the customer at the beginning to more constructing and testing marketing functions at the end. We are trying to eliminate variation caused by new knowledge. A marketing process that does exactly the same thing every time is useless but we are trying to eliminate variation that we cause for no good reason.

Cycles are small and fast so that they will continuously produce knowledge. The knowledge is used to determine trade-off and is the primary exchanges at schedule meetings. These changes will be introduced into the marketing process quickly so that customer’s knowledge can be evaluated through small incremental changes.

Conventional thinking produces large quantities of knowledge, for an example a direct mail piece. They schedule and make these mailings to large volumes of consumers for efficiency and cost reduction purposes. Conventional thinkers imagined marketers will have all the needed knowledge before they start designing. Lean marketing recognizes the cost of such a large batch and the waste that must be transported, stored, managed and delivered to the customer. Utilizing a marketing cycle process, small batches with several different messages would be sent out tested for effectiveness and improved upon as the data is obtained. The cost of using small batches is completely negated by the improved results.

Referenced Books:

Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products (2nd Edition)

Lean Product and Process Development

Related Posts:

Can you have Agile Marketing?

Lean Marketing, The Toyota Way

Technorati Tags: Lean,Agile,Lean Marketing,Lean Sigma Marketing,Agile Marketing,Marketing Cycle

Can you have Agile Marketing?

Recently, I've become quite intrigued with agile project management. It was developed in the software arena in an effort to replace the traditional project management methods of define, design, and build to one based on adaption. They moved away from that linear thinking to a more adaptive culture allowing continuous innovation throughout the development process.

Jim Highsmith, the author of Agile Project Management states:

“The departure from which additional phase names such as initiate, plan, define, design, build, test is significant. First, Envision replaces the more traditional initiate phase to indicate the criticality of vision. Second, a Speculate phase replaces up plan face area words convey certain meanings and visual images that arise from systematic use over time. The work plan has become associated with prediction and relative certainty. Speculate indicates that the future is uncertain. Many traditional project managers faced with uncertainty try to plan that uncertainty away. We have to learn to speculate and adapt rather than plan and build.

Third, the actual project management model replaces the common design, build, test phases with explore. Explore, with its iterative delivery style, is explicitly a nonlinear, kind current, non-waterfall model. Questions developed in the speculate phase are explored. Speculating implies the need for flexibility based on the fact he cannot fully predict the results. The APM model emphasizes execution and his exploratory rather than deterministic. A team practicing EPM keeps his side of the vision, monitors information, and adapt to current conditions therefore the adapt phase. Finally, the APM mode ends with a close phase, in which the primary objectives are knowledgeable transfer and, of course, a celebration. To sum up, the five phases of agile project management are: envision, speculate, explore, adapt, and close.”

I think this style of thinking lends itself to the marketing process very well. Traditional marketing systems resist the linear thinking approach of a traditional project management process. Agile projects develop value quickly and incrementally during the life of the project. Capturing value like this early in the process can significantly improve buy-in and utilizing iterative principles then improve on the process during delivery.

I have constructed an agile marketing development diagram that probably goes against many of the agile principles since I am incorporating the DMADV process of Six Sigma. But this is actually my intermediate step in applying agile to marketing. Since my roots are in the Six Sigma process and in linear thinking that jump to collaboration and iterative principles is quite a chasm to cross. DMADV is my bridge for the present as I learn and apply Agile Project Management thinking to the marketing process. It is also interesting to note that many of the principles have developed from the Lean thinking process. It kind of reminds you of a U-shaped work cell doesn't?

Photo Credit: by rAmmoRRison

Related Posts:

Improve your Marketing Cycle, Increase your Revenue

Speed may be the biggest Determent to your Marketing Success

Technorati Tags: Agile Project Development,Project Management,Lean,Lean Marketing,Six Sigma,Agile Marketing,Agile

Web Analytics for Lean Startups – The Agile Way

When talking to may successful business people, how many do you find started a certain type of business and it evolved into something different. That really is not that uncommon. Just ask Bill Gates. On the other hand, how many startups really know the problem they solve? This is a brilliant presentation by Alistair Croll and Sean Power of www.watchingwebsites.com that addresses both of these issues.

Lean Analytics For Startups

View more presentations from Alistair Croll and Sean Power .

Out of the 349 slides in this presentation, I really enjoyed one particular slide that depicted a product launch cycle that I thought was right on the money. 

Technorati Tags: Agile,Lean,Web Analytics,Iterate,Startups

Top 10 Reasons to Have an Ezine

I recently switched e-mail providers to Get Response. Here is an affiliate post that I think you may find interesting on why you should have an Ezine.

1. Establish yourself as a trusted expert. People search online for information and will look to you, as a subject matter expert, to provide it to them. Every week (or whatever schedule works) provides an opportunity to build on this, while reinforcing your brand.

2. Build a relationship with the people on your list. It's common knowledge that people like to buy from people they like. By using ezines to connect with readers in their homes, you can develop a relationship of familiarity and trust. Be sure to share a little about yourself or your company in every issue, whether it is an anecdote, event, or employee spotlight.

3. Keep in touch with prospects and clients. Consideration should be given to eventually developing two ezines: one for prospects and one for clients, as each require different information. This is a great way to notify your readers of weekly specials or upcoming product launches, offer new articles or customer stories, and provide links (or urls) to updated FAQs, blogs and splash pages.

4. Drive traffic to your website or blog. As noted in #3, remember to call attention to new blog posts or other changes to your website with links directly to those pages. Remind readers of your online newsletter archives. Promote special sales (maybe with discount coupon codes only for subscribers) with a link to the sales page. Use links to turn your ezines and newsletters into "silent salespersons"– driving traffic to your website and building your lists around the clock.

5. Build content on your website. Make a habit to adding your ezines and newsletters to your website in an archive area. This serves a several important purposes:

   • Visitors can read an issue or two to determine if your ezine will be of interest to them, which could help to increase sign-ups and potential sales.

   • If you optimize your article placements, you will not only make your website "meatier", but you'll also bring new traffic from the search engines.

6. Get feedback from your readers. Make it easy for you to stay in touch with prospects and customers and vice versa. Ask them to take action and comment on your articles and offers. Conduct polls and surveys. Start a "Letters to the Editor" column in your ezine. Feedback allows you to fine tune your messages, target your marketing, and expand your product line. It's also great for relationship building!

7. Develop an information product. If you deliver your newsletter once a week and include two articles, at the end of a year you'll have 104 well-researched articles in your portfolio! Pick the best-of-the-best and turn them into a bonus ebook for opting-in to your list, submit to download sites to build your list, or sell in PDF-format!

8. Grow your mailing list. Let your ezine subscribers work for you. Be sure to remind your readers that it's okay to forward your newsletter to anyone they'd like. In addition, it's important to include sign-up instructions for those who received your ezine from viral marketing methods. A simple line titled, "Get Your Own Copy of XXXXXX", with a link to your squeeze or opt-in page is all it takes!

9. Gather demographic data. By offering surveys, feedback forms, and niche reports, you'll be able to get valuable information about your prospects and customers. Learn what makes your readers tick, how to better serve them, and how to give them what they want. Make sure they become repeat customers!

10. Save money! All of the above benefits of publishing an ezine are free or almost free. The small cost of a top-rated ezine publishing system is nothing compared to the cost of brochures, business cards, advertising, direct mail, pay-per-click or other means of promotion. Not only that, but someone has to manage that production! Because your newsletter is delivered online, you can grow your list to be as large as you want without worrying about the expense. Bottom line − it's proven that email marketing is the most cost-effective marketing solution for companies just like yours!

Would like to learn more about Get Response?

Technorati Tags: get response,email marketing,squeeze page,ezine,blog

Ready to Implement Lean?

Here is a question I asked Jim Lewis, author of the Story of a Lean Journey and co-author of a soon to be released book titled “The Perry Story”.

Joe: Now you've talked a lot about the benefits someone can get from Lean by doing it, but how tough is it to achieve? I mean, is it doable? Is it doable in three months? Six months? I could be out of business in six months. Is it something that really can be done in the short term, or is it something that takes a long time?

Jim: Yes to both of those. And let me explain that. Lean is a journey. You're transforming your business from wherever it is today to a new way of doing business.

It is a journey. Another reason for using an outside person is because usually internal resources don't have a full comprehension, unless they are Lean experts themselves, they don't have a full comprehension of the commitment that's necessary in order to make this journey, and they really don't know how this journey is going to unfold.

There's an 80/20 rule that applies to anything and everything, and it applies to Lean as well. The transformation process is not complete until it becomes self‑sustainable, where you forget what the old was. You can't even remember what the old was.

I mention that in my book, once the transformation reaches that point where you can no longer remember what the old way was, then you are well on your way to a successful journey. And that takes probably three to five years before the process becomes the new norm ‑ the Lean now is the new norm.

Businesses have been doing business the way they have for years, since the Industrial Revolution of the 1850s. So we've been ingrained in us this 'batch ' mentality of doing business for so long that it takes a long time to change the culture. And that's what you're doing, you're changing the culture in the organization, and so that takes three to five years.

But the 80‑20rule applies to that. You will get immediate results from a Lean Initiative, from day one. As soon as you begin to implement, you get positive results. I usually work with a company, either full‑time or part-time depending on the organization for six to eight months.

From day one, I'm weaning myself away from the organization because I don't want them totally dependent on me. I want them to be able to begin to take ownership and responsibility for the transformation themselves. I'll usually find a key individual in the organization who I can work with closely, who's going to take over the mantle as I leave.

That person will take the mantle of responsibility for ensuring that the transformation process continues to move forward until the entire culture is changed.

It's not just changing the culture of the workers in the organization. The management, the leadership of the organization has to change their culture as well. They're no longer task managers. They're going to work in a collaborative way. I'm not talking about self‑managed work teams. I'm talking about working with people in a collaborative way, and problem solving, and soliciting input and ideas, and suggestions and recommendations.

Empowering is another one of the E's. It's empowering the staff to be able to make change happen in their area of control. Managers are going to be relinquishing some control in that transformation process, where they go to a team‑based activity versus a traditional, task‑managed operation.

It does take a long time, but the results are immediate. If you can get through that cultural shift change and have a sustainable operation, then Lean becomes the new norm, and you forget where you were.

Related Information:

The Perry Story

Considering Lean, Check out this Lean Journey (Podcast)

Value Stream Mapping Tools

Technorati Tags: Lean,Value Stream Mapping,Lean Culture,Lean Transformation

15 Ways to Build Your Subscriber List

I recently switched e-mail providers as of today and felt that Get Response has a lot to offer. Here is an affiliate post that I think you may find interesting on building your subscriber list.

Email marketing can be profitable for any business, no matter what kind of product or service you offer. It is significantly cheaper than other advertising methods and, if done right, helps build loyalty and trust with customers. As a result, you generate more sales and more profits!

The foundation for successful email marketing is a targeted, permission-based email list. Marketers call contact lists their "goldmine" because it can generate much of their sales revenue. If you've built up a list of opt-in subscribers that are qualified and interested in what you have to offer, then you've completed the first step and are on your way. Now it's time to "mine" for gold!

Below you'll find several list-building and retention ideas that will help you get the best results from all your email marketing activities:

1. Provide useful, relevant content. Your visitors will not give you their email addresses just because they can subscribe to your newsletter free of charge. You have to provide unique and valuable information that will be of interest or use to them.

2. Add a subscription form to every page on your website. Make sure it stands out so it is easy to find. If it doesn't look cluttered, you may want to include more than one on some pages. For instance, if your opt-in form always appears in the top-left corner of your site, you may want to add one at the end of your most popular articles.

3. Add subscription forms to your social media pages. Make sure that you don't waste this valuable source of revenue opportunities. Integrate your sign-up forms with Facebook and more!

4. Make it easy for readers to sign up. The more information you request, the fewer people will opt-in. In most cases, a name and an email address should suffice. If it's not necessary, don't include it here. You can always survey them once they're customers! We do recommend that you provide a link to your Privacy Policy however.

5. Publish a Privacy Policy. Let your readers know that they can be confident you will not share their information with others. The easiest way to do this is to set up a Privacy Policy web page and provide the link to it below your opt-in form. (Note: If you don't have one, put the words "privacy policy generator" into a search engine and you should be able to find a suitable form to use.)

6. Provide samples of your newsletters and Ezines. This lets potential subscribers review your materials before they sign up to determine if it's something they'd be interested in.

7. Archive past newsletters and articles. An online library of past newsletters and articles is both appealing and useful to visitors and builds your credibility as an authority. In addition, if your articles are written with good SEO techniques in mind, they can increase traffic to your website through enhanced search engine positioning.

8. Give gifts subscribers can actually use. Offer an opt-in bonus for joining your subscriber list! Write an ebook or provide a PDF business report, or even hire a programmer to create downloadable or web-based software. But don't limit yourself to offering gifts to opt-ins. Give them out when your readers fill out a survey, provide a testimonial, success story, or a great product idea. Let them know when they can expect the next gift offer. Everyone likes to get something for free! And if you pass out "goodies" throughout the year, your subscribers will feel truly appreciated − and that's good for business!

9. Ask your subscribers to pass it on. Word of mouth is a powerful viral technique that works great with email marketing. If your subscribers find your content interesting, amusing or informative, they'll probably share it with their friends. This can be a great source of new customers, so make sure to remind them to "pass it on".

10. Let others reprint your newsletter as long as the content is not modified. If you're happy to share your content with the universe, then why not! Many webmasters and newsletter publishers are actively looking for high-quality content and, if they reprint your newsletter, you'll get new subscribers, and more traffic and links pointing to your site.

11. Include a "Sign Up" button in your newsletter. If you're using plain text instead of HTML, be sure to provide a text link to your subscription page. You may feel that this is not required because the subscriber is already on your list, but remember that readers will forward your newsletters to others, or reprint them online. Make it easy for them to subscribe!

12. Add a squeeze page. A squeeze page has one goal − to acquire opt-ins and build your list. Think of it as a mini-sales letter to go along with your subscription or opt-in gift. It should feature a strong headline and a couple of powerful benefits that should make subscribers salivate to sign up! Once created, use a service such as WordTracker to find hundreds of targeted keywords, and promote your offer using pay-per-click advertising from Google, MSN and Yahoo. Now that should make a splash!

13. Include testimonials on your squeeze page. This is crucial. Put one or two strong testimonials from satisfied customers on your squeeze page. This can be in any format, but you may find that multimedia (audio or video) is more "believable" and inspires more people to action. To further enhance believability, get permission to use actual customer names, locations and/or urls (Don't use "Bob K, FL"). Add a note inviting others to participate. After all, it's free publicity!

14. Blog religiously. Blogging is a great way to communicate with prospects and potential customers, and creates a nice synergy with your email marketing. Be sure to include your newsletter sign-up form on each page of your blog. You can start a free blog at Blogger or WordPress.

15. Post on other blogs. Post thoughtful comments and information on similar blogs with a link to your squeeze or opt-in pages. Also comment on others' blogs through trackbacks. In most cases, your comments will be posted on their blogs with a link back to your site. This is an easy way to generate new traffic and subscribers, and get your brand out there!

Learn more about Get Response.

Technorati Tags: get response,email marketing,squeeze page,ezine,blog