Archive for Duct Tape Marketing
Your Marketing Vision should define your Customer’s Core Problem
Posted by: | CommentsToday’s products and services reflect greater marketing segmentation. As you know, I use the Duct Tape Marketing Hourglass as The Pillar of the Lean Marketing House™ but there is no universal terminology, it is just convenient to stay with one message because even as you segment your list you still have to recognize the marketing process into stages such as Know, Like, Trust, Trial and Buy.
As you segment, each segment will include fewer customers. However, it should enable you to identify the individual stages more effectively or determine your material and information flow needed in each step. It will also allow you to define waste and create better value for your customer. In fact, this is basically the definition of Value Stream Mapping.
As a result of this exercise, you will change the shape of your Pillar. You should be able to shorten your cycle in some and as a result decrease your expenditure in the marketing process. Others, on the other hand, may be lengthened and a total different approach may have to be utilized. A good example of this may be in the pursuit of a governmental contract. The point to be taken is that there is nothing wrong with either situation, what is wrong is treating each segment the same.
The key ingredient to get started is developing the NEED statement for each marketing segment or Pillar. The statement should clearly define your CUSTOMER’S CORE PROBLEM and your ability to solve that problem. Defining this alone will provide clarity throughout the various stages in your marketing process. The NEED statement is a living document that will evolve as your product/service and the customer’s use of it changes. Further development of this statement should include limits on cost and time to keep your Pillar within boundaries that you are able to manage.
The point of defining the Need Statement is to succeed at developing a manageable process. We want the resulting marketing phases (Know, Like, Trust..etc.) to meet our customer’s needs, at the right time and at the right cost. It must do this in a way that maximizes our investment in the process. Marketing can be a complex and often risky process and in today’s world it mandates speedy development. The Lean Marketing process is geared to provide a framework and specific tools for efficiently and predictably reaching goals.
Related Posts:
Following the Customer’s Need in your Value Stream Map
The Pillars of the Lean Marketing House
Value Stream Mapping for Marketing
Get Rid of Your Marketing Vision Statement and Address the NEED!
Why do The Pillars of the Lean Marketing House™ crumble?
Applying the Marketing Hourglass: The Pillars of the Lean Marketing House
Duct Tape Marketing recognizes Lean Six Sigma Marketing Coach with Certification
Posted by: | CommentsI was one of a group of eleven Duct Tape Marketing™ Coaches to be certified recently in the Duct Tape Marketing program. This award was presented at the annual gathering in Boulder, Co. this October.
John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing and founder of the Duct Tape Marketing organization developed this initiative and established levels of Duct Tape Marketing Coaching accreditation in an effort to place heavy emphasis on the success factors of the Duct Tape Marketing system and reward those who establish pre-defined levels of success using the Duct Tape Marketing approach, tools and point of view. To obtain this advanced level, there were twelve additional requirements above and beyond the initial level. At this time, it is the highest achievable level within the organization.
It is a honor to be recognized with such an outstanding group and would like to thank John Jantsch, the Duct Tape Marketing organization and recognize the other ten coaches that achieved this level; Jeff Bishop, Troy Braithwaite, Scott Campbell, Joe Costantino, Bill Doerr, Fiona Friesen, Adrianne Machina, Cidnee Stephen, Michael Thompson, Liz Walker. I firmly believe in the Duct Tape Marketing Process and to use an old cliché, I not only talk the talk but walk the walk. As you may know there are few people that believe in a marketing system as much as I do.
The Duct Tape Marketing system allows business owners to create and build their very own marketing system complimented by a coaching system that has proven effective with small businesses for over 20 years. The system is perfect for those who already own a business, but want to make it soar. It’s also designed for those who want to start a business but don’t know how to get it off the ground.” This system will help entrepreneurs build the perfect business establishing a proven marketing system to their growing company. “Why reinvent the wheel? Take a proven process, a package of tools, a trained coach and run with it.
Related Post: I believe in a Marketing System
Following the Customer’s Need in your Value Stream Map
Posted by: | CommentsFocusing on the customer NEED is essential to the success of any marketing. We should all recognize this idea. However, do we really embrace this idea? Do we really believe that such an effort can drive our marketing and improve the chances of a sale? It is important that we understand and are able to express what is critical in satisfying that need. Starting out in the Value Stream Mapping process, we first create a Current State Map. I use the Duct Tape Marketing Hourglass as a template in creating a current state map for each marketing segment. After the Current State Map is created, we must analyze this process. We must do this to ensure that we are working on the right things from the customer’s perspective.
This is where we will start finding the true waste in our marketing process. Should we be happy with 2% direct mail returns or accepting the fact that we need to be in front of a customer 7 to 9 times before we get action. We need to ask whether we are making assumptions about what customers need. We need to ask our customers what they need and whether this is properly communicated throughout each stage of our marketing process. An organization exists only to provide value to a customer. Are we supplying value in each phase of our marketing process? If you cannot, see how to re-create that phase in the process or it may be one that you need to stop. Everything you do should create value. If you do, your customers are much more likely to stay engaged.
In my Marketing your Black Belt Webinar, I discuss the lack of clarity as the #1 reason that professional service firms lose jobs. I also believe that your “fuzziness” may directly relate to a customer becoming disengaged. Having clearly defined outcomes based on a customers need will prevent that and reduce your variation in the process. What does variation have to do with the marketing process? Variation creates uncertainty or a lack of clarity. The reason that you may be losing jobs. The lack of confidence in the ability of your marketing processes to deliver on your customer needs. Variation reduces the chances for the customer to trust you.
The simplicity of a single flexible marketing model will create clarity for your customers, staff and as a result better execution. Utilizing a process, you also will spend your time on your customer’s need versus continuously managing the process.
Shameless plug: The Ultimate Marketing System
Why do The Pillars of the Lean Marketing House™ crumble?
Get Rid of Your Marketing Vision Statement and Address the NEED!
