Can you tell the difference between Agile, Guerilla or Real Time Marketing? Does it really matter? You need a 3 point plan for Agile marketing – or is it just your boss asking for a quicker turn-around?

What’s Agile marketing?

Agile marketing is similar to real time marketing. So what makes it agile or is it a catchphrase?

Agile marketing is a bit of a new catchphrase, you’ll see it in the press and hear it around the offices. It’s replaced the new digital marketing team and it’s replacing digital pr. Or should that be Digital PR is Agile Marketing and Digital PR is replacing the rest of marketing communications.

Agile Marketing confused with a rapid response

The issue today is that saying ‘agile marketing’ for many is to only refer to being quick to get a response to (crisis) situation which the marketing comms team has to manage. I just finished a project where the client wanted everything to be collaborative and agile – but only if it was what they wanted. There’s nothing agile about wanting things your own way.

In traditional marketing and media teams, PR in a crisis and the responses made are usually controlled and managed. Yet every day your marcomms and PR teams are facing situations – competitors do something new, legislation changes, journalists wanting quotes – all these little situations need a response right then, right now.

So how does Agile get related to marketing? If you knew nothing about agile or lean methods, then know that it started out in Japan with Nissan Motors and their quality improvement teams. Initially this was focused on operations or product management.

Today, Agile methodology uses such everyday management tools like K.I.S.S. or S.M.A.R.T. To be sure we are doing the right things the right way and also not wasting resources or time.

Can you see now how agile marketing would be useful for your team?

3 point plan for Agile Marketing

So how should you respond to a request for some agile marketing? First take some time and then make yourself a plan that covers these three points:

Responsive – your marketing response is timely

Relevant & authoritative – What you say counts and is believable and is true. Not just wasting your (or my) time release marketing is planned & cross channel … Web, pr, social media and email … All simultaneous

Good Planning – Agile marketing, for a new product needs to allow for good planning. There is nothing agile about working overtime to a deadline that was yesterday.

See – I mentioned planning twice – do you agree that planning is important to agile marketing?

Damien Saunders

Should you be worried that you don’t have an iPhone app? Do you know if you’re website works on a mobile? what about mobile SEO? It is very important for CEO’s and CMO’s to add mobile to their communications and marketing strategy.

The fact that most companies have yet to build a mobile website shows you are not alone and many companies want to know what they should do first.

• Build an app.
• Build a mobile strategy or
• Build a mobile website

Considering each approach …

Why Build a Mobile app

Answer Yes to these questions and you’ll know that building an app is right for you:

1. Is your company always first to market?
2. Do you want to get some PR effect?
3. Interested in winning a Mobile or Advertising industry Award

Developing an app for iPhone is the natural option for good PR or getting Marketing Awards. You can build apps and games for iPhones, Android, Nokia and many other smartphones.

Carefully consider too if you need to build an app for widescreen devices like the iPad or Smartphone netbooks.

Building a branded game or app for mobile is a good approach to complement a social media, viral or email campaign.

Develop a Marketing Strategy for Mobile

Want to understand mobile better, then consider how ‘mobile’ fits in your marketing mix. Could you get better PR? Leverage a viral campaign? Link mobile to your social media approach? Or want smartphone users to find your brand. I suggest you build a mobile website and look at your customer relationship marketing strategy.

Build a Mobile Website

Yes just do something. You can start by building a mobile friendly site, build an app and start to learn from them. Stay motivated and maybe expect the same results as the early web pioneers. Once you’ve done something you’ll still need to promote it.

So what were the 3 approaches to mobile marketing strategy again?

1. Build an App

2. Develop a Marketing Strategy plan

3. Build a mobile website

Of course whatever you do, you need to learn, get insights and leverage your stats tools, get feedback from customers and users and don’t expect to get to the top of the iTunes store unless you have a big budget.

Now tell me what you think?

Damien Saunders