'Subtractive Innovation': Four Steps for More Efficient and Effective Marketing
The concept of "less is more" has permeated our personal lives in one way or another, at least in part because of the rise of minimalism and the widespread popularity of Marie Kondo's philosophy of purging things in your home that don't spark joy.
In marketing, however, we often tend to veer down the path of
"more is more"—addition, rather than subtraction.
Because we marketers are pressured to show the value that our
marketing brings to a brand, that value often tends to be proven through
addition: onboarding a new measurement partner to provide additional metrics,
adding more data segments to an audience, adding new creative to a campaign to
avoid fatigue...
We often find ourselves hyperanalyzing processes, documents,
products, and resources in search of what can be added to make up for what is
lacking.
It's almost as if it's hardwired in our DNA to think that
problems stem from shortcomings and the only way to overcome them—to solve
those problems—is to figure out what is missing in ourselves or our
organizations.
Why do we default to
addition?
It actually is natural instinct, it turns out: Humans
instinctively gravitate toward additive approaches, even if it means more work, a
study by two University of Virginia academics, engineer Leidy Klotz and
social psychologist Gabrielle Adams, uncovered.
In one exercise for that study, participants were asked to make
a pattern symmetrical by either adding or removing squares. Only 20% of
participants opted for subtraction, despite fewer squares' requiring removal
rather than addition.
So, just because we naturally gravitate toward a certain
behavior doesn't mean it's the ideal or most efficient choice.
Enter the practice of subtractive innovation.
What
Is Subtractive Innovation?
Forrester Research defines subtractive innovation as
"a mindset and process aimed at improving a company's business through
subtraction rather than addition."
Organizations that opt for a subtractive approach can often
experience stronger performance from their employees (and increased happiness
from simplification rather than overcomplication) as well as better end
products and results.
A great example of the concept is the revered Dyson vacuum.
Dyson noticed the inefficient experience of dust collecting with a vacuum bag.
Instead of looking for parts to add to strengthen the suction or exploring
alternative vacuum bag materials, the company instead invented a vacuum that
removed the bag, which led to the creation of an effective product and a
sustainable solution that generates less waste. And, by many people's account,
Dyson is still the gold standard of vacuuming today.
Similarly, marketing teams often don't need to reinvent the
wheel or build something new to improve a campaign or measurement. Instead,
it's often the process of elimination that can engender true creativity and
productivity.
Four
'Less Is More' Steps to Thinking and Acting Substractively
So how can you get started down the path toward thinking
subtractively? Here are four key steps you can take as a marketer to lean into
a "less is more" approach.
1. Pause and evaluate
The first step toward subtractive innovation is to start by
stopping, which may seem counterintuitive at first.
However, it's important to pause and evaluate the tools and
processes currently in place and whether and how much each contributes to the
day-to-day success of your business or your marketing campaigns.
One way to simply conceptualize that process is to think about
grocery shopping. To be an efficient shopper, you take stock of what you
already have in your pantry and identify a list of ingredients you need before
heading to the store. That helps you avoid unnecessarily accumulating three
containers of garlic salt or wasting time and money looking for the garbanzo
beans that don't actually have a place in your selected recipes.
The same concept applies to your organization: Take note of what
you have and determine what you need before you start shopping for something
new.
2. Consider what can be done with less
When Apple removed the earbud cord and released AirPods,
consumers got to experience firsthand how having less enables them to do more.
You can apply that approach to identify things that get in the way of
efficiency.
Think of a current process that's in place and consider what
removing a step in the process could result in:
- Does eliminating a step remove red
tape that prevents team members from taking ownership over projects?
- Does it improve efficiency by
decreasing the process timeline?
- Does your organization have multiple
analytics or research tools that have similar capabilities that accomplish
the same business need?
Those are the types of questions you must start posing so that
you can see the opportunity that subtraction offer for streamlining and freeing
thinking and behavior.
An overly complicated marketing undertaking with a plethora of
audience segments and creative versions doesn't necessarily mean it's the best
approach to take.
Marketing initiatives that have the media budget sliced and
diced in a million ways to run across multiple DSPs and myriad inventory
sources, or that utilize every single creative type available, tend to result
in cost inefficiencies and limited campaign learnings.
Opting for a more streamlined plan that focuses on the brand's
core audience and message, and selecting platforms and inventories that best
align with the goal, can be a more efficient and effective way to achieve
success.
Negative targeting is another subtractive strategy to utilize to
ensure media dollars are used as efficiently as possible. For example,
maintaining an advertiser blacklist of sites and apps that are either not
brand-safe or prone to suspicious activity ensures that impressions are being
served where they matter most.
3. Implement guardrails for addition
The goal of subtractive innovation isn't only to remove but also
to be mindful about what gets added.
To create a practice of thoughtful addition, develop a framework
of conditions that must be met in order to add.
For example, if you want to adopt a new measurement tool, it's
always important to keep the "why" at the forefront and consider how
the addition of a new tool would help solve a business need. Also, take note of
what measurement tools your organization already has and consider whether those
tools have untapped capabilities that could solve your need without your having
to pay for something new.
These are some thought-starters to use as a guide before adding:
- Is there an applicable business case
for this addition?
- Does the organization already have a
resource that can be used to fulfill the business need?
- How will this addition improve
efficiency or effectiveness, or both?
- Can the problem be better solved
through subtraction?
4. Encourage your organization to think subtractively
To weave a subtractive mindset into the ethos of your
organization, you need to create a culture that applauds not only creation but
also subtraction.
We live in a society that perpetuates the idea that addition is incredibly valuable. It's critical to recognize individuals or departments that have improved strategy or campaign efficiency through a subtractive approach; doing so prompts others to view subtraction as another avenue toward success.
A subtractive approach to innovation—and everyday work—can help
unlock a new realm of possibilities for producing better end results. Removing
extra steps in a process or streamlining your product by removing an
unnecessary bell or whistle can lead to less friction and even cost savings.
Challenge yourself to go against the natural instinct of solving
a challenge through addition, and instead take a moment to pause and shop your
pantry first.
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If you need help with your email, web site, video, or other presentation to promote your company, product, or service, please give me a call at 440-519-1500 or email me at john@x2media.us
Until next month. . . .remember. "you don't get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression." Always make it a good one!!
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