| Lean marketing is a whole-systems approach that | | | | system’s Remarkable Story and Product or |
| creates a culture of continuously improving processes. | | | | Service Innovation. Applying Lean Marketing’s |
| It is a system focused on and driven by customers, | | | | Map Current State is saying you cannot determine |
| both internal and external. Lean marketing isn’t | | | | how to get somewhere without knowing where you |
| just an industry buzzword or quick-fix alternative. | | | | are. |
| Increasing competition demands a continuous focus | | | | Knowing your current state is one of the most |
| on minimal costs, maximum customer options, fast | | | | powerful tools but is the least understood. |
| delivery, and high-quality products and services. | | | | Establishing a baseline or as it is so well put in Michael |
| Today’s companies must be innovative while | | | | Kennedy’s book, Product Development for the |
| focusing on waste reduction, improved lead-time, | | | | Lean Enterprise: "The root issues must be |
| maximized flexibility, and upgraded quality. Remember | | | | understood from two perspectives: what is causing |
| the old adage about marketing - only 50 percent of | | | | them and what stands between how things should |
| your marketing works, you just did not know which | | | | be and what they are. Failure to understand will result |
| 50 percent. Lean marketing principles will allow you to | | | | in widespread wishful thinking and superficial solutions." |
| implement proven strategies. The components of | | | | There is a true art to mapping and takes quite a bit |
| Lean Marketing include Value Stream, Lean Metrics, | | | | of work to become proficient. However, utilizing such |
| Current State, Future State, and Kaizan Plan, and | | | | marketing planning systems as Marketing Plan Pro will |
| these components fit nicely with both the Marketing | | | | allow you to build that current state of your |
| Plan Pro and the Six Sigma. | | | | organization and your product or service. It is |
| Value Stream | | | | important to precisely know where you are and be |
| Value Stream can be matched up with the first step | | | | able to define that to your customer. |
| in building a Lean Six Sigma marketing process of | | | | |
| defining and Duct Tape Marketing planning | | | | Map Future State |
| system’s marketing vision and ideal customer. | | | | The fourth step for Lean Six Sigma marketing is to |
| The Value Stream is defined solely by the customer. | | | | develop a new process so the problem is eliminated |
| Your product must meet the customer’s needs | | | | and the new results meet the new requirements, and |
| at both a specific time and delivered with the | | | | this coincides with Duct Tape Marketing planning |
| required message. The thousands of mundane and | | | | system’s Lead Generation. When you then add |
| sophisticated things that marketers do to deliver a | | | | the Lean Marketing component, Map Future State, |
| message are generally of little interest to customers. | | | | we start seeing it all come together. |
| To view value from the eyes of the customer | | | | This is the step everyone typically wants to jump to |
| requires needless messages to be reduced. Having | | | | immediately. It is much like project management and |
| identified your ideal customer is to understand all the | | | | thinking that it is just about scheduling. As a result, it |
| activities required to explain the benefits of a specific | | | | is the most abused and where most of the process |
| product and, as a result, optimize the whole | | | | waste occurs. We make plans and instead of having |
| marketing process from the view of the customer. | | | | a sound basis, we use instincts and tools that are not |
| Sound like a perfect world and impossible to do? | | | | directed and often based on what I call "The Deal of |
| Maybe, Maybe not. Many marketers need to critically | | | | the Week." |
| evaluate their processes to determine their | | | | An example is the practice of placing advertising to |
| effectiveness in bringing maximum value to | | | | reach a mass audience. The thought process is that |
| customers. Today’s techniques are creating | | | | not only do I reach my core constituency but also |
| more efficient methods to deliver targeted messages | | | | others. Forget it! That simply is not going to happen. |
| in the particular manner that customers wish to | | | | Do the math! Take your core constituency and divide |
| receive it. It must be remembered that it is our job | | | | that by the ad dollars spent. Now, are those ad |
| as marketers to deliver the message in a manner a | | | | dollars well spent? Can you do it more effectively |
| customer wishes to receive. As an example, one | | | | through another media? |
| customer wishes to receive less frequent information | | | | Using your current state map, ask yourself where |
| in written form while another may prefer daily bits of | | | | would you like to be and realistically what time frame |
| information delivered in a blog. As stated earlier, lean | | | | can you accomplish this? Map the needed tactics to |
| marketing is a system focused on and driven by | | | | fulfill the metrics you developed. Take one of the |
| customers. Optimizing the value stream from their | | | | metrics you have mapped in your current state and |
| eyes and in an efficient process takes marketing to a | | | | create a future state map on what is needed to be |
| level not experienced before. Review your past sales | | | | accomplished through both the Lead Generation |
| to your ideal customers. Determine when and what | | | | process and the Lead Conversion stage. Take it all |
| was of value to them. That is your value stream and | | | | the way to the finished product, if possible, and then |
| your vision. | | | | go back and remove any waste in the process. I |
| Metrics | | | | challenge you to just try this on one metric and see |
| As stated in the first article, measuring the process | | | | how it would look ideally. Now set your timeline on |
| and gathering the data associated with the problem is | | | | what is achievable. Use this exercise and you can |
| the second step in building a Lean Six Sigma | | | | start understanding value stream mapping much |
| marketing process. Duct Tape Marketing planning | | | | better. Are your processes getting leaner? |
| system’s critical numbers coincides with this as | | | | |
| well. The Lean Marketing uses metrics | | | | Kaizan Plan |
| The measurements you use determine your success. | | | | The fifth step in building a Lean Six Sigma marketing |
| Having good measurements are the key. Six Sigma is | | | | process in implementing the new process under a |
| typically seen as a problem solving tool and therefore | | | | control plan, and Duct Tape Marketing planning |
| difficult to relate to marketing. This is where the | | | | system’s service experience coincides with this |
| theory of Lean Marketing will benefit you the most. | | | | step. We will now add the Lean component of |
| Measuring simply by results is just not enough in | | | | creating a Kaizan Plan, but first we need to know |
| today’s world. Using Lean Metrics measured by | | | | what is Kaizan. |
| drivers are at the heart of making your marketing | | | | Kaizan is the Japanese word for continuous |
| plan effective. | | | | improvement. It is all about idea submission, not |
| Remember, the purpose of Lean Marketing is to | | | | acceptance. Kaizan has three steps. First, create a |
| reduce waste and provide to the customer’s | | | | standard. Second, follow it. Third, find a better way. |
| needs. Marketing should be effective, efficient, and | | | | Now that we’ve mapped our current and future |
| innovating, while focusing on understanding the | | | | states, we must start implementing. We’ve |
| customer’s needs. If we keep these thoughts in | | | | created the plans, therefore creating a standard. |
| mind, we will only produce materials of value to a | | | | Standards will make life easier because they will |
| customer and only give the material to the customer | | | | create real and lasting value. But for any standard to |
| when he needs it versus a constant barrage of | | | | work, it must be clearly identified and people must be |
| information. | | | | trained in this method. Once the standard is in place, |
| What about using measurements determined by | | | | we will then continuously look for better ways to do |
| shorter sales cycles and based on starting when the | | | | the work because to be truly of lean fashion, we |
| customer need has developed? What about | | | | must realize the work is never done, it is continuously |
| measuring the amount of downloads on a whitepaper | | | | improving. |
| and the resulting request for information? What | | | | Without understanding this step in the process, |
| about workshops centered around improving metrics | | | | people become confused with what planning and |
| of your customer versus your sales volume? | | | | standards are meant to be. Standards are not control |
| Below are a few guidelines for good metrics: | | | | mechanisms. Having a process does not stunt |
| · You must be able to establish a number to it. | | | | creativity. A true standard is actually the direct |
| · Are structured so the number is easily obtainable | | | | opposite as it allows time to focus on the creative |
| and updated. | | | | aspect as it is part of the plan. Standards and plans |
| · Do not measure everything and have key | | | | are dynamic. They let you know where the problem |
| measures that are monitored closely and often | | | | is quicker, where to begin a search for solutions, and |
| · Used to make you aware of a problem, nothing | | | | prevent you from making the same mistake twice. |
| more. | | | | Continuous improvement cannot happen without a |
| | | | standard. Continuous improvement in any part of the |
| Map Current State | | | | organization is the only true advantage that you have |
| Exploring the data to identify a cause and effect | | | | as a company. |
| relationship between variables is the third step in | | | | So you tell me, is your marketing giving you a |
| building a Lean Six Sigma marketing process, and this | | | | sustainable advantage over your competition? |
| coincides with Duct Tape Marketing planning | | | | |