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Agile Marketing is here to stay. Are you Ready?

Even with the advancements in predictive modeling, the unexpected happens. Marketing’s ability to rapidly respond to disruptions is vital.

Take Pokémon Go for example. No one could have predicted that the Pokémon Go app would surpass Twitter daily users or Facebook engagement as quickly as it has. Businesses that have responded to this cultural phenomenon are benefiting from this consumer behavior shift, boosting traffic & sales.

Here’s a great example of how Mod Market responded to the new game craze:

Play Pokemon Go at Mod Market in Denver
Pokemon Go at Mod Market

Why Agile?

Today, Marketing teams are required to do more with less in an ever evolving landscape. Fragmented channels, limited resources, technology & market disruptions all compound the pressures marketers face today. No mere mortal can keep pace. Machine learning, marketing automation and the adoption of an agile approach are mission critical.

What is Agile Marketing?

Agile methodology is mirrored after the software development world. Agile is an iterative process that paves the way for marketing experimentation in short sprints, sanctioning quick feedback, and the ability to react to changing market conditions.

If the definition of agile marketing alone didn’t convince you, then perhaps these benefits will:

  • Measurability – Agile marketing addresses the need for speed. Getting things done, testing, learning quickly from successes and failures and then applying them in the next sprint. (Ex: Google launches, evaluates, and kills 10 to 15 products each year.)
  • Customer Centricity – Agile allows marketers to shift the focus back to what matters most, customers! Continual feedback and performance analysis allows marketers to quickly respond to growing customer demands.
  • Productivity – Iterative cycles increase work output visibility, expose inhibitors & reduce costs. Clarity around task prioritization is a critical component of the agile approach.

So, where does one begin? Start by implementing a sprint planning session. In this session, identify the goal of the sprint, the tasks, and assignments. It’s pivotal that the team agrees upon the overarching goal and priorities of the sprint. And remember, long term goals should drive the agile process.

Are you applying agile marketing within your organization today? We’d love to hear your experiences.