“A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved.”

- Charles Kettering

What is an A3?

• A3 reports are named A3’s because they fit on an A3-sized sheet of paper, which is the same size as the 11 x 17 or (2) 8½ x 11 sheet(s) of paper.

• Purpose is to document on one page, the results from the PDCA cycle.

• 4 Types of A3s • Problem Solving • Proposal • Status • Informational

• Helps Sales and Marketing to start thinking as a problem- centric team.

• Helps to start telling stories and provide meaning to your marketing

• Uses A3 to discover why you are doing certain things.

• Provides a visual story to define what sales and marketing actually

accomplishes.

• Teaches problem solving, the Lean way.

Why in Marketing?

I like to think of an A3 as a mini-PDCA

Team: Date: Title/Theme: Background/Definition: Current Conditions: Target: Determine Cause/Analysis:

Countermeasures: Implementation: Follow-up:

In the Lean Marketing House,

we use A3s for each of the foundation blocks or

the marketing tactics that support the house.

Ezine Mailers Brochure Pricing Web

Presence

Social Media

Press Release

Speaking Advertising Referral

• Develops a continuous improvement culture

• Develops our Sales and Marketing Team

• Provides a process linkage for Customer Focused activities.

• Forces us to go to Gemba to solve problems

• Provides historic records of decision making throughout the process

• Develops a Knowledge Capturing mechanism supported by data

Using A3 in our Marketing Tactics

Sample A3s are included in book:

Direct Marketing Inbound and Outbound Calls

Training Program Outline

Sales Communication on a Promotion

Gap Analysis of an Annual Advertising Campaign

Churn Rate Gap Analysis

Increasing Consulting bookings

Gaining Control of Internal Costing structure

Business Plan Analysis for Industrial Segment

Increase in Workshop Attendance

Increase in ROI of present Marketing Activities

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Marketing with A3 Introduction

Chapter 2 Transforming to Marketing with A3s

Chapter 3 What is an A3?

Chapter 4 Using A3 in your Marketing Process

Chapter 5 Types of A3

Chapter 6 Description of the Components of the A3

Chapter 7 Tools used in A3

Appendix A A3 Templates

Appendix B A3 Examples

Visit the Marketing with A3 Website:

• Sample A3s • A3 Podcasts

• A3 Community

• A3 Experts

• A3 Book Recommendations

http://marketingwitha3.com

Available on Amazon: • Kindle • CD Rom • Ring bound

Available on Barnes & Noble: • Nook

Available on Business901: • PDF – Instant Download

Marketing with Lean Program Series

1. Lean Marketing House Overview 2. Driving Market Share 3. Marketing with PDCA (coming soon) 4. Marketing with A3 5. Marketing your Black Belt (coming soon)

http://business901.com

Visit the Business901 Website

Information on Lean, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, Kanban and how they relate to Marketing.

• Over 80 Free eBooks • Regular Blog Posts • Podcast with Celebrated Authors, Industry Practitioners and Leading Thought Leaders

Our Mission is to bring Continuous Improvement to Sales and Marketing.