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March 29, 2021 Content Chat Recap: The State of Agile Marketing in 2021

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According to the AgileSherpas 4th Annual State of Agile Marketing report, 51% of marketers say they’ve used at least some parts of an Agile marketing approach to boost their marketing results. The advantages of an Agile approach can include increased customer satisfaction, better resource utilization, and an overall more effective team, but how can marketers begin their Agile journey? And in what ways can marketers refine their Agile practices?

In this #ContentChat, we’re joined by Andrea Fryrear (@AndreaFryrear), president and co-founder of AgileSherpas, to discuss the state of Agile marketing in 2021. Read the full recap below, where we leverage her team’s latest research to explain what an Agile marketing team is, how to overcome the hurdles of implementing an Agile approach, and general tips to build a successful Agile marketing team environment.

If you’re looking for more information on Agile marketing, Andrea has generously provided 10 FREE codes for the AgileSherpas Introduction to Agile Marketing self-paced course. Just head over to the course page and use code CONTENTCHAT at checkout to redeem.

Q1: What is an Agile marketing team? How is it different from an agile (lowercase) team?

Lowercase agile teams are fast and adaptive, but this is often by accident or necessity. These teams are often stressed and inefficient with their time, despite their perceived agility.

Capital “A” Agile teams follow a mix of frameworks and best practices to stay efficient and effective.

A documented marketing strategy is a necessity for agile and Agile teams. Agile teams are best prepared to pivot from this plan to benefit the customer or address a change in business priority.

Q2: What behaviors/practices or frameworks best support an Agile marketing team culture?

Andrea recommends a mix of Scrum, Kanban, and Lean frameworks. This in-depth article explains each of the three approaches.

An Agile team also requires real-time messaging channels, regular standing meetings, project management tools (we’ll share our recommendations in Q5), and an editorial calendar.

Q3: Your team at @AgileSherpas just released its 4th annual State of Agile Marketing report. What are the key points marketers should know for 2021?

Andrea shares some highlights from this year’s data below. Notably, 51% of marketers say that they use some Agile practices, and more areas of marketing are exploring the value of Agile.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of Agile marketing approaches.

Q4: What hurdles do teams often face when implementing an Agile approach? How can they overcome these challenges?

Per Andrea, many marketers cite a lack of training/knowledge to implement an Agile approach. Online chats like #ContentChat, workshops, books, and resources like AgileSherpas can help bridge this gap.

Other hurdles include a lack of agreement over what Agile means, and an unwillingness to adopt the necessary technology to enable an Agile culture.

Overcome these issues by hosting a collaborative working session to align on what Agile means and what it will address. Use this time to then discuss the technology and frameworks that are critical for your team’s success.

Remember: Agile is never the “why.” Agile is the solution to overcome many challenges that marketers face today.

Q5: What tools do you recommend for Agile marketing teams given that most teams are now working remotely?

The community shares their favorite tools below. What others would you add to this list?

Whatever you do, please do not manage your Agile marketing process with a spreadsheet.

And if you’ve used Roam, let Derek and us know your thoughts!

Q6: What general tips do you have for teams hoping to get started with or mature in their Agile marketing approach?

First, don’t get overwhelmed.
Take it step-by-step and remember that this is a journey.
Start by building a backlog, or a prioritized list of deliverables. Visualize this work on a Kanban board. Meet with your team 15 minutes each day to discuss progress and hurdles.

Seek guidance from friends, colleagues, or experts who have experience with Agile marketing methods.

Per the latest Agile marketing research, standardized project management tools, marketing planning cycles, and established training and coaching for Agile team managers have enabled teams to sustain the adoption of Agile.

Explain the reason behind your team’s Agile efforts. Be patient with team members who may be unfamiliar with Agile methods and those that do not yet understand its value.

About Alek Irvin

Alek Irvin is a content marketing professional with a rich history in social media management, executive thought leadership development, and media relations. As a consultant at Erika Heald Marketing Consulting, he creates human-focused content and thought leadership platforms that help brand leaders connect and engage with their communities. Alek has worked with a range of startups and Fortune 500 companies across the B2B technology and consumer spaces, including IBM, Dell Technologies, Hitch Works, Emtrain, Integrate, and Frameable. Connect with him on Twitter @AlekIrvin.

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