How I Found The Best Books, Blogs, and Videos For Our Agile Marketing Transformation
My style of learning could be compared to a drug addiction.
Once I get a hit of something I like, I go all in and rummage through every article, book, blog, and video I can find on the topic — like an addict looking for cash and jewels in your dresser draws.
With that said, I stashed away tons of the resources which helped us start our agile marketing transformation.
So to help you avoid an information scavenger hunt, I’ve unburied the best ones and ranked them in the order to consume them.
The Basics Of Making An Agile Marketing Transformation
1. The Agile Marketing Manifesto
Agile is an approach to get things done and like any approach it comes with ideals to guide you along the way. Modeled after the original Agile Manifesto (for software developers) these 7 principles are like guardrails to keep you on your roadmap to success.
2. Confused About Agile Marketing? Questions Answered [With Video]
Content Marketing Institute published this Q&A style blog with answers to 15 basic agile marketing questions. At the bottom of the post is a 15 minute video clip, Your First Agile Marketing Effort, that brings a voice to the article.
3. Agile marketing: A step-by-step guide by McKinsey
This article is great for Directors, VP’s, and Executives who want a topical understanding of the agile marketing transformation, but don’t need the tactical details (as you’d expect from McKinsey).
4. Create Twice the Content in Half the Time with Agile Marketing
DigitalMarketer has grown up and now publishes more than just Traffic and Conversion hacks. They now advocate creating content (consistently) and offer this overview as a way to start your agile marketing transformation.
5. Introduction to Scrum – 7 Minute Explainer Video
There are two major methodologies in agile. This video is about SCRUM, the most popular one. Although this video is not specifically for marketers, it will talk you through of the definitions and concepts that also apply to agile marketing.
6. Beginner’s Guide to Kanban for Agile Marketing
Kanban is second major methodology in agile. Developed by Toyota, it improved the speed and quality of the cars they produce. It works the same for marketing by visualizing content workflows like a car assembly line.
7. An Introduction to Scrumban for Agile Marketing
When you combine the best of SCRUM with Kanban, you get Scrumban. This is what I love about agile, you can pick and choose the parts and pieces that work for you and your team. After a bit of experience implementing agile marketing, I see why Scrumban is popular.
8. Scrum vs Kanban Video – What’s the Difference?
Although this video is not specific to marketing, it illustrates the concept in action. It’s a really helpful 5 minute video that’s best watched after reading the previous three articles.
9. The Art of Doing Twice The Work In Half The Time by Jeff Sutherland
This is the book nails the value of Agile, regardless of which methodology you practice. Once you read the first half of the book you’ll never start tasks or projects the same way again. On top of that, it’s written by one of the co-founders of SCRUM.
Intermediate Agile Marketing Resources
10. Blending Scrum and Kanban Video: Create an Agile Enterprise
In under 13 minutes this video will give you a glimpse of an “end-to-end” enterprise implementation of agile. It demonstrates how some places in your organization are best for SCRUM and others for Kanban.
11. Make Your Audience the Hero With a One-Sentence Agile User Story
Once you get past the basic concepts and definitions, one of the first tactical things your agile marketing team should consider are “user stories”. This is where what you create collides what your audience wants.
12. Epics, Stories, Themes, and Initiatives by Atlassian
Jumping back into the world of programmers, this article will help you break down big marketing ideas into smaller actionable chunks. It’s hard to be agile if your projects are enormous and not interconnected. A roadmap of projects has to lead somewhere.
13. The Marketing Agility Podcast
Real marketers, directors, and CMOs talk about their agile marketing transformation. Each podcast is less than 30 minutes covering stories from start ups, agencies, and huge SaaS enterprises. This is one of my favorites.
14. The Agile Marketer by Roland Smart
Written by one of the guys from Marketing Agility Podcast, this book compresses the major agile marketing concepts and puts them in one place. It’s a must read after you get through the basics of making an agile marketing transformation.
15. Agile Marketing at Hubspot featuring Mike Volpe
It’s hard to have a conversation about content marketing and not mention Hubspot. This video features former Hubspot CMO “show and tell” agile marketing in action. The audio is not great, but what he shares is worth is it.
16. SCRUM Guide
Once you’re ready to “try” agile and decide SCRUM is right for you and your team, this is the 17 page SCRUM Guide by the guys who developed it. It reads like an operating manual (which is good in this case) and is great to have printed out on your desk during the first few months of starting SCRUM.
17. Hacking Marketing by Scott Brinker
Written by the head guy over at chiefmartec.com, this book goes deep on the tactical day-by-day aspects of agile marketing. It’s one of the most valuable resources I’ve found. I placed it at the bottom of this list because you should start your agile marketing transformation before jumping into this book.
18. AgileSherpas Instructor Lead Training Coaching
There are dozens of agile trainings for programmers and developers, but few for marketers. This is one of them. And I put it last on the list because I believe you’ll get the most from a training after reading and watching the other 17 fundamental resources.
Advanced Agile Marketing Resources
If you’re looking for a list of advanced resources, come back here in a few months. I’m making my way towards the “advanced section” of the agile marketing resources.
However, if there are resources you recommend I read or ones you think should be on the list above, comment below.