1. Lean Campaign Definition
Lean campaign management is inspired by the Lean Start-up methodology. Lean Start-up is built around the idea of the minimum viable product (MVP) and then using the build-measure-learn feedback loop to rapidly improve the product by shipping early and often creating a fast product improvement cycle.
Like much of Lean thinking, the principles embrace the following ideas.
a. Eliminating waste
Remove anything from the process that doesn't add value for the customer.
b. Maximize flow
Keep the process moving so that products are created as quickly and efficiently as possible.
c. Engaging people
Engage and include all stakeholders from executive to customer success.
d. Continuous improvement
Continuously improve the product and the development process.
Lean campaign management provides a framework for the growth team to work together and achieve campaign-market fit. This is likely to include Lean product management processes. The focus is on understanding customer needs and what they value, creating experiments, and iterating to create a product that meets those needs. Some activities that can help implement lean product management in an organization include market analysis, business process mapping, and using the build-measure-learn feedback loop. In summary, lean product management is a strategy that helps product managers focus on what's important, eliminates waste, and maximizes customer value. It is a customer-centric approach that emphasizes continuous improvement and collaboration among team members.
Lean Campaigner is designed to work within a strategic framework while building responsive marketing. It lets you move more quickly while increasing your ability to focus on the customer.
We believe responsive marketing connects sales and marketing teams to the core idea of helping make other people’s lives better. The result is a company that is better, and more useful.
2. What are the core principles of Lean Campaigns?
There are nine core principles.
a. Customer-led
Always gather first-hand feedback, not second-hand feedback. Get designers and marketing operations to talk directly to customers.
b. Flexible
It’s based on principles, not rules. Rules are binding. Principles favor progress and forward momentum.
c. Iterative
The first attempt is always wrong. You must iterate towards the best possible solution, not try to get it right on the first try.
d. Fast
Speed gives you more iterations and more opportunities to learn.
e. Visual
Plans, progress, and updates are done with screenshots and visuals so everyone can see what the result will look like. Customers are brought to life with artifacts. “Follow me home” programs let internal teams see product use in customer environments.
f. Transparent
Everyone at the company has access to see what’s underway.
g. Improving
The power of progression and step-by-step improvements lead to better results. Learning is never done, this is a living framework and will change over time.
h. Data over opinion
Results should be measurable and led by customer research.
i. Focused
Campaigns should be focused, self-contained, and have as few dependencies as possible.
Lean Campaign guarantees that all campaigns are built to solve customer and end-user problems. Everyone on the team (including designers and operations) should be talking to customers. Ideally daily. Success should be measured based on resonance and ROI.
3. Core features
a. Competitive advantage through process
Winning requires fast evolution based on feedback. Consistent fast execution using the Lean Campaign model generates returns far above traditional approaches. The standards need to be set high and continuously improved. A campaign can be copied. The Lean Campaign process and the team-specific knowledge associated with it can not.
b. Dynamic prioritization based on opportunity
The general focus is on helping to solve problems that have the biggest impact on customers. New customer insight should change priority.
More complex businesses with multiple markets and products need the right level of focus. The Lean Campaign strategy step breaks up a business into smaller businesses from a marketing perspective. This may be by product line or sector or both.
Each “business” gets a budget for campaigns depending on their strategic importance. High-growth, large-revenue “businesses” get more focus than low-growth niche businesses. High-growth, larger enterprises are also likely to solve larger, more urgent customer problems.
The timing of the use of this budget is flexible. New insight and market opportunities should change priorities. Flexibility in execution is more important than stability.
This is not to say that Lean Campaigner works without a strategic brand framework. Having a clearly defined brand strategy that all campaigns support and are consistent with is important.
c. Time-limited but not short-term
Time-limited campaigns do not mean that there can not be a longer-term thematic arc. Short cycles should also not mean a short-term results focus. The major new brand could have multiple campaigns running over months or even years with initial campaigns focused on brand awareness and resonance with ROI payback over a longer time frame.
4. How does a Lean Campaign differ from a traditional marketing planning process?
Change is hard so defining what will be different up front helps progress.
a. Approach
Lean Campaign changes the dynamic from top-down planning to a loose strategic framework driven by customer and market insight. Planning is not controlled by a small group. Everyone has input. The best ideas that solve the biggest customer problems win.
b. Culture
The culture changes to direct customer interaction for all team members. Failing is good if you learn.
c. Customer experience wins
The Lean Campaigner framework finally ends the silos. All customer problems receive focus from pre-sale through to post-sale. Campaigns focused on sales, customer success, and products all can be added to the backlog.
5. Which companies are a good fit for Lean Campaign?
Lean Campaign fits any business that wants to put customers at the center of their organization.
All team members need to buy into the benefits of speed and flexibility over stability. Marketing must be willing to open up their process to everyone in the organization.
Lean Campaign is more difficult if your business is larger with the need to make upfront media buys. Rigid processes and a lack of flexibility are the enemies of Lean Campaigns.
It is possible to run a hybrid system implementing Lean Campaign with individual marketing groups or business units. It is even possible to run a Lean Campaign with a more traditional campaign running as well. For example, you may dedicate 20% of the team’s time to Lean and the rest to other activities.
Businesses and marketing teams that are a good fit for Lean Campaigns have the following characteristics.
• You understand that your market is hyper-competitive and that you are ready for a new approach to succeed
• Your teams are small (no more than 5 people) or you can break your teams up to make them small
• You have a product marketing function with design and operations
6. Beware of Anti-Patterns
The road to Lean Campaigns starts with enthusiasm. Anti-patterns will emerge sometimes from surprising places. The executive sponsor starts talking about going back to the old way of doing things. Marketing starts closing the backlog to the rest of the organization. Anti-patterns will happen. That is why the key principles are vital to success. The other reality is that it usually is impossible to go back to the old way. The obvious benefits of even a poorly executed Lean Campaign process make the old way no longer an option.