Marketing departments at companies are probably considering various measures every day to spread the word about their products and increase sales.
There is no point in implementing measures unless we proceed by not only implementing measures, but also verifying their effectiveness and making further improvements.
So, are there any points to make this kind of PDCA cycle even better?
In this article, we will introduce how to use the PDCA cycle for those engaged in marketing.
Please use this as a reference and use it in your work.
What is PDCA?
First, let’s review the meaning of PDCA. PDCA stands for Plan, Do, Check, and Action, and it is the idea of working through this cycle.
By repeating this series of steps, companies can aim to achieve their goals while always taking into account the needs of society.
This is used not only in marketing, but in all aspects of business within a company.
Points to use PDCA in marketing
Marketing measures are essential for companies to widely advertise their services and grow their business.
So, what kind of work does PDCA in marketing specifically refer to?
Let’s take a look at the work content and points to consider in each cycle.
Plan
When considering the content of marketing measures, first understand the current issues and set goals.
Goals are set, such as sales targets for new products, but when doing so, it is very important to translate the goals into concrete numbers using KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
For example, when implementing a campaign on the web, the number of accesses to the campaign site can be a KPI.
Based on this, we will finalize the details of the measures. Also, at this stage, set the period for one PDCA cycle.
Do
We will implement the measures set out above. Since the emphasis here is on implementing measures accurately and quickly, it is important to communicate well with related departments other than the marketing department.
Check
Measure the degree of goal achievement after implementing measures. Let’s evaluate according to the KPIs set in the plan.
With web measures that have been increasing in recent years, user reactions are clearly reflected in the numbers.
For example, by analyzing access logs, we can now see not only the number of accesses to a site, but also the route taken to the site and the length of time spent on the site.
Let’s take a closer look at what efforts have been effective.
Action
Consider the causes that led to the results of the measures. We will thoroughly analyze the reasons why you were not able to achieve your goals and what you need to do next to achieve your goals.
Also, even if you have achieved your goals, it is important to review them carefully so that future measures can be even more effective.
For example, if you find that newly created content is contributing to an increase in the number of accesses, the improvement measure would be to make that content more complete.
It is important to continue the PDCA cycle, not just once.
This is because continuous improvement of operations allows us to respond flexibly to changes in social needs and the environment.
Rather than increasing the accuracy of one cycle, try to run the PDCA cycle in a shorter span.
In marketing, verification after implementing measures often does not go well.
If you’ve been in marketing for a long time, you’ve probably made a mistake like this at least once.
In this case, there is no point in taking such measures even though we have spent a lot of money on them. The reason for this is that the KPIs were not set properly when starting the measures.
In other words, it is extremely important to firmly set numerical targets at the planning stage.
Review of the system for implementing PDCA
In order to run the PDCA cycle efficiently, it is necessary to have a good team structure.
For example, do you have a system in place that allows you to regularly check the progress of each cycle?
Furthermore, it is necessary not only to simply check progress, but also to constantly be aware of how to improve future measures.
We also need a report that visualizes what factors are leading to the results as we implement the measures, as well as comparisons with previous measures.
When performing reporting, we recommend making the most of tools such as setting the items you want to focus on in Google Analytics’ “Custom Report” to proceed with your work efficiently.
Reports tend to take a lot of man-hours to compile, but using tools to reduce wasted “time” is also an important element in implementing the PDCA cycle.
summary
As competition between companies intensifies, the role of marketing departments is becoming increasingly important.
If you succeed in marketing and get users to know about your products and services, you can expect your company to grow.
To achieve this, it is necessary to use the PDCA cycle more efficiently when implementing measures.
Proceeding with business while using the PDCA cycle will lead to sustainable growth of the company.
Marketing doesn’t produce instant results.
However, if the measures are successful, the real thrill will be a bright future for the company.
Let’s continue to work steadily towards this goal!