AGILE TRAINING & COACHING
Agile Marketing applies the framework of Agile but takes a different approach from Agile in other professions, such as software development. The very nature of Marketing is responsive, so I train marketers how to apply Agile and learn what works for their teams, in their cultures, and for their organizations.
Leveraging marketing agility for achieving better outcomes as teams is the true power of Agile Marketing.
Marketing Agility Revealed
Marketing was, I thought, doing alright. Until I saw what could be.
We got a lot of stuff done and we were providing good leads for Sales and helping our Support teams with good content for existing clients. Until that day, as I stood in front of a 60-foot-wide magnetized whiteboard with dozens of cards splayed across the gleaming surface, showing exactly what was being produced, where it was in progress and what was coming next.
On that day, I realized that while Marketing was good at producing more stuff, the teams represented on the ginormous whiteboard were doing the right stuff and they were doing it better and a lot faster than we were. That was the day Agile made me rethink Marketing so that we are can now be measured and held accountable for successful business outcomes, not just doing more ‘stuff.’ That was the day I started to believe in real teamwork.
Agile Marketing is a visible, outcome-focused workflow prioritization for improving the quality, speed, predictability, transparency, and adaptability of marketing teams.
Over the years, my coaches revealed that Agile is a belief, not a methodology, that groups of aligned, focused, and cooperative teams of people can outperform any single superstar. We are better together, but we need a way of working better together. The Agile framework is that better way.
Training for Marketers
No one will ‘learn Agile’ in days or weeks. It’s a transformative process which is learned mostly by actively applying the framework of Agile in the context of Marketing’s workflow. What can happen in days is the ‘ah-ha!’ moments where marketers begin to realize how they used to work could never achieve the quality, speed, and effectiveness of Agile Marketing.
What my training and coaching help marketers see, often for the first time, the big picture of what’s possible:
- All marketing work is visible. All. Of. It.
- Marketing’s work is prioritized against outcomes, not delivering more ‘stuff‘.
- Teams can pivot and iterate to improve quality in real-time.
- Agile Marketing teams deliver faster (at least 2x faster).
- Short iterations mean higher predictability in work estimation and the increased effectiveness of deliverables over time.
- Every marketer’s work is valued and known so accountability is high and teamwork becomes the norm.
- Agile Marketing teams are far more adaptable and more satisfied in their roles.
I teach Agile not because it first worked in the Toyota production model or for software developers, but because it brings people together with clarity, focus, and purpose.
The Truth About Modern Marketing
Marketing Team Processes in Flux
Which of the following most accurately describes your marketing team’s process?
- Agile marketers 32%
- Traditional marketers 50%
- Ad Hoc marketers 15%
- None of the above 3%
Marketing is Losing, But Agile is Gaining
Most marketers say the biggest problems are found in inefficient work processes, fractured workflows, lack of accountability, and a lack of time.¹ They’re right, but the solution isn’t to address just one of those symptoms; the root cause is in the Marketing organization.
Only about one-third of a marketer’s work week is spent doing actual work. The rest is wasted in meetings, email, and ‘other work.’² In fact, 68% of these marketers say they need more efficient work processes, more team accountability, and training for better-qualified marketing staff.³ With so many marketers signaling the cyclical traditional problems, the Agile solution is finally gaining ground.
Though traditional marketing is still widely in use, Agile Marketing is growing.
¹ ² ³ Source: U.S. State of Marketing Work Report, 2018
Marketer Work Satisfaction
How satisfied are you with the way your marketing department currently manages its work?
- Agile teams 60%
- Ad Hoc teams 22%
- Traditional teams 35%
- Other marketers 5%
Agile Teams Far More Satisfied
Only 2% of marketers say they do not experience conflict in their roles. A lack of clear communication, conflicting priorities, and a lack of understanding about the time-sensitive nature of their work are all high on the list of common issues in marketing and communication teams.¹
Adding agility to your marketing and communications teams won’t eliminate conflict, but it will lead to far more satisfaction in how your teams handle work.²
¹ ² Source: The State of Marketing Work Report, 2018
Prioritization of Quality Work
Producing higher quality work is a priority for our team.
- Agile teams 60%
- Ad Hoc teams 46%
- Traditional teams 45%
Better Work, 2x Faster
Business agility is just now being applied to Marketing, but it’s been working for the software development industry for decades. Popular Agile frameworks include Scrum, Kanban, and Lean, all of which can be applied to Marketing based on the organizational culture.
Agile teams often deliver 2x the work in half the time. That’s a 400% increase in productivity. Some high-performing teams have seen 16x increases in work velocity using the Agile framework.
The days of Marketing and Communications being judged on delivering more content using vanity metrics are long gone. Quality work is based on better outcomes to align with the organization’s objectives. Outcomes are the new metrics for delivering value.
Agile Marketing Coaching Packages
All of my coaching and training covers the overall ‘how to implement Agile Marketing’ but the more time I have with teams, the better the retention of marketers with more examples, additional working sessions, and even more labs (training by doing).
Here’s How On-Site Training Works:
- Develop a user-centric focus on properly identifying, scoping, and prioritizing Marketing projects and deliverables.
- Learn the visualization process of using an Agile board to visually identify, represent, and measure the work and progress of the Marketing team.
- Demonstration of the power in representing the time, effort, and allocated resources to continually improve the team’s performance and outcomes.
- Above all, my training focuses on increasing relational effectiveness by organizing marketers into small teams, developing better leadership and management skills within the proven framework of Agile, and aligning the team’s work (and metrics) to the outcomes of the organization, not the marketing department.
And Here’s 1-on-1 Coaching Works:
- Assess the client’s skills, talents, and experience so that the entire coaching engagement is uniquely tailored.
- One-hour sessions with flexible scheduling for busy lifestyles.
- Progressive monthly and quarterly goals for tracking the client’s growth.
- Face-to-face video calls and screen-sharing to personalize the experience.
Two Days of On-site Training
More Details
1) Address the systemic issues of typical marketing/communications projects.
2) Introduce the principles for agility using the Agile framework.
3) Train the attendees on the practical steps required to shift from business-as-usual to a more iterative, team-based approach.
The Agile principles taught will dramatically improve the planning, management, and deliverables. It is both a strategic perspective and tactical guide for learning from the past (using your own project history) to gain insight into why and how Agile provides the framework for far more effective communication, collaboration, and coordination.
Even more detailed info:
- I work with the Client to book flights which have me arrive in the afternoon of the day before the on-site training.
- On-site training is for teams as small as three people and up to 12 people for personalized training.
- For groups larger than 12, please use the contact form to indicate the size of the marketing teams.
- On-site training is from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm per day. I recommend the organization provide boxed/catered lunches to maximize the training time.
- Cost is for on-site training and does not cover travel/lodging costs.
One Week of On-site Training
More Details
1) Address the systemic issues of typical marketing/communications projects.
2) Introduce the principles for agility using the Agile framework.
3) Utilize hands-on labs using existing client data and examples to address and solve current pain points and introduce team workflow prioritization, communication, and measurement.
4) Train the attendees on the practical steps required to shift from business-as-usual to a more iterative, team-based approach.
5) Conduct A/B testing on different Agile frameworks so that teams can fully experience different approaches to workflow and team organization.
The pain points of traditional marketing are a lack of alignment around priorities, workflow, and outcomes. Agile Marketing addresses these issues through a focused framework which aligns work inputs, throughput, outputs, and outcomes for a holistic, team-based approach.
Even more detailed info:
- I work with the Client to book flights which have me arrive on Sunday afternoons to ensure I am on-site Monday morning.
- One week on-site training is for teams as small as three people and up to about 20 people for group training.
- For groups larger than 20, please use the contact form to indicate the size of the marketing teams.
- On-site training is from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm per day. I recommend the organization provide boxed/catered lunches to maximize the training time.
- Cost is for on-site training and does not cover travel/lodging costs.
Marketer 1-on-1 Coaching
More Details
Agile coaching provides a safe place for communication. exploration, analysis, and feedback. Unlike mentoring or teaching, coaching focuses less on informational content and more on asking questions to reveal better processes while helping prompt the client to discover their own path as they grow.
Most importantly, my coaching places equal focus on the unique skills/traits of the client and the framework of Agile. This both/and approach ensures the client is encouraged to focus on their strengths and manage their weaknesses all while applying the discipline of consistent improvement and the ruthless elimination of wasted time and effort inherent in Agile.
Even more detailed info:
- One hour per week, every week, for six months.
- 1-on-1 Coaching is 100% remote through Zoom or another video chat/screen sharing tool.
- My coaching is based on U.S. Central Daylight Time with flexible options for coordinating availability.
- Coaching is billed monthly, with the first month paid as a deposit.