Thinking Less Tactically: Setting a Strategy for an Uncertain Future

Allen  Weiss,  Ph.D.  CEO/Founder,  Marke:ngProfs,  LLC  Marke:ng  Professor,  USC  Marshall    

@allenweiss  

Should Only Leadership Think Strategically?

Strategy

Tactics #socalbma �

When everybody thinks more strategically (and can connect tactics to strategy), you get better analysis and better decision making

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But Strategy Needs High Level Thinking

and… • Possibilities Thinking • Lateral Thinking

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What Leaders Do

Coping with Change

Management is about coping with complexity. Leadership, by contrast,

is about coping with change

What Leaders Really Do, John P. Kotter, HBR Dec. 2001

Strategy

Tactics

Why?

How?

High Level Thinking

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Tactical Thinkers

Strategic Thinkers

Smallest group can do both #socalbma �

Digital Marketing Strategy Objectives

Awareness (I know your name)

Consideration (I’ll consider you)

Intent (I intend to buy from

you) Conversion Support

(I need help)

Engagement (I bought and like you –

let’s talk)

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Knowing the Strategy Helps Decisions on Tactics

q  Social Media - Customer Support q  Social Media – Engagement

Are your people asking WHY before

posting to social media?

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Possibilities Thinking

n  Focus on different possibilities n  Play out the game

q  What will your competitors do? q  What will you do in response? q  What will they do in response to that? q  Etc

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China’s fourth biggest auto group #socalbma �

Their Market is Changing

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Possibilities Thinking

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Lateral Thinking

n  “What is this Like” - in a different industry? q  Focus on similarities with completely industries q  Identify the dimensions on which they are similar q  What have they learned, that you can learn from?

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This is Not Strategic Thinking

n  I’m in B2B…. give me only B2B examples! n  I’m in B2C…why show me what’s going on in

B2B? n  Just give me an example in my industry, not

others!

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This Is!

“Teach my people how to sell tires.” Amgen CMO

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And This Is Too…

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Can a B2B Company Learn From This?

Columbia Journalism School 2010

Customize visitor’s experience based on branded search and number of pages visited

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Can a B2B Company Learn From This?

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Can a B2B Company Learn From This?

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Blendtec presents, Will It Blend? - iPad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAl28d6tbko

Target Market: International, Government, Contracting and Relief Sales

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Volvo Trucks - The Epic Split feat. Van Damme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FIvfx5J10

Lateral Thinking Isn’t Just Strategic, It’s Also Creative

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Finally - Continuously Answer this Question n  What problem are we trying to solve? n  People tend to focus quickly on a presumed

problem

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Looking at Business into the Future

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Industry Foresight

n  The future is a point of view about q  Future consumer needs and behaviors q  Future technologies q  Future competitors q  Future regulations, environment, etc. q  Future competencies q  …and more much

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Industry Foresight – How to Do It

n  Draw straight line (extrapolate)

n  Product/Industry Life Cycle

n  Isolate trends that are predictable and look for areas of instability in your industry

n  Others?

Best done with convergent viewpoints

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Example Scenario 2015 2025

Consumer & Technology Change, Competitor Shifts, etc.

Future Today

Competencies Needed

“Live life forward, but understand it backward”

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Future Marketplace Example

n  Task q  Create a model of the world for music retailing and

distribution as it might exist in 2025 n  Questions

q  What are the likely changes in retailer and consumer needs, competitors (new competitors, their future competencies, etc.), technologies, distribution, etc?

q  Present many different scenarios of the market evolution.

Don’t try to be accurate or prophetic. The goal is to be plausible and credible.

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TODAY FUTURE

Look for a Strategy that is Robust Across Alternative Scenarios of the

Future #socalbma �

Final Thoughts

n  Think more strategically and into the future n  You won’t be blind sighted by competitors

and inevitable changes in the market n  If everyone in your company can think

strategically, you’ll have better managers and leaders for the future

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Thank You

e: amw@marketingprofs.com li: allenmweiss t: @allenweiss http://mprofs.com/training

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