Some examples of what providing proven skills, experience and expertise to create unique solutions to help you step up looks like in the real world.
Some examples of what providing proven skills, experience and expertise to create unique solutions to help you step up looks like in the real world.
One of the regional groups of an international business – representing the emerging and growth markets – was renowned for delivering outstanding double digit growth over the last decade, whereas the larger, more established regions provided higher sales with smaller (mid-single digit) growth over the same period.
With a change in conditions, the developing growth markets had ‘caught up’ to the other regions and were planned to provide only single digit growth. Consequently there was significant pressure being applied to marketing budgets in the face of this planned sales growth slow-down. The budget cuts would significantly cut into key marketing programs supporting the planned growth rate, so even lower sales growth was now being predicted.
The countries within the region, by virtue of their high growth rates, had not had to contend with budget cuts before. There was significant concern within the country subsidiaries regarding their ability to run their marketing with the reduced budgets, unrest regarding the process, and some fear regarding the implications (to their jobs, and the jobs of their teams).
The Bigger Game for this region was the need to evolve the marketing – to make it more effective and efficient, to find untapped sources of growth, be better at planning and budgeting in the countries and make better decisions about where to invest between competing opportunities.
An evaluation of the situation suggested that a new approach to marketing planning within the budget limits needed to be undertaken. Marketing spend was not truly accounted for (against results) in many markets, activities were driven based on habit or fear (without true rationalisation towards the plan), and there was little co-ordination or oversight of the activities. The previous scenario of double digit growth had provided a situation where few questions were asked of the way marketing was conducted.
A plan was put in place to bring greater accountability to the marketing, develop significant planning skills in the marketers, enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the marketing efforts and improve co-ordination and synergy of efforts in different markets.
A marketing planning workshop was arranged, where all markets in the region were trained in advanced ‘behavioural marketing’ planning skills. Conducted over 3 x 3 day blocks (with preparation required in between), this meant developing, training and implementing a more rigorous (but simple) marketing planning approach.
Redefining the markets within the region, clustering and customising approaches as needed (rather than ‘one size fits all’).
Coach the regional marketing executives on how to coach the country representatives and get their commitment and buy in to the process.
A follow-up workshop was conducted, based on best practice sharing amongst country delegates, synergies were identified and coordinated at a regional level.
Tactical planning was conducted to review and pressure test activity plans and budgets, by holding a workshop to define what activities would be kept, started or stopped in line with the new approach.
The workshops were voted the best marketing meetings ever attended by several of the country participants.0
Often, activities can be synergised for multiple markets and performed more efficiently and effectively at a higher level (ie, by the regional office).
I was invited to consult with the organisation to manage and move beyond the crisis. Following a preliminary investigation with the board and senior executive, it was clear that:
The bigger game for this organisation was to get past this series of events, then develop resilience in planning, skills and culture to prepare them to deal with any shocks that may arise in future.
I was invited to consult with the organisation to help them develop a new strategic vision and plan. The bigger game was to determine a path forward which would make them both relevant and successful beyond the introduction of the alternate technology.
Following a review of the strategic plans, mission statements and R&D portfolio, it was clear that:
The bigger game for this organisation was to reset its strategic agenda, develop a customer-experience centric approach and reinvigorate the organisation to step the business up through the challenge of obsolescence to create something new.