Disciple

Disciple represents the teaching phase and actually takes place throughout the process.

The idea is to disciple or “teach” your staff the 4D process. Including as many people in your organization as possible encourages “buy-in” which results in greater discipline in delivering the message and perseverance in executing the plan.

Course correction will be necessary. Just like comparing the actual flight of a plane to a pilot’s flight plan, environmental and other factors cause the plane to be slightly off-course most of the time. Slight adjustments along the way result in a successful journey and landing at the prescribed destination. So it is with marketing. Many factors will drive you off course; familiarity with the process will allow for course corrections along the way.

Unlike the airport in the previous illustration, the “market” is a moving target. Customer’s needs change. Government regulations change. Demographics change. Competitive offerings change. All of these and many other issues require that the process be one of continuous course correction.

Involving all of the key constituents of your organization in the 4D process will give them more confidence in the direction of the company and the ability to see when course correction is necessary before dramatic and possibly painful reaction is necessary.