Recent Articles From EvanCarmichael.com http://www.evancarmichael.com/ http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/A-Little-more-on-applying-Littles-Law-to-Lean-your-Marketing.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/A-Little-more-on-applying-Littles-Law-to-Lean-your-Marketing.html Though this is not a major change in thinking, Throughput is the measure that drives Theory of Constraints. In your marketing process, this makes perfect sense, you should be measured in Sales Revenue, correct http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/A-Little-Law-applied-in-Lean-Marketing.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/A-Little-Law-applied-in-Lean-Marketing.html A simple equation called Little's Law can tell us how long it will take any prospect to be turned into a sale simply by counting how many customers are in your funnel and how many sales we complete each day, week, etc. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/Most-Marketing-Systems-are-Out-of-Control.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/Most-Marketing-Systems-are-Out-of-Control.html Most Marketing systems are out of control. They have not been managed with understanding of the process speed and the effect of the flow on the process. As a result, performance has to be sub-standard. My marketing has too many variables to define my Value Stream! Can you afford to say that? http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/Steps-to-creating-your-Need-Statement.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/Steps-to-creating-your-Need-Statement.html The other day, I discussed Your Marketing Vision should define your Customer's Core Problem, but how do you go about doing it. A simple exercise that I found useful was depicted in the book.... http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3817/An-Open-Letter-to-The-Fashion-Industry.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3817/An-Open-Letter-to-The-Fashion-Industry.html I am venting because I know there is money to be made out there... http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3882/Inflection-Points-Bring-New-Retail-Strategies.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3882/Inflection-Points-Bring-New-Retail-Strategies.html Might your retail segment be facing an inflection point, and if so, are you really prepared for it? Almost every company faces ongoing changes of one type or another in its industry, and retail is no exception. An inflection point occurs when an industry or segment faces lasting changes so large and significant that it calls for companies to adapt with a new strategy or ability to compete, or face what becomes an irreversible decline and failure. Such an inflection point may bring even greater opportunity than before for organizations who do figure out how to take advantage of it. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3882/A-Retail-Holiday-Tale.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3882/A-Retail-Holiday-Tale.html I had my own interesting retail experience the other day, which I think you might find entertaining. In keeping with holiday tales it may be enlightening too. I like to keep tabs on the current retail environment, and also as a consumer I enjoy going to stores such as Costco to see what interesting values their good buyers have found. The point I am making in this article is that successful retailers take the appropriate actions to deal with the environment at hand, rather than deciding it is out of their control. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3882/The-Shapes-That-Model-Retail.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3882/The-Shapes-That-Model-Retail.html There has been a tremendous amount of discussion by economists and government experts in regard to the type of recession we are in, as well as the possible ways we could come out of it. There are varied opinions and speculation as to where things go from here. This is pretty clearly demonstrated in the different models, or 'shapes', that the recovery might take, which have come to be characterized by various letters of the alphabet. Although Economists may track and analyze a number of economic issues and trends that would also impact retailers, it is from an aggregate level. So the question is, what will the economic recovery look like at a place where all the trends come together at once - such as in your own company’s financials? http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/Your-Marketing-Vision-should-define-your-Customers-Core-Problem.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/Your-Marketing-Vision-should-define-your-Customers-Core-Problem.html As a result of this exercise, you will change the shape of your Pillar. You should be able to shorten your cycle in some and as a result decrease your expenditure in the marketing process. Others, on the other hand, may be lengthened and a total different approach may have to be utilized. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/Power-of-Visual-Thinking-in-your-Visual-Workplace.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Retail/3835/Power-of-Visual-Thinking-in-your-Visual-Workplace.html I think Visual Thinking is a powerful tool. For evidence, look at the tools I surround myself with, Value Stream Mapping, The Lean Marketing House and Mindmaps. I believe it is the most effective way to learn. As David said in his last paragraph of the blog cited above: "We're not all visual thinkers (though we all have the potential).