Do a quick Internet search of agile marketing and you’ll be inundated by blog posts explaining the process and outlining the correct implementation. That said, some of us still could use an Agile refresher, so I’ve culled six elements that every Agile marketer should embrace.
Change
Change is tough. I’m not only talking about the internal changes that teams undertake to become more agile – no. To be successful agile marketers must also focus on the external changes of the market. An agile marketer’s ultimate goal is to be able to adapt to the changing market. Being able to identify trends and opportunities in the market and having the ability to be quick and flexible enough to take advantage of them is what an agile marketer strives for. They work at being flexible and adopting an attitude where they actually welcome every chance for improvement.
Open Spaces
“Silos are the enemy of agility,” writes Kat Liendgens in his Spectate blog post. I couldn’t agree more, part of the governing philosophy behind agile marketing is to increase transparency and break down silos. If you look at some of the most successful agile organizations they have abandoned cubicle farms and office fortresses in favor of open floor plans. Of course this is quite a cultural shift for a lot of people, but if you are serious about being a more agile organization it’s a change is worth considering.
Communication
In agile marketing there is no such thing as over communicating. Hold quick daily-standup meetings so team members can explain what they have done, what they will work on and what are the possible roadblocks.
You should also allow people to find their own rhythm and flow, which can be tough if they are constantly being interrupted by status and update meetings. Liendgens recommends implementing some type of “flag” system where individuals notify others when they don’t’ want to be disturbed. A good example of this could be as simple as changing their Gmail status to “Do Not Disturb”. You’ll have to experiment a little bit to determine what works best for your company.
Data
Data is at the core of agile marketing. Without measurement , you’re flying blind. How else are you going to determine what’s working and what isn’t? Track and analyze data to identify and take advantage of what’s working.
Feedback
“Your ultimate goal is to be the best marketer you can be and to generate the maximum results for your company,” writes Liendgens. To achieve this, keep an open mind and encourage constructive criticism – from team members, from other departments and most importantly from your customers.
Trust
Part of what makes agile successful is that team members self-assign tasks. This encourages individuals to select tasks or projects that they are truly passionate about. By working on these “pet projects”, managers and team members can trust team members to self-start and deliver solid results.
That does it. By leveraging these six basic building blocks can unlock the true power of agile marketing for a more responsive organization that geared towards greater success.