Mark - completely agree. But you have broken the (well, my) most fundamental rule of critical review - you've canned something without suggesting a solution. What approach do you suggest instead? I'd be interested to hear!

 the SWOT analysis in marketing plan isn't for you, its for your boss and other co-workers who have no knowledge of marketing.

Totally right, the swot analysis is not needed, really should be like something you do in your notes before you begin research.

One thing to add to the list should be the BCG strategy.

Mark you appear to have forgotten an earlier article you wrote contradicting yourself. http://www.marketingweek.co...

Perhaps check your own facts before posting really dumb ideas.

"Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach, teach gym" - Woody Allen

why do we need a solution (ie replacement) for swot?? what mark says is so right - swot is a waste of time and now the coments board is effectively asking "so if we cant waste our time with swot analysis and Maslow's theories, how do we waste our time"???

"What is the solution if not SWOT or Maslow?"

I think our colleagues in finance find us 'fluffly' because we run around touting accronyms with several unique meanings. For example the number of times someone has tried to teach me the 6 P's with a different P in it (so far i've counted 10 p's in the 6), whereas if you ask your friend in Finance what ROI or EBITDA means i bet you they won't turn around and say.. "well that depends on the situation". That's why i find my profession a simplistic joke

Julia - the solution is "SMTM" - aka "show me the money". Engage 3-  5 agencies - each gets a budget to market in 3 - 5 locations - e,g, Bundaberg. Do what you like.  Just show me the money - winner gets a national campaign. The only problem, is that they'd all most likely be unable to "SMTM". And what marketing manager wants to prove that  to his superiors.

There are different approaches to a SWOT. Some approaches have more value than others.

What I think Mark Ritson is referring to is an approach to a SWOT that is not customer led. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

I quote--------------------------------------------------------

“I think SWOT is a subjective, pointless waste of time used by
managers who don't know any better.” (Said in the comments in the
original article)

“…the completion of every SWOT always ends the same way. The manager
in charge of the whiteboard asks if anyone else wants to add anything
and the muffled silence that ensues indicates either that the job is
done or, more likely, that its home time.”

------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree to some extent that this approach (or management guesses) may not be the most effective way to conduct a SWOT.

In contrast, a proper market led approach to a SWOT can be extremely worthwhile.

1. Starting with a segment of your market, ask your customers what
factors do they take into consideration when they buy? In other words
what are the critical success factors?

2. From this ask customers to evaluate your own and your competitors strengths and weakness against these factors.

The key point is that it's your customers that inform not a bunch of managers with a whiteboard.

Done correctly, strengths and weaknesses alone has extreme value to any organisation.

There are different approaches to a SWOT. Some approaches have more value than others.

What I think Mark is referring to is an approach to a SWOT that is not customer led. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)

-------------------------

I quote

“I think SWOT is a subjective, pointless waste of time used by
managers who don't know any better.” (Said in the comments)

“…the completion of every SWOT always ends the same way. The manager
in charge of the whiteboard asks if anyone else wants to add anything
and the muffled silence that ensues indicates either that the job is
done or, more likely, that its home time.”

-------------------------

I agree to some extent that this approach (or management guesses) may not be the most effective way to conduct a SWOT.

In contrast, a proper market led approach to a SWOT can be extremely worthwhile.

1. Starting with a segment of your market, ask your customers what
factors do they take into consideration when they buy? In other words
what are the critical success factors?

2. From this ask customers to evaluate your own and your competitors strengths and weakness against these factors.

The key point is that it's your customers that inform not a bunch of managers with a whiteboard.

Done correctly, strengths and weaknesses alone has extreme value to any organisation.

Interesting read (both positive and negative comments) on
SWOT and Maslow, two approaches we (well I) often use in research as well so good
to see what people think of them. I must admit I tend to use them in order to engage
people with topics that they might not otherwise do. I agree they don’t always add
significant value to the strategic process, however as a process they do help to
make some ‘simple statements in a simple and clear way’. I concur with other
commentators they do not provide insight and innovation but they can start the
thought process….

I agree with you Mark but to be honest, I haven't seen anyone pull out a SWOT analysis or a Marslow's needs heirarchy on a slide in years. I think the last time I saw a SWOT was when I did a Strategic Planning course at UTS back in 1998!

What's with the "I'm a real estate agent" head shot? And the arrogant tone to match. You seem intelligent, pity about the delivery. 

Some good points but no solutions and I realise your tone is probably intentional but it's rude and alienating resulting in your good points being lost.  I hope you're not so arrogant in person.

He is right about SWOT and completely wrong about Maslow, who he obviously hasn't read

Oh deary me. When you actually have some experience in marketing please get back to us.

Interesting view....but isn't the point of a SWOT analysis to ensure that you review the current situation before moving on to the actual 'strategic planning tools' and developing a plan of attack?

It might be obvious to a marketer, but if you have to justify a costly campaign to a company, you need some rationalisation around a problem (or opportunity) that needs addressing....

So, as below, if it's such a waste of time then what should be done instead? I'm eagerly awaiting the follow-up.

The point is not 'what's the alternative', folks.  The point is that Maslow's hierarchy is fantasy and a SWOT (at least for marketing purposes) is irrelevant. Stop using them. Period. 

The greatest threat to creative thinking is a cynic. Mark may well be correct and I'm sure he can offer some clever theories as alternatives to SWOT and Maslow.  We won't know however until he concentrates more on marketing and less on comedy but, then again I don't know the brief.

Hi Mark,

Interesting opinion on both the SWOT and Hierarchy of Needs from Maslow.

I remember learning both of them.

Maslow:

I found it interesting. Not relevant to most things obviously. Just generic ways to classify and attempt to group people. For example, I could have traits of a few levels, but it depends on situations and stages I go through in life. However, the key foundation sticks: the basic need for survival, and then affiliation. It's evident in life:

Friends stick together, through thick and thin. However, faced with a crisis, it's everybody for themselves.

SWOT:

The SWOT Analysis isn't an analysis. It's a list of things that people put down in 4 quadrants.

The real analysis comes after reflecting on the listed items to look for true direction to basically better strengths, cover weaknesses and leverage on opportunities whilst being aware of threats.

I've had people present to me various 'SWOTs' and I'm never happy with them.

Why?

Almost anything and everything can be a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity or Threat. There are so many factors to take into account.

I feel a SWOT is great, when used properly. Every item listed should have a degree of relevance thinking further ahead with an intended strategy in mind for any problems/issues.

The best case I was presented with for a SWOT was to do one of myself.

A typical SWOT:

S: I'm friendly, great with people, good with words, etc...
W: I've not stepped out of the country before
O: The military (to travel and meet new people)
T: The Government not hiring in the military

A Better SWOT:

S: I speak 4 languages fluently, I am able to work with the entire Adobe Suite Collection whilst still being strategic (Creative Strategist), and have travelled to alot of countries (Over 20).
W: I talk too much, and want to voice my opinions all the time without considering others thoughts
O: There is much demand in the Ad industry for a new kind of creative person with an analytical mind
T: Ad agencies would prefer to employ an Australian over a foreigner

The main things I focus on are Strengths (which I believe are different from others), And Opportunities.

In this scenario: There are evident hurdles. What I can do is find links to work around them:

An Analysis:

Even though Ad Agencies would rather hire locals, my personal experience and international exposure if presented properly could deem me as a very valuable asset and possible acquisition. The AD world requires someone with the ability to utilize both left-brain and right-brain mentality.

So What:

Maybe big agencies aren't for me. Maybe it's the boutique agencies who require employees with multiple talents, and also serve foreign clients. Boom, my direction is then to target and approach these type of agencies to get a job.

Cheers,

Daniel-Jacob Santhou
http://dj-santhou.blogspot.com

Mark, for what its worth I agree with you wholeheartedly. Process and tools don't provide insight and innovation.
A follow up would be worthwhile.
Just a thought, maybe it was the language that enraged current users. Perhaps they were standing at the whiteboard yesterday with a red pen for threats...

Mark, love your passion, and agree with your point about Maslow... Gold, but I have to say that I am not a fan of tools at all.  It's like soemthing you default to in the absence of ability to think for yourself about the unique nature of any situation.  In addition, I dissagree that you can make an outright claim that anyone that uses a particular tool like a SWOT analysis immediately defines their ineptitude!  I think you can use tools well or porly depending on the user, and I for one am much more interested in teh content, the quality of the thinking, analysis, insight and strategy! 

To finish, I have to agree wholeheartedly with Julia et al, lets hear your solution amigo?

Classic Ritson.  Love it. 

It's smart, the solution comes with a price.

Well in Mark.

Yes fair points on all sides. What about the balanced scorecard - Messrs Kaplan and Norton think it's pretty good

Just to be clear  for those above (Chris, David) who are suggesting SWOT and Maslow do have some strengths or rationale for being in a marketing plan - let me be SUPER clear. I think any marketer that includes Maslow is a moron. And I think SWOT is a subjective, pointless waste of time used by managers who don't know any better. This is not a straw man argument. I really think that its a signal that the marketer has very little actual insight to add. And I'm delighted to confirm that I have made that point to a client considering different ad agencies when one actually presented both as part of their response to the brief. Any agency that even tries to use these models should, must, be put in the dumper.

A fairer point is that I am knocking down some crap theories without suggesting other more suitable models for brand and marketing planning (Julia, Dave). I do have a set of models and approaches that I think suggest a marketer knows what they are doing and do add value - I teach several of them to my MBA students. 

But its a fair challenge to lay down. So next Monday I'll share my list of the "Anti-Maslows" i.e. marketing theories that, when applied properly, do have empirical and strategic validity and do  add significant value to the strategic process. Be warned - unlike SWOT and Maslow - they aren't simplistic nonsense that you can read on the back of a cornflake packet. But they aren't rocket science either.

Next Monday... see you then. 

Well thank you for that.  I too would like to be SUPER clear.  Maslow's hierarchy is, in a marketing context, a tool for ensuring that a proposition has utility, social value, indivdual worth and is a somehow a joy to enagage with. Failure to appreciate this is taking a simplistic approach to what is a deceptively simple model. Maslow's model is useful because it reminds us to create value beyond merely rational propositions - one of the reasons we are running around in a world created by accountants working with flawed economic models is that too little attention has been paid to what Maslow draws attention to.

As far as rejecting SWOT as vehemently as you do, I can scarcely believe it faulty planning to take stock of one's strengths, reflect on potential weaknesses and take steps to counter them, to consider how vulnerable one might be to competitors or to explore opportunities.

I'm the last to suggest that these tools are the only approach of merit but years of consumer and B2B research and strategic planning have convinced me that the heart of Maslow resonates with real people and that SWOT is an effective means for focusing minds on key issues. Perhaps there are those who have a vested interest in overcomplicating what is a very straightforward and effective toolkit?

I didnt see your list of "Anti-Maslows" yesterday?? Are you still planning on sharing this with us?

This sounds like an analysis in the null hypothesis theory. Mark explains how to tell when something is wrong but is not help in telling us when a marketing plan in correct. This simple if you see these two items the plan is crap is also reminiscent of the standard of quiz in magazines. I suspect that there is more to evaluating marketing plans than a simple is my boyfriend into me type question and answer. At least make it quantitative by assigning balanced scorecard values and providing a range eg. if you score 10 or more the proposal is really crap, 7 - 9 reasonably crap, 4 - 6 pretty crap and less than 4 not too crappy.

How to tell if a marketing (or other business plan) is crap - does it offer a solution? Is the solution feasible? Are there proof points to support the solution and is there a way or process to implement the solution.
Sorry Mark, on the above criteria, your analysis is itself "crap".

Maslow and SWOT are like any tools - a way of engaging people with issues.  Their validity lie in the extent to which a team find them useful; they are not, nor ever have been 'the answer'.  I would also venture to suggest that there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that people engage positively with brands which make them feel about whichever path they are on.

Aren't SWOT / Maslow thought processes (so you don't miss anything in analysis) rather than conclusive influencers of the "best" marketing strategy?

Presumably NPS is the solution Mark?

Solution Mark (Mr Consultant), I think we are all waiting...

straw man arguments Mark?