Agile Marketing - What is it exactly?

I wanted to write some consolidated thoughts I had on agile marketing. A common question I get is, "What does agile marketing even mean?" There's a conceptual belief in the benefits of being "agile" without a lot details on how to go about implementation outside of software development. This article covers how I'd think through implementing agile within a marketing department. It's important to return to the origins of the agile manifesto (and the birth of contemporary 'agile') since some of the core principles have been bastardized over time:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools 
• Working software over comprehensive documentation 
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation 
• Responding to change over following a plan

While the context is different, a lot of of the first line applies to contemporary marketing. Line one implies that agile is about prioritizing people and interactions between people over processes and tools. Ironically, a lot of agile consultants push specific tools that don't fit the individuals on the team and push processes that reduce interactions between team members.

If you take anything away from reading this article - remember this. Any tool (software) should fit the individuals on your team and facilitate interactions. Otherwise, they are the wrong tools. The same applies to processes. Out of all of the core principles of the original manifesto - the first line is the one most often forgotten, abused or ignored. Often to disastrous effects.

Applying the second line is simple. When it comes to marketing - getting a working marketing campaign (that achieves your current organization goals) active is more important than complete documentation of the marketing campaign and what it entails. This doesn't mean documentation is bad. It means that if something must be sacrificed - make it the documentation. Get your marketing strategies live and implemented in the real world ASAP.

The third line of the manifesto is more specific to old software development cycles and less directly relevant to marketing (especially if it's executed all in-house). The closest corollary would be to the creative agency - brand relationship. It states that ongoing collaboration associated with the current needs of the client takes priority over what was negotiated contractually at the beginning of the relationship. While I agree in principal - I advise caution on this line. This is not practical if either party is litigious and trust doesn't exist. Although it is a principal worth aspiring towards.

The fourth line is also simple to conceptualize. It's more important to respond to changes than to follow a plan. I want to re-iterate that this does not mean "don't plan at all." It just means that if an event of material impact occurs - prioritize resources towards adjusting to events of material impact. What are some examples? A campaign doesn't perform as well as expected. An unexpected news event changes the context / meaning of a marketing communication mid-campaign. Or let's say funding which was plentiful - ends up drying up.

If your final conclusion is that agile simply means being more pliable and less rigid - you're on the right path. When in doubt, return to the four core principles of the agile manifesto. If your intuition tells you that marketing is diverging from the agile manifesto - it's time to reassess.

For more marketing thoughts, my blog is here or you could just send me a direct message if you want to chat. I am also interested in interviewing marketers with thoughts on practical implementation of agile marketing. If you know someone who fits the bill, please refer them to me.