The DMAIC technique allows marketing managers and business owners to expand their campaigns, generate more leads, and add to their company’s bottom line. Using verifiable, measurable data, it is easier than ever to determine the effectiveness of an online marketing strategy and allow for timeous intervention.
This Six Sigma methodology encourages the use of the information mentioned above to make informed decisions about your marketing approach, instead of random marketing experiments that do not yield the desired effect.
The process is nothing new as it has been around since the 1980s. The difference today is how much hassle technology can take out of the task.
Let’s break down the DMAIC methodology and see how it can help you:
Definition phase
During this stage, a lot of research is necessary to make sure that what you put into practice will work. The first and most significant step is defining your target market, as your strategy is aimed at them.
The research requires gathering a lot of data about potential clients. Who your target market is will depend on the nature of your business. If you’re selling clothes, you should identify which demographic of the population is most likely to want to buy from you.
With companies that are selling and supplying goods and services to other businesses, an in-depth analysis of what types of clients would be ideally suited to your organization.
Measurement phase
One of the most critical aspects of making any amendment to your online marketing strategy is being able to objectively measure its effectiveness.
This would be the perfect time to use tools like Google Analytics to get a baseline assessment of your current statistics. Once you’ve implemented, you’ll be able to measure any visible changes as a yardstick for continuing with or reimagining your market strategy.
Analysis phase
This step does not fall in the middle of the process by coincidence. The Six Sigma Training model emphasizes the value of analysis, according to Peter Peterka, a data scientist who has studied the methodology carefully and speaks about it extensively on his website, www.6sigma.us.
There are several monitoring tools you can use to determine if there is increased traffic on your online platforms. You can also view how many clicks convert to customers to see if the number has risen. Investigate the different tools at your disposal to make sure that what you’re doing has the desired effect on your sales.
Improvement phase
The analytics results inform this next step. Even if your analytics are favorable, that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement.
Online marketing trends are continually evolving, and you don’t want to be left behind while your competitors thrive. One key area of constant flux is SEO, and the keywords that make you visible online are susceptible to change.
If your analytics reveal no significant changes since the implementation of your new strategy, it’s time to head back to the drawing board. There are no half measures when it comes to a marketing strategy.
Instead of leaving the approach in place while it does nothing to benefit the company, investigate what you’re doing wrong and do an overhaul where necessary.
Control phase
Once you feel you’ve got the right mix of approaches in your strategy and they’re working, there’s no time to rest on your laurels. You’ll need to perform regular checkups to make sure that what you’ve implemented continues to be effective.
During this stage, you’ll be tweaking, or making minor changes, to your approach to keep it fresh and functional. It’s far easier to do this with the tools at your disposal today, compared to even 20 years ago. With real-time data at your disposal, your choices will be informed, objective, and rational.