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Marketing Land Report: Why Predictability Matters More than Speed in Agile Marketing

by WarriorForum.com Administrator
9 replies
A new article on Marketing Land reports that for teams fresh to agile marketing, getting things right isn't always about a race to an imaginary finish line - predictability matters too.



The author says a lot of marketers think that agile means fast - but that's not usually the case. In fact, if you're new to agile marketing, you should pay far more attention to predictability than speed. While that may sound counter-intuitive, and you do want to create marketing campaigns faster, you really want to pay attention to predictable delivery.

In the real world of marketing, however, other stakeholders come into the equation - and they don't always or often trust marketers 100%. When salespeople are eager to hit targets, and there is no sign of a marketing campaign, the situation becomes less than ideal. Yet, marketing teams that deliver 100% of their campaigns by a deadline, 100% of the time maybe aren't being challenged enough and could perform better. Speed isn't the be-all and end-all of the exercise, after all - but it's a fine line, and if marketers deliver too late too often, trust gets strained or even broken.

The author makes some excellent points for predictability over speed. However, I just wonder if that ideal can really translate to the business of marketing when there are real products and deadlines and under-pressure salespeople involved. What do you guys think? What's more important? Being on time every time or the quality and predictability of a campaign?

The article is well worth a quick read, and I think most marketers and teams can get some real insights from it - although, taking it 100% as read might prove to be more difficult in the day-to-day.
#agile #land #marketing #matters #predictability #report #speed
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  • Profile picture of the author billw22
    I believe that nowadays you really need to do both fast and agile marketing because the market grows so fast you could easily stay behind everyone else And you can visit https://homework-writer.com/ for some writing help. Team of specialists are ready to help
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  • Profile picture of the author GordonJ
    You are part of a corporate team, and sometimes that explains the all too often disconnect with the Warriors. And why we have to see the same questions posted ad infinitum, year after year after year.

    But within your corporate structure, the new Buzz of Agile marketing is defined:

    method of project management which is characterized by the division of tasks into short phases of work and frequent reassessment and adaptation of plans. or some would say FREQUENT redesign.

    For Entrepreneurs, like many of us Warriors, Agile is more akin with quick feet, an example can be found in soccer and American football. Sometimes a running back or QB has quick feet, although lacks clocked speed. In the NFL all players are timed in a 40 yard dash, as a measurement. But some of the slowest and biggest defensive tackles, who are slow in the dash, have very quick feet, making their agility a better measurement.

    Anyhow, the PREDICTABILITY is different on this level than on the corporate level, although many a Remote Direct Marketing company has data and many millions of dollars of sales evidence which gives them a pre rollout knowledge of the how the market reacts.

    Thanks for posting these finds, good stuff to read.

    As for AGILE marketing for a Warrior, DELIBERATE to market, quick to adjust, might serve more Warriors better than corporate takes on their markets.

    GordonJ







    Originally Posted by WarriorForum.com View Post

    A new article on Marketing Land reports that for teams fresh to agile marketing, getting things right isn't always about a race to an imaginary finish line - predictability matters too.



    The author says a lot of marketers think that agile means fast - but that's not usually the case. In fact, if you're new to agile marketing, you should pay far more attention to predictability than speed. While that may sound counter-intuitive, and you do want to create marketing campaigns faster, you really want to pay attention to predictable delivery.

    In the real world of marketing, however, other stakeholders come into the equation - and they don't always or often trust marketers 100%. When salespeople are eager to hit targets, and there is no sign of a marketing campaign, the situation becomes less than ideal. Yet, marketing teams that deliver 100% of their campaigns by a deadline, 100% of the time maybe aren't being challenged enough and could perform better. Speed isn't the be-all and end-all of the exercise, after all - but it's a fine line, and if marketers deliver too late too often, trust gets strained or even broken.

    The author makes some excellent points for predictability over speed. However, I just wonder if that ideal can really translate to the business of marketing when there are real products and deadlines and under-pressure salespeople involved. What do you guys think? What's more important? Being on time every time or the quality and predictability of a campaign?

    The article is well worth a quick read, and I think most marketers and teams can get some real insights from it - although, taking it 100% as read might prove to be more difficult in the day-to-day.
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Originally Posted by GordonJ View Post

      You are part of a corporate team, and sometimes that explains the all too often disconnect with the Warriors.
      It would be interesting to find out how the forum membership splits between those employed as marketers in the corporate world and those flying solo, but I'd guess there's a higher proportion of wannabe solos than wannabe employees. If that's the case, there would inevitably be some disconnect between the forum's agents (and, by extension, the ownership) and the bulk of its members.

      As you point out, solo players have a different set of priorities. Agility and flexibility count for more than predictablity. In fact, trying to predict is a fool's errand. Worse, it risks reducing optimality - an element that's becoming vital in today's market.
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      • Profile picture of the author Matthew Stanley
        It would be interesting to find out how the forum membership splits between those employed as marketers in the corporate world and those flying solo
        This would be a very interesting survey indeed. In addition to 'size of organization', would also be interested to see, among solo folks, how many do it full time vs part time vs 'not for money right now/aspirational'...
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      • Profile picture of the author Odahh
        Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post


        As you point out, solo players have a different set of priorities. Agility and flexibility count for more than predictablity. In fact, trying to predict is a fool's errand. Worse, it risks reducing optimality - an element that's becoming vital in today's market.
        you can make predictions but no bank will loan you money today based off predictions.. .
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        • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
          Originally Posted by Odahh View Post

          you can make predictions but no bank will loan you money today based off predictions.. .
          However, they're unlikely to lend you anything without a P&L "forecast", even if both parties know that forecasts are mostly works of fiction.

          But the article is discussing the importance of predictability in marketing. Maybe that used to make some kind of sense in the traditional corporate world of set marketing budgets, but with the speed of feedback that's a feature of most online campaigns, there's no reason to rely on predictions - as long as your system allows for quick and flexible responses.
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          • Profile picture of the author Odahh
            Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

            However, they're unlikely to lend you anything without a P&L "forecast", even if both parties know that forecasts are mostly works of fiction.

            But the article is discussing the importance of predictability in marketing. Maybe that used to make some kind of sense in the traditional corporate world of set marketing budgets, but with the speed of feedback that's a feature of most online campaigns, there's no reason to rely on predictions - as long as your system allows for quick and flexible responses.
            that is the best clarification i have gotten on this forum ever ..
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            • Profile picture of the author Matthew Stanley
              P&L "forecast", even if both parties know that forecasts are mostly works of fiction.
              Also a good description of a standard corporate forecast. In my experience, whatever model it's based off of tends to be a direct product of whatever "answer" senior management decided ahead of time to back-solve for..
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  • Profile picture of the author Matthew Stanley
    DELIBERATE to market, quick to adjust
    Love this rephrasing. Totally cosign. Also agree that predictability is a very different problem (and even priority) at small/solopreneur scale. Quickness/nimbleness/dexterity in reacting to the market's reaction to carefully laid plans is paramount...
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