Jim Lecinski is clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and author of “The AI Marketing Canvas.” He’s previously written about how to give your annual marketing plan a makeover. Here, Lecinski offers his advice on how marketers can shift to an agile approach.
The views expressed are those of the authors and may not necessarily reflect the views of Google.
What’s the secret to success for today’s marketers? Strategy, creativity, tech, and talent all play crucial roles, but how much have you thought about how your marketing team operates? Consumers move fast, so speed in your marketing processes, approaches, and methods is critical. You need to be agile to respond quickly to market shifts and deliver impact faster than ever. Let’s look at what agile marketing is and why it may be right for your team.
What is agile marketing?
You’ve likely heard the term “agile marketing,” but what does it really mean? For CMOs, it’s about shifting from traditional, rigid team planning cycles to a more flexible, iterative, and responsive approach. Agile marketing leads teams to give priority to high-value projects, iterate rapidly, and collaborate closely. Based on agile software development principles, its goal is to deliver value to customers quickly and efficiently.
Traditional marketing often means lengthy planning and big-bang campaigns. Agile marketing breaks down large projects into manageable sprints, ranks tasks based on their potential impact, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement. It’s a way of working that adapts to market changes and customer needs to help your team stay ahead in a fast-paced environment.
I recently talked about Agile with Michelle Taite, CMO at Intuit Mailchimp, who told me: “Agile marketing and customer obsession are very much intertwined, especially in a marketing climate that is as much about science as it is art. A campaign’s effectiveness often depends on how well and how quickly you’ve analysed and acted upon the data available. Customers are agile too; their environment is constantly changing, and to truly serve them, we must deliver what they need at the very right moment.”
As Taite notes, the ability to quickly respond to data and customer needs has many benefits. Flexible teams can pivot and adapt to market changes more swiftly. Faster time-to-market means that marketing campaigns can capitalise on current trends and opportunities. Agile collaboration boosts team morale, as every team member feels their input is valued. And when your marketing efforts match market needs more closely, your campaigns are more relevant and impactful.
The five core principles of agile marketing
Let’s dive into the specific processes of an agile approach and contrast them with traditional marketing processes.
- Reacting to change over following a plan: In agile marketing, you adapt and respond. Rather than stick rigidly to a predefined plan, agile marketers are urged to embrace market shifts, customer feedback, and new opportunities as occasions for growth and improvement. Agile teams build what’s right for the current moment, not for an initial plan that may no longer be relevant.
- Rapid iterations over “big-bang” campaigns: Agile marketing values smaller, frequent outputs that can be tested and optimised continuously. Instead of launching a massive campaign all at once, agile marketers break projects into smaller sprints that allow for regular feedback and adjustments. This iterative process reduces risk and ensures that marketing efforts stay aligned with market demands.
- Testing and data over opinions and unwritten rules: Data-driven decision-making is a cornerstone of agile marketing. Agile teams test, analyse, and make informed decisions that lead to better outcomes. Regular review of performance metrics lets them refine their strategies and tactics based on real-world results, not assumptions.
- Collaboration over silos and hierarchy: Agile marketing thrives on teamwork and cross-functional collaboration. Everyone works together toward common goals. This kind of teamwork boosts creativity and makes marketing more efficient and effective.
- Continuous learning over “set it and forget it”: In traditional marketing, teams often complete a campaign, analyse the results, and then move on to the next project without a structured process for reflection and learning. Agile marketing, on the other hand, places a strong emphasis on regular retrospectives, where teams actively reflect on what’s working and what’s not. This process is a vital way to maintain momentum and stay competitive. Instead of “set it and forget it,” agile encourages everyone to learn and adapt every day.
Agile marketing in action: Intuit Mailchimp
Intuit Mailchimp, known for its innovative marketing strategies, uses agile marketing to stay ahead in a fast-changing market. As Taite further explained: “Agile practices let us respond to market changes swiftly and efficiently. The iterative process allows us to continuously test and optimise our campaigns, ensuring they are always aligned with customer needs and market trends.”
Taite also shared how agile principles have been deeply ingrained in Mailchimp’s operations: “We see this hyper-personalised approach transform businesses all the time when we talk to Mailchimp customers. Our latest product, RevIntel, can not only recommend the best time to target a customer for a repeat purchase but also help draft the on-brand creative you need to convert them.”
Agile can be scaled and customised to fit your unique context, ensuring that your marketing efforts remain responsive and effective.
That’s where continuous improvement comes in, Taite noted. “To constantly improve, you have to speak it into existence. We maintain a culture of continuous improvement by setting clear expectations and providing the psychological safety to experiment, fail, learn, and succeed.”
While Intuit Mailchimp is a large, global enterprise, the principles of Agile marketing are versatile and can be adapted to organisations of any size. Whether you’re part of a startup, a mid-sized firm, or a large multinational corporation, agile can be scaled and customised to fit your unique context, ensuring that your marketing efforts remain responsive and effective.
How you can get started with agile marketing
The move to an agile marketing approach doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require a shift in CMO mindset. You can begin with these practical steps.
- Start with sprints. Break down your marketing projects into smaller, manageable tasks that can be completed in short, focused work periods (often called sprints). This allows your team to stay agile and make quick adjustments as needed.
- Hold daily check-ins. Implement brief daily meetings to keep your team aligned. These check-ins help quickly identify and address any roadblocks, to keep everyone on the same page and moving forward. For global marketing organisations daily check-ins across regions can help address local challenges quickly while maintaining brand consistency worldwide.
- Boost collaboration. Foster a culture of teamwork by breaking down silos. Make sure your team communicates openly and collaborates across functions so that everyone is working toward common goals.
- Improve every day. Agile marketing is about constantly refining and improving your efforts. Regularly review what’s working and what isn’t, and use these insights to tweak your strategies and tactics. Celebrate small wins to keep momentum high and foster a culture of continuous learning and iteration.
- Use Agile resources. For more detailed guidance, explore in-depth resources like Google’s free agile certificate program. This program offers valuable insights and practical tips for adding agile tactics to your marketing efforts.
By emphasising clear communication, providing necessary support, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, you can set up your marketing team for agile success.
Key takeaways
Have these principles in mind to fully embrace the agile approach and keep your team moving fast.
- Start. Incorporate agile practices like sprints and stand-up meetings into your workflow.
- Stop. Avoid rigid, long-term planning that stifles flexibility. Instead, embrace adaptability and welcome changes that improve outcomes.
- Continue. Stay focused on the speed of your operations. Monitor how long critical steps and processes take to complete. Then continuously iterate to refine and improve your speed to market.
Adopting agile marketing isn’t an option any more; it’s a competitive necessity. In a world where change happens fast, the ROI that matters most is the “risk of ignoring.” If you don’t take an agile approach, you risk falling behind as your competitors outpace you with faster, more responsive strategies. Agile will help your team not just keep up but lead the way.
Jim Lecinski is a clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, where he was named 2022 Professor of the Year. A recognised marketing expert with over 30 years of experience, Jim teaches popular MBA courses on marketing strategy, omnichannel marketing, and AI for Marketing. His seminal book, “Winning the Zero Moment of Truth” (ZMOT), has been read by over 300,000 marketers worldwide. His latest book is “The AI Marketing Canvas,” published by Stanford University Press. Follow him on LinkedIn.
