Archive for October, 2009
Have you taken the path of your customer?
Posted by: | CommentsOne of my steps in working with a client is that I like to put together their Marketing calendar to understand what they have on the table, events, conferences, advertisement, fliers, etc. They usually have some type of marketing in place, and we are looking at improving the system not dismantling it. After the marketing calendar has been constructed, I start moving, sometimes just the post-it-notes from a chronological order to a marketing flow stream based on the customers’ viewpoint. We could even call it an assessment, but initially I am just on a fact finding mission, in Lean terms = Current State Map.
However, this week the procedure took a strange turn. I completed the process but I happen to know one of the client’s customer very well. So, after constructing this hour glass with the new client, I was able to sit down with his customer and my friend and map the process from the customers’ point of view. Voice of Customer seems to an over-used word in our industry but this was one of my best experiences. We actually pulled the clients file from the customers file cabinet, reviewed the folders on his computer including e-mails and bookmarks. I then laid out all the marketing material that had accumulated, highlighted and even taking note of the bent corners in the catalog. This was all followed by an interview.
Of course, my sample size of 1 is not a good indicator. The key to this process was the awaking to the client and myself on what the customer valued and what his procedure was in making the decision. His process was simply different. We talk about going to Gemba and walking the walk from the customers’ point of view, but do we? How much non-effective marketing could you save by doing this? How much effecting marketing could you implement?
P.S. Use a larger sample size.
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Another word for Marketing – How about Voice of the Customer?
Using A3 in Marketing
Posted by: | CommentsI know you are thinking A3 is your first choice of paper size. Saying to yourself, I can’t be changing paper size, and I am not going metric. However, what I am addressing is the Lean Tool of A3 reporting. I believe it is a perfect tool to summarize many of the marketing projects that you develop. Why use it? It is a formal process to document and report solutions in a storyboard fashion on a single sheet of paper. It actually takes a big piece of paper 11 x17 or (2) 8 1/2 x 11 sheets. The paper is laid out with the left side defining the problem and the right side proposing the solutions.
The benefits of A3 are :
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It helps define a standard for all to use.
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It provides a clear and concise method of reporting information.
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Method of operation is visible and accessible to all.
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It can promote communication, and team working.
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It leads to a reduction of waste.
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A continuous improvement activity.
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It creates an efficient working environment.
So what is so special?
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I think it has several qualities:
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It makes you think graphically.
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It forces you to make the story flow logically.
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It makes you condense words.
To go about laying the A3 Report out, I have included a diagram from Systems2win for you to use as a guideline. However, another format to follow for the A3′s can vary as long as your story line stays intact. The value comes from the thinking that goes into generating the A-3 reports (as Tim Berry says, “It’s the act of creating the plan that has value”, not conformance to a specific template. If you’re familiar with the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) process it can make a great story line for most problem solving A3′s. However, using the DMAIC process you can:
Define how a particular problem was identified and why it is a problem.
Measure the current state of the problem and how the problem was investigated and Analyze what solutions were considered.
Improve the plan for solving the problem and how the Control or follow-up will be done.
The reason I encourage using the A3 in the marketing process is it demonstrates and recaps the thoughts, efforts and actions that took place for a particular campaign, such as advertising or public relations or even a launch. This report can really highlight the value that marketing supplies. However, always remember that the A3 report is meant to tell a story.
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How do you create a scorecard?
The best Marketing in the world has failed, NOW WHAT!
Posted by: | CommentsWhat happens when you have the best marketing system in the world, the best marketing plan,the best advertising, the best referrals, the best public relations and you still lack sales! Find out why you may not need any of these things and how changing one simple thing could bring you a flood of new customers.
This Video has been removed, it was out of date.
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