Six Sigma Marketing: You Can’t Pound a Nail with a Screwdriver

Several writers have commented on Six Sigma Marketing. The major thrust of these comments is focused on how to apply Six Sigma to Marketing. And, while making Marketing and Marketing activities more efficient, Six Sigma Marketing must focus on making Marketing more effective – actually acheiving sales and market share objectives.

Six Sigma Marketing is all about integrating the disciplined, data driven principles of Six Sigma with Marketing’s focus on revenue growth and market share. This integration has as its core the idea of value – creating and delivering the highest quality at the best price. Value has been shown to be the best leading indicator of sales and market share growth.

Six Sigma Marketing accordingly, requires a new set of tools not resident in either Six Sigma or Marketing. In other words, applying the tools of Six Sigma to Marketing will not do the job. You can’t pound a nail with a screwdriver. You have to learn how to use a hammer.

Six Sigma Marketing requires the jettisoning of much of the conventional wisdom surrounding both Six Sigma and Marketing. Chief among the ideas that have to change is the reliance on customer satisfaction as the principle metric. Satisfaction has little, if any, linkage to changes in sales and market share. Consequently it makes little sense to rely upon customer satisfaction as the strategic goal since it does not impact either sales or market share. Customer value does.

Market Value Solutions has been practicing Six Sigma Marketing for about ten years and experiencing significant successes. The tools of Six Sigma Marketing are powerful and provide a clear guidance for growing sales and share. No longer does Marketing have to be agenda driven or based on company lore. Six Sigma Marketing is driven by the voice of the market (VOM) and not the VOC (voice of the customer).

In subsequent blogs I will be discussing several other points of departure between Six Sigma Marketing and Six Sigma and Marketing as it is currently practiced.

For more information on Six Sigma Marketing contact Dr. Eric Reidenbach at Eric@marketvaluesolutions.com or call 601 213 4849. Dr. Reidenbach is the author of the soon to be released book, Six Sigma Marketing, to be published by ASQ’s Quality Press.

 

The Black Belt and Six Sigma Marketing

(With apologies to Lewis Carroll, the Walrus and the Carpenter)

“The time has come,” the Black Belt said,
“To talk of many things:
Of Markets, and value and quality
OF Six Sigma Marketing,
Why we are short of projects
And, how to move away from simple cost cutting.”

“But wait a bit” the CEO cried,
“Our market share is low
With poor quality and poor value
How are we to make our sales grow?”
“No worries” said the Black Belt
“Six Sigma Marketing is clearly the way to go!”

“The Voice of the Market,” the Black Belt said
“Is what we chiefly need-
Value and value tools besides
Are very handy indeed…
Now if you’re ready, O Six Sigma team
Let us plant, grow and nurture the SSM seed.”

“But lose the VOC?” the team cried
Turning a little blue,
“After such a long dependence, that would be
A very radical thing to do.”
“The path is clear,” the Black Belt said
For now, more than ever, we need the market view!”

“But what of DMAIC?” all the lesser belts did cry,
“Or the 4Ps?” the diffident marketers whined.
“No sweat” said the Black Belt
“Six Sigma and Marketing are now aligned.
It’s time for us to change,
For Six Sigma Marketing – this is the exactly time.”

“Six Sigma Marketing” the Black Belt said
“Is what we need to do.
Forget the cost cutting
Instead, let’s concentrate on revenue.
It’s time to think externally
And how we can create and deliver superior value.”

“O defect reduction”, the Black Belt intoned,
“You’ve had a pleasant run.
Let’s turn our face to market share
And start to count the mun!
With Six Sigma Marketing our success is guaranteed
Our superior value will put all of our competitors quickly on the run.”

For information on Six Sigma marketing contact Eric Reidenbach at eric@marketvaluesolutions.com or 601 213 4849.