Diagnostic Review
Also called a needs assessment or marketing audit.
A diagnostic review is usually done when you know that there is a problem with your current marketing approach but you aren’t sure how the problem should be fixed or how the marketing can be improved. Some of the key steps in a diagnostic review include:
- Reviewing current marketing programs and related material;
- Interviewing company executives about current marketing activities and perceived strengths and weaknesses;
- Interviewing current and past customers to gather data about their perception of your products and services;
- Analyzing the budget allocated to various marketing activities and the current return for those activities;
- Researching and reviewing the activities of your competition and comparing those activities to yours;
- Identifying areas of improving marketing activities;
- Developing an action plan and timetable for improving your marketing; and,
- Presenting a preliminary draft report to you for review and finalization.
When appropriate, the diagnostic review has many benefits to you:
- Provides an objective, third party review of your overall marketing activities.
- Helps set overall direction for marketing activities and helps decide what marketing areas to focus on that will offer the biggest return on investment.
The primary deliverable provided after a diagnostic review is a report of findings and recommendations. In addition, the report could also include:
- Prioritized list of actions you could take based on the importance of each action, resources required to take the action, investment required, and revenue which could be generated and/or savings which could be realized;
- List of recommended follow up projects which you could hire me to work on;
- List of projects you should launch with internal staff.
Why you might need a diagnostic review:
- You need help in defining the marketing problem or problems;
- You have multiple marketing problems and isn’t clear where to start; and
- You want to use a marketing consultant or consider one but aren’t sure the best way to use the consultant.
