Driving Marketing Actions with Purpose: Using the 5 Whys

I’ve never been a fan of doing “stuff” — that is, marketing tactics without clear purpose. Sometimes in our haste to demonstrate our value as marketers, we jump to a tactical solution without really understanding why. Or we agree to tactics that are poorly vetted. The 5 whys can ensure you are starting from a position of purpose.

Borrowing a Technique From Lean Methodology

The 5 whys have their origin in manufacturing. I became acquainted with the concept when I was the marcom manager at Radiometer. When Danaher acquired Radiometer in 2004, the company culture changed in short order. We became immersed in Danaher’s lean methodology, called DBS (Danaher Business System). Suddenly, the entire global organization was eating, sleeping and breathing DBS.

We were even expected to apply lean DBS techniques to marketing! Truly, DBS seemed an awkward fit for this discipline.

Nevertheless, one DBS measure, “the 5 whys”, proved useful. In general, the 5 whys can be a powerful tool in root cause analysis or understanding the bigger picture.

Here’s an example in a manufacturing context, starting with the problem statement. You can see that every statement forms the basis for the next question:

We’re unable to deliver our gizmos to our customers.

1. Why are we unable to deliver gizmos to our customers?
   Because gizmo production is behind schedule.
2. Why is gizmo production behind schedule?
   Because the gizmo-making machine is down.
3. Why is the gizmo-making machine down?
   Because the machine needs a replacement part that we can’t find.
4. Why can’t we find the replacement part?Because the machine is antiquated and parts are difficult to source.
5. Why is the machine antiquated?
   Because we’ve been unable to get budget approval on a new machine.

This deeper dive revealed that the problem may be rooted in Finance, not Production. The long-term solution would be approval of a capital investment in a new machine.

Using the 5 Whys in Marketing

Marketers can use the 5 whys to reality check our own proposals, as well as vet requests from outside the department. Let’s first look at how the 5 whys can be used to understand (and challenge) a request from sales.

Sales: We need a promotional discount on the Gizmo 1000.

1. Marketing: Why do need a promotional discount on the Gizmo 1000?
   Sales: Because our Gizmo 1000 sales are lagging.
2. Marketing: Why are our Gizmo 1000 sales lagging?
   Sales: Because our dealers aren’t presenting the Gizmo 1000 to their customers.
3. Marketing: Why aren’t our dealers presenting the Gizmo 1000 to their customers?
   Sales: Because our dealer reps don’t understand the Gizmo 1000.
4. Marketing: Why don’t our dealer reps understand the Gizmo 1000?
   Sales: Because they haven’t received any Gizmo 1000 training.
5. Marketing: Why haven’t they received any Gizmo 1000 training?
   Sales: Because we haven’t equipped our dealers to train their reps on the Gizmo 1000.

In this instance, lagging Gizmo 1000 sales have more to do with training than discounts. A discount on the Gizmo 1000 would have accomplished little to drive long-term sales growth because the knowledge gap would remain unaddressed. Marketing should instead focus on developing sales training on the Gizmo 1000 that can be delivered to the dealer reps.

Using the 5 Whys to Make the Argument for Content

Content Marketing Institute’s Robert Rose describes how the 5 whys can help find the larger story in content marketing. In his example below (adapted slightly for our gizmo company), he starts with the recommended tactic and drills down to find the rationale behind it.

We should use a blog platform to curate news from the gizmo industry to position us as thought leaders.

1. Why is curating news to position us as thought leaders important to our customers?
   Because our customers will see that we have our fingers on the pulse of our business and have a point of view on the gizmo industry.
2. Why is it important that people see that we have our fingers on the pulse and have a point of view on the gizmo industry?
   Because then our customers and prospects will have more trust in what we say.
3. Why is it important to our customers and prospects to have more trust in what we say?
   Because developments in the gizmo industry are changing very quickly and our customers need a trusted partner to keep them on top of what’s going on.
4. Why do our customers need a trusted partner to keep them on top of what’s going on in the gizmo industry?
   Because they’re busy trying to succeed, and a trusted partner can help them be informed.
5. Why is it important for our customers’ success to be informed?
   Because if they’re informed about the gizmo industry from a trusted source, they’ll be more competitive — and can then be more successful.

In this case, the marketer’s instincts were good: a blog made sense. But drilling down with the 5 whys made that argument clear.

We work in an increasingly accountable marketing environment. This means our tactics need to be driven by purpose. At some point, someone in a position of power will want a justification for all your stuff. If you start with a clear intent, your actions will be easier to justify.