Double Your Output: 3 Fun and Easy Tips to Boost Marketing with Agile Techniques

Imagine getting twice as much done in the same amount of time. Sounds amazing, right? It's totally possible with Agile techniques. Let’s dive into some simple and fun ways to supercharge your workday and make everyone in the office happier!

1. Embrace Change: Go with the Flow and Be Adaptive

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right. But if you're agile, you'll figure it out faster.”

Change is the only constant we can expect, and it can look like a lot of things: rapid technological innovation, a new job, dropping your ice cream on a hot day. No matter how it comes, one of the most precious skills to have for inside and outside of the office is knowing how to embrace it. It all starts with accepting the situation. After all, in order to fully comprehend and react to change, we must recognise when it’s happening and allow ourselves to commit to the idea that with some work, we can overcome it. By accepting change, we can turn it into a power for good, and fuel creativity which could revolutionise our business decisions, and/or our life trajectory.

The trick to embracing change is to be flexible. Too often we get caught up with the idea that we can predict the future like we are some wizard in a high tower who spends too much money on microfiber cloths to polish his glass orb.

You are NOT that wizard.

Flexibility is the one thing we can control. Instead of using unnecessary resources on guesswork, we can instead put them towards preparing ourselves for the inevitable change that is coming. And, when you combine flexibility with adaptability, you’ve just created fire. Being ready to change your plans based on new information or feedback is essential to adaptability.

?If you’re not sure if you’re being flexible or not, perhaps it’s best that you ask two questions. Firstly, ask yourself how you feel about changing your plans. If it freaks you out, then - well - you might want to work on that. Secondly, ask your peers for their honest, candid feedback, and they may help you reflect on how flexible you are or come across.?

Accepting change, being flexible, and adapting to said change are the building blocks of agile management . So, next time you hear some surfer bro say “Just go with the flow, man” maybe you should listen to him, man.

2. Lean Thinking: Work Smarter, Not Harder

Lean Thinking is like packing for a weekend trip with Ryanair with just that tiny suitcase you’re allowed on-board – you only take what you really need. It’s all about getting the most out of everything you do without wasting time or resources.?

Cutting down on unnecessary email content and focusing on what customers really want is a great example of being lean. The result? More people open and click on their emails. Implementing lean thinking by reviewing what works best on social media, and cutting out the stuff that don’t, is another great example of thinking lean. This way gets more likes, shares, and comments without any “extra” work or effort. These techniques sound super simple, and they are, but in order to accomplish them you must allow yourself to let go of the things that don’t work (after figuring out what they are), and strip down what could’ve been resource-intensive systems to implement. Remember, successful lean thinking is about delivering value with minimal resources, as quickly as possible (we share what that is all about in the next section - also known as MVP thinking).

If you want to drag race a Ferrari, you should probably get rid of those nice Nappa full grain hide leather seats.

PDCA and MVP Thinking

The PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act/Adapt) is instrumental in incorporating the Agile mindset into our workflow. It is a very simple system, but has been proven and tested to be a very resilient strategy in light of change. Normally, we think of the planning stage as the most important because we wish to get everything in order. But think about planning a kid’s birthday party: you can try to predict the amount of people and presents, but as soon as the cake hits the floor it’s all hands on deck! By always including the last step, act/adapt we are able to constantly improve our systems and stay flexible.

Now, we aren’t Einstein, but we do have an equation of our own:

Thinking big + starting small + learning fast = efficient innovation

To become an MVP, we must think like one. Warren Buffet wasn’t born with his business acumen, he honed it over many, many, many, (yes, he's old) many years. We can take this mindset into how we approach product development. MVP (Minimal Viable Product) thinking means starting with a simple version of your idea and improving it over time. It’s all about delivering value, with the least amount of effort and resources. Afterall, sometimes you have to get people on a sailboat before you can sell them a yacht!

Remember, cool sparkly and detailed features without real value are pointless. Value to clients, even if it doesn't look that great, is far more valuable. Ask and think about what helps your clients and stakeholders solve their problem and pain–to the point they are willing to invest their time or pay for what you have to offer!

3. Dynamically Prioritise: Focus on What Matters

Imagine you’re hosting an exclusive party. You’d only invite the ones that make your party alive, right? Prioritising your tasks works the same way. Here are a few themes you can take on to make sure you’re always only working on the most important things that bring you best value:

• Think VIP List: Do tasks that bring the biggest benefits first.
• Don’t be the boring juggler: Don’t try to juggle too many things at once – you’ll just drop the ball.
• Entertain with that Magic Wand: If you could wave a magic wand to achieve one goal, what would it be? Focus on that.
• Marie Kondo Your Tasks: If a task doesn’t bring results, thank it and let it go.
• Dance Like Everyone's Watching: Do the tasks that get the best results and make you look good.

Pick Your Tools

Different tools can help you stay organised and efficient:

• Project Management: Use tools like Trello , Monday.com , or Asana to keep track of tasks.
• Communication: Stay connected with your team using Slack or MS Teams.
• Analytics: Check what’s working and what’s not with Google Analytics or HubSpot .

Key Takeaways

Being agile isn’t just a strategy – it’s essential for thriving in today’s fast-paced world. Embrace change, keep things lean and simple, prioritise what matters most, and use the right tools. And don’t forget, every failure is an opportunity and takes you a step closer to success.

Ready to double your output? Let’s get agile and make work more fun and productive!