This is an overview of using the A3 Lean Problem Solving Tool for Sales and Marketing. It also provides a quick overview of the book Marketing with A3s.

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

2. 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

3. Why in Marketing?
• 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.

4. I like to think of an A3 as a mini-PDCA
Team: Date:
Countermeasures:
Title/Theme:
Background/Definition:
Implementation:
Current Conditions:
Target:
Determine Cause/Analysis: Follow-up:

5. In the Lean Marketing House,
we use A3s for each of the foundation blocks or
the marketing tactics that support the house.
Web
Ezine Mailers Brochure Pricing
Presence
Social Press
Speaking Advertising Referral
Media Release

6. Using A3 in our Marketing Tactics
• 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Visit the Marketing with A3 Website:
• Sample A3s
• A3 Podcasts
• A3 Community
• A3 Experts
• A3 Book Recommendations
http://marketingwitha3.com

10. Available on Amazon:
• Kindle
• CD Rom
• Ring bound
Available on Barnes & Noble:
• Nook
Available on Business901:
• PDF – Instant Download

11. 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)

12. 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.
http://business901.com