Posts Tagged “Agile Marketing”

In the past, I’ve discussed the benefits of applying agile project management to marketing programs without actually discussing the details of how it works.  Based on the suggestion from a regular reader of the the ‘Slice, here is the agile process I frequently use for managing marketing projects.  Keep in mind, that this is not great for projects with many hard deadlines like tradeshows, direct mail or print advertising.

1. Assign roles – The key stakeholders are the “scrum master” (the person who runs the daily scrum meetings), “program owner” (clearly articulates the goals for the project), “chickens” (people involved in the project from an informational standpoint), and “pigs” (the people who will do the heavy lifting for the project).

2. Decide on the duration and frequency of the sprints – In the world of agile project management, the idea is to break the work into smaller digestible chunks (ie sprints) and meet frequently to discuss progress on the specific tasks.  I prefer two to three week sprints.  In a perfect world we would have short scrum meetings daily but most of my agile marketing projects have meetings every other day.  The scrum frequency depends on the work velocity.

3. Set goals for first sprint – The first one is the most difficult.  I suggest first convening a “sprint planning meeting”.   Before starting the sprint, we discuss the theme, review tasks and estimate time requirements.  We’ll then put these tasks on post-it notes on a dedicated wall.  I prefer Post-its to note cards to avoid the need for pushpins.  Finally, we segregate the Post-its into the current sprint (what we will work on for the next two weeks) vs. the sprint backlog (what will come in later sprints).  If there is time, we’ll also discuss who will handle specific tasks.

4. Sprint meetings – I put the scrum meetings in the calendar for all the stakeholders except the “chickens”.  I’ll send the birds an email letting them know about the meetings and welcoming them to join us.  My logic is that this is an open meeting but only the people with real tasks responsibilities are required to attend.

5. Discuss, discuss, and discuss again – We basically run through the Post it notes on the wall and sort them into “in process” tasks vs. the “spring backlog”.  We then close the meeting by asking the “pigs” “what have you completed”, “what are you working on next” and “what are the risks”.  The goal is to quickly identify risks.  These meetings should be short (under 20 mins) so there is nothing wrong with taking issues offline to keep things moving.

6. Move the Post-its – When tasks are completed, move the cards to the done column.

7. Sprint planning (again) – As you approach the end of the sprint, it is time to think about the next one.  This meeting will review the last sprint’s results and look at what is next.

It is sort of like the instructions on the shampoo bottle … lather, rinse, repeat as needed…

I hope this is helpful.  Please let me know if you have anything to add.  I am by no means a scrum or agile expert and would value people’s suggestions on ways to improve this process.

A number of years ago I started a new job as the CMO of a fast-growing software company.  As I was rummaging through my new desk and the charred remains of my predecessor, I discover something something shocking that explained his untimely demise – his 54 page marketing plan.  I’ve never been one to create those elegant, buzzword laden plans that delight the masses.  To me, plans are always a work in progress. This has often created friction between my more control-oriented bosses and me but they would eventually give up after I found a way to squeeze 30% more productivity our of marketing budget.

Upon further reflection, this comes back to the agile vs. waterfall marketer question I raised a month ago.  How can you honestly create a marketing plan for 12 or 24 months when things change so quickly?  Also, according Spencer Stuart the average CMO lasts only 22.9 months.

With that in mind, here is my ideal agile marketing plan.

• Is a living document less than 2 page long (ideally less than one)
• Looks no more than a six month into the future (one to three months if you can get away with it)
• Clearly articulates target markets and customers
• States specific, measurable goals (none of that generic “build a brand” stuff without measurable goals)
• Allocates a majority of the budget to proven programs (if you know them)
• Invests some resources to testing new, speculative media
• Is based on learnings from prior experiences (ie busted programs)

In recent years I’ve seen more progressive types avoiding the document altogether and using a Mindmap.  In the end, the plan is a helpful guide but results matter more.  What you deliver will speak louder than a well written document about your cheerful parade of activities, so keep your eyes on what you deliver.

Over the last few years, I have noticed a division in the types of marketing people I meet. Some colleagues have referred to this as data driven vs. marcom/branding types but in my mind this view never really worked. While the increasing measurability of the web does provide an unfair advantage to marketers with MBAs and an undergraduate degree in something unsexy like engineering or chemistry, it always seemed like there was something more at play.

In recent weeks, I’ve been a part of a team that is transforming its product development philosophy from a “waterfall” (lots of time building a fixed specification followed by a long development cycle) to an “agile” approach (shorter development cycles with lots of iterations since you can’t really know reality until you try something). Software developers have employed this methodology for years but it isn’t just a more effective way to get “good enough” products out on time. It is a way of thinking that can be embraced by other  functions including marketing.

I know that many of the world’s greatest dictators/managers want to believe that marketers can accurately predict the future but they can’t. I’ve never been able to do it and as a result have resorted to an iterative approach that relies on low cost testing of media and programs. This makes the ad sales reps at the trade magazines or WBUR radio angry but the fact is that marketing is as much about science as art. I know, I know, we all have to build a brand by spending money on difficult-to-measure things like PR and advertising. By using iterative, agile tactics, however, it is possible to mitigate your risk, improve your overall marketing ROI and put a smile on your pointy headed CFO’s face.

Taking inspiration from an article on the Web 2.0 organization, I created this table that highlights what I see as some of the key differences between a traditional waterfall and an agile approach to marketing.

Did I miss anything? I would welcome any other suggestions people might have for the list as I don’t think it is exhaustive.