Are You Asking the Right Questions to Solve Your Marketing Problems?

Kristina Witmer

It’s much more exciting to plunge into new ideas that you and your marketing team have brainstormed for three months than it is to first sit down and take a serious look at the problems. But is it really an option if you want a successful outcome? No. Analyzing and really deep-diving into the problems must be your first priority. Identify the problems and prioritize them. Do the heavy lifting and you can enjoy the fun part later. Here are some fundamental questions that, when answered, will reveal a valuable marketing strategy for your organization’s change and growth.

Establish the need for a marketing solution

  • What is the basic need?
  • What is the desired outcome?
  • Who stands to benefit and why?

Justify the need

  • Is the effort aligned with our marketing strategy?
  • What are the desired marketing benefits for the company
  • And how will we measure them?
  • How will we ensure that a solution is implemented?

Put the problem in context

  • What approaches have we tried?
  • What have others tried?
  • What are the internal and external constraints on implementing a solution?

Write the problem statement

  • Is the problem actually many problems?
  • What requirements must a solution meet?
  • Which problem solvers should we engage?
  • What information and language should the problem statement include?
  • What do solvers need to submit?
  • What incentives do solvers need?
  • How will solutions be evaluated and success measured?

If this looks like a lot of work, you’re right. But this is healthy work that offers major payback for you and your marketing team if you get a green light from your stakeholders and decision makers. Share the pain. Share the gain.

Each phase of growth within your organization is bound to present new and different challenges. And, the valuable answers that stem from these questions will enable you to construct a viable marketing plan for confident forward mobility. This exercise will also open up dialog and create transparency between your marketing team and the rest of the organization. Finally, once you’re satisfied that the questions have been read and reviewed and the answers have been rigorously evaluated, then you will have a more well-defined understanding of what resources (both internal and external) you need to implement solutions for your marketing plan and more.