Adopting Agile Methodology in Marketing

After a sumptuous meal on a Saturday afternoon, the last thing I wanted to do was attend a lecture on agile development. As I sauntered into the hall, it was fast evident that I was swamped by seasoned agile practitioners as there was an alarming buzz around the latest on agile. As a marketer, all I could do was gawk at those around me who appeared to be speaking Greek and Latin.

The fundamentals of the subject seemed uncomplicated with those around me engaging the lecturer in relevant and contextual interactions. While the interactions were on, I would sneak in a question to my neighbor. Who is a scrum master? What do you mean by Sprint? Elucidating the concept in a tissue paper, he unexpectedly pointed out, ‘you could apply agile development in marketing also.’ I made a futile attempt, justifying how agile methodology could hamper creative and disruptive thinking. It however didn’t seem to concern him. He continued, ‘The methodology fundamentally involves breaking down of complex tasks. Agility provides speed, flexibility, continuous learning, and improvement.’ He paused and turned to me for affirmation but instantly recognized that I was completely lost. ‘Let’s discuss this during the break,’ he remarked.

As I returned home that evening, I was envisioning how the marketing function could embrace agile methodologies. After all, the job of marketers have transformed radically given today’s digital reality. With the increasing emphasis on data-crunching abilities, the function is touted more as a science than an art. Copy writing, creative illustration and client-servicing to name a few skills have a new meaning today with the infinite scope around client mandates. With the ever increasing number of digital channels and tools as well as their continuous evolution, the marketing function needs to rethink their future and should work towards becoming more agile, iterating much more quickly to adapt to rapidly changing conditions.

My mind began to unravel what my friend had explained. The marketing team could create a simple road map and plan in detail those activities that won’t change before execution. The team members could break the highest-ranked tasks into small modules, decide how much work the team will take on and how to accomplish it, develop a clear definition of “done,” and then start creating marketing collateral in short cycles. The process is transparent to everyone. Team members hold brief daily “stand-up” meetings to review progress and identify roadblocks. They resolve disagreements through experimentation and feedback rather than endless debates. They test the output with a few customers for short periods of time. If customers get excited, the collateral may be released immediately, even if some senior executive isn’t a fan, or others think it needs more bells and whistles. The team then brainstorms ways to improve future cycles and prepares to attack the next top priority.

In effect, agile methodology would help us minimize redundant meetings, repetitive planning, excessive documentation, quality issues, and low-value marketing solutions. What are the key benefits from a business perspective? According to a Forbes article on the subject, there are three key benefits:

1.Marketers who have adopted Agile are seeing increased business performance due to faster delivery, enhanced focus on the things that matter, and greater productivity from their teams.

2.The most unexpected benefit is that employees working in agile environments report a greater overall sense of satisfaction and pride in their work due to feeling more empowered, greater clarity in how their role impacts the business, and a more collaborative work environment.

3.Marketers are better equipped to handle marketplace challenges and opportunities having built flexibility into their business operations. This is positioning marketing leaders to deliver sustainable growth for their companies.

When do we change and why?

At the helm of perhaps one of tech industry’s greatest turnaround is an Indian, Satya Nadella of Microsoft. His recipe for reinvigorating the company from a Windows-centric one to that which provides a range of online services to companies and individuals is watched by other industry behemoths like HP, Cisco, and IBM to name a few. Most of these long-standing companies are either undergoing similarly wrenching changes or are attempting to reinvent themselves. Microsoft has untethered itself from the conventional windows only strategy to embracing open-source. They better. The competences and behaviours that revolved around desktops or an array of computers at the basement, which primarily fuelled growth of these companies have suddenly paved way to apps that can be activated with a tap on the mobile. The biggies seem to have been caught in a time warp. 

The thought of these biggies struggling to get a grip on the market they once ruled was a bit unsettling for me. As professionals, what if we have to confront such sudden volatility in our career?  Well, not that Microsoft didn’t know of the imminent market challenges. And, not that as professionals we don’t know about the lurking and potentially career-altering changes. What’s alarming about such a change is that even if we know about it, having firmly entrenched ourselves in a certain comfort zone, we might not be able to embrace it with the agility that it demands. Remember, Microsoft had once considered open source an anathema. Similar to how companies steer investments to initiatives that offer the most tangible and immediate returns, and shortchange investments crucial to their long-term strategies, we also have to channelize our time, talent, and energy. This however needs to be done basis one of the most fundamental requirements – a purpose in life.

While the industry and its long-standing incumbents undergo a tectonic shift, there is one thing that doesn’t change. It is the purpose of these companies. For instance, irrespective of the changes, Microsoft will continue to create technology that is accessible to everyone. And, the company will do it by even cutting deals with rivals. Example – users of online version of Office can save their files on servers of Box, a cloud-storage firm. Who can forget that Office is now available on Android and Apple mobiles? Like the companies, our purpose can be spread or fortified only when we have a humble eagerness to learn something from everybody and when we help others build or promote their purpose.

It is quite a task but as the established companies have found, it is definitely not about building individual prominence but about the manifold individuals that we have helped. 

Personal views

IBM’s Deal with Twitter should Fascinate Marketers

If you are a sports buff looking at acquiring the latest in your field from DLF Promenade shopping mall, chances are that you would have downloaded an IBM powered app on your phone.  The IBM solution, according to the company release, can identify potential customers like you and extend necessary discounts that may have a strong interest in sports. The opt-in service can be downloaded by anyone to experience renewed efficacy in shopping.

The company’s solution for DLF combines technologies like social, mobile, analytics and cloud by remotely controlling sensors on smartphones from a cloud platform, and performing real-time analytics to convert mobile data into meaningful consumable information. Through this, back-end enterprise applications can analyse and transmit contextual data to customers. Did I say mobile and contextual data? Yes. Mobile is pivotal to our online and offline life, isn’t it? Our extensive and excessive reliance on the device is a draw for marketers lurking around consumers for personalizing our experience with their businesses. In this context, the alliance between technology giant IBM and the digital social networking facilitator, Twitter should fascinate marketers. IBM will be able to harness and extract actionable insights from Twitter’s unmatched wealth of digital natives’ data and empower marketers who can in turn serve their customers in the most opportune moment using a device they will increasingly spend their digital time.

The company’s solution for DLF, divulged in January of this year, now seem to be a curtain raiser. Consider the company’s deal with Cupertino, Calif.-based consumer tech giant, Apple to build more than 100 custom-built enterprise apps for Apple's iPad and iPhone customers in retail, healthcare, and other vertical industries. Now, imagine leveraging Twitter data to power these apps? Data is indeed the new natural resource and IBM seems to be accumulating aplenty.

Be Social but not for the sake of it

A blog created by one of the companies that I previously worked had the potential to be the corporate blog; the one face that could engage diverse audience. And, the backbone of its brand messaging; reflecting many voices that unequivocally resonate how the company is creating value for its stakeholders. Alas, it wasn’t to be. My association with it for a considerable amount of time however enabled me to grasp a few things. 

Build an emotional connect: Not easy as it sounds

Nothing new. Marketers knew this since time immemorial. However, implementing this on ground isn’t as simple as it sounds. Why? It is not a skill all marketers possess. For that matter, building emotional connect is not a learnt discipline or defined process; it is an attitude of mind that all marketers (err..all of us) should have. It should be innate, instinctive, ingrained in the DNA. Anyone who tries to learn ‘emotional marketing’ will fail. You either have the innate, instinctive ability to emotionally inspire and resonate with others including business and buyer communities or you don’t. What marketers should ensure is that if the capability is not within the team, they should find people who do and let them build emotional connect. Accept the fact that you will never acquire this skill yourself. In today’s age where more than ever consumers are seeking to connect emotionally with brands that actually stand for something, and to connect with each other, building an emotional connect would be the first step.

Be Social but not for the sake of it

Consumers are looking at social media accounts using the same parameters they look for when searching for individuals. Potential customers and consumers are looking for social media accounts that are not just smart and funny but are good conversationalists and listeners. This essentially means lowering the center of gravity to understand the pulse of the social mediascape. It implies a continued effort to engage with the audience and not just post a blog and wait for results to pour in.

Who am I engaging with? A face to the voice is a must

People like associating themselves and do business with other people, not with companies. Gone are the days when companies can create veiled messages with the hope of protecting their reputation. Take the example of what happened after the explosion of BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling platform. Leroy Stick (an alias) began publishing the tweets of a totally made-up representative of a similarly bogus BP global public relations division. While crude oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico, devastating the regional ecology and economy, the satirical Twitterer (@BPGlobalPR) tweeted about the division’s lunch menu and other inane matters. Tens of thousands followed his updates—far more than the number who followed the real BP Twitter account. Well, the example not only indicates people trust others but someone who would speak like them. Bottom-line – cut the corporate lingo.

According to a recent research by Spiceworks, most marketers surveyed say they are trying to connect with potential customers using tactics such as social media (95% use) and case studies (87%). However, though buyers do engage with those channels, they say they are more reliant on peer recommendations (97%) and IT forums (92%). Do you have a face to the blogs? Is he willing to connect with others?

Dedicated and committed resources

One of the daunting tasks for bloggers is to curate content within the organization. For the same reason, it can’t be a part time job. It requires quality time with business heads, marketing and communication as well as the digital marketing team. Then there is the challenge of making concise and compelling stories ensuring excerpts to social metadata, titles, captions and images. Look at what @ISRO is sharing on Twitter. Their updates are a reminder that rocket science can also be simplified for mass consumption. Just that one needs to have a dedicated and committed resource who can connect with the external world appropriately.

In many cases, a blog is the starting point for social conversations. And, if that isn’t a conversation material, forget social.

 

Pioneers almost always lose out to latecomers. Will Apple & Samsung concede to Xiaomi?

The digital world is abuzz with a four year old company – Xiaomi – giving established global multinationals a run for their money. The company has already trounced Samsung in China to be the numero uno in smartphones. It’s now training its eyes in India where initial sales have been more than encouraging. With its stupendous rise, Xiaomi has also attracted some rave reviews. It has been accused of aping innovation giant Apple. Can a new comer replicate the success of an established one?     

The annals of business history would perhaps reveal the truth. In the recent past, we have seen Samsung and Apple take each other to court several times for replicating innovation. In today’s digital age, such blatant replication of innovation is bound to rise as faster-innovation-to-market becomes the norm. One copies the other to go one-up in the market. Is there a way out? An increasing number of companies can be seen scaling up their investment in people and culture. This investment would be the only competitive differentiator that a competitor cannot copy. Around people and culture revolves significant other differentiators like programs, assets and capabilities. These are unique as are the people within each organization.

Take for example the perceived value of quality that comes with every product. The company creates products that consistently deliver high quality in accordance with its brand promise. An Apple customer need not necessarily go through reviews and recommendations to understand and assimilate specifications – features and functionalities. They simply know what they are getting – an outstanding product. The late CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, had said, ‘be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.’ He also believed in ‘hiring good people with a passion for excellence.’

Xiaomi is a four year old brand with the perceived value of offering products that are value-for-money. At least, for the time being. The company probably has a winning product in Mi3 packed with all the features and functions of a top-notch Samsung or Apple product and time will tell if customers aspire to own the product. Going by its marketing ploy, limiting availability to a select few, there is certainly a beeline of customers waiting to own the product. Can they change the perceived value? Time will tell. 

Business history indicates that companies who create radically new markets are not necessarily the ones that scale them up into big mass markets. The pioneers almost always lose out to latecomers

Work Smart:Not yet in India

Thanks to the mid-week break, she said walking into the office appearing rejuvenated and revved up for the tasks that lay ahead for the rest of the week. My colleague was completely immersed in her work the rest of the day; calling people, prioritizing meetings, delegating work and responding to mails. Unlike other days, there wasn’t any time for long coffee breaks or catching up on trending topics. And, unlike other days, she appeared cheerful carrying out the tasks. More importantly, she seemed to get charged up as and when she completed a task and moved to another one. It really made me wonder if there was any correlation between work hours and productivity. I got my answer when I read Anjana Menon’s article in Economic Times - work less to work better.

I was pondering over the benefits of the concept and thought of collating some stats to back it up. But then there was this lingering uncertainty to key in specific views favouring the article lest the naysayers go for my throat. “As if he is always working hard,” would be a snide remark. We are people who innately believe in following traditional and well entrenched framework of carrying out work. Anything outside this would affect productivity or so is the belief. Experts are still mulling over the efficacy of extending workplace flexibility in India and a work-less work-better policy would be a little early as they continue deliberating on what’s best for corporate India.

The topic however is not put to rest. Media has already come out with counter arguments on the topic. See what the experts have to say

Do you have an Oscar, Messi and Neymar in your team?

It’s the biggest game of all and the fever’s catching everyone; albeit a bit slowly. I am referring to the World Cup Football. While some bet on the wily Brazilians, the Spaniards and Germans are no less favourites either. Any conversation on the world cup would revolve around the individual brilliance of some of the players amongst the qualified teams. There’s the crafty Neymar, the swift Dutch Arjjen Robin, man with golden legs – Messi, playmaker Ronaldo to name a few.  I feel there is more to a team than individual brilliance. To cement Brazil’s legacy and gun for yet another title as the best ever, Brazil would have a built a strategy especially around its key players. It goes without saying that these role players would know what’s expected of them and recognize the vital part they play in the team’s success. Each member of the team also understands that while the key players may ultimately make the difference, it’s really the way the entire system works together that propels the team to victory time and time again.

It’s no different when it comes to a corporate team. Undoubtedly, the superstars would go the extra mile to rev up the work engine. What’s important is to check whether the business has the right role players to help system work well as a unit? Do they know what’s expected of them? 

·        New roles are emerging; new skills and support are required. Business is changing by the day. Strategy faster, with more flexibility and adaptability being the order of the day. I was speaking to a colleague who mentioned businesses transitioning to embrace the trends in the market driven by increasingly empowered customers. There are new roles emerging within businesses. Digital evangelists, Content head, Customer segment owners, marketing technologists to name a few.

·  Better the customer experience. Progressive businesses are recruiting customer-focused professionals who can match customers’ needs with businesses’ products and services. They can also prioritize contextually relevant customer experiences.

·        Adopt new technologies. CMOs hitherto averse to technology are slowly and steadily picking up new age technologies to keep pace with their customers. And, progressive businesses are increasingly demanding laggards to adopt technology as a native capability in to fuel business requirements.

There is an innate understanding between Neymar and Oscar in the Brazilian squad. Neymar knows when and where Oscar would feed him with a through-pass. That understanding is the foundation for the team’s success. Similarly a business should build and align teams, structured to best serve the customer in the post-digital age. It is important to ensure a fluid design with more collaboration across silos to execute strategy faster, with more flexibility and adaptability.