Have you ever struggled with making a decision about which car to buy for yourself or your family? You know what you're going to use it for, how many passengers it needs to carry, and maybe even what make or model you'd prefer. After visiting a few car lots, searching through Consumer Reports, and asking a few friends, you make your choice. All seems right with the world -- mission accomplished. And then . . . inexplicably, about 12 hours later, the dreaded Perfect Car (PCS) Syndrome hits! That's right, second thoughts and doubts. Is that choice really the best one available? Is there a better one out there, somewhere? Then, you have even bigger decisions to make. Do you follow through with the original choice or do you continue your search? And, if so, for how long, where, and at what cost in time?

OK, we might not all obsess over car decisions, but from time to time, we, and the businesses we work for, all suffer from PCS. Try substituting the word "employee" or "advertising message" or "target market" for "car" in the above title and scenario and PCS may suddenly feel more familiar.

The danger of this syndrome is its insidious manifestations. At its mildest level it represents merely a bit of indecisiveness leading to a slight delay in setting direction or taking action. But at its most intense level it can completely paralyze an organization's ability to make a decision, move forward, and compete in its markets.

The Cure

Luckily, there is an antidote readily available. It's been around for centuries and has been proven across a variety of situations, disciplines, and cultures. Western business professionals refer to it as "iteration" or "incremental improvement" while the Japanese know it as Kaizen. (Children know it simply as "If at first you don't succeed..")

Iteration, "repetition of a sequence. . . yielding results successively closer to a desired result," is based on the belief that success is a process from which one constantly learns, and not merely a specific final outcome. For even as business people meet, exceed, or occasionally miss certain goals, we take what we've learned along the way and set higher goals for the next iteration.

Be sure to consider. . .

• How easily can the outcome of this decision be reversed or changed, if needed? This is important in assessing the risk a particular decision carries and in helping define the necessary decision-making process. Obviously, changing a headline in an ad is a lot easier than changing a factory location or removing an employee. (Be sure to consider human costs wherever appropriate as well as time and dollars.)

• Are the objectives and expectations clear? Everyone involved in the decision-making process should know why a project or program is even being considered and they should agree on its potential benefits, risks, and expected outcomes.

• How will the results be measured? Deciding specifically on how and when results will be assesssed against expectations prior to implementation is critical to gauging the program's impact. Be clear on what metrics will be used, when will they be used, and what quantifiable change is expected. Without this level of detail there is no actionable feedback loop in place, reducing the chances for making systematic incremental improvements in future iterations.

Now that you've got consensus and definition. . . buy that car -- er, I mean, implement that program! Who knows, you may just like the ride!

Remember, Mosaic creates customers and increases sales for business-to-business companies through specific project work, on-going retainer assignments or marketing coaching sessions.

Until next time.....

Rosemary Walter
847-483-5018
Rose1Walter@MosaicMM.com

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"By Rosemary Walter of Mosaic Marketing Management, Inc. Please visit Rosemary's web site at http://www.MosaicMM.com for additional marketing articles and resources on marketing for business to business companies."