Implementation of a marketing/brand strategy requires the activation of a string of initiatives that will result in the desired strategic outcome in the longer term. As quickly as possible, these initiatives should be measured to determine if they are going to achieve the outcome desired. But how can the implementation of strategy be set up in such a way as to measure outcomes and respond? This is a key to success – and the idea behind our ZBOO™ (Zero-Based Outcome-Orientated) marketing planning and budgeting tool.
Marketing return on investment has always been an issue for companies regardless of size. Company Directors and Chief Financial Officers struggle to understand the return they get from marketing expenditure. They know they need to spend money on marketing but they don’t know how to keep the Chief Marketing Officer accountable for how the marketing budget is discharged. Every initiative seeks to address an issue and deliver an outcome. These outcomes may be key steps in attaining strong profitability but this may be subject to a multitude of other influencing factors. This model identifies direct outcome objectives that make success factors (and failure factors) more easily identified. It manages cost down and allows for marketing initiatives to be planned with cashflow management in mind.
Beyond the cash flow management benefits of better marketing visibility, the ZBOO™ plays a key role in ensuring marketing initiatives are investments in successful strategy implementation.